Student Groups

ASC-The Athletic Sustainability Committee

The Athletics Sustainability Committee is a student organization made up of athletes and non-athletes that strives to make Northwestern and community athletics greener. They collaborate with administration to brainstorm and implement ways to make our facilities, arenas, fields, locker rooms, etc. more environmentally friendly, whether it be by improving recycling efforts, minimizing energy use, or reusing equipment. ASC has organized annual clothing drives and tennis ball donations to dog rescues, as well as participated in trash tackling events with Northwestern Athletics and the Chicago Cubs. Contact: asc@u.northwestern.edu

ASG-Sustainability Committee (ASG SusCom)

The Associated Student Government Sustainability Committee (ASG SusCom) works to research, facilitate, and implement sustainability activities on campus. They aim to provide a unified, legitimate, and consistent voice from the students to the administration. They work closely with other campus groups to promote sustainability through academics, awareness campaigns, and tangible, impactful projects. Contact: asg-sustainability@u.northwestern.edu

The Campus Kitchens Project

The Campus Kitchens Project is an emerging leader in community service for students and resourceful anti-hunger programs for communities around the country. It empowers thousands of students each year to recycle food from their cafeterias, turn these donations into nourishing meals, and deliver those meals to those who need it most in communities across the country. The Campus Kitchen at Northwestern University, started in 2003, is fueled by the energy of student volunteers. Volunteers are trained in proper food safety and sanitation, and then work in the kitchen, deliver meals, develop menus, and learn socially responsible leadership skills. Currently, the group prepares and delivers approximately 750 meals a week. Contact: NUcampuskitchen@gmail.com

Cats Who Compost (CWC)

Cats Who Compost (CWC) is a student-run initiative with the goal of engaging Northwestern’s student body in reducing food waste through composting. CWC shares composting resources with the Northwestern community and disseminates knowledge about composting throughout campus to make our campus a more environmentally conscious space. CWC hosts events ranging from bonding events, like dinners and group meetings, to educational events open to the entire campus, such as dorm presentations and movie screenings. CWC also collaborates with other clubs and organizations on campus to host zero-waste, sustainable events. Contact: catswhocompost@u.northwestern.edu

Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW)

Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) is a national, non-profit network committed to building a better world. Established in 2002, ESW is comprised of 2,000+ students, university faculty and professionals who are dedicated to building a more sustainable world for current and future generations. Through collegiate chapters across the United States, ESW mobilizes students and faculty members through new educational programs, sustainability-oriented design projects, and volunteer activities that foster practical and innovative solutions to address the world's most critical challenges. ESW believes engineers can be a vital part of the solutions needed to meet global human needs while providing sustainable access to the world's resources for current and future generations. Contact: contact.eswnu@gmail.com

Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Society (EnvEUS)

Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Society (EnvEUS) seeks to bring a community to the Environmental Engineering students, promoting collaboration, assisting in networking, and providing knowledge of potential career paths. EnvEUS also offers opportunities for students to use classroom skills in a practical setting through participation in competitions and projects focused on environmental sustainability. Contact: EnvEUS@u.northwestern.edu

Fossil Free Northwestern

Fossil Free Northwestern is a student organization that formed from a campaign of students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members calling on Northwestern University to divest from fossil fuels and invest in renewable energy. In addition to fighting for a sustainable endowment, the organization advocates for climate justice and environmental justice in Chicago, nationally, and internationally through consciousness-raising and activism. Contact: fossilfreenorthwestern@gmail.com

Global Engagement Summit (GES)

The Global Engagement Summit (GES) is a five-day training conference for students committed to global change. Delegates come together to understand the challenges of and opportunities for their engagement; to hone the skills and mindsets that will enable them to better plan, execute, and participate in change-based projects; and to connect with like-minded peers from around the world. GES builds the capacity of its staff and participants to engage with new communities and partner in shared global problem solving. Through workshops, critical discussions, community building, and outcome resources, we ensure that our participants have the tools to move beyond their “good intentions” to produce real change.

GREEN House

The Group Residence for Environmental Engagement at Northwestern, or GREEN House, is the first environmentally themed dorm on campus. The unit provides a home for students invested in green living. GREEN House works to serve as an example for other Northwestern dorms by utilizing sustainable appliance and supplies and engaging in weekly fireside chats about sustainability. Contact: nugreenhouse@gmail.com

Habitat for Humanity at NU

As a chapter of the national group, Habitat for Humanity at NU seeks to spread the word about the dire state of poverty housing in America and try to motivate people to help do something about it. The group spends weekends building and repairing homes with the ultimate goal of eliminating poverty housing. Past projects have included building sites that helped homeless residents in Evanston, people living with HIV/AIDS and housing for the elderly. Contact: nuhabitatforhumanity@gmail.com

Indivisible Northwestern

Indivisible Northwestern is a chapter of Indivisible, a grassroots movement of thousands of groups with a mission to elect progressive leaders and rebuild American democracy. The goal of Indivisible Northwestern is to provide students with action-oriented opportunities to develop organizing and leadership skills and to meet and work with other students interested in addressing social issues like climate change and social justice. We educate students on getting civically involved through a variety of activities, from calling Senators, to text and phone banking, to making their voices heard and restoring democracy to the people. Sign up to join here.

In Our Nature

In Our Nature aims to bring the environment to everyone as Northwestern's only environmental and science publication. Whether you’re a granola guru or a casual recycler, the stories, tips and entertainment will bring out your inner treehugger. Student contributors write, take photos, shoot video and more, all with the goal of showing readers why the environment is important for everyone. Contact: inournaturemag@gmail.com

Kellogg Energy & Sustainability Club

By cultivating and leveraging Kellogg’s relationships, the Kellogg Energy & Sustainability Club (KESC) prepares students to become global leaders in energy and sustainability. KESC promotes and represents energy and sustainability within the Kellogg and Northwestern communities by providing critical and timely resources to support careers in energy and sustainability, bringing industry thought-leaders to speak, leading sustainability initiatives on campus, and building relationships with a broad range of energy companies to support on and off-campus recruiting.

Northwestern Climate Technology Club (CTC)

CTC's mission is to promote informed discourse about energy issues, and to provide opportunities for collaboration both among Northwestern University students, as well as between students and external people and organizations. This is done through hosting talks and panel discussions, traveling to energy technology facilities, and organizing social events that encourage networking with other energy-related organizations. Contact: netg@u.northwestern.edu

Northwestern Community Development Corps (NCDC)

Northwestern Community Development Corps (NCDC) is a student-run organization that seeks to engage students in community development at Northwestern University, in Evanston, and throughout Chicago. NCDC promotes civic engagement through direct service, social awareness, and advocacy. Utilizing existing skills, talents, and abilities, NCDC strives to build mutually beneficial relationships, enriching both our campus and the communities, while forming a foundation for the future. Contact: ncdc@u.northwestern.edu

Northwestern Energy Technology Group (NETG)

NETG's mission is to promote informed discourse about energy issues, and to provide opportunities for collaboration both among Northwestern University students, as well as between students and external people and organizations. This is done through hosting talks and panel discussions, traveling to energy technology facilities, and organizing social events that encourage networking with other energy-related organizations. Contact: netg@u.northwestern.edu

Northwestern Formula Racing

Northwestern Formula Racing is an extracurricular student organization dedicated to hands-on engineering excellence. Northwestern Formula Racing competes yearly in Formula SAE (FSAE). FSAE is an intercollegiate engineering design competition organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), where student teams design, build, and race formula-style racing cars. FSAE began in the USA in 1978, and has now grown to host hundreds of teams from five continents, competing in eight competitions throughout the world. Northwestern Formula Racing is working to develop and document the design process, and to establish best practices for simulation and testing.

Northwestern University Outdoors Club

The Outdoors Club's mission is to enjoy the outdoors and get people in touch with nature. They organize trips all over the northern Midwest to kayak, hike, and climb while raising awareness of how to create a sustainable planet. Contact: nuoutdoorclub@gmail.com

Northwestern University Solar Car Team

Founded in 1998, the Northwestern University Solar Car Team is an undergraduate student organization composed of students and faculty advisors from the broad range of engineering disciplines at Northwestern University working together to design, build, and race solar electric vehicles for competition in the American Solar Challenge and Formula Sun races. The Northwestern University Solar Car Team gives students an opportunity to become better engineers by teaching practical engineering skills in working with budgets, deadlines, and real world problems in addition to developing valuable leadership skills. Contact: project-manager@nusolar.org

NU Real Food

NU Real Food works to create a student-led movement that engages administrators, faculty, staff, workers, producers, and community members to enact a shift to a community-based food system built on fair labor practices and food that is humane, local, and ecologically-sound. Contact: NURealFood@gmail.com

NU Thrift

NU Thrift was created to fill the lack in affordable second-hand clothes near campus. Near the end of spring quarter 2019, NU Thrift was launched. Boxes were placed around residence halls asking for donations and the pair picked up the clothes. The pop-up shop in Norris ran for a few days, and students were excited about the startup. With sustainability being the driving force of this organization, NU Thrift aims to be a source for recycling textiles at Northwestern. NU Thrift helps students think critically about their consumption habits, and that it becomes a permanent space as a resource for low-income students. Contact: nuthrift@u.northwestern.edu 

NU Wildlife Club

The Wildlife Club's purpose is to create an inclusive community on campus comprised of future scientists, environmental activists, animal lovers, and any student who has a passion for wildlife and is concerned with the global biodiversity crisis. The Wildlife Club's goals are to be an advocate on campus for wildlife conservation through activism, to provide career-building opportunities in the field of conservation, to engage with the Northwestern, Evanston, and Chicago communities through discussions and citizen science projects, and build relationships between Northwestern and Chicago-based zoological research institutions. Contact: wildlife@u.northwestern.edu

Plant-it Purple

Plant-it Purple Graduate Gardens is a community garden located next to the courtyard behind the Technological Institute. The garden includes a vegetable garden, flower garden, and shade garden. Plant-it Purple's goal is to create a space where students, staff, and other members of the NU community can work together outside of classrooms and offices to cultivate and enjoy a living project.

Students for Ecological and Environmental Development (SEED)

Students for Ecological and Environmental Development (SEED)’s mission is to pioneer, teach, and model environmental stewardship so as to inspire our future leaders to act in ways that protect and sustain our planet. SEED works to affect the state of the environment and to support progressive environmental movements at Northwestern University. Through event programming, service, and advocacy, SEED seeks to engage the entire Northwestern and Evanston communities to further sustainability. Contact: nuseed@gmail.com

Wild Roots

Wild Roots is a student-directed garden, which grows fresh produce for the Northwestern and Evanston communities using sustainable practices. Wild Roots serves the evolving educational and social needs of the Northwestern community by inspiring students to think critically about the food we eat and by starting conversations about sustainability, social justice, and our food system. Come out and work in the garden with us!