Another Green World

1. The Academic Experience 

In true liberal arts fashion, at Oberlin, sustainability isn’t just a topic covered in the environmental studies program. Students can study how it intersects with history (You Are What You Eat and Wear: Global Crops), politics (Environmental Policy), and music (Making a Sustainable, Inclusive, and Just Future: The New Industrial Revolution). Another popular class, Environmental Economics, explores how to use economic tools to understand the root causes of environmental problems, as well as potential policy solutions. “Environmental economics integrates ecological realities with economic decision-making frameworks,” says Associate Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies Paul Brehm, who teaches the class. “As a result, we can find policies that maximize social welfare—a combination of prosperity and sustainability.”

2. On-Campus Internships

Students interested in gaining environmental experience can intern with Oberlin’s Office of Energy and Sustainability (OES) on various teams that align with their interests (e.g., zero-waste, policy, and green grounds). The Resource Conservation Team is another popular internship option: This group oversees sustainability-geared initiatives the Free Store, Oberlin Food Rescue, the J-House Garden, and Big Swap, all of which emphasize the value of reducing waste and making resources available to the college and surrounding communities.

3. EcoReps

Each residence hall has an EcoRepresentative (EcoRep), who is like “a green ambassador,” says sustainability manager Heather Adelman. “They’re meant to provide peer-to-peer support and interactions between students on sustainability topics.” In addition to hosting sustainability awareness events such as trivia nights or “Eco Jeopardy,” they monitor buildings to make sure recycling and composting is being done correctly, helping students change their behavior to reduce water and energy use.

4. Ecolympics

Launched in 2006, the two-week Ecolympics competition challenges buildings on campus and in the city of Oberlin to lower their carbon footprint. During Ecolympics, people who live or work in these buildings are encouraged to put extra thought into their electricity and water consumption, like shutting off lights when not in use or turning off the faucet when brushing teeth. Ecolympics exemplifies how individual behaviors add to our collective impact and contribute to our overall carbon neutrality. “We’ve even found that resource use stays lower after Ecolympics because people are creating new behaviors,” Adelman says.

5. Alternative Transportation

No car on campus? No problem! The college has a free Saturday shopping shuttle that stops at major stores, while the city of Oberlin offers a free electric bus during the week that makes a loop around major places. All-electric CarShare vehicles are also available for students to rent. For those who prefer two wheels, OES is also partnering with the Bike Co-op to hire bike mechanics so we can build more for the bike rental program. 

6. Sustainability Training

At the start of this academic year, all incoming first-year and transfer students went through mandatory sustainability training to learn about the college’s commitment to carbon neutrality; how to get involved in on-campus sustainability efforts; and how their day-to-day behavior choices make an impact on Oberlin resource use.

7. Managing the Campus Grounds 

Staff at Oberlin take care of campus from the ground up—literally. The grounds services team is looking for opportunities to reduce synthetic fertilizers on grass that needs to look perfect, like in Wilder Bowl and Tappan Square. Current pilot projects at the latter places showed so much promise that this work is expanding to the athletic fields and the lawn at President Carmen Twillie Ambar’s house. Several times a year, a flock of sheep arrives on campus to graze on the solar array; consider them eco-friendly lawn mowers.

8. The Green EDGE Fund

Established in 2008, the Green EDGE Fund is a student-run organization to support sustainability projects for the college and surrounding areas. The fund administers efficiency loans (earmarked for on-campus projects) and sustainability grants (for community or city projects). Over time, these grants have funded water refill stations on campus and materials for Ecolympics, along with solar installations at Oberlin Community Services and Oberlin City Schools. The Green EDGE Fund also manages Carbon Management Fund (CMF) grants for projects that result in carbon emissions reductions and carbon sequestration. 

9. Sustainable Living in Kahn Hall 

First-year students in Kahn Hall apply to live there and pledge to make sustainability part of their everyday life; among other things, they try to conserve water and energy, reduce waste, avoid bringing cars to campus, and minimize their negative impact on the environment. As of this year, Adelman is Kahn’s residential hall advisor, overseeing a variety of activities with and for students. First up: an invasive species removal from the woods behind the dorm!

10. Environmental Orbs

Located in all large residential houses, Oberlin’s environmental orbs use pulsing and changing patterns of color to communicate each building’s current level of water and electricity. The real-time feedback communicates the dynamic nature of resource consumption and raises awareness about conservation.

With additional reporting by Lucy Curtis ’24. This article originally appeared in the Fall 2025 Oberlin Alumni Magazine within the feature "Rooted In Purpose."