From Landfill to LEED: Institutionalizing Sustainability at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History

O'Brien, Carter

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/106932 Copy

Description

Title

From Landfill to LEED: Institutionalizing Sustainability at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History

Author(s)

O'Brien, Carter

Issue Date

2018-04-26

Keyword(s)

• sustainability planning
• LEED
• zero waste

Abstract

Carter O’Brien, LEED AP O+M - Sustainability Officer, Field Museum of Natural History’s Office of Strategic Science Initiatives. Carter O'Brien joined the Field Museum's green team when he started working at the Museum in 1997, and has chaired it since 2004. In 2012 the Museum shifted him to the newly created position of Sustainability Manager to recognize his contributions in that regard. Since that time the Museum has received LEED certification for three exhibition halls, as well as building-wide LEED Gold certification in Operations and Maintenance. He was part of the team that put together a Sustainable Food Operator program for the Museum's two restaurants, which were installed in 2013 and 2014; the restaurants divert 74% of their waste from landfill, and have increasing goals for local and sustainably sourced menu items. Additional projects underway include a complete overhaul of the Museum's landscaping with native plantings, zero waste efforts, and extending his work to the other 10 cultural institutions on Chicago Park District property as co-chair of the Museums in the Parks Green Committee.

Series/Report Name or Number

Sustainable Seminar Series

Type of Resource

• text
• still image

Language

en

Permalink

• https://youtu.be/wLYbA5Mdmng
• http://hdl.handle.net/2142/106932

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