EMS Sustainability News

Faced with more extreme weather events, communities may need to adapt to heightened risks from sea-level rise, flooding or wildfires. And while scientific research can help inform adaptations, the process requires an alignment of academic resources and real-world needs and partnerships that can be challenging for scientists to navigate.

Eleven research labs in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS) have earned My Green Lab certifications at one of the three highest levels available: gold, platinum or green.  EMS My Green Lab certified labs represent 27.8% of the labs certified on the University Park campus and 25% of the labs certified on all campuses. The college also has seven additional labs enrolled in the certification program.

Penn State’s Sustainable Labs Program ushers participating labs through a yearlong certification process, guiding them in implementing sustainable practices across multiple domains, including energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, green chemistry and sustainable purchasing. The program will host a virtual information session from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18, and from 11 a.m. to noon on Friday, Feb. 21, for those interested in learning more or applying for the next cohort.

In December 2023, the University launched the Penn State Climate Consortium. Its mission is to meet the mounting challenges related to climate change by identifying, creating and implementing research-based climate solutions. In its first year, the consortium has provided resources, fostered collaborations and created opportunities to advance climate research and solutions.

The Penn State Climate Consortium has announced a call for breakout sessions for the 2025 Climate Solutions Symposium, taking place May 19-20, 2025, at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center. 

Lara Fowler, chief sustainability officer at Penn State, director of Penn State Sustainability, will give the talk, “Decarbonizing Penn State: How Does Law, Policy, and Financing Fit In?”

Penn State will be sending its second delegation of students and faculty to the United Nations’ annual climate meeting. This year’s conference, COP29, will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan from Nov. 11–22. 

Penn State’s Local Climate Action Program (LCAP) is making a valuable impact beyond Pennsylvania’s borders, thanks in part to recent World Campus Energy and Sustainability Policy graduate, Joe Thompson.

A new study by researchers tracked how nutrients from wastewater migrate from disposal sites in the Florida Keys and may help inform wastewater management in the region.

Laura Pulido, Collins Chair and professor of Indigenous, race, and ethnic studies and geography at the University of Oregon, will give the keynote lecture for EMS Reads at 6 p.m. on Wednesday Nov. 13, in Paterno Library's Foster Auditorium.