Climate Change

Image credit: Madrona

Several University of Washington scientists, along with scientists from other schools around the country, have filmed videos to share what their work studying climate change means to them, and their personal feelings on what climate change means to them and the people around them. 

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.

The University of Washington signed the Washington Business Climate Declaration on March 31st, a statement which supports using energy efficiently, investing in cleaner fuels, advancing renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Declaration was drafted by the Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP).

A classroom challenge to reduce students' carbon footprint has turned into one of the six research projects awarded a Green Seed Fund grant this year.

In the Green Seed Fund's latest round of funding, 25 proposals were received totaling $1.5 million in requests. A committee of students, faculty and staff awarded about $250,000 in funding to the top six proposals, including "Carbon Challenge: Footprint Reduction through Curricular Development and Community Building."

The International Institute for Sustainability Laboratories Emerald City Chapter and Environmental Education Fund, along with UW's Green Laboratory Certification Program, are hosting a special screening of the movie Chasing Ice on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 6 p.m. in the Alder Hall Auditorium.

Chasing Ice follows photographer James Balog as he sets out to document the effects of climate change on glaciers across the world. His time-lapse cameras create a record of the disappearing glaciers. 

In January 2015, UW CoMotion (formerly Center for Commercialization) hosted a panel innovation leaders to discuss UW's role in regional innovation, entrepreneurship, and growth.

The University of Washington School of Environmental and Forest Sciences wants to know: What does climate change mean to you? Show your vision with a short three-minute video, and you could win a $5,000 prize!

The SEFS contest is open to all high school and undergraduate college students in the state of Washington. Videos can be up to 3 minutes long, and can be in any format you choose: Claymation, music video, film noir mystery, ballet, stand-up comedy routine, rock opera, documentary...and everything else in between.

Image credit: TNT: Jeffrey P. Mayor

UW computer science doctoral student Justin Bare recently partnered with local nonprofit Carbon Washinton to create an online tool to give Washington residents the ability to calculate how a state carbon tax swap proposed by the Carbon Washington might impact them financially. The Carbon Tax Swap Caclulator is a neutral, unbiased tool that gives users access to unique information and sheds light on how the tax swap proposal might impact them personally.