Environment

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 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 has released a draft Sustainability Strategy to guide institutional initiatives over the next five years. The Strategy proposes measurable targets and actions across the University to ensure a sustainable, equitable and responsible future. Your input on this Strategy is vital!

Take the survey by May 22 or email sustainabilityplan@uw.edu to ensure your voice is heard as the Strategy and upcoming Actions are finalized.

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.

UW Sustainability has launched a new information portal, showcasing data, resources and other information around sustainability topics at the University of Washington.

This site builds off the previous sustainability dashboard, which had graphs showing UW's performance and targets in a variety of sustainability areas. The new portal highlights the data in interactive visualizations by using Tableau Software, as well as adding more information on each subject.

UW researchers studying trees in the Rocky Mountain West have found trees use different coping strategies when faced with drought and warmer temperatures. The results may help scientists determine how forests will adapt to future climate change.