The 2015 SustainableUW Festival celebrated sustainability across the University of Washington with many events across campus during the week-long festival.
Departments and groups across the UW hosted events throughout the week. The UW Sustainability staff wasn't able to get to every event, although we appreciate everyone who participated. The wide range of listings on the calendar serves to showcase the breadth and depth of the ongoing sustainability efforts on campus.
UW Sustainability put on a number of events during the week as well, and we were excited to see a great reponse for each of them. Check out some of the photos from the week and find out more about a few of the festival's event highlights below.
Exhibitor Fair
The exhibitor fair was quite a hit this year, as thousands of people flocked to Red Square to interact with 44 exhibitors and sample sustainable food options from nine campus vendors. The event was definitely well attended - not even the rain and cool temperatures kept people away. This year's fair featured projects from Seattle City Light and their MobE (Mobile solar kiosk) to a t-shirt giveaway from Coca cola (who also sponsored the event), a spin the wheel game from UW recycling where the line never quit, and a husky from the Washington Alaskan Malamute adoption league called Kokoa who was a huge hit. The festival showcased UW programs, clubs and community partners that put sustainability first and displayed sustainability focused projects currently happening around and outside of campus.
Sustainability Careers Meet and Greet
The Sustainability careers meet and greet is always a highlight of the festival. This year it featured presentations from Alaska Airlines, Built Green, King Country EcoConsumer, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Students came to the event held in Odegaard library for an informal presentation where the presenters spoke briefly on their organizations but also on their individual career paths, followed by a meet and greet session with a chance for deeper discussions between the students and presenters. Students at the event were then invited to the Campus Sustainability Fund poster session located directly across the library, this event presented projects funded through the Campus Sustainability and Green Seed funds and they were also able to talk with students involved.
Huskies for Humanity: "Art, Research, and Restoration: UW's Connection to the Duwamish River"
The annual "Huskies for Humanity" event highlights work by UW faculty, students, staff, and alumni that are living out UW's Be Boundless call to action to "be a world of good." This year, the event highlighted UW's connections to the Duwamish River, the only river running through Seattle. Although most people in Seattle only know the Duwamish River as an industrial canal, the river has deep historical, cultural and environmental significance. The event started with a poster session detailing some of the many projects around the Duwamish by people in the UW community, followed by presentations by several speakers. Community engagement, public health research and art inspired by the Duwamish River were among the topics that gave attendees a greater understanding of the river and how it is intertwined with the people who live by its waters.
Husky Highlight: Energy and Innovation
The 2015 Husky Highlight featured the Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute (MolES) and Clean Energy Institute (CEI), with researchers talking about their work toward things like better solar panels and power management in buildings, as well as how they incorporate sustainable practices into their everyday work. After presentations, attendees got a tour of the state-of-the-art MolES buliding and features such as the building's green roof.
Campus as a Living Lab exhibit
In partnership with UW's Center for Integrated Design, housed at the Bullitt Center, UW Sustainability created an exhibit highlighting the variety of sustainable projects happening around the University of Washington. On Oct. 30, we celebrated the exhibit with an opening reception and about 80 guests from UW campus and the community came together for the exhibit. The program featured remarks from UW Sustainability director Claudia Frere Anderson, Associate Vice President Gary Quarfoth, Associate Vice President Ruth Johnston, Campus Sustainability Fund Coordinator Molly Parkman, and the Center for Integrated Design's Chris Meek and Heather Burpee. Guests enjoyed perusing the posters and learning more about the sustainable projects happening on the UW campus.
We look forward to seeing you at the 2016 SustainableUW Festival!