SEED

As a freshman living on West Campus, when Nola Peshkin stopped by District Market to pick up food or other items she was often surprised by the behavior of her fellow shoppers.

"Growing up my family was really adamant about always bringing reusable bags to the grocery store, but when I came to UW I was just really surprised and disappointed in the number of people who would use paper bags when it didn't seem necessary," Peshkin said.

It's time for the annual One Thing Challenge!

The One Thing Challenge is a competition between residence hall students at UW and Washington State University to see which campus is committed to being the greenest. The school with the most participants will gain bragging rights and the ceremonial awarding of the One Thing Cup - a trophy made from recycled materials.

Throughout October, be sure and use your reusable mug for coffee on campus. Not only will it cut consumption and waste - you'll also help UW move the national leaderboard!

During the month of October, the University of Washington is part of the national "Kill the Cup" University Challenge, a campaign to reduce waste from disposable coffee cups by promoting reusable cups. The schools which have the highest rate of reusable cup use and social awareness will earn grants for sustainability projects on campus.

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.

If you're a UW student living in a residence hall, we need your help this weekend!

The annual One Thing Challenge is a competition between UW and Washington State University to see which campus is committed to being the greenest. The school with the most participants will gain bragging rights and the ceremonial awarding of the One Thing Cup - a trophy made from recycled materials.

CHOSE ONE THING: