At Michigan Tech, students actively engage in sustainability through diverse initiatives that enhance their academic and personal growth. From participating in interdisciplinary applied research projects through Enterprise, advocating for climate action with student organizations, or living at the Sustainability Demonstration House, to working with the Office of Sustainability and Resilience, students gain valuable hands-on experience through a collaborative approach.
In 2024, we partnered with Residential Education and Housing Services to launch a Sustainability House Living Learning Community in Wadsworth Hall, cultivating leadership and engagement for students to live together and build community around their passion for sustainability.
Sustainability Initiatives
Our office is constantly seeking new opportunities to engage our campus community in sustainability initiatives. Are you interested in exploring opportunities to get engaged? Follow us on Instagram, check out our Get Involved page, or contact our office.
Sustainability Demonstration House
The Sustainability Demonstration House (SDH) is a living laboratory of sustainability projects in real-time. This student-run, retrofitted house on Woodland Road strives for net-zero emissions and waste and serves as a model of sustainability for campus and the community. Sample projects include vermicompost, aquaponics, indoor hydroponic gardens, beekeeping, and maple syrup. Major facilities upgrades are planned for the future to improve the energy performance of the house.
Treehouse Sustainability Learning Community
The Treehouse Sustainability Learning Community brings together first-year students from a variety of majors and personal backgrounds to live and learn together in shaping a more sustainable future. The community is located on the fifth floor of east Wadsworth Hall. Residents of this community have the opportunity to participate in a wide array of distinctive programs, including seminars, service learning, immersive field trips, communal dining experiences, and thought-provoking sustainability discussions.
Green Campus Enterprise
Green Campus Enterprise (GCE) provides experiential learning opportunities for students to engage in applied, project-based work aimed at improving the sustainability of the Michigan Tech campus and surrounding local communities. Through project work, students apply principles of science and engineering design to develop a deeper understanding of sustainability issues and opportunities. Additionally, students communicate with a variety of audiences about the fundamentals of sustainability thinking and their application to reach sustainable solutions.
Wadsworth Garden
The Wadsworth Garden is an on-campus, student-run garden in front of Wadsworth Hall. All produce grown in the garden is free and available for students. There is a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs grown each year. The garden space offers picnic tables and relaxing places to sit outside and study, commune, or hang out.
Husky Food Access Network (HuskyFAN)
HuskyFAN works to address food security on campus by providing emergency meal packs and operating an on-campus food pantry. HuskyFAN also recovers supplemental food from the dining halls and packages meals through the Upcycle Food Operations (UFO) program. Produce grown and harvested in the Wadsworth Garden is seasonally available at HuskyFAN. All services provided at HuskyFAN are completely free and confidential.
Sustainability Fest
During the month of October, the Office of Sustainability and Resilience hosts Sustainability Fest to provide opportunities for students to engage in sustainability initiatives and highlight the many offerings on campus for students to get involved in sustainability work and organizations.
Student Organizations
There are many groups on campus devoted to sustainability and environmental causes. Explore the student organizations and see how you can get involved and create real change on campus and in the community.
- Keweenaw Youth for Climate Action (KYCA)
- Students for Sustainability
- Society of American Foresters
- Society of Wetland Scientists
- Wildland Fire Club
