Students attend the first Eco-Peace meeting to learn about the club. Credit: Courtesy of Aayushi Soni

Ohio State’s new student organization, Eco-Peace, hopes to can the university’s trash problem and promote sustainability.  

Eco-Peace was created around the idea of sustainability and the desire to reduce the trash found on campus, Ben Rosenthal, president of Eco-Peace, said. The organization began the spring 2023 semester seeking to clean up campus and create a long-lasting community to hold the university to higher standards when it comes to its environmental impact.

“We got started with the idea of focusing on community trash pickups because we were very upset by the amount of trash that we would see on campus and right off campus,” Rosenthal, a second-year in computer science engineering and philosophy, said.

At its first meeting, Eco-Peace had about 50 people show up, Rosenthal said, and those interested in learning more can connect on GroupMe or the organization’s emailing list. 

There are multiple programs at Ohio State working towards a healthier future for students, but one issue that seems to be forgotten is the buildup of trash on campus, Rosenthal said. Rosenthal said often there’s litter when walking to campus and not many trash cans in sight, which is what inspired him and his friends to start Eco-Peace. 

“I would walk to class with my hands full of trash that I would find,” Rosenthal said. 

Rosenthal said Ohio State doesn’t give students the chance to be proactive. 

“We have a responsibility to make sure that we are being as sustainable as possible, with things like making sure we have enough garbage cans, so there’s no chance it’s the students’ fault,” Rosenthal said.

University President Kristina M. Johnson had plans for Ohio State to greatly reduce carbon emissions on campus. The university’s Sustainability Institute is pushing for net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, but it has yet to be approved by the Board of Trustees. With Johnson’s resignation, Rosenthal said it leaves students wondering what will happen to these plans.

“I’m sure she’s done a lot of good, but I kind of see her as the face of this institution, and I see a lot of problems with the way things are done,” Rosenthal said.

University spokesperson Chris Booker said in an email Ohio State is dedicated to sustainability, climate change and addressing its carbon footprint. Ohio State diverts 40 percent of its waste from landfills “through recycling, composting and other aspects of Ohio State’s zero-waste initiative. In 2022, Ohio State expanded composting in residence halls, research labs and among Buckeyes living off-campus that will further advance progress.”

Ohio State has other sustainable efforts, Booker said, including decreasing its water usage. Ohio State during the fiscal year 2022 used 390 million fewer gallons of drinkable water than in the 2015 fiscal year. Ohio State has upgraded heating and cooling systems, converted LED technology and more to better energy efficiency for each building on the Columbus campus, which has improved by 12 percent since 2015, he said.  

Ohio State has more than 150 electric, hybrid or compressed natural gas vehicles and plans to convert all of its Campus Area Service Buses to CNG by 2026, Booker said. Ohio State has also planted 1,000 trees in 2021.  

As Johnson pushed for a greener future, Rosenthal said it is odd to see the lack of attention Ohio State has when handling daily trash. Aayushi Soni, a second-year in environment, economy, development and sustainability and outreach chair of Eco-Peace, said increasing accessibility to throwing away trash can address concerns. 

“It should be more accessible to everyone. It should be like the recycling bins, they’re automatically in your dorm,” Soni said. 

According to Ohio State’s Facilities, Operation and Development website, Ohio State launched a pilot in 2018 to replace paper towels with hand dryers throughout 11 campus buildings to reduce waste, which prevents 16 tons of paper towels each month when hand dryers are used. The university also created a goal to fully use environmentally preferred products and services by 2025.  

Soni said Eco-Peace leaders want their members to work towards a greater good while finding friends who share those interests along the way. Some future events might include tie-dying reusable tote bags and planting succulents.

When it’s too cold to do trash pickups, Eco-Peace works toward educating students about sustainability, Soni said. 

“We want to have a lot of guest speakers and educate people on how waste matters, the importance of the environment and how to live more sustainably,” Soni said. 

To learn more about Ohio State’s sustainability efforts, the community can visit the university’s sustainability goals’ website.