Northern Michigan University has officially taken its first step toward becoming a certified Plastics Reduction Partner through the National Wildlife Federation, by submitting a commitment letter that outlines its dedication to reducing single-use plastics across campus. This initiative marks a significant milestone in NMU's broader sustainability goals and reflects its leadership in environmental stewardship within Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Jes Thompson, NMU's associate vice president for Sustainability, emphasized the university's motivation for joining the program.

"Northern's strategic plan, Our Compass, outlines several initiatives, and one of the priorities for the sustainability strategy is to reduce waste. This program helps to provide guidance and resources for becoming a Zero Waste campus," Thompson said. "One of the initiatives that has already made a big difference is the ReUsePass program at Northern Lights Dining. As of early in the fall semester, it saved more than 6,450 single-use containers from being used, which is equal to about 4,000 pounds of CO2 emissions."

Thompson noted that NMU has already implemented several plastic-reduction efforts, including installing water bottle refill stations, promoting reusable dining ware, and supporting student-led Zero Waste initiatives. Future priority projects include expanding refill infrastructure, phasing out single-use plastics at campus events, and launching awareness campaigns to encourage sustainable habits.

The Plastics Reduction Partner program, launched in 2022, is the only certification initiative in the U.S. that recognizes colleges and universities for reducing single-use plastics. Institutions begin by submitting a commitment letter, which NMU has done, then earn points toward certification at the bronze, silver or green level, in ascending order of engagement and impact.

Certification is based on progress in four key action areas: building awareness of plastic pollution and its impacts; supporting behavior change to reduce reliance on single-use plastics; assessing and implementing operational change across campus systems; and demonstrating institutional leadership in sustainability.

Learn more about NMU's sustainability efforts here.