Christopher O'Brien

Director of Sustainability
Office of Sustainability

• In 2009 Chris became American University's first Director of Sustainability. He is responsible for sustainability policy, planning, outreach and implementation. His work includes leading the university's commitment to achieving climate-neutrality by the year 2020, as well as building and operation green buildings, eliminating waste sent to landfill, and greening the university's procurement.
  
  Previously, he directed the Responsible Purchasing Network at the Center for a New American Dream, and earlier served as Managing Director of the Green Business Network and the Fair Trade Federation. He is Treasurer of the Fair Trade Resource Network, and co-owns the Seven Bridges Organic Brewing Supply Cooperative. He serves on the Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Advisory Board, the Green Advantage Board, The Sustainable Purchasing Council board of directors, and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education's STARS Steering Committee.
  
  In 2006, Chris authored the award-winning book Fermenting Revolution: How to Drink Beer and Save the World (New Society Publishers). He twitters about greening the American dream at twitter.com/GreenAU.

• Degrees

  BA Liberal Studies, Penn State, 1994; MS Science and Technology Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1997

• Favorite Spot on Campus:

  The Kogod Green Roof
  

  Book Currently Reading:

  Third Industrial Revolution by Jeremy Rifkin