Sustainability at Creighton
About Sustainable Creighton
Caring for our common home is part of Creighton’s Jesuit, Catholic identity. The Sustainable Creighton Initiative is our University’s commitment and comprehensive pathway to faithfully seek hope for and with our students.
Creighton is committed to being an authentic source of hope for our students—past, present, prospective and future—who are deeply worried about the sustainability of our common home upon which their future depends.
“In the Catholic tradition, hope is not passive wishing. Hope is a virtue that catalyzes bold local and systemic action to advance love, justice, peace and sustainability—what Christians call the kingdom of God. As a virtue, hope must be informed by other virtues, especially prudence as right reason applied to action. Faced with modern ecological degradation and the climate crisis, hope requires action guided by the best available science.”
—Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, PhD
President, Creighton University
Sustainable Creighton Initiative
The Sustainable Creighton Initiative outlines Creighton’s comprehensive strategy and commitment to better care for our common home.
The SCI details a plan for accelerated impact to the planet’s most demanding issues with an intentional focus on greenhouse gas emission reduction, waste diversion, education and co-curricular engagement.
Learn more about the Sustainable Creighton Initiative.
Sustainability at Creighton News
invested in student-led sustainability projects
of solar electric panels added to Omaha campus in the past two years
trees on campus across 60 species
to-go containers diverted from the landfill
How Students, Faculty and Staff Get Involved in Sustainability
The mission of the Creighton Student Sustainability Action Fund (CSSAF) is to contribute to building a culture of sustainability at Creighton University by enabling, supporting and financing student-driven initiatives that collaboratively tackle interconnected environmental, social and economic issues.
Themes that student proposals might address (but are not limited to) include water, energy, waste, transit, food, consumption of goods, biodiversity, impacts of extreme weather and more:
- GreenJays Energy Reduction Challenge (Energy conservation)
- Nu Rho Psi Move Out Project (Waste diversion)
- School of Medicine/Phoenix M1 and M2 Sustainability Week Challenge (Eco-friendly actions)
- Women's Journey Menstrual Cup Program (Waste reduction)
- Campus Native Nebraska Pollinator Garden (Increasing biodiversity)
- School of Medicine/Phoenix M2 Second Chance Mending Event (Reducing consumption, waste reduction)
- School of Medicine/Phoenix M2 Menstrual Cup Program (Waste reduction)
- School of Medicine/Phoenix Sustainability Week (Eco-friendly actions)
- School of Medicine/Phoenix Paint-a-Tote Event (Reusables)
- Swanson Hall/Honors Sustainability is Totes Cool Event (Reusables, eco-friendly actions)
- School of Medicine/Phoenix Heat Relief Pack Education & Distribution Event (Environmental justice)
Reach out to sustainability@creighton.edu for more information.
The Sustainable Creighton Office Certificate is a voluntary initiative that promotes sustainable practices within office settings on campus. The certificate program aims to support and promote campus offices that are taking steps toward reducing their environmental footprint by integrating more sustainable choices into the workplace.
Composting plays a vital role in Creighton’s commitment to sustainability and our goal to divert 35% of campus waste from landfills by 2028. Launched in August 2020, Creighton’s composting program is a collaboration between the Office of Sustainability Programs, the Student Union and Housing and Auxiliary Services, in partnership with Hillside Solutions.
Our main dining facility, Brandeis Dining Hall, composts post-consumer food waste daily. Additional bins are located along the California Street Pedestrian Mall to capture food scraps, coffee grounds, fruit peels, napkins and other compostable materials. Hillside Solutions collects nearly 500 pounds of compost from Creighton each week, turning it into nutrient-rich soil that supports community gardens across the Omaha metro area.
Getting Involved
Students and employees can request compost bins for events or join ongoing compost initiatives. Residents in halls with in-unit kitchens can participate in the Residence Hall Composting Program by borrowing a 2.6-gallon countertop bin and accessing a starter kit.
Whether you’re new to composting or already passionate about waste diversion, Creighton offers hands-on ways to reduce your environmental impact and build a more sustainable campus community.
Greenjays is a student organization with the mission of increasing awareness and activism for environmental and sustainability issues.
The Greenjays have regular meetings and events to address environmental issues and create positive change by cultivating resilience, promoting intentional sustainability and seeking justice in all facets of our work. Recent efforts include a Call your Congressman program, the Energy Madness energy reduction competition, and composting at Christmas at Creighton.
Creighton University is located slightly north of the heart of the older urban center of Omaha (the Old Market). We live in a large, sprawling Midwestern urban city and because of this, we have access to a variety of transportation options. Using sustainable modes of transportation not only reduces gasoline consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but activities such as walking and bike riding help build a sense of community and encourages healthy lifestyles.
Sustainable Transportation at Creighton
All Creighton students, faculty, and staff can ride Omaha’s city buses for free with their Creighton ID, thanks to our partnership with Metro Transit. Taking the bus is an easy, eco-friendly way to get around Omaha while reducing your carbon footprint.
Creighton is also located near several Heartland Bike Share stations, offering a convenient way to bike around the city and campus. Biking supports healthy living and sustainable travel habits.
Creighton also has an EV charging station on campus, at the southeast corner of Cuming St. and 25th Ave. Electric vehicle charging stations are also available across the Omaha metro, including near campus. Visit ChargePoint, ChargeHub or OPPD for locations and details.
To learn more about bus routes, campus shuttles and other transportation options, visit Creighton’s Parking and Transportation page.
Creighton Eco-Reps
Creighton Eco-Reps are student leaders who represent their residence halls through the Inter Residence Hall Government (IRHG), serving as key voices for sustainability within student life.
Eco-Reps promote sustainable living in the residence halls by leading eco-friendly practices, organizing educational events, and encouraging their peers to adopt more sustainable habits. Their efforts directly support Creighton’s goals for waste diversion, energy conservation and climate action.
The Eco-Reps program is expanding to include more opportunities for students to get involved in meaningful sustainability initiatives across campus—not just in the residence halls.
Interested in joining or supporting sustainability efforts? Email sustainability@creighton.edu to learn more
“Being a person for the environment means being a person for others. We aim to care for our environment and improve the quality of life for all who inhabit it.”
Clara Hasemeier, Class of 2025
College of Arts and Sciences
Sustainability Major
Spirit of Laudato Si’ Award and St. Francis/Laudato Si’ Pledge
Each year the Spirit of Laudato Si' Sustainability Award is given to a sustainability champion(s). The award is presented at a special Earth Day celebration in April.
Award Winners
2025
Leah Keator
Leah Keator is a junior sociology major and serves as an AmeriCorps member with Creighton’s campus as her service site. Leah has been an avid supporter of more sustainable transportation options on campus and has been a strong resource to help students better understand all the great places they can visit in Omaha. Her efforts have truly accelerated interest in Metro Transit and biking possibilities for campus residents. Leah has a passion for environmental action, including holding students and campus leadership accountable for their commitments. She shows great care and respect for Pope Francis’s writing and messages on protecting our common home, and she works to spread awareness of these current issues on and off campus.
Clara Hasemeier
Clara Hasemeier is a senior sustainability major and outgoing president of the GreenJays. Clara has taken continued great strides to engage and inspire our student body towards meaningful sustainability action. This includes a broad range of activities, including clothing swaps, composting initiatives, the Energy Madness energy reduction competition, low waste events, and a call your representative campaign. She led the efforts to create the first low-waste Presidential Picnic her junior year, creating less than 2 landfill bins while feeding a couple thousand families. Not only is Clara working hard toward integrating conservation habits into our campus culture, but she is also working to create a lasting impact on student and campus leadership through her advocacy.
LeeAnn Crist
LeeAnn Crist is an accomplished interior designer and project manager, with more than 20 years in the role of Interior Designer at Creighton. If you’ve seen a space refreshed on campus, it’s likely that LeeAnn had a hand in that project! This past year, LeeAnn received accolades from the Association of University Interior Designers for her Creighton campus project “Repurpose, Reuse, Recycle.” This project reupholstered and repurposed 185 classroom chairs to avoid sending them to the landfill. Her nominators recall quotes from LeeAnn, such as “This is still good! Why would we get rid of it?” and “I know the perfect place for this!” If that spot isn’t at Creighton, LeeAnn partners with local schools and charities to ensure the item finds a new home. This refreshing view of consumption exemplifies the efforts that can lead to a more sustainable Creighton.
2024
- Mary Duda, Laboratory and Chemical Compliance Program Manager
- Izabella Lach and Sandy Ng, Medical Students, Phoenix Campus
2023
- Rachel Mabrey – Alumni Relations
- Henry Glynn – student
- Chantal Portes Estevez – student
2022
- Emma Yackley – student
- University Dining/Sodexo staff
In 2018, the Rev. Daniel Hendrickson, SJ, Creighton University’s 25th president, signed the new St. Francis/Laudato Si' Pledge, committing Creighton to a renewed culture of praying, living and advocating to protect our common home.
The Catholic Climate Covenant updated their original St. Francis pledge in 2017 to celebrate the second anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home. The Rev. Timothy Lannon, SJ, Creighton University’s 24th president, signed the original pledge on October 4, 2013.
Memberships and Achievements Related to Sustainability
Kari Costello
Vice Provost for Global Engagement – SGC Co-Chair
Champion: Sustainable Commuting and Travel
Andrew Baruth
Director of the Office of Sustainability Programs – SGC Co-Chair
Champion: Sustainability Across the Curriculum
Eric Baldwin
Vice Provost, Student Life
Champion: IRHG Eco-Rep Program
John Jesse
Treasurer of Creighton University
Champion: Sustainable Commuting and Travel
Sarah Richardson
Assistant Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
Champion: Sustainability Focused Tours
Dan DiLeo
Associate Professor and Director of the Justice and Peace Studies Program
Champion: Advocacy for climate, energy, and other ecological policies
Rick Davis
Director of Campus Communications
Champion: Sustainable Creighton Office Certification Program, Fundamentals of Sustainable Living Certification
Derek Scott
Vice President for Facilities Management
Champion: Sustainable Waste Management
Sustainability Majors, Minors and Concentrations
Contact Information
Andrew Baruth, PhD
Director, Office of Sustainability Programs
AndrewBaruth@creighton.edu
402.280.2644
April Thompson
Project and Reporting Coordinator
AprilThompson@creighton.edu
402.280.2626
Creighton Hall 333
sustainability@creighton.edu
