Boston University Hosts Two Sustainability Festivals This Fall

Fall is finally settling in at Boston University, and the buzz on campus isn’t just about midterms. The BU Sustainability office is rolling out two back‑to‑back Sustainability Festivals, each packed with free treats, lawn games, and plenty of chances to learn how the university community is tackling climate challenges.

Mark your calendars: the first festival lands at Talbot Green on the Medical Campus on Wednesday, September 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A week later, on September 23, the George Sherman Union Plaza on the Charles River Campus will host the second event, also running 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

“It’s a celebration of how sustainability threads through every corner of our university,” explains Parren Fountain, BU’s Sustainability engagement manager. “We want students, faculty, and staff to see that eco‑action isn’t a separate subject—it’s part of our everyday lives, whether you’re in a lab, a lecture hall, or a dorm hallway.”

At the Medical Campus fair, you’ll run into representatives from Student Food Rescue, the Boston Cyclists Union, Eastie Farm, and the American Student Dental Association Sustainability Committee, among others. Meanwhile, the Charles River Campus tent will feature roughly 40 tables, highlighting groups like BU Beekeeping, StuGov Environmental Affairs, and the Environmental Student Organization under BU Earth & Environment.

Students can mingle with club leaders, ask about getting involved, and even snag some swag. Expect free cake pops, kettle corn, bike giveaways, and a stamp‑card challenge at the Charles River event: collect eight different stamps, drop the card at the BU Sustainability tent, and you could walk away with a bike, a portable hammock, recycled‑material tote bags, a zero‑waste kit, or a gift basket from Boston’s pioneering zero‑waste shop, Uvida.

“Sustainability is for everyone,” says Lisa Tornatore, director of BU Sustainability (CAS’02). “College campuses are perfect laboratories for creative solutions to big problems like climate change.” She notes that the start of the semester often leads to a surge in waste—think disposable coffee cups, packaging, and fast‑fashion leftovers.

Massachusetts relies on five waste‑to‑energy plants that burn roughly half of the state’s solid waste; the rest ends up in landfills or is shipped elsewhere, according to Recycle Smart. One way to curb that flow is simple waste diversion—what Tornatore calls “a fancier word for recycling.” Compost food scraps, donate gently used clothing to Goodwill on Commonwealth Avenue or to Campus Closet (a student‑run thrift outfit that will have a table at the festival), and you’re already making a dent.

“We make sustainability more fun,” says Andrew Kim, co‑vice president of Campus Closet. “A single clothing swap or donation can ripple out in ways most people don’t even realize.”

Both festivals are open to anyone on campus, and the organizers hope you’ll leave with a few new ideas, some tasty treats, and maybe a piece of eco‑friendly swag. So swing by, grab a snack, collect a stamp, and join the conversation about how BU can keep moving toward a greener future.

Event Details

• Medical Campus Festival: Wednesday, September 16, 11 a.m.–2 p.m., Talbot Green
• Charles River Campus Festival: Wednesday, September 23, 11 a.m.–2 p.m., George Sherman Union Plaza