the UW Sustainability blog
The EcoReps student group has been working on several campus projects to further sustainability at UW.
The UW EcoReps clothing swap will be held on Friday, April 8, in Red Square from 2-5 p.m. This project helps address the current issue of textile waste in the United States. In order to promote a change in social norms surrounding textile consumption, we are offering a fun, sustainable event for students to come together and exchange their gently used clothing.
The UW Future of Ice Initiative is hosting the university's first Polar Day, a day of talks by faculty and students who work in the polar regions, with time for questions and discussions.
The event starts at 9:15 a.m. at the UW Club's Yukon Pacific Room, but attendees are welcome to arrive starting at 8:30 a.m. for coffee and pastries. The first 50 people to arrive will receive a free lunch.
The UW Polar Day Schedule is below:
If you're interested in working in the green building industry, you may want to become certified as a LEED Green Associate. This credential shows you have taken the training and have knowledge of the LEED ratings system.
LeadingGreen will be on campus on April 16 for a LEED Green Associate training session in Loew 102 from 1-5 p.m., which will provide an overview of LEED and information designed to help you pass the LEED GA exam administered by the U.S. Green Building Council.
From LeadingGreen's event information:
A handful of students make their way to the University of Washington’s Forest Club Room as Todd Woodard stands in front, getting ready to discuss land preservation in Coast Salish country.
Restoration projects are an integral part of Samish Native American culture – whether it’s restoring ecosystems in the Samish river watershed or reviving landscapes in Cypress Island.
“The heart of restoration is getting things back to the way they are,” began Woodard, director of the Samish Nation Natural Resources Department.
UW Organizational Excellence is hosting a Showcase on March 8 from 1-3 p.m. in the HUB Lyceum, featuring work from departments across the UW. This event will showcase how schools, colleges, and administrative units are making the UW better – together. UW Sustainability is excited to be there as a presenter and to see the outstanding work from other areas of the university.
The 2016 MobilizeGreen Annual Conference and Diversity Career Fair will be held at the University of Washington on April 7-8, 2016. Speakers for the event include Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and Leslie Weldon, the Deputy Chief for National Forest System with the USDA Forest Service.
A group of UW faculty is considering a university-community applied research and teaching program called Sustainable City Year. It originated at the U of Oregon and now many universities, including WWU, are running similar programs. The program pairs a city and a university with a budget of $200-300K each year paid by the partner city. The university then utilizes multiple classes across the university to serve and advise the city.
On Wednesday I had the pleasure of attending a lecture as part of the Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series from the College of Built Environments. The speaker was world renowned architect James Cheng, who has helped to shape the skyine of Vancouver, B.C., and the outlying areas.
The first annual UW Safety, Sustainability, and Preparedness Expo turned out to be a fantastic event, with about 550 guests stopping by the HUB to learn from more than 70 exhibitors. The expo showcased a variety of environmental- and safety-related programs and initiatives on campus, connecting sustainability and safety through a variety of departments. It was also a great event to link faculty, staff and students as well!
Last week, I was part of UW Sustainability's team at the first UW Safety, Sustainability, and Preparedness Expo, letting UW community members know about our Green Certification prgrams for offices and labs on campus.