By SHANNON O. WELLS
For those who thrive on the standbys of brilliantly colored leaves, mild and crisp air temperatures, festivals and football, October is the heart of the fall season. At Pitt, it also means Campus Sustainability Month.
Hosted by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the annual event celebrates higher education sustainability achievements while raising awareness of the value of sustainability in higher education.
The month’s activities range from celebrating advances toward Pitt Sustainability and Climate Action goals to events like fall tree walks; a scavenger hunt; sustainability lectures, forums and webinars; a Pitt Eats Sustainability Tour; Pitt Soccer at the Green Games; and networking events, among other offerings.
Based on numbers and many visible accomplishments, there appears to be much sustainability to celebrate in October. To kick off the celebration, Pitt is highlighting sustainable-dining initiatives including the University’s commitment to the Coolfood Pledge, a global initiative led by the World Resources Institute that helps organizations reduce the climate impact of the food they serve by setting targets to cut food-related greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2019, Pitt was one of the first universities worldwide to join the pledge. For 2024, Pitt’s food-related greenhouse gas emissions “per plate” were down 34.76% from a 2017 baseline, outperforming other higher education Pledge members, Pitt Sustainability reported. This progress has been supported by increased plant-based options across dining facilities, including renovations to The Eatery designed to make choosing sustainable meals easier.
Since adopting the first Pitt Sustainability Plan in 2018 and Pitt Climate Action Plan in 2022, Pitt has steadily advanced toward its 61 goals, including the commitment to source half of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 100% by 2037.
In the past year, rooftop solar panels were installed across four Oakland campus buildings including David Lawrence Hall, Hillman Library, Ruskin Hall and Posvar Hall. Combined with existing solar on Petersen Sports Complex, the University now has 2,042 solar panels producing electricity for five buildings in Oakland.
Here are some events and offerings that celebrate sustainability through October:
“Seeds & Seasons”: Fall Tree Walk — Join Tree Pittsburgh for a guided fall walk around campus Thursday, Oct. 9, to explore the vibrant seasonal changes of campus. Discover why leaves change color in autumn, learn about the fascinating ways trees disperse their seeds, and get hands-on with seed collection techniques. Click here to register for the noon walk registration, and here for the 3 p.m. walk.
The Language of Flowers (3:30-5 p.m Oct. 9, at the Workshop, University Store on Fifth) — Explore the rich world of Western Pennsylvania’s native flowers and the symbolism behind them in this hands-on workshop. Learn how to bind a simple journal and craft your own personal compendium using collage, watercolor and an array of art materials.
Sustainable Cities & Communities — A Transatlantic Dialogue (1-3 p.m. Oct. 15-16, Willam Penn Union lower level) — This event provides an opportunity to learn more about ecosystem services and how urban green spaces impact our health with visiting scholar, Dr. Jesko Hirschfeld, from Humboldt University of Berlin.
Sustainability Scavenger Hunt (Oct. 15-29) — Join the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation and the Office of Sustainability for a campus scavenger hunt for a chance to win great prizes. Follow MCSI on Instagram for clues, earn OCC credit, and watch for winners announced on Oct. 31.
Here are other Sustainability Month events and activities, including links for detailed information:
-
Pittsburgh Vision Zero Summit — 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 17
-
Green Games — Women’s Soccer vs. North Carolina State University at 7 p.m. Oct. 17, and Men’s Soccer vs. N.C. State at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24, Ambrose Urbanic Field
-
Pitt Eats Sustainability Tour — 11 a.m.-noon, Oct. 23, The Eatery
-
Plant2Plant Harvest Festival — 7-10 p.m. Oct. 26, Oakland Urban Farm
-
Sustainable Business Fall Forum — 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 28, University Club
-
Student Office of Sustainability (SOOS) Advocacy & Activism Panel & Networking Event — 4-6:30 p.m. Oct. 29, WPU Dining Room A
-
SOOS ReuseFest: Halloween Edition — 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 31, William Pitt Union, Plaza
-
Thriftsburgh Halloween Event — noon-4 p.m. Oct. 31, O'Hara Student Center, Room 111
Shannon O. Wells is a writer for the University Times. Reach him at shannonw@pitt.edu.
Have a story idea or news to share? Share it with the University Times.