The Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE) has achieved platinum level certification in the Lehigh Sustainable Office program, the highest honor available. The achievement recognizes the department's deep commitment to environmentally friendly and sustainable daily operations.
The effort was spearheaded by Department Coordinator, Jamie Lenhart. She meticulously documented the department's existing sustainability practices and developed a comprehensive plan to integrate new initiatives. These efforts range from creating a sustainable travel guide for faculty, to eliminating all single-use plastics from departmental meetings, seminars, and events.
The Sustainable Office program, run by the Office of Sustainability, empowers staff and faculty to make their workplaces greener. Departments are evaluated on criteria including energy conservation, waste reduction, and sustainable purchasing. Earning the platinum certification places the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the forefront of campus-wide efforts to build a more sustainable future at Lehigh.
This year's ChBE earth day awareness event was part of the new departmental interactive practices, where participants were polled on how they rank sustainability in their daily experiences. The resounding theme from the Lehigh community, including visitors from across the country, was highly important.
Chemical engineering is at the heart of future sustainability, as it provides the essential tools to transition from a linear, fossil-fuel-based economy to a circular and renewable one. Chemical engineers at Lehigh work towards many of the 17 UN Sustainable development goals including: designing the next generation of catalysts and processes to create green fuels and chemicals; creating organic and polymer systems for energy storage and bio/environmental sensing; addressing the challenge of mitigating ‘forever’ chemicals; advancing the stability and targeting of drugs to improve human health; and devising new approaches to turn food waste into biodegradable food packaging.
Contact us to learn more, get involved, or earn a degree at the forefront of sustainability.
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