the UW Sustainability blog
UW's ENVIR 480: Sustainability Studio class in the Program on the Environment presents students with a sustainability topic which they engage in as part of an experiential learning course. The topics change each quarter - this spring, the students researched the UW's environmental history. Over the coming weeks, we'll be publishing some of the information students uncovered.
If you’re riding your bike in the middle of central campus, pay attention to pedestrians or you could face a $25 fine.
As part of the Bike Walk Zone, bicyclists are expected to walk their bikes when pedestrians are present in heavily trafficked areas, according to Transportation Services. Parts highlighted in blue in the map below mark where the zone begins and ends. You'll also find signs posted in the areas.
UW Associate Vice President Ruth Johnston traveled to Stanford University this spring to discuss strategic priorities and partnerships with fellow higher education sustainability leaders.
Johnston serves on the board of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), which for the past 10 years has been strengthening campus sustainability efforts and making sustainable practices the norm within higher education.
A refined Chevy Malibu sits in the far corner of the UW EcoCAR lab as a reminder of UW’s second place finish last year in the three-year automotive engineering EcoCAR2 competition sponsored by General Motors.
The EcoCAR group is hoping to match that success in the current EcoCAR3 competition, a four-year process to redesign a Chevrolet Camaro to be as energy efficient as possible while keeping its performance.
Don’t know what to do with your old or damaged clothes? Don't throw them away - many thrift stores, dropboxes and other locations in the area will take them and reuse or recycle them, reducing waste in the landfill.
It doesn't matter if the clothes are ripped, stained, or otherwise damaged - find the nearest donation location instead of putting them in the trash.
Hanging in Poplar Hall is a Lucid Energy Dashboard to remind students how much energy and water they are using. This same dashboard hangs in all the West Campus dorms, something one student group is very proud of.
The dashboards allow students to see how their building is performing compared to the others, which encourages conservation. The displays are one reminder of a larger sustainability culture in the residence halls, a culture Students Expressing Environmental Dedication (SEED) is working to encourage.
Photo: (Left) Co-creator of ReThink Will Fantle and (Right) Vice President Gracie Dahl
A trip to Israel sparked a UW student's dream to leave a mark on the environment.
"There was a full moon, a massive brilliant orb, and stars everywhere,” said Will Fantle, co-creator of ReThink, a UW club focused on business sustainability. “They took us out in silence and told us to go find a spot in the desert. We sat out there for what felt like hours. I just lay there looking up at the stars thinking about what I wanted to do with my life."
Clean Energy Institute (CEI) Graduate Fellow Jenny Stein wants to pass on her love for discovery and applied research to high school students interested in STEM careers.
This winter and spring, UW’s School of Environmental and Forest Sciences challenged Washington state high school and undergraduate students to grab a camera and film what climate change meant to them in three minutes or less. The prize: up to $5,000 for each age group.
Music filled Red Square as thousands of students came together to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Earth Day at the University of Washington.
"I can’t believe the event was put on for UW students," said Skyler Shane, one of the students who gathered to learn about sustainability efforts on campus. "Events like these can make a big difference for our future."