Commencement Goes Green
USC is committed to addressing climate change and creating a more sustainable future. Here are five ways commencement will be greener and cleaner than before:
1. Fewer gas generators
Power will come from “spider boxes that pull energy from surrounding buildings instead of gas-powered generators, whose use has been reduced by nearly 80 percent.
2. Multi-stream recycling bins
Ninety-eight multi-stream bins have been installed to help sort waste and further increase USC’s diversion rate from landfill.
3. Reducing single-use plastics
To eliminate single-use plastics on campus, all water bottles for purchase at commencement are aluminum.
4. Hydration stations
University Park Campus has 172 such stations, and the Health Sciences Campus has 33. Those water refill sites save USC about 140,411 water bottles a month.
5. Reducing paper use
This year the university printed 3,000 fewer Commencement programs.
Sustainability Tips
Creating a more sustainable future is a big assignment, but we’re all in! Join us in following these commencement sustainability tips:
- Skip traffic jams, parking hassles, and carbon emissions – take convenient public transportation to campus!
- Charge your electric vehicle at one of 102 EV charging ports, located in every University Park Campus parking structure.
- Support USC’s single-use plastic bottle elimination policy by using a refillable water bottle and filling it at one of 205 hydration stations across campus.
- Help USC to reduce landfill trash by sorting your waste using the composting and recycling bins around campus.
Check out the USC sustainability map to locate more green resources on campus
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