Huskies for Equitable Sustainability (HuES)

Growing together through projects, skills, and community - You are welcome here!

HuES is open to all UW students who care about sustainability, equity, and building community. You don't need prior experience - just curiosity and a willingness to learn and collaborate.

What is HuES?

Huskies for Equitable Sustainability (HuES) is an opportunity for students to actively engage in the UW's sustainability efforts, organized by UW Sustainability. HuES will connect students with projects that impact sustainability on our campus and in our community. You'll get the chance to work together on tangible efforts - whether that’s contributing to UW’s Sustainability Action Plan, volunteering at existing sustainability events or projects, or helping develop your own student-led initiatives. Whether you volunteer at an event or jump in to a project, you'll leave not just with ideas but with something you've helped bring to life.

In addition, HuES will host workshops to grow your sustainability knowledge and skills. You'll gain experiences that translate into leadership opportunities on campus - and beyond.

Who can participate?

All students are welcome and encouraged to join HuES. You can drop in to any meeting to learn more and discover how you can get involved.

HuES is intended to be more than just a club; it’s a community. We’re carving out space not only to work and learn, but also to connect with each other as peers and friends. HuES will be led by students, allowing for deeper peer-to-peer connections, while UW Sustainability staff will be on hand to provide insight on how best to move projects forward. Expect time for informal conversations, social events, and shared meals. Because building a sustainable future starts with building relationships.

What projects are we working on?

Getting involved with sustainability projects on campus is one of the most impactful ways for students to turn ideas into action. These projects help students build skills, collaborate across disciplines, and leave a lasting mark on the UW community. By working together on campus initiatives, students not only gain experience in leadership and problem-solving but also help shape a more equitable and sustainable future right where they live, study, and grow.

Students can choose to help with one of several ongoing projects, or work with UW Sustainability and other HuES students to identify or create other projects. See below for some of the currently ongoing projects.

• Waste reduction & reuse
  • Reusable cup ambassadors: Be part of the Alaska Arena sustainability crew by staffing waste sorting stations and helping fans properly sort and learn about their reusable cup.
  • Reusable cup LCA analysis: Conduct a Life Cycle Analysis comparing reusable and compostable cups used on campus. Your findings will help guide future purchasing decisions.
  • Swag @ UW policy: Help develop a campus-wide policy for sustainable event giveaways.
  • Zero waste thrift pop-up: Work with UW Recycling to plan and host another (possibly reoccurring) thrift pop-up market to encourage reuse.
• Campus sustainability & policy
  • Salmon Safe certification: Support UW’s journey toward certification by identifying and addressing areas on campus that affect watershed and habitat health.
  • University District Farmers Market working group: Collaborate to expand the market’s presence, strengthen engagement, and address food insecurity by improving access and outreach.
• Food systems & equity
  • Food Recovery: Collaborate with partners through the FreeFoodAlert platform to build a reliable, equitable food recovery system at UW.
• Community & events
  • Earth Week Committee: Collaborate with other students, RSOs, and campus partners to plan events and programs for Earth Week 2026.
  • Climate Counseling Chats: Co-host quarterly group discussions on climate anxiety with counselors and peers in a supportive, open setting.

How to be a part of HuES

HuES is open to all UW students who care about sustainability, equity, and building community. You don’t need prior experience - just curiosity and a willingness to learn and collaborate. 

We know there are lots of students who are interested in sustainability and want to make a difference, but don't know where to start or how to move their ideas forward. HuES helps connect you with existing volunteer opportunities, RSOs and projects - or lets you pitch your ideas to students who want to help. 

Easy ways to get involved:

• Sign up: Fill out our interest form so we can keep you updated on meetings, events, and projects.
• Come to a meeting or event: See above for the meeting schedule. You’re welcome to drop in anytime, whether you want to check it out once or become a regular.
• HuES members can choose to get engaged in a variety of ways , such as event planning, campus campaigns, volunteering, and hands-on projects throughout the year. All of these opportunities are a great way to grow your knowledge, build skills, meet people, and make a tangible impact.

What You’ll Get Out of HuES:

• Community of students who care about change
• Workshops and trainings to grow your skills
• Leadership opportunities to run events and projects
• A chance to help shape sustainability efforts at UW

Follow UW Sustainability on Instagram to learn about events, meetings and other HuES opportunities.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Emily Adams at emiadams@uw.edu.

More about HuES