Campus Initiatives

NIU's commitment to sustainability can be seen in several ways throughout campus. We engage in many initiatives designed to conserve energy, reduce reliance on chemicals and fossil fuels, and improve local ecosystems.

• Energy-related initiatives include identifying high-impact projects, benchmarking our energy consumption against our peers and continuing to improve energy conservation across campus.
• Food and dining initiatives center on our Edible Campus project, which brings students and community members together to plan and care for fruit and vegetable plots located across campus.
• Grounds initiatives include restoration of open spaces to native habitats, including a major planting project around the East Lagoon.
• Purchasing initiatives focus on replacing chemicals used on campus with more sustainable solutions, as well as greenhouse gas management.
• Recycling and waste initiatives include providing campus with options for recycling not only plastic, metal, glass and paper, but also electronic waste, batteries, light bulbs and other office supplies.
• Transportation initiatives include increasing the number of hybrid campus vehicles and promoting more sustainable transportation options.