The words sustainability and business are not often heard together in the same sentence within the corporate sector.

As traditional business practices have typically prioritized profits over purpose and people, many people remain critical about a company's true intentions. Thankfully, slow and steady progress over the years have created an undercurrent of individuals, organizations, and business leaders who have repeatedly asked: how can businesses do good in the world?

The inaugural Global...

Civil and Environmental Engineering students got hands-on experience with energy conservation and renewable energy this winter.

A class taught by assistant professor Amy Kim used a small solar-power installation on More Hall to power everyday office equipment, such as a computer and table lamp. The course looks at developing sustainability strategies for buildings which promote the health and wellness of the occupants.

From the UW Civil and Environmental...

Albatrosses, dogs, bears - oh my!

New events are up on the sustainabilty events calendar, and we can’t wait for you to check them out. We've listed a few of the top options this week below, and you can always check out our calendar for a comprehensive listing of events. You can even subscribe to get weekly emails to keep up to date on all the sustainability events happening around UW....

In March 2018, UW Botanic Gardens and the Burke Herbarium co-hosted the second annual Washington Botanical Symposium with an exciting new, lower-carbon way to attend: via livestream.

UW EDGE, a co-sponsor of the livestream event along with UW Sustainability, set up a conference livestream, brought in all the necessary equipment, and managed online access for about twenty (out of 158 total registrants) remote attendees from Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. Participants...

Spring quarter is now in full swing! With Earth Day just around the corner, our sustainability events calendar is packed with new events. We've listed a few of the top options this week below, and you can always check out our calendar for a comprehensive listing of events. You can even subscribe to get weekly emails to keep up to date on all the sustainability events happening around UW!

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This has been a busy year for the UW EcoReps. To be honest, we’ve already done so much that it’s hard to boil it all down to a few paragraphs. As a new member and first time officer, I’ve learned a lot about sustainability from working with this group. EcoReps started off the year with only two members, and slowly grew to the 15 volunteers that represent us today. It’s been quite a journey, but one that was well worth the effort! So far we've focused on broadening our notion of sustainability, providing professional development...

The University of Washington is partnering with Cupanion to reward students each time they fill a reusable mug instead of using a disposable cup. 

The SEED student group has partnered with Housing and Food Services to make Cupanion stickers available starting this week. With the sticker and a downloadable smartphone app, each time you fill your reusable mug scan the bar code in the app and earn point toward rewards such as gift cards. 

SEED is tabling in various locations around campus this week and handing out the Cupanion stickers...

Photos by Rosemary Reyes

The new Life Sciences Building under construction next to the Burke Gilman Trail features floor-to-ceiling windows all along the south side. The windows allow the sun to naturally light the space, but that sunlight also presents a problem.

In the summer, direct sunlight would overheat the building. Instead of relying on air conditioning, the team behind the building’s design found a unique solution.

Vertical glass fins along the side of the building include...

It's time for the next Green Certification Workshop Wednesday!

Join us for the upcoming Green Certification Workshop Wednesday on April 4 from 1:30-2p.m in Gerberding Hall room G26 (one floor down from the Red Square entrance).

These Green Certification workshops are held on the first Wednesday of each month. Everyone is welcome to join and learn more about our Green Office and Green Laboratory ...

The 2018 Washington and Oregon Higher Education Conference (WOHESC) was a great success! The three-day conference was held at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon and drew more than 400 attendees from across the region. More than 100 speakers discussed sustainability efforts, best practices and ways forward. Keynotes, panels discussion and sessions all generated excitement and enthusiasm, and we’re sure everyone went home after hopefully learning something new from their fellow colleagues. 

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