Individual actions

Below is a list of individual actions that you can take within each of our focus areas, as outlined in our Climate & Sustainability Strategy.

Pictogramme Education Education

  • Take one of the EPFL MOOCs on sustainability
  • Enroll in a continuing education program on sustainability
  • Participate in sustainability-related conferences and events

Picto Outreach Lifelong learning

Picto Recherche Research

  • Educate yourself about sustainability
  • Choose a research project related to sustainability
  • Apply for funding for sustainability-related research

Picto Green Lab Green Labs

  • Appoint a sustainability coordinator for your laboratory
  • Evaluate the environmental impact of your laboratory using the carbon emissions calculator
  • Reduce waste
  • Extend the lifespan of your research equipment
  • Encourage the reuse of your equipment
  • Pinpoint your needs before purchasing new equipment
  • Put equipment on standby or set it to energy-saving mode
  • Close the sashes on your fume hoods (a closed fume hood uses about a third of the energy of an open hood)
  • Defrost and share refrigerators

Picto Innovation Innovation

  • Participate in the next Tech4Dev Summer School
  • Sing up for coaching to help you include sustainability in your entrepreneurial ventures
  • Enroll in a continuing education course on sustainability

Picto Energie et Bâtiments Energy and buildings

  • Reduce the temperature in your office on weekends and during vacations by turning down your radiators

Picto Numérique responsable Responsible IT systems

  • Extend the lifespan of your IT equipment
  • Repair your IT equipment rather than throwing it away (using Poseidon or Point Smart)
  • Encourage the reuse of IT equipment
  • Pinpoint your needs before buying new IT equipment
  • Buy reconditioned IT equipment rather than new
  • Share your IT equipment
  • Rent IT equipment that you use only occasionally
  • Participate in a Digital Fresk
  • Take the short MOOC on sustainable digital technology developed by the Swiss Institute for Sustainable IT (INR)

Picto Achats et Déchets Procurement and waste

  • Dispose of your regular waste at EcoPoints and EPFL restaurants
  • Pinpoint your needs in terms of purchasing
  • Buy sustainably by taking into account the social, environmental and economic impact of your purchase, throughout its entire life cycle
  • Consult the page dedicated to the circular economy

Picto Finances et Partenariats Sustainable finances and third-party funding

  • Learn about sustainability issues and include them in your professional practices
  • Assess the environmental performance of potential partner organizations
  • Assess the environmental performance of potential partner organizations

Picto Voyages Academic travel

  • Consider whether your trip could be replaced by a videoconference
  • Weigh the costs and benefits of a potential trip from a professional, personal, environmental and financial point of view
  • Give preference to videoconferences whenever possible
  • Make sure that your trip complies with EPFL’s travel policy  
  • Give preference to train travel for trips within Europe
  • If you need to take a plane, look for a direct flight, choose economy class and use a carbon-efficient airline if possible

Picto Pendularité Commuting

  • Limit your daily commute by moving closer to campus or, if possible, by working remotely
  • Use public transport or other environmentally friendly modes of transportation
  • Use Point Vélo’s services
  • Use the PubliBike self-service bikes
  • For employees, take advantage of EPFL’s subsidies on public transport passes
  • Limit the use of personal vehicles and find carpooling companions on the Fairpark website
  • Group delivery orders in order to limit the number of delivery vehicles on campus

Picto Alimentation Food

  • Reduce or eliminate your consumption of meat in general
  • Reduce or eliminate your consumption of red meat
  • Choose a vegetarian or vegan meal at an EPFL restaurant
  • Choose meals that have been prepared with local, seasonal products
  • Select local products from our campus vending machines
  • Shop at the EPFL market on Monday noon or the Bassenges farm
  • Learn how to reduce food waste
  • Participate in a community vegetable-garden initiative
  • Serve vegetarian meals at your events

Picto Campus résilient Resilient campuses

  • Conduct an applied research project on issues such as heat islands, wildlife monitoring, the recovery of deconstruction materials (anthroposol) and urban sociology

Picto Communauté Community and awareness building