sustainability institute

Wexner Medical Center receives two Ohio Hospital Association awards

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Awards reflect our outstanding efforts to advance environmental stewardship and operational excellence.

We are thrilled to announce that The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has received two major recognitions through the 2025 Ohio Hospital Association Sustainability Awards Program.

  • 2025 Non-Hospital Energy Cup Winner – awarded for leading all non-hospital facilities in year-over-year energy reduction from 2023 to 2024, driven especially by our work at McCampbell Hall and 700 Ackerman.
  • 2025 John Chapman Sustainability Leadership Award – OHA’s highest honor, recognizing long-term impact, innovation and leadership in sustainability across Ohio’s health care system.

These awards reflect the outstanding efforts of our Facilities Engineering and Sustainability team, as well as the broader medical center community, in advancing environmental stewardship and operational excellence.

Mike Abrams, president and CEO of OHA, highlighted these achievements during the recent CEO meeting and OHA Board presentation, and they’ve since been featured in OHA publications and on their website.

In addition, McCampbell and 700 Ackerman were recently ENERGY STAR certified — a further testament to our sustained commitment to energy efficiency and performance.

Please join us in extending thanks and congratulations to everyone supporting and progressing our sustainability efforts!

Register for the 2025 Ride & Drive Experience

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Join Smart Columbus at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center on October 10th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to test drive the latest EV models, explore savings, and see how driving electric fits your lifestyle. Don’t miss your chance to experience electrified mobility firsthand! Register at https://www.smartrideanddrive.com/ohiostate

 

Smart Columbus is excited to bring the Ride & Drive Experience to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center!

 

This interactive event gives employees the opportunity to test drive the latest electric vehicles (EVs), learn about EV ownership, and explore how electric mobility can fit into their lives.

We are excited to share that we have partnered with Smart Columbus to help transport our city to the future.

 

I invite you all to register for the upcoming Smart Columbus Ride & Drive Experience, an opportunity to explore the future of transportation and witness firsthand the innovative advanced mobility technologies showcased throughout our region.

The Columbus Region has become a national leader in advanced mobility. From a robust network of vehicle and battery manufacturing and testing, to deploying over 1,000+ charging stations and increasing electrified vehicle registrations by over 1200% in the last decade, our region has gained a competitive edge in advanced mobility.

Why You Should Attend

This Ride & Drive Experience is more than just a test drive—it’s a chance to:

  • Experience the latest electric vehicle technologies
  • Understand how electrified transportation is enriching the lives of Columbus Region residents
  • Explore the diverse electrified transportation ecosystem from vehicles to public transit and micromobility options
  • Learn about the economic and efficiency benefits of advanced mobility

Event Details

Ride & Drive Experience at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

October 10, 2025

10:00am – 2:00pm

Participants will need to register at the link below:

https://www.smartrideanddrive.com/ohiostate

Sustainability at the ‘Shoe

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OSU Sustainability Specialist talks on SWACO podcast

The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO)’s WastEd podcast featured The Ohio State University’s Environmental Sustainability Specialist (and Green Team ERG Advisor) Cecil Okotah, to discuss how the university practices environmental stewardship at the Horseshoe.

 The Zero Waste initiative started in 2011 and has grown exponentially since then. Game days are filled with prominently displayed zero-waste stations and recyclable or compostable food ware. A new edition was installed in 2024 to further implement recognizable zero-waste bins in the club spaces. This campaign aims to divert 90% of the waste created during game day from the landfill.

Thank you, Cecil for everything you do to promote sustainability at OSU!

 Click HERE to listen to the full podcast episode! 

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Looking for more sustainable tips during football season? Check out these tips from SWACO:

Earth Day Festival This Friday!

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Come invited to the American Conservation Coalition’s Earth Day Celebration, proudly sponsored by Ohio State’s Sustainability Institute — and it’s happening this Friday!

📅 Friday, April 18th

🕒 3:00 – 7:00 PM

📍The South Oval & Browning Amphitheater

We’ve got an awesome lineup planned, including:

  • Upcycled clothing vendors
  • Local restaurants and farms
  • Food trucks and refreshments
  • Inspiring speakers
  • Live performances by student bands

✨ This is a free event, but space is limited — if you haven’t already, be sure to RSVP here:

👉 ticketing link

Can’t wait to celebrate Earth Day with you!

Earth Month is Under Way!

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See how you can participate

id you know that The Ohio State University Sustainability Institute is hosting a Passport to Earth Month? Now through Tuesday, April 22 (Earth Day), engage in over 50 events and activities across campus and surrounding communities for the chance to win a special prize!

Learn more at Sustainability Institute. 

Upcoming events include:

Find More Earth Day Events at The Green Team ERG’s website!!

SPARK Speaker Series: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Intersection of Civil Rights and Environmental Justice

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Please join Ohio State’s College of Social Work for “Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Intersection of Civil Rights and Environmental Justice” with Dr. Dorceta Taylor, Wangari Maathai Professor of Environmental Justice at the Yale School for the Environment to celebrate Black History Month.

Dr. Taylor will examine the intersections of the environment and social dynamics with an emphasis on environmental justice to address the disproportional impacts of climate crises on the health and wellbeing of vulnerable and oppressed communities.

Date: Feb. 10, 2025
Time: 11 a.m.– 12:30 p.m. (Lecture and Discussion)
Location: 100 Stillman Hall

RSVP (required)

This event co-sponsored by the Sustainability Institute, the Institute for Population Research, and the Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Sciences.

Register Today for EPN’s Breakfast Series

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The EPN (Environmental Professionals Network) Breakfast series returns on Tuesday, January 14th, 2025! Register today for Moo-ving Methane: Converting Ohio’s dairy farm manure into an energy source. This program, sponsored by the Sustainability Institute at Ohio State, will highlight methane-capturing technologies implemented by IGS Energy on dairy farms across the Midwest. We’ll hear from a multi-sector team of Ohio-based researchers, energy providers, and a dairy farmer from Sidney, Ohio, who have teamed up to convert manure methane into bioenergy. To register and learn more about January’s program, visit go.osu.edu/epnjan25. 

Save the date for Tourism for Tomorrow: Sustainable Solutions for Ohio’s Travel, Ecosystems, and Economy on Tuesday, February 11th. This event will feature globally, nationally, and locally recognized leaders in the sustainable hospitality and tourism sector in an exciting conversation on unique sustainability challenges and opportunities within the travel industry.  

Sustainability Institute opens two research grant opportunities

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The Sustainability Institute is pleased to announce the availability of two FY2025 funding opportunities aimed at supporting sustainability and resilience research at Ohio State.

The Sustainability Proposal Development Grant Program supports the development of research teams pursuing large funding opportunities. Grant awards will range from $5,000 – $35,000 with proposals accepted on a rolling basis through June 1, 2025. Please see the full RFP with the application template before applying.

The Sustainability Research Seed Grant Program will fund research teams exploring topics in one or more of Ohio State’s eight sustainability impact areas. Average awards are expected to be about $25,000. Letters of intent are due by January 27, 2025 and full proposals are due by February 24, 2025. Please see the full RFP with application templates before applying.

SI will host two virtual grant information sessions, at noon on December 13 and January 14, to provide a program overview and answer questions – RSVP for one of the sessions.