Campus Sustainability
Our school colors may be red and black, but Huskies believe in being green.
Solar panels. EV chargers. Solar benches. Giant ice tanks. It seems like everywhere you look on campus, workers are adding new improvements to campus facilities. That’s because NIU is taking visible steps every day toward a more sustainable future.
NIU is committed to being carbon neutral, and we're taking significant steps to make it happen. The Sustainability at NIU website outlines the efforts currently underway and lays out future plans to continue making us an eco-friendly campus.
Students in several academic programs are conducting research and learning with faculty who study sustainability, clean energy, water quality, ecosystem preservation, prairie restoration and more. These programs will soon be housed together in a new state-of-the-art facility, the Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability, bringing innovative ways for Huskies to be more environmentally focused.
One example is our Edible Campus program, which consists of several gardens located throughout campus. These gardens provide Huskies with fresh fruits and vegetables through Campus Dining Services and the Huskie Food Pantry. The program also provides volunteer opportunities, allowing you to help keep our environment clean and our community healthy.
Top Sustainability Tips
- Bring a reusable water bottle and use our water filling stations, located in the Holmes Student Center and around campus.
- Recycle plastic, glass, metal, paper and other common products.Learn more about recycling at NIU.
- Visit Carpool Connections to find other Huskies you can commute to campus with.
- Use public transportation. Take the Huskie Bus Line to get around campus and the DeKalb community.
- Check out Huskie Harvest, which provides nutritious, convenient meals while reducing food waste on campus.
You can participate in all the innovative practices mentioned here and more. Check out our environmental student organizations and other ways to get involved with sustainability.
Keep Exploring
Explore all our Huskie Guides on topics that matter most to your success at NIU.