Northeastern launches Green Office Certification Program

Aug. 17, 2016 – BOSTON, MA. – A general view of Krentzman Quad at Northeastern University on Aug. 17, 2016. Photo by Adam Glanzman/​North­eastern University

“It’s not that easy being green,” so sang a lovable Muppet once upon a time. But a new program launched by Northeastern is proving that theory wrong—albeit a different kind of green.

What is it?
It’s called the Green Office Certification Program and it’s designed for employees to strike up a friendly competition over who is the most green. The goal is to encourage environmentally conscious actions that help Northeastern achieve its goal of reducing its carbon footprint by 80 percent before 2050. And some of those actions are quite simple. Recycling and turning off lights are among the many small steps employees can take to be more sustainability minded.

Want to get certified?
Employees can receive a certificate recognizing their level of environmental sustainability. You’ll need to fill out a short questionnaire covering topics such as your energy use, recycling habits, and efforts to minimize waste and pollution. At the end you’ll receive a certification in one of three categories: gold, silver, or bronze.

Get started
Head to the website for more information and to find out to how get started.

A kick-off event is scheduled for Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. in Xhibition Kitchen in Stetson West. Employees interested in attending are asked to RSVP. The kickoff will feature more information about the program as well as food from local vendors and a raffle for a number of green prizes.