Barbara Regis-Biscocho, registered nurse coordinator at Keck Hospital of USC, says nurses play an important role in reducing the amount of waste in hospitals. (USC Photo/Stephen Gee)
USC’s sustainability initiatives produce remarkable results
EARTH MONTH: The practical action USC has taken to become more sustainable is making a real impact. Read the story and watch the videos.
USC has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% since 2014 and water usage has been cut by more than 25% according to data published by the USC Office of Sustainability in its Assignment: Earth FY24 Annual Report.
Assignment: Earth is USC’s ambitious sustainability framework for guiding efforts through the LA28 Olympics and beyond. Established by USC President Carol Folt in 2022, it includes 27 goals organized under five domains: education, research, inclusion, operations and engagement.
“We have made a lot of progress, and there is still much more we need to accomplish to reach our Assignment: Earth sustainability goals,” USC Chief Sustainability Officer Mick Dalrymple said. “Across USC campuses you can see so many examples of how people are working together to reduce waste, save energy and water, and lower our carbon footprint for a brighter future. Everyone at USC can make a difference and grow our collective Trojan Family impact.”
Since the purchase of single-use plastic bottles was eliminated for all on-campus and off-campus operations and events in July 2022, over 5 million plastic bottles have been avoided.
What’s more, USC has reached 54% waste diversion with plans to exceed 90% by 2028.
It is anticipated that USC, through a variety of measures, will achieve its goal of becoming climate neutral for scope 1 and 2 emissions by the end of this year.
