Creating real change on campus
Through student and staff-led initiatives, innovative academic programs and improvements to our facilities and operations, we’re making meaningful strides in sustainability. Explore how we're creating a campus that fosters equity, wellbeing and environmental responsibility.
Student programs
Planet Blue Student Leaders
Planet Blue Student Leaders work in Student Life as part-time peer educators to promote sustainable living behaviors on campus.
Cultural Organizers
The Sustainability Cultural Organizing program uses the power of art to envision a more just, equitable and sustainable world, emphasizing that climate change, race, gender and cultural equity must be addressed holistically.
Sustainable Food Program
The University of Michigan Sustainable Food Program amplifies student voices and collaborates with food, environmental, and social justice groups to create a more just and sustainable campus food system.
Student Sustainability Coalition
The Student Sustainability Coalition is a student-led group dedicated to uniting U-M students, administration and student organizations to advance shared sustainability and environmental justice goals on campus.
Additional programs
Campus-as-Lab
Campus-As-Lab (CAL) is a way to use everyday campus activities to learn about and create sustainable solutions. Student Life, which makes up 20% of campus, gives students, faculty and staff opportunities to work together on climate change and sustainability.
Student Life Sustainability can support CAL projects, from simple data gathering to more complex research and testing. In SL Sustainability, four programs use the CAL laboratory, involving around 50 student interns.
Want to collaborate with SL Sustainability? Fill out the Project Proposal Form.
Excellence in Sustainability Honors Cords
The Excellence in Sustainability Honors Cord program recognizes students who went above and beyond to advance their knowledge, skills, and practice of sustainability ethics while studying at U-M.
Students accepted in the program will:
- Receive an Excellence in Sustainability Honors Cord at graduation
- Join an exclusive alumni LinkedIn network
- Be featured in a sustainability spotlight series
To be accepted into the program, students must participate in a variety of sustainability activities, programs, jobs or academic studies to encourage multi-disciplinary learning. Students must accrue at least 10 points from a list of possible activities.
Noon at Night
Noon at Night is a global network of students and learners coming together during this and future crises, recognizing our connections across different backgrounds, with food as a common link.
Noon at Night has three components:
- A place for radical learning and an education network
- An archive of global student movements
- A cafe that brings people together, fostering unity and solidarity across differences.
The Farm Stand
The Farm Stand is a weekly pop-up market and education project that sells produce grown by students for students. It takes place from 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. on Thursdays through mid-November on South Ingalls Mall.
Hosted by the U-M Sustainable Food Program and the Campus Farm at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, the Farm Stand increases access to local food for students and engages the wider U-M community in food systems learning and engagement opportunities.
Students receive a 30% discount and the proceeds from the Farm Stand go towards funding student-led sustainable food initiatives.
Follow @umfarmstand on Instagram for announcements and product availability.
Featured stories
Student Grants
May 10, 2024
Two Student Life Sustainability programs have awarded over $120,000 to 27 unique sustainability projects in the 2023-24 academic year. Learn how the Planet Blue Student Innovation Fund and the Social and Environmental Sustainability grant program are empowering students to lead innovative environmental initiatives at U-M.
Arts Initiative Announcement
April 11, 2024
Student Life Sustainability, in collaboration with the U-M Arts Initiative, welcomes artist-in-residence Dawn Weleski! Known for her community-driven projects, Weleski brings fresh, creative perspectives to sustainability efforts on campus. Learn how her work inspires students to engage with environmental and social challenges through the power of art.
Connect with us
Got a sustainability idea or project?
Complete our Sustainability Interest Form. Our team can help connect you with campus partners and resources.
Get the latest on campuswide sustainability initiatives through:
- Planet Blue Student Leaders podcast
- Planet Blue Ambassador blog
- Student Sustainability Coalition Newsletter
- U-M Sustainable Food Program Newsletter
