UB's 10 in 10
12/5/24

10 years. 10 strategies. UB announced our updated climate action plan. Dive deeper into the ten strategies and our pathway to climate neutrality.

Zero Waste: A Climate Action Strategy
12/5/24

The university's Zero Waste strategic plan positions UB as a leader in the fight against climate change. 

 

UB Among the Nation’s Best
12/5/24

UB ranks in the top 10 U.S. universities in 4 SDG categories, per the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.

Sustainable Development Goal Portal
12/5/24

Do you know the 17 Sustainable Development Goals? 

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GRoW Clean Energy Center

Hired Boutique

UB’s Recycling Guidelines

Watch the UB Falcons

UB’s Climate Action Plan

Sustainability News

  • Eco Insights: Student Voices in Action An update from our Climate Justice Student Assistant, Valerie
    3/17/25

    UB Sustainability’s Climate Justice Student Assistant attended Second Nature’s Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit, gaining insight into both the challenges and resilience of climate leaders facing deep cuts to environmental and equity programs.

  • Humble houseplant focus of UB Art Galleries exhibition
    3/12/25

    "Temple of Hortus," a multimedia exhibition by Amanda Besl at the UB Art Gallery, explores the complex, relationships between humans and houseplants through paintings, videos, and sculptures. The immersive installation examines themes of hybridization, ownership, and the blurred boundaries between nature and artificiality, inviting viewers to reconsider their connections to the botanical world.

  • Indigenous Studies launches new home/hub space
    3/7/25

    UB’s Indigenous Studies Home/Hub in Clemens Hall supports faculty and student success, community-building, and Indigenous research with features like a Food Sovereignty Kitchen and digital archive lab. The space strengthens ties with local Indigenous communities and promotes cultural inclusion.

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UB wins Environmental Excellence Award from the NY DEC
3/30/22

UB reduced its carbon footprint by 33% each of the last three years by transitioning to renewable energy sources through a host of initiatives and leveraging innovative power purchase agreements to assist with its goal of achieving 100% renewable energy. 

Top 10 on America's Top Colleges for Renewable Energy Ranking
11/19/24

UB is No. 10 on the Environment America list, which was compiled by gathering data from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and ranking 180 qualifying colleges using their Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) scores from the past three years.

UB Tops MAC in Green Power Usage
11/19/24

The University at Buffalo led its conference rivals by using over 219 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power, representing 100 percent of its annual electricity needs—enough to power nearly 21,000 average American homes. UB also ranked second in total kilowatt-hours consumed.

UB Ranked Among Nation’s 25 Best Green Colleges
11/19/24

UB came in at No. 22 on College Consensus’ 25 Best Green Colleges list, highlighting the nation’s leading institutions in sustainability. UB was recognized for its ability to generate its green power thanks to the Solar Strand, SteelWinds, and other efforts and its leadership in Localizing Buffalo’s Renewable Energy Future. 

UB Recognized as a Top ‘Green’ University
11/19/24

The University at Buffalo has been recognized as one of the 50 most environmentally friendly universities in the United States by Online Schools Center, a website dedicated to higher education news. UB ranked #34 and was noted for its various eco-friendly initiatives, which include the Sustainability Academy, the Solar Strand, and waste reduction programs.

EPA Ranks UB No. 1 Green Power Partner
11/19/24

UB ranks first on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership list of the largest college and university green power users. UB fulfills 100% of its energy needs, an annual 213 million kilowatt hours (kWh), with zero-emission, clean energy.

UB Achieves STARS gold
11/19/24

The University at Buffalo has demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainability, earning recognition from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) as a STARS gold university. This achievement places UB among the top 1.6 percent of colleges and universities in North America.

Climate Action Plan
3/21/21

UB developed a world-class climate action plan with one-, three- and five-year goals for six committees that span the university’s sustainability spectrum.

Top Honors
2/2/16

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has named UB one of its Top 10 College and University Green Power Partners.

UB Recognized as Environmental Champion by EPA
11/19/24

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized UB's commitment to solving pressing environmental issues, educating students about these challenges, and operating eco-friendly campuses with the Environmental Champion Award. The EPA also named UB the Mid-American Conference (MAC) champion for renewable energy usage. 

UB among Top 25 in U.S. for environmental, social impact
12/16/24

UB has been recognized as one of the top universities in the world — and a Top 25 university in the U.S. — for environmental and social impact. That’s according to the 2025 edition of the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability, released by higher education analyst QS Quacquarelli Symonds.

UB Named to Princeton Review’s Green College Honor Roll
11/19/24

UB was named to The Princeton Review’s 2022 Green College Honor Roll for earning the highest possible score in the publication’s Green Rating. For the 2022 ratings, The Princeton Review tallied Green Rating scores for 835 colleges. The Green Rating, which ranges from 6o to a maximum of 99, provides a comprehensive measure of a school's performance as an environmentally aware and prepared institution.

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