In 2019, Temple University Rome started its Sustainability on Campus project, aiming to increase sustainable practices both on campus and in the local community. Thanks to our generous donors and the support of Temple University leadership, we have been able to implement several new sustainable initiatives at Temple Rome. Learn more about sustainability at Temple University.
Sustainability Timeline
2016-2018
January 2016: Italian Food, Design and Sustainability course launched for the first time
August 2017: Sustainable Environments course launched for the first time
September 2018: Temple Rome hosted "Sustainability in Context: A Research Conference" addressing sustainability in Archeology, Art, Environment and Urban Studies
2019
March 2019: Sustainability on Campus campaign launched on campus encouraging students to recycle and use reusable water bottles
April 2019: $4,520 raised through Temple's OwlCrowd initiative for sustainable practices at Temple Rome
April 2019: First neighborhood clean-up with Retake Rome
May 2019: First harvest from the Temple Rome Vertical Garden
May 2019: Another water fountain installed on campus to refill reusable bottles
Fall 2019: New double-glazed windows were installed at TUR for increased energy efficiency
September 2019: World Cleanup Day with Retake Rome
December 2019: Staff and Faculty received a reusable bottle for hot/cold drinks to avoid waste on campus
2020-2021
January 2020: Updated recycling bins on campus
April 2021: Neighborhood clean-up with Fondazione Matteotti
May 2021: Reusable water bottles added to the student suggested packing list
December 2021: Neighborhood clean-up with Retake Rome
2022
Spring 2022: Temple Rome signed a Convenzione with Kyoto Club, a non-profit organization. Its members are business companies, associations and local municipalities and governments engaged in reaching the greenhouse gas reduction targets set by the Kyoto Protocol, by the EU ones for 2030 and by the December 2015 Paris Agreement.
March 2022: Neighborhood clean-up with Retake Rome
May 2022: Staff provided with reusable ceramic espresso mugs for daily coffee
May 2022: Environmental Studies course launched for the first time
June 2022: Neighborhood clean-up with Retake Rome
October 2022: Neighborhood clean-up
2023
February 2023: First "Stay Local" weekend planned featuring fun activities in Rome to encourage students to reduce their carbon footprint due to travel
October 2023: "Stay Local" weekend featuring Recycled Paper Art Workshop and a Campus Clean-up!
2024
February 2024: "Stay Local" weekend with Campus Cleanup volunteer event and Recycled Paper Art Workshop
Temple Global Green Project
At Temple Education Abroad and Overseas Campuses, we know that international education is essential to fostering global citizenship, intercultural understanding and humility, equity and social justice, and collective solutions to shared challenges. We also know that travel, especially the carbon footprint of air travel, has a negative impact on climate change and that climate change disproportionately affects countries and communities with fewer resources. We are committed to incorporating sustainable practices into every aspect of our work, from student and staff travel, to program development and student learning, to marketing and office operations.
Through the Global Green project, Education Abroad aims to become carbon neutral by 2030, taking a leading role toward fulfilling Temple University’s carbon neutrality goal of 2050. We commit to auditing our processes and programs, reducing our carbon footprint and waste, and investing in reliable offsets, materials and programming that are better for the environment.
Meet the Sustainability Ambassador
Petula Philp
KCMC '26, Global Green Grant Recipient, Fall 2024
"Hi! I’m Petula and I am studying abroad at Temple University Rome during the fall of my junior year. While studying abroad, I have the unique opportunity to work on a documentary exploring sustainability efforts in the city, funded by the Global Green Grant I received. The documentary focuses on key areas such as waste disposal systems, water conservation strategies, and sustainable practices that highlight Rome’s approach to environmental challenges. This experience aligns perfectly with my major in journalism, allowing me to hone my storytelling skills by combining research, visual media, and social engagement to report on critical global issues. Through this work, I aim to shed light on Rome’s environmental efforts while further developing my ability to craft impactful narratives for diverse audiences."
Sustainability