Green Office

Everyone knows the struggle: you've sorted through your possessions, but you've been left with a pile of items that are too nice to throw away, but that you don't really want anymore. We've got the solution! Bring along your finds to our swap shelf, located in the Campus Building! 

You can leave things like clothing, decor, or kitchen utensils for others to take with them, or come pick something up yourself – it's just like one of those public mini-libraries where people swap in their old books (one's available on the first floor of the library by the way!)

In addition to the swap shelf, we also set up seasonal swap tables where you can exchange Christmas or Easter decorations, for example.

According to a survey ran by the Green Office, around 25% of university members travel to the campus by bike or e-bike. That's obviously something we want to support!

To help you keep your bike in good working order and make a climate-neutral commute to work or your lectures possible, we've set up bicycle repair stations next to the bike racks in front of the Aula and Villa Monrepos.

The equipment covered includes stands, air pumps, screwdrivers, wrenches, and tire levers. 

Corks have been used to stopper bottles for centuries and remain a remarkably sustainable solution: they are a renewable natural product, have a good carbon footprint, and are easy to recycle. However,  synthetic corks and screw-tops are now being used more and more often for wine bottles. This isn't just a threat for the cork industry but also the cork oak woodlands, which cranes use as a winter habitat and which harbors plenty of other endangered plants and animals.

We have set up a cork collection station where you can deposit any bottle stoppers made from natural cork. Through this measure, we can support the KORKampagne run by NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V).

NABU has been collecting corks since 1994 and having them processed into insulation granulate. The proceeds are used to support crane conservation projects in Spain – the home of the cork oak. NABU has already collected well over 700 tons of corks!

Please do not throw corks in the household waste; instead, bring them to our cork collection station in the cafeteria building next to the stairs leading downstairs.

Since August 2024, we have collected 23 kg of corks at Hochschule Geisenheim University! (As of September 2025)

You can find more information about the KORKampagne here.

Together with the Student Committee (AStA) and Student Parliament, we're aiming to raise awareness for the topic of period poverty.

Period poverty refers to not being able to afford menstruation products due to your financial circumstances. People impacted by period poverty will often turn to makeshift solutions, such as using toilet paper, which can increase the risk of contracting infections and can also lead to feelings of shame, stigma, and exclusion.

Even in Germany, access to period products often comes at a personal cost, since – unlike toilet paper – they are rarely provided by employers or educational institutions.

In order to support those facing period poverty, as well as anyone who just might be caught off guard, we've placed period product dispensers in the ladies' toilets in the Campus Building, Villa Monrepos and the ZIG. The dispensers, produced by the start-up  Periodically, are produced in Germany, are plastic-free, and are filled with organic tampons and pads.

To support sustainable waste management at the university, we've provided collection bins for one-sided, misprinted paper at all the important printing stations (e.g. the library). 

The paper that gets collected is then sent to be processed at JVA Darmstadt's bindery, where it is then returned to us in the form of one-sided notebooks. The notebooks are handed out to members of the university, as part of the goodie bags given out to new students or at university events, for example. 

You can put any paper into the collection bins, as long as it…

• is only printed on one side
• doesn't include any private data
• is notfolded or otherwise crumpled

Around 931 million tons of food is thrown away each year globally. In Germany alone, food waste amounts to 78 kilograms per person annually. At the same time, 733 million people are suffering from starvation (source: welthungerhilfe.de). Food sharing is just one way of combating food waster in our society. 

As such, we have established a dedicated space to share food products on our campus, namely the Food Sharing Fridge located in the ZIG (to the right of the main entrance).

You can leave any food products that you aren't going to use, but that are still edible here for other people to pick up. 

The project was initiated by NachhalTisch – a format from the Green Office that connects students and employees and enables them to develop and implement shared objectives that bolster the university community. Members of Geisenheim's Foodsharing Community were also involved in the project, and it was financed directly by the Green Office.

Although the green campus is a highlight of the university, students, employees and visitors have so far only had limited options for sitting outside and enjoying the beautiful surroundings. Students especially have emphasized the need for more places to work and relax on campus, including spaces outdoors. 

Spending time outdoors can promote well-being, concentration, and a positive teaching and learning environment. This is why the university has added new seating in front of the Campus Building and around the Alte Weinfass. These are welcoming spaces where students can spend time between classes, chat, and exchange ideas. We are also aiming to add outdoor tables in the near future, enabling students to work outside comfortably.

These additions to the campus are intended to create more spaces for groups to gather at the university, thereby promoting exchange between students and staff from different degree programs and fields of work, and enabling collaborative learning.

We hope you enjoy making use of the new seating areas!

The Green Office has made it our mission to make the campus more sustainable at every level and to initiate and promote sustainable projects at the university. Our sustainable campus map provides university members with a visually engaging overview of the sustainable research projects, initiatives, and groups established at the university, while also serving as a general guide to various campus facilities, such as its lecture halls, the library, and the cafeteria, among others.

The map is distributed in printed form in the welcome bags given to new students and can be downloaded from our website at any time. In the future, we aim to have an interactive version of the map embedded on the university website.

Even before legal regulations were put in place by the federal and state governments, we recognized our duty to do our best to contribute to energy saving measures at the university. In preparation for the legally mandated energy savings (in Hesse: 15% gas, 5% electricity) we collected suggestions for energy efficiency measures from the employees at the university in August 2022. These were then reviewed, prioritized, and implemented step-by-step wherever possible. An energy crisis team was also established to discuss and coordinate overarching measures.

One such measure was the installation of smart thermostats at the university in 2024, which are intended to reduce energy consumption.

To raise awareness of our daily energy consumption and to help individuals make an impact where possible, a list of tips and suggestions was also published online: you can also download a practical checklist from the website to help you actively save energy in your everyday life.

If we build up enough momentum, we can keep raising each other's awareness of the importance of reducing our energy consumption, as well as the consumption of other valuable resources (water, paper, laboratory materials, plastic, etc.). A conscientious approach is urgently needed – not just for us, but for the sake of future generations.

Residual materials accumulate everywhere at the university, whether in plant production, in the laboratory, or during lunch breaks. Many of these materials are valuable and can be processed and reused instead of being disposed of at a cost.

Since 2021, universities in Hesse have been required to align their activities with the principles of sustainable development (§ 3(4) HessHG). Hochschule Geisenheim University is taking on this responsibility in its procurement, management, and the organization of its events.

In our sustainability concept, we have committed to contributing in particular to climate protection and biodiversity (SDG 15) as well as sustainable consumption and the circular economy (SDG 12). To this end, we are developing mandatory guidelines for sustainable event organization, which will be implemented in stages.

As a Fairtrade University, we also take the Fairtrade criteria into account in our planning. This is based on our understanding that an intact environment and society are necessary to ensure long-term stability. We contribute to this in both large and small ways, including in the organization of events. For an overview, please see our checklist for sustainable events linked below.

In many regions around the world – including in Germany – global warming has lead to longer and more frequent heatwaves. High temparatures can place the body under a lot of stress. In addition to climate protection measures, joint efforts to prevent the effects of heat on people can help alleviate the situation.

This is why we've developed the Heat Action Plan, which includes both short-term measures that can be put in place without any major investment and long-term measures that can be accounted for in university planning and campus development.

The complete Heat Action Plan, as well as checklists with immediate measures, can be found via the link below.

Alongside posters, Hochschule Geisenheim University uses durable, waterproof banners to advertise events at the university. However, these banners are difficult to recycle.

For a pilot project we collected old banners and sent them to the Philipp Kraft Foundationto have them upcycled into hand-sewn bags. We've since gifted these one-off creations at special events, such as the first-semester rally. 

The foundation promotes socialisation and participation among people who are persecuted or disadvantaged because of their political, ethnic, religious, or other cultural background, or because of their education. 

This training program is aimed at all teaching staff, but is only offered in German. It enables them to integrate Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung, known as Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in English, into their courses. The goal of the program, which consists of asynchronous e-learning modules and interactive in-person workshops upon request, is to revise an existing course in such a way that, in addition to subject-specific expertise, it also fosters sustainability-related competencies among students. The program is free of charge and openly accessible.

ESD aims to promote competencies such as critical and systemic thinking, creativity, and teamwork, enabling learners to make decisions in line with the principles of sustainability. From the broad range of topics, methods, and perspectives within ESD, particularly key themes have been selected and adapted to the higher education context:

• Connections between course content and holistic sustainability
• Action competence for sustainability
• Advancing competency development in ESD

The aim of the project is to make Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung, known as Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in English, a hands-on experience for apprentices from all departments and institutes.

The departments and institutes at Hochschule Geisenheim University train apprentices in areas such as viticulture, horticulture, library services, laboratory work, administration, and more. This project connects apprentices from different disciplines, enabling them to gain new perspectives on tasks outside their own field of training as well as on sustainable resource use.

Under professional guidance and in cooperation with the Beverage Technology Center (GTZ), the apprentices develop their own products, design labels, and plan and market their creations. In doing so, they acquire entrepreneurial and sustainability-related skills, including the ability to make decisions independently and as part of a team, and to reflect on their own actions.

In April 2023, Hochschule Geisenheim University became the second university in Hesse to receive the “Fairtrade University” award. The certification was enshrined in the university's sustainability strategy and demonstrates its commitment to fair trade and the implementation of the United Nations' sustainability goals.

To be certified as a Fairtrade University, several criteria must be met:

• University resolution: The central bodies of the university administration and the student body, in our case the Senate and the StuPa, pass a joint resolution to apply for the award.
• Steering group: The essence of certification is joint action. That is why the university has formed a group of students and staff to plan and coordinate fair trade activities at the university, the Fairtrade Steering Committee.
• Products at events: Fairtrade drinks and snacks are served at events and internal meetings.
• Products in shops and restaurants: Fairtrade coffee, tea, and snacks are available in our cafeteria. In addition, a hoodie made from certified cotton was sold to mark the 150th anniversary of the research institute.
• Media and public relations: At least twice a semester, awareness-raising events are held on campus. These can be workshops or themed film or game nights, for example.

Would you like to be part of Fairtrade University? Then simply send an email to nachhaltigkeit(at)hs-gm.de and become a member of the steering committee.

With around 1,500 individuals, the student body makes up the largest portion of the Hochschule Geisenheim University community. As such, we know it's absolutely essential to collaborate with the two most important forms of student representation at the university, namely the AStA and the Student Parliament. We make sure to share ideas and stay in continuous exchange with them, organizing joint events and campaigns together. Some example include: 

• Monthly entries in the AStA newsletter
• Creating a resolution for Fairtrade certification together with the Student Parliament and University Senate
• Setting up period product dispensers with the AStA and Student Parliament
• Taking part in events held at the Alte Weinfass, e.g. the Christmas market and flea market
• Joint cleanup events with the AStA and RheingauCleanUp

Among other things, Hochschule Geisenheim University's Heat Action Plan includes measures that impact existing buildings on campus. For example, the university is planning to plant foliage on the rooves and facades of its buildings as a way to improve their thermal characteristics, meaning they will require less heating in winter and less cooling in the summer. 

At the interdisciplinary summer school “Green Roofs and Facades”, which took place in March 2025, students from Hochschule Geisenheim University and TH Bingen had the opportunity to explore creative approaches to greening the university. Guided by input from the experts, students from the Landscape Architecture, Horticulture, and Climate Protection and Climate Adaptation degree programs worked in mixed, interdisciplinary groups to develop unique concepts for greening Geisenheim's Administration Building and Müller-Thurgau-Haus.

A jury consisting of experts, representatives of the administration, and the student body evaluated the concepts, and the three best were honored at a festive award ceremony. The concept titled ‘Biodiversity in Progress – Making Research Visible’ ultimately won and is now being refined and realized by specialist firms.