Join an online Earth Week discussion about decarbonization and what it might mean for the University of Washington and local communities. The State of Washington and the UW’s Sustainability Action Plan call for the UW to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and work toward carbon neutrality. What will this mean for all of us, and what are the technical, social and financial challenges we face in making this happen?
Register for the Zoom link.
The University of Washington is announcing the steps it will take in this fiscal year, starting July 1, to reach the targets set in the UW’s Sustainability Action Plan.
The University of Washington adopted its Sustainability Action Plan, including 10 measurable targets, on July 1, 2020. The Plan will guide our sustainability efforts through 2025, with updated actions determined annual to help us work toward those targets.
The University of Washington has finalized its new Sustainability Action Plan, which will guide the university’s efforts during the next five years.
The Sustainability Action Plan includes five guiding principles and 10 measurable targets along with annual actions to reach those targets. Each year, the UW will evaluate the immediate actions needed over the next fiscal year to respond to changing realities and needs across our campuses.
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 University of Washington is working to develop a comprehensive Sustainability Plan. Led by Executive Sponsor and UW Facilities Vice President Lou Cariello, the Sustainability Plan is on track for delivery on Earth Day, April 22, 2020. The team will be using several tools to identify gaps and the actions that will comprise the Plan, including UW's 2018 STARS submission (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System) and the Climate Action Inventory.
The University of Washington is installing solar panels on three residence halls in partnership with Seattle City Light's Green Up program to support research on clean energy and smart grid technology.
"This project will put our students in the middle of a quiet revolution, the digitization of energy," said UW Clean Energy Institute Director Daniel Schwartz. "Setting up a major new testbed facility takes vision and partners, so we truly appreciate the way local industry, the state, and federal funders came together to support the UW team."
A efficient, clean-burning cookstove developed by the non-profit BURN Design Lab - collaborating with UW mechanical engineers - can reduce the amount of fuel needed by 55 percent while also cutting down on particulate pollution.
Such a stove can make a big difference for much of the world. Smoke from open cooking fires and stoves causes millions of deaths and illnesses, and gathering wood and other fuel can expose vulnerable populations to dangerous risks.
