Academics

Many faculty members across Kent State’s colleges and schools incorporate sustainability into their courses.  View the course inventory below or check out the following areas, which may be helpful starting points. Another option is to ask your advisor.

Energy

Energy consumption and production are important factors in sustainability. The most effective action we can take to reduce the impact of energy production is to reduce our consumption. For the energy we do use, we want to consider how it is produced and transmitted. Kent State University is addressing all of these aspects of campus energy.

Food

Find these healthy, delicious, and sustainable food options and projects on campus.

Green Building

Green building strategies have the potential to improve buildings by increasing energy efficiency, decreasing operating costs, improving indoor air and environmental quality, and reducing water use. The U.S. Green Building Council developed a building rating system known as LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, as a tool to rate green buildings and to help green building strategies become industry standards. The four levels of LEED certification are Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

Natural Areas

Kent State University Kent Campus is located in the City of Kent in northeast Ohio in Portage County. Kent sits along the Cuyahoga River, which drains into the Lake Erie watershed. Portage County is in the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, with evidence of rolling hills, bogs, and kettle lakes. The Kent Campus has a variety of habitats including forested areas, vernal pools, wetlands, pollinator habitat, a prairie, five formal gardens, and two campus gardens. University Facilities Management's Grounds crews maintain the 950 acres of the Kent Campus. We take immense pride in the beautification of our campus and realize the importance of a clean, healthy, and safe environment.

Transportation

Kent State strives to create transportation options on campus.

Water

Many issues surround water, whether it is stormwater, drinking water, or waste water; quantity, quality, flow.  We want the right kind, in the right amount, in the right place, at the right time.

Zero Waste

Be a Hero - Aim for Zero

Kent State University is a single-stream campus, where different recyclable materials can be placed in the same recycling bin on campus. Everyone’s actions to recycle and minimize waste at Kent State University divert thousands of pounds of waste from landfills, protect the environment, and conserve natural resources.