Sustainability News &Events

On-Campus Events

Campus Race to Zero Waste
February 2 - March 29, 2025
The Campus Race to Zero Waste is a friendly national competition and benchmarking tool for college and university recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities to their campus communities. Over an eight-week period in February and March, colleges report recycling, composting, and trash weights to be ranked against participating colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada. In 2024, Aquinas finished 8th in the Diversion category and 1st in the Food Organics Category (smaller campus division).

Tip the Scale Waste Competition
February 3 - March 2, 2025
The Tip the Scale Waste Competition is a friendly competition of all buildings on campus. Aquinas faculty, staff, and students are fighting to prove that their building is THE zero waste champion to beat! There is both a student category and a faculty/staff category, with the champion in each category winning the traveling sustainability trophy. Each participating building is working to beat its average (cumulative) diversion rate to date, earning a point each week that the percentage is beaten. The building with the highest number of points at the end of the competition wins!! In the event of a tie, the building with the highest percent change receives preference.

Houseplant Sale
February 13, 2025; 11:30am to 3:30pm; Albertus Hall Atrium
Does your room or apartment need a little greenery? Need a little plant for your valentine? Stop by the Albertus Hall Atrium to purchase a houseplant grown in the Albertus Greenhouse. 

Not only are indoor plants pretty to look at, but they have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, sharpen attention, increase happiness, and improve productivity (TIME). We will offer a variety of plants at affordable prices including small plants for $2-$5 each and medium plants for $5-$10. Event organized by the Biology Department, in partnership with the Center for Sustainability. Cash or Venmo accepted. Contact: Jessica Bowen (eimerjes@aquinas.edu).

Off-Campus Events

Green Schools Conference (GSC) Link
Dates: March 3-4, 2025
Location: Orlando, FL
The annual Green Schools Conference (GSC) brings together everyone involved in creating and advocating for green schools, with a focus on those leading their schools and school systems toward whole-school sustainability. Attendees will receive action-oriented training across disciplines and make lasting connections with peers and colleagues during targeted opportunities to exchange best practices and enhance green school initiatives nationwide.

AASHE 2025 Conference & Expo Link
Dates: October 22, 2025 - October 24, 2025
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Save the Date

Sustainability News

Holiday Update (December 2024):
As we reflect on the past year, we are filled with gratitude for the incredible community at Aquinas College. With a dedicated leadership team shaping a bright future, Saints living out our mission daily, and a vibrant campus welcoming community members who come to enjoy its beauty, there’s so much to celebrate. The Center for Sustainability remains steadfast in our commitment to fostering an organization rooted in the Triple Bottom Line Framework and empowering personal life skills that promote ecological and human flourishing. Together, we’re building a sustainable future.

Here are some exciting updates we’re thrilled to share with you:

• Advancing Climate-Sustainable Education: With support from the Economicology Leadership Fund, the School of Education is enhancing sustainability within the Education major. This year’s plans include faculty training, sessions with guest experts, and in-depth exploration of academic resources. This initiative aims to equip future educators with tools to integrate climate-conscious practices into their teaching. Learn more about this innovative project in the latest “Tuesdays with Terry” episode. Link
• Real-Time Weather Data on Campus: Over Thanksgiving, a new Davis Vantage Pro 2 weather station was installed on Albertus Hall, thanks to Jim Rasmussen and Kevin Boyd. Also funded by the Economicology Leadership Fund, this station provides real-time weather data for environmental projects like the River Narrative. Accessible online, the station will enhance classroom learning, engage the public, and contribute to refined local weather models. Learn about the River Narrative Project here.
• Empowering Citizen Scientists: The Aquinas Chemistry Society (ACS) hosted Girl Scouts on November 16th, teaching them how to become “Citizen Scientists.” Through hands-on activities, the scouts did experiments like water quality testing, explored the trees, created action plans and earned journey patches—plus, they left inspired to tackle environmental challenges like Buckthorn in their own communities.
• Creating a Legacy of Environmental Justice: Students in Elizabeth Chamberlain's block class, “Unsung Heroes in Our Backyard: How We Can All Be Social Justice Activists,” dedicated their time to social and environmental justice. They transformed the area near Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel, replacing invasive English ivy with native plants. The new Coldbrook Creek Native Plant Garden, dedicated on November 13th, will stand as a testament to their efforts and the value of experiential learning.
• Celebrating Our Campus Forest: We had an exciting fall focused on our exploring our campus forest and reflecting on the value of nature. Nominated by Coreena Marsiglia, we named the Sugar Maple just west of the Chapel the 2024 "Tree of the Year". The Class of 2028 planted a Shellbark Hickory near Wege Pond as their class tree, bringing us closer to having all Michigan-native species on campus—just six more to go! Because Ryan Wendt's outstanding leadership, our campus came alive with K-12 students discovering the wonders of our trees. Ryan led an impressive 56 tours, welcoming a total of 529 visitors to our campus. Truly inspiring work!
• Commitment to Zero Waste: The college remains committed to the Zero Waste Initiative. It is one of the first sustainability initiatives new students are exposed to, offering an easy and practical gateway into living sustainably that continues to develop well after our students graduate. Our waste diversion rate has increased to 63.2%, up from 62.0% last year, thanks to the collective efforts of our amazing community.

Looking for more? Visit our News:Archives page for older news about the Center for Sustainability.