Building a Circular Campus: Consumption, Net Zero Emissions, and Environmental Justice at Barnard College

Abstract Higher education has an opportunity to accelerate the transition a just and circular economy, vital part of any global response climate change. As diverse but contained communities, campuses are in many ways microcosms larger world – with systems, both centralized decentralized, for dining, purchasing, transportation, home work life, decision making. At same time, colleges universities have significant capacity influence behaviors through teaching, research, management, purchasing power. These characteristics create unique develop test economy strategies, especially context environmental justice. When put into practice campus environment, numerous intersections synergies between social justice circularity become apparent, along powerful pathways emissions reduction changing behavior patterns. This chapter describes pursuit equitable at Barnard College: is holistic, systems-based framework designed reduce waste, costs, transform consumption patterns on campus, increase access affordability students, support just, sustainable economy.