In Our Nature

Adam Fehn is a Program Coordinator for UW Recycling. He took a personal challenge to go plastic-free during the month of July.

Why Did I Go Plastic Free?

As a recycling Program Coordinator, I was very aware of the amount and types of plastics I used and I knew that many of those items were packaging and single-use plastics. Like most people, I was caught up in the convenience of a system that perpetuates the cycle of disposable plastics. When I heard that we at UW Recycling were going to start a social media campaign surrounding...

Post by Gabrielle Coeuille, UW Recycling Waste Diversion & Reduction Intern

When we go to the grocery store, it’s hard to avoid plastic. From produce, to meat, to dairy - packaging is everywhere. Plastic has become so entwined with our food system that it is hard to remember a time when all your seasonal berries didn’t come in a carton that lasts practically forever. So I asked myself this question:

Is it possible to have a truly plastic free meal without going to a bulk store or the farmers market? Additionally, is it possible to make this meal as low impact as...

UW graduate student Jonathan Chen has created a UW Food System COVID-19 Survey to better understand how COVID-19 has impacted people's access to food on UW Seattle’s campus. Anyone affiliated with UW Seattle who is 18 or over is invited to participate and enter a drawing to win a $50 gift card to the University Bookstore. Documenting your experience during this difficult time can help improve things for the future.

Take the survey

Questions? Please email ...

Harborview Medical Center received a 2020 Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award from Practice Greenhealth. The Top 25 Award recognizes hospitals who are leading the industry with innovation in sustainability, demonstrating superior programs, and illustrating how sustainability is a core part of their culture. This is the ninth consecutive year for Harborview to receive the top award from Practice Greenhealth.  

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Join UW Recycling, UW Sustainability, and The Whole U this month in committing to reduce plastic use

As July hits the Pacific Northwest, it means more sun, more time outside and for sustainable-minded folks, less plastic. Join UW Recycling, UW Sustainability and the WholeU in lowering our plastic waste during Plastic Free July.

Plastic Free July speaks for itself: avoid using or buying plastic during the month...

So much of the material we handle on a daily basis is made of plastic. Let’s delve into some common questions about the puzzling predicament of perplexing plastic!

What does the number in the chasing arrow symbol mean?

Understandably, many people often think that the chasing arrow symbol on a plastic item means that the product is recyclable. However, that’s not always the case. The symbol and the number inside it is called a “resin identification code,” which tells the consumers what kind of plastic was used to make the product. The resin identification code was made in...

Check Out UW Recycling’s Top Movie and Book Recommendations

The UW Recycling team has put together a list of books and movies we love that teaches us more about the world of waste. Best of all, they are (nearly) all available with a Netflix account, library card, or flat out free!

UW Recycling recognizes that issues surrounding waste and pollution disproportionately impact people of color, while the majority of media representation about waste and pollution is created by white individuals. With this list, we strive to embrace inclusive films and...

Feedback from the University of Washington community on the UW’s draft Sustainability Strategy and proposed actions has been published.

The draft Sustainability Strategy was released on Earth Day, April 22. All members of the UW community were invited to take a survey to provide input on the draft - including the guiding principles and targets - and proposed actions.. Those survey results and comments have been compiled and are available as a PDF document.

The feedback has been presented to the...

For Emma Wilson and Anya Gavrylko, sustainability is about more than just the environment.

As the co-leaders of the Sustainability Curriculum Coalition (SCC) student group, the duo shares a passion to advance and redefine sustainability at the UW.

"There is the three pillars approach that is environment, social, economic, which is sort of like level one sustainability," Anya said. "It's understanding how one action impacts everything throughout those other actions and having everyone understand that they have a role to play."...

The 2020 Environmental Justice Conference, hosted by the College of the Environment's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion office, works to bring awareness on environmental and climate justice initiatives, as well as to create a space for dialogue across scales, affiliations, and worldviews. This is the third annual version of the conference, and the first to be held entirely online. The conference...