Office of Climate Action Updates

Image

Rutgers University Makes Princeton Review's Top 500 Green Colleges Guide for the First Time


Based primarily on surveys the company conducted in 2023–2024 of administrators at nearly 600 colleges, and analyses of more than 25 survey data points, the Guide profiles 511 schools. The schools were selected for their exceptional programs, policies, and practices related to sustainability and the environment. 

View the Full Guide Here

Rutgers Sustainability Timeline Launch


The Rutgers Office of Climate Action is excited to announce the launch of the Rutgers Sustainability Timeline. This interactive timeline guides viewers through the history of sustainability at Rutgers dating back to the inception of the Agricultural Experiment Station in 1880, all the way into the present day and beyond. Different milestones can also be broken out by category, such as procurement and waste, food systems, transportation, and more.

A special thanks to the Rutgers Undergraduate team who worked to develop this timeline led by April Nguyen, with support from Jordan Eckstein, Sri Gondi, Shreeya Gupta, Sofia Little, Meagan Mahon, Sofia Pavlenko, and Ben Russell.


Explore the Timeline Here
Image
OCA Building

The Office of Climate Action has a New Home!


The Office of Climate Action relocated from Liberty Plaza to the Cook/Douglass Campus earlier this year. Stop in and visit us! We're just across the driveway from the University Inn and Conference Center.

176 Ryders Lane
New Brunswick, NJ  08901

Climate Action Dashboard Launch

Rutgers has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2040 and carbon-negative -- removing more greenhouse gases than we are putting into the atmosphere -- no later than the university's 275th anniversary in 2041. Monitoring and reporting Rutgers’ energy use is a key step in ensuring that we are on track to meeting this goal. This dashboard is the first in a series of sustainability dashboards that will be developed and illustrates the progress made by the Energy & Buildings Climate Action Group.
In addition to tracking our progress to goal, we invite Rutgers community members to download and use these data as research and learning tools.

If you're having trouble viewing the dashboard on mobile, it is recommended to view it on a tablet or desktop computer instead. An improved mobile dashboard view is in development.
Research scientist Natalie Stuart (left), a 2023-2024 Eagleton Science fellow, stands with Aileen Eagleton, a current Eagleton Science fellow, outside the Board of Public Utilities office in Trenton, N.J. Jeff Arban/Rutgers University
Research scientist Natalie Stuart (left), a 2023-2024 Eagleton Science fellow, stands with Aileen Eagleton, a current Eagleton Science fellow, outside the Board of Public Utilities office in Trenton, N.J.

Climate-Action Track for Eagleton Fellowship Enters Second Year


More scientists are getting the opportunity to help guide state government on matters such as power grid management and energy efficiency, thanks to a partnership forged last year between the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU).

Through the Eagleton Science and Politics Program, the institute offers a year-long, full-time fellowship for scientists, engineers and health care professionals in New Jersey government. Under Eagleton’s partnership with the Board of Public Utilities, the institute created a climate-action track for Eagleton science fellows.

“Adding a climate-action track to the Eagleton Science and Politics Program provides the NJBPU with access to subject-matter experts who can help advance New Jersey’s ambitious climate action goals,” said Angela Oberg, the senior director for the Office of Climate Action at Rutgers. “Because the program is a year long, fellows can engage deeply with our most pressing climate action issues. In several cases, fellows have gone on to become full-time staff members at NJBPU, making this program a significant contributor to developing a clean energy workforce in New Jersey.”


Learn More
green jobs fair

After multiple unfortunate weather delays, in March of 2024, the Office held the Rutgers Green Jobs Fair -- an interdisciplinary career fair the featured job and internship opportunities related to sustainability, the environment, and climate action. This event was open to employers from all sectors and Rutgers University students and alumni from all academic disciplines and campuses. Free food and refreshments were provided in part by Impossible Foods.

The event also featured a Conversation with Industry Leaders in Sustainability, with guest speakers Peter McGuinness, CEO of Impossible Foods, as well as Ann Tracy, Colgate's Chief Sustainability Officer.

There were more than 35 employers and over 140 attendees.


Student Engagements

2024-2025 OCA Sustainability Ambassadors

2024-2025 Sustainability Ambassadors

Welcome to this year's Ambassadors!

The OCA Sustainability Ambassadors are a team of climate communicators leading sustainability education and outreach efforts across our campus and community. They help to build a culture of sustainability at Rutgers and get a behind-the-scenes look at our climate action efforts.

Sustainability ambassadors plan and implement outreach activities such as:

  • Organizing events of different scales
  • Tabling to engage students and community members
  • Hosting the OCA podcast “Work Your Values: How to Be Sustainable in Any Career”
  • Running social media campaigns
  • Writing articles for the OCA newsletter and website
  • Creating their own innovative project

Around Campus and Around New Jersey

The Office of Climate Action hosted a number of different events on and off campus, including a sustainability retreat to the New Jersey School of Conservation in Stokes State Forest, a clothing swap, poetry slam, Rutgers Day, and more!
Spring Cleaning Swap
Image

Climate Action Group Updates

Transportation

Food Systems

Land Use and Building Design

Procurement and Waste

Adaptation

Energy & Buildings

Newark Campus

Camden Campus

New Brunswick Campus

Rutgers Health

Future Priorities and Initiatives

Below are some highlights of projects and events that the Office is planning for the 2024/2025 year.
data exploration

Climate Dashboard Expansion


The Office continues to grow and update its Climate Action Dashboard, of which the first edition of the energy portion of the dashboard was launched earlier this year (see Office Updates for the current dashboard). An updated Energy Dashboard, as well as Food and Waste Dashboards are expected in the coming months.

Green Jobs Fair 2025


The Office is Busy Planning for the 2025 Green Jobs fair, which expanding to include all colleges and universities in New Jersey! Check back soon for more details.
Green Jobs Fair
AASHE STARS silver seal in front of a solar panel aerial picture background

STARS 3.0


Rutgers University, through the Office of Climate Action, currently has a Silver Rating through the AASHE Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (or STARS), which is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS is intended to engage and recognize the full spectrum of higher education institutions, from community colleges to research universities. The framework encompasses long-term sustainability goals for already high-achieving institutions, as well as entry points of recognition for institutions that are taking first steps toward sustainability.

With the new STARS 3.0 revision being launched in June of 2024, Rutgers plans to soon upgrade and begin working under the new version.