Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22. In honor of this milestone, we want to recognize and appreciate the work FOD does to support our resource stewardship initiatives on campus.
Tagged: Goals - Increase Ecosystem Services
Celebrating Earth Day
April 17: Litter Pick-Up
This spring, the Facilities Operations and Development (FOD) team is proud to host a campus litter cleanup on April 17, 2026! Students, faculty, and staff are invited to join us for a hands-on opportunity to help beautify our campus. One-hour shifts will be available between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM, making it easy to fit volunteering into your day.
FOD's Mickey Sharron Featured on City of Ohio State Podcast
Behind every tree-lined walkway and neatly kept green space is a coordinated effort to make campus both beautiful and functional. On this episode of the City of Ohio State Podcast, hear from Facilities Operations and Development’s (FOD) Mickey Sharron and Planning, Architecture and Real Estate’s (PARE) Aaron Rumbaugh about how landscapes are imagined, built, and maintained.
Investing in a Greener Near East Side
Exciting changes are taking root in Columbus’ Near East Side. A $50,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) brought together The Ohio State University Facilities Operations and Development (FOD) Sustainability and Landscape Services team, Chadwick Arboretum, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and the City of Columbus to plant 180 trees at Saunders Park and along Leonard Avenue at Outpatient Care East.
The Ohio State University Earns 2025 Tree Campus Recognition from Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation recognized The Ohio State University as a 2025 Tree Campus for its dedication to enhancing community well-being through tree education, investment and community engagement.
Ohio State ranked 28th on the Princeton Review’s list of Top 50 Green Colleges
Ohio State has been ranked 28th on the Princeton Review’s list of Top 50
Ohio State Recognized for Encouraging Environmental Excellence, Reducing Carbon Emissions
The Ohio State University has been awarded the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) most prestigious recognition, the Encouraging Environmental Excellence (E3) Platinum Achievement Award for 2024.
“This honor reflects Ohio State’s commitment to resource stewardship and efficiency,” said Mary Leciejewski, associate director of environmental sustainability for Facilities Operations and Development (FOD). “It reaffirms our position as a leader in higher education and healthcare sustainability practices.”
Volunteers Help Beautify Jennings Hall Rain Garden
On Saturday, October 8, student volunteers joined Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) staff to clean and maintain the Jennings Hall rain gardens. Volunteers, including the Texnikoi Engineering Honorary and the Ecological Engineering Society, weeded, trimmed perennials and mulched 22 garden boxes during the annual fall event, which has taken place since 2013.
In the News: Aparna Dial on Protecting People and the Environment
Aparna Dial approaches sustainability with a view through three lenses: She immigrated to the United States from India. She’s a woman in a male-dominated field. And she’s been an eyewitness to the ways environmental impacts do not affect everyone equally.
That perspective leads her to propel discussion and action when it comes to issues such as the inequities of environmental impacts and the barriers faced by women in STEM.
New Sustainable Design and Construction Policy
The Ohio State University adopted a new Sustainable Design and Construction policy (formerly Green Build and Energy policy), effective February 1, 2021.