Sustainability at USM

Get an update on USM's sustainability efforts and learn how USM students are being prepared to tackle the environmental challenges facing the planet. Also, hear how USM is preparing its educators to adapt to the changing demographics in Maine's classrooms. Plus, a discussion on the findings of the first in-depth analysis of Maine's juvenile records system.

For the fifth time in three years, the federal Environmental Protection Agency has honored USM's efforts to both reduce its food waste and wisely use the waste that remains. In 2015, USM recovered 5.5 tons more food than it did the previous year. And before the semester ended, the 2016 numbers seemed poised to break last year's record total of 71.3 tons of recovered food, food that was then composted or sent to nearby farms as animal feed.

Now you can charge up on campus! USM has installed an electric vehicle charging station at the entrance to the Portland parking garage.

USM won the EPA Region 1 Food Recovery Challenge award for 2014 & 2015 by reducing the overall amount of food wasted on our three campuses.

Located on the Portland campus outside of Payson Smith and Luther Bonney Halls, the USM Food Forest Garden is open to the USM community and the general public to stroll through and munch on any fruits that look ready to pick.

The University's replacement of showerheads in Residence Halls and Athletic Facilities was included in a post by the Sustainable Endowment Institute for World Water Day on various inexpensive and effective water conservation projects on campuses.