Connecting with Our Community
Student groups, the Hoya Harvest Garden, and collaborative efforts with the District of Columbia are just a few of the impactful ways you can contribute to sustainability on campus.
As a Catholic and Jesuit university, we are called to powerfully engage the world, human culture, and the environment—bringing to bear the intellectual and spiritual resources upon which our community is built. In this capacity, Georgetown’s faculty, students, staff, and other members of our campus community lead and facilitate a broad variety of engagement initiatives in our local and global communities to address the critical challenges of sustainability. An overview of many of these initiatives is described below.
Student-Led Initiatives
The EcoReps Program
The EcoReps program is an Office of Sustainability program where students act as representatives of sustainability through educating and engaging their peers in sustainable practices on campus.
Sustainability Representatives
Sustainability Representatives are in-hall representatives of sustainability at Georgetown. They work closely with residence hall RA staff as well as the EcoReps to ensure that residents are informed on the best sustainable living practices.
GREEN
The Georgetown Renewable Energy and Environmental Network (GREEN) is a student club focused on environmental action and advocacy. GREEN is made of six teams with unique focuses: Energy and Water, Environmental Justice, Beekeeping, Gardening, Aquaponics, and Zero Waste. Join them for discussions, education, and actions to create a more sustainable and equitable world!
The Food Recovery Network
The Georgetown Food Recovery Network (GFRN) is a group student initiative that recovers food in perfect condition from Upstairs Leo’s and Royal Jacket making it available to other Georgetown students. Since 2022, the GFRN recovered more than 2,000 pounds of food in perfect condition from Upstairs Leo’s and Royal Jacket making it available to other Georgetown students. Join them to reduce food waste and food insecurity. IG @foodrecoverynetwork.gu GroupMe, Mailing list, and more
The Hoya Hive
The Hoya Hive is a part of Georgetown GREEN and is the student-run bee hive.
Georgetown REUSE
Georgetown REUSE is a student-run nonprofit committed to sustainability. REUSE works to increase accessibility, reduce waste, and promote a circular system of consumption by providing affordable and pre-loved clothing, school supplies, and dorm materials to students and community members. The REUSE team consists of 63 dedicated volunteers focused on sales, inventory, marketing, fundraising, and more. Reach out to ceo@georgetownreuse.com or hr@georgetownreuse.com with questions, or visit their Instagram @GeorgetownReuse!
The Earth Commons
Georgetown’s Earth Commons Institute is a hub for environmental and sustainability innovation, research, and education to accelerate action on the most pressing issues of our earth. Assembling a team of interdisciplinary experts, researchers, leaders, and students, the Earth Commons is transforming the university into a living laboratory to develop scalable solutions for a greener, more sustainable world.
A great way to take action in sustainability at Georgetown is volunteering at the Hoya Harvest Garden, operated by The Earth Commons. This on-campus garden was designed to create a sense of shared responsibility around food systems. The Hoya Harvest Garden already harvested more than 1,400 pounds of fruits and veggies (equivalent to 6,500 servings) for members of the Georgetown community.
The Hoya Harvest Garden
The Hoya Harvest Garden is creating a sense of shared responsibility around sustainable food systems by integrating farming spaces into the campus, generating food for the community, hands-on learning experiences, and dialogue around human impacts and food production. Become a volunteer through the link above.
The Green Pilots Program
The Green Pilots Program is a volunteer initiative managed by Hoya Hospitality to reduce food waste on campus and raise awareness for the importance of recycling and composting. Green Pilots receive free meal vouchers for Leo’s or Epicurean & Co. after each volunteer shift. Sign up to be a Green Pilot at the link above.
NatureRx
NatureRx is a grassroots movement building upon the growing body of research showing that time spent in nature has a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing. The Earth Commons has teamed up with campus mental health initiatives to share resources that encourage individuals in the Georgetown community to pursue their own NatureRx—here on campus, nearby in DC, and practices you can use anywhere in the world.
The Georgetown Environmental Leaders Network
Launched by GUSA, Georgetown Environmental Leaders (GEL) facilitates cooperation and support between different environmental groups and organizations at Georgetown, and helps sustainability-minded students find organizations that suit their interests. GEL supports environmental student groups by helping them recruit interested students, publicize events, work with University administrators, and more.
The Corp Green Initiative
The Corp Green Team is a group of Corp employees who work to make the Corp’s services, including their storefronts, as sustainable as possible. For more info contact green@thecorp.org.
Sustainable Oceans Alliance
Founded at Georgetown, Sustainable Oceans Alliance (SOA) is a youth-led organization that activates young people, develops and implements innovative solutions, and mobilizes the global movement to restore the health of the ocean in our lifetime.
GUSA Sustainability
GUSA Sustainability is the sustainability arm of Georgetown University’s student government. The link above leads to the newsletter sign up.
Georgetown Veg-Out
Georgetown Veg Out is a community of plant-powered vegetable-eaters!
The Georgetown University’s Farmer’s Market
Georgetown University Farmers’ Market was founded to improve access and availability of healthy and fresh food on Georgetown’s campus, to promote the benefits of local and sustainable agriculture, to support and encourage a holistic view of nutrition and personal health, and to develop a community engaged in these topics.
Slow Food
Slow Food aims to broaden the Georgetown student body’s awareness of the importance of universal access to food that is good, clean, and fair.
Outdoor Education
Through wilderness based endeavors, Georgetown University Outdoor Education seeks to teach, to inspire, and guide students, faculty, staff and the outlying public, creating a community where learning, personal challenge, reflection, and increased compassion for others and the environment are fostered and upheld as core values.
The McCourt Energy and Environmental Policy Group
McCourt Energy & Environment Policy Group (McCourt E&E) engages students, academics, and practitioners on policy issues related to energy and the environment.
Net Impact
Net Impact is the Georgetown Chapter of the national group, Net Impact. As a new generation of business leaders, students are looking at ways to use the power of business to create a better world.
MSB Energy and Clean Tech Club
The Georgetown MSB Energy and Clean Tech Club brings together students from across the many schools of Georgetown University interested in issues of energy (traditional and renewable sources), climate change, clean tech, and sustainability.
Georgetown Eco Consultants
Georgetown Eco Consultants is Georgetown’s only consulting club focusing on the intersection of business and sustainability. GEC advises DMV-area businesses and nonprofits on how to reduce their impact on the environment.
Georgetown Law Green Campus Alliance
Georgetown Law Green Campus Alliance (GGCA) believes that Georgetown Law can set the example, promoting sustainable food and waste practices that ultimately lead to a healthier and more vibrant community.
Georgetown Environmental Law Society (GELS)
Georgetown Environmental Law Society (GELS) is the Environmental Law Society chapter at Georgetown Law.
GradGov
Georgetown’s GradGov is the representative body for graduate students that works to maintain a healthy graduate community that is committed to learning, advancing professionally, and advocating for engagement and social responsibility.
Resources for Individual Engagement in Sustainability
Sustainability Collaborations with the District of Columbia
Through our participation in the District of Columbia College and University Sustainability Pledge, Georgetown is committed to helping advance the sustainability goals of Washington, D.C. Under this framework, the university has ongoing, active collaborations with local organizations such as the District of Columbia Sustainable Energy Utility (DC SEU) and DC Water’s DC Clean Rivers Project to advance mutual sustainability goals such as energy conservation and a healthy watershed.