Framework for a Sustainable and Circular Campus

Leader: Bhavik Bakshi

 

Background

Sustainability is a common goal across most university campuses.  They include efforts toward carbon neutrality, zero solid waste, reducing water use, etc.  For example, OSU has developed a climate action plan to become carbon neutral by 2050, and is making efforts toward eliminating solid waste, and plans to enhance campus ecosystem services.  Academic research is also focusing on meeting similar goals and is developing systematic methods and frameworks.  However, a gap usually exists between research activities and the practical efforts toward meeting sustainability goals. 

Scope

This group will bring together faculty and staff from across OSU to develop a sustainable and circular framework that bridges the gap between research and practice.  Using campus as the setting for this framework will help focus the research questions and potentially provide living laboratory opportunities. 

The specific focus of this group will be on developing a model Sustainable and Circular Economy (SCE) for material flows on campus while ensuring environmental friendliness, economic feasibility, and social desirability.  We will focus on the following sub-problems: 

  • Food: Developing a SCE for food will focus on sources of food, processing and delivery, food waste, etc. 

  • Water: This will consider the flows of water to campus and flows leaving the campus in various forms. 

  • Materials: The specific emphasis will be on single-use products such as beverage cups, food trays, laboratory supplies, etc. 

  • Greenhouse gases: Significant efforts have already been directed toward carbon neutrality.  We will learn from these efforts to address the other flows. 

This work provides an opportunity for input from virtually all academic disciplines. We also welcome campus practitioners to contribute their expertise as well. 

Goals

Our first goal is to identify faculty and staff members who are interested in contributing to this project. Relevant disciplines are various branches of engineering, environmental science, ecological engineering, ecosystem ecology, environmental sociology, behavioral science, environmental economics, public policy, public health, etc.  Depending on the level of interest, we may work in sub-groups that focus on the flows listed above.  Our primary goal will be to understand the problems currently facing the university, gather necessary data, and develop potential solutions grounded in research.  The eventual goal will be to develop tools that could be used at OSU and on other campuses to achieve a sustainable and circular economy. 

For more information or to get involved, contact Bhavik Bakshi: Bakshi.2@osu.edu

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