The University of Washington recently held two Community Kickoff events to launch the development of an updated Sustainability Action Plan for the UW tri-campus. The events, one in-person and one online, brought together faculty, staff, students, and external partners to help shape UW's sustainability vision for 2050.
The University’s first Sustainability Action Plan was published in 2020 and includes ten key targets ranging from engagement and research to emissions reduction and waste management. While progress has been made in several areas, the University recognizes the need for updates to address gaps and respond to evolving climate challenges. By starting with broad community input, UW can identify gaps in the current plan, uncover innovative ideas from those experiencing sustainability challenges firsthand, and establish a shared understanding of what sustainable success could look like in 2050.
As highlighted by many attendees during the kickoff events, sustainability touches every aspect of campus life - from classroom learning and research to daily operations and community partnerships. Participants started each meeting by reflecting on and discussing the current state of sustainability in their work and academic pursuits, as well as identified opportunities for improvement. Much of the event focused on gathering participant input at four stations covering academics, operations, partnerships, and UW's service to community. Attendees shared aspirational visions for these areas on flipcharts and virtual whiteboards.
UW Sustainability also collaborated with the Huskies for Equitable Sustainability group to host a visioning session with students. Additional sessions are planned for the UW Bothell and Tacoma campuses, as well as UW Medicine. Beginning in early 2025, working groups will be formed to focus on specific topics such as energy, water, operations, waste, food systems, and more. These groups will use insights from the visioning sessions to shape new goals, strategies, and actions for the updated Sustainability Action Plan.
You can watch a recording of the virtual kickoff meeting here. Once all visioning is complete, UW Sustainability will showcase the outcomes on the Plan update website.
Stay up to date on the planning process by visiting the update website, where you can to learn about opportunities for engagement and ways to contribute your ideas and feedback as we work towards our 2050 sustainability vision.
See more photos from the in-person event in this slideshow:
