Sustainability

With nearly 1,000 acres of land, waterways, forests, and buildings, George Mason University’s campuses are a dynamic, living learning environment of hands-on applied research.

The Green Studio, located on George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus, is a permaculture garden, outdoor studio, and lab space dedicated to hosting ecological art and design projects by students from across the arts and sciences. Jennifer Ashworth wanted to elevate the space in preparation for more student projects in the future. She applied for funding through University Sustainability’s Patriot Green Fund and was granted financial support to revamp the garden in preparation for the new academic year.

The Center for the Arts on George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus has revamped its zero-waste infrastructure, thanks to the support of University Sustainability's Patriot Green Fund. Sleek new waste and recycling stations at the performing arts venue will improve Mason’s waste diversion rate, helping to reach Mason's goal of diverting at least 90% of waste from the trash.

George Mason University recently partnered with Virginia State University (VSU) to transfer surplus furniture from Mason residence halls. Through the efforts of staff from Mason Facilities and Housing and Residence Life, more than 850 pieces of furniture were transferred to furnish newly opened residential spaces at VSU, an HBCU located near Petersburg, Virginia.

Mason is deeply committed to pioneering processes that can answer the grand challenges of water, its responsible management, and sustainability. In fact, the university’s interdisciplinary approach and cutting-edge research as part of its strategic direction, has turned Mason’s campuses into a Living Lab.

In 2019, the World Wildlife Fund and Knorr identified 50 foods, known as Future 50 Foods, that have a lower environmental impact, as well as being nutritious. In the 2022-23 school year, Mason Dining turned existing salad bars at Southside and Ike’s dining halls into Future 50 Food Stations. Students were able to build their own dishes, or select a featured dish created by the chefs using the Future 50 Foods.

Mason’s 2023 Green Game was held on January 25, 2023, when the women’s basketball team competed against the University of Rhode Island at EagleBank Arena with 868 fans in attendance.

Green isn’t just a school color at George Mason University. At Mason, “green” is way of life, and sustainability is central to the university’s mission.

University Sustainability and the Greenhouse and Garden’s Program are contributing to Mason's efforts to eradicate food insecurity by providing access to campus-grown fruits and vegetables.

Mason graduate student’s cherry blossom monitoring research uses Mason as a living lab to assess how climate change affects the bloom date of cherry blossom trees on the Fairfax Campus.