Sustainability
Respecting the future is who we are.
Snapshots of sustainability around USC.
At USC, we understand that the future is shaped by our actions today. That’s why sustainability isn’t just a concept to us; it’s a commitment. Our dedication to fostering an eco-friendly and socially responsible campus is woven into every facet of our institution — from energy-efficient buildings and cutting-edge research to community outreach and individual responsibility.
Sustainability, the Trojan Way
Across our campuses, sustainability is ingrained as a fundamental value that fosters a united vision throughout the entire Trojan community. Students, faculty, staff, campus leaders, community partners and more work together to innovate sustainable solutions for shaping our planet’s future — a collective future that affects all of us.
Assignment: Earth
Assignment: Earth represents USC’s blueprint for cultivating a sustainable and equitable campus and global community. Crafted by the USC Presidential Working Group on Sustainability, in collaboration with various university groups, this framework outlines a comprehensive vision, along with aspirations and objectives, spanning five key areas: education, research, equity and inclusion, operations and engagement.
USC’s Sustainability Hub
The 1,500-square-foot hub, housed in USC’s Gwynn Wilson Student Union building, serves as a collaborative and inclusive gathering space for USC students, researchers and staff, focusing on advancing sustainability initiatives. Additionally, it houses Assignment: Earth, USC’s framework dedicated to maintaining the university’s leadership in sustainability operations, research and education.
Tracking USC’s Sustainability Progress
Annual Sustainability Survey
USC Sustainability Progress Report
Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS)
Voices Across USC
Trojan leaders share their perspectives on why sustainability matters not just for the university but also for broader societal and environmental well-being.
“Sustainability is all about our collective passage through this world. At USC, sustainability is our Assignment: Earth. It’s a centerpiece of our research and teaching, and of our policies and mindsets.”
President Folt is also an environmental scientist.
“USC is making meaningful sustainability progress across numerous categories — energy conservation, water efficiency, diverting waste from landfills and integrating sustainability into more classes, for example.
Achieving zero waste at a university like USC is a complex equation. … Success will hinge on behavioral change. All Trojans have a part to play: We have to commit to rethinking waste as a resource — first reduce and reuse, and then recycle and compost.”
“We’ve reached a point where we really need to do something before things get unsolvable. I think everyone by now agrees that climate change is happening. It’s not a matter of stopping it. It’s just a matter of dealing with it at this point in a way that least impacts society.”
“This is the perfect time to help your network explore and dive into climate [issues].
All it takes is one moment, one conversation, one event to turn apathy into audacity and to believe that a better alternative is possible.”
Presidential Working Group (PWG) on Sustainability in Education, Research and Operations
USC President Carol Folt established the PWG on Sustainability in 2019 to guide the university toward sustainability leadership in education, research and campus operations. Comprising schools, offices and student organizations with six subcommittees focusing on critical areas, the group engages over 100 students, faculty and staff to drive sustainable practices and initiatives across the university.
USC Celebrates Earth Month
Beyond Earth Day on April 22, Earth Month at USC is a cornerstone initiative within Assignment: Earth. Dedicating the month of April to sustainability catalyzes meaningful change, inspiring individuals to take action, adopt sustainable practices, and contribute to a more resilient and equitable future for all. Our approach is to take concerted, collaborative action across disciplines and communities.
Noteworthy Earth Month Events
4th Annual Climate Forward Conference: Climate at the Crossroads
In celebration of Earth Day, the USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability and the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future will host a series of conversations on advancing climate change issues. This conference focuses on finding practical solutions to climate change and identifying the political obstacles to implementing those changes.
Thursday, April 4, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
3rd Annual Student Sustainability Town Hall
All USC students are invited to ask questions and engage in an ongoing conversation with sustainability leaders on campus. This event will provide an open floor for all to learn, voice concerns, ask about sustainability at USC and beyond. Panelists will include USC faculty and administration from the Presidential Working Group on Sustainability and Office of Sustainability. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.
Thursday, April 18, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Ed Yong: 2024 Delta Murphy Lecture
Named “the most important and impactful journalist” of 2020 by Poynter, Ed Yong is the New York Times bestselling author of An Immense World and I Contain Multitudes. He was also awarded journalism’s top honor, the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting, for his coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Through a lecture and in conversation with USC Wrigley Institute Director Joe Árvai, Yong will share the experiences behind An Immense World, the challenges of science journalism and why storytelling is a crucial tool in the fight against climate change.
This lecture is presented by the USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability.
Thursday, April 25, 5:30 p.m.
USC Sustainability in the News
The latest in USC’s mission toward a sustainable future.
USC values in action
Trojan researchers, students, staff, community partners and more are going above and beyond to uncover new solutions for a sustainable future, addressing climate change and related issues to protect our environment.
USC’s sustainability efforts receive gold rating
The rating is part of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s STARS system, and comes a year earlier than planned.
Marshall launches first curriculum-driven sustainability fellowship program across campus
Rising sophomores across all USC schools are invited to apply to new Hayes Barnard Sustainability Fellowship.
Don’t applaud the climate summit’s loss and damage fund deal just yet — it might not warrant that standing ovation
The agreement still leaves many unanswered questions, as well as concerns from vulnerable countries about who will qualify, who pays and who is in charge.
More help, less waste: alum develops popular compost service
USC Iovine and Young Academy alumni Ben Wan has launched Hudson Compost Services, a company that helps households compost easily and efficiently.
From throwing soup to suing governments, there’s strategy to climate activism’s seeming chaos
USC’s Shannon Gibson says that with international climate talks failing to make progress fast enough, activists are radically rethinking how to be most effective in the streets, political arenas and courtrooms.
