Sustainability
At Hiram College, sustainability has always been at the forefront of our education, outreach, and core mission. With a 550+ acre Field Station a mile from campus, a student-led composting program, an on campus arboretum, and more initiatives – our students have been the driving force behind our commitment to increasing our sustainable development. At Hiram, we focus on implementing initiatives to create a sustainable college and implement practices that lessen the negative impacts on our environment.
Image: Student worker at the field station
Betty Marin ’24 | Political Science Major | Sustainable Development Committee Chair ’23 – ’24
“It’s a very hands-on campus experience, especially with giving back to the community. It really has made me a more well-rounded person.”
Sustainable development committee
Hiram College’s Sustainable Development Committee was established as a committee of Student Senate in 2020 and has been working towards a more sustainable future for the College ever since.
Sustainability Initiatives:
The Sustainable Development Committee, with the help of the College’s Sustainability Coordinator, has worked over the last three years to implement several sustainability initiatives across our campus. These initiatives have begun to move Hiram towards a more sustainable future while also educating our student population on the need for sustainable development. These students have dedicated their time to researching, collecting data, applying for licenses, and more to make these initiatives possible. Learn more about the SDC’s sustainability pillars and initiatives below:
The committee implemented a campus compost program in 2020 that has since grown to collect waste from our campus dining facilities, the Hiram public gardens, and from the JHBB Field Station.
The committee has been hosting a pop-up thrift store around campus with the hopes of soon having a permanent location. Donations are gathered from the residence halls on campus.
Hiram College is a certified Level 1 arboretum through ArbNet. Our small campus has roughly 1,000 trees that cast shade, display showy flowers and fall foliage, provide habitat for wildlife, and help reduce our carbon footprint.
Collection bins are located outside of each residence hall to collect cardboard, paper, plastic grocery bags, and metal cans. Student volunteers from the Committee then sort the materials for proper distribution.
Hiram’s Sustainability Coordinator hosts a multitude of educational and outreach programs centered around sustainability. These include campus outreach events, the Hiram Garden Club, and the Garden Pals Cooperative.
Students can get involved in these initiatives to make Hiram a greener campus!
nature rx
Nature Rx at Hiram College is a collaboration between faculty members, health and counseling services and administrators to ensure a variety of regular outdoor programming, improve access to and comfort in the outdoors for all groups, and encourage the utilization of green spaces for personal well-being.
the Students behind hiram’s Sustainability mission
Every year, the Sustainable Development Committee is led by a group of 10 – 20 students. The committee continues to grow each year as it educates the campus community and implements new initiatives. For the first time in the SDC’s four years of work, the committee is chaired by a female student. Betty Marin is not your typical sustainability guru. As a political science major, Betty came to Hiram not even knowing how compost was created. Now, four years later she chairs Hiram’s SDC and leads a group of 20-plus students in implementing and managing large impact sustainable programming.
Contact US
For questions about the sustainability programs our college engages in, contact our office to learn more.
