2016 SustainableUW Festival

Festival Info Festival Events Festival Sponsors

October 17-23, 2016

University of Washington

Sustainability efforts and events happen across the University of Washington every day, by students, faculty, and staff who are passionate about our future. The SustainableUW Festival celebrates those contributions and highlights opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to get involved. The SustainableUW Festival is designed to showcase the full scope of sustainability efforts across UW - events include campus lectures and seminars, volunteer opportunities and other events throughout the UW community. See the full SustainableUW Festival calendar here, or on this page below the festival highlights.

The festival is just a slice of the overall sustainability efforts at UW. We hope the festival provides an introduction to some of the events touching on sustainability which happen every week throughout the year.

Festival highlights:

Spotlight event: SustainableUW Exhibitor Fair

Tuesday, Oct. 18, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | HUB Ballroom
The centerpiece of the festival will the sustainable exhibitor fair in the HUB Ballroom. Dozens of exhibitors who put sustainability first will be there to inform the UW community about their efforts. Learn about environmental student groups, UW programs, community partners and more.

Monday, Oct. 17

Huskies for Humanity
Changing Global Health Ecosystems: Humans, Animals, and the Environment
3:30 p.m. | Kane Hall Walker-Ames (Room 225)
A panel discussion followed by a light reception hosted by the Department of Global Health. Presenters will address the interactions between humans, animals, and the environment, and the impact on health. Panelists will discuss local community impacts in Kenya, Zika transmission and mosquito populations in the Americas, as well as the work of the Center for One Health at the University of Washington.

5 p.m. | Odegaard ALC 136
The CSF is a student-run, student-funded grant organization that makes available $300,000 a year for student-led, on-campus, sustainability projects. The first half of the event will be a mixer in which interested students can talk with project leads working on recently funded CSF projects. The second half will be a brainstorming session in which interested students and current project leads will work together on developing CSF grant ideas. Light refreshments will be provided.

College of the Environment Info Sessions
3 & 4 p.m. | Alder 107
The College of the Environment is hosting two information sessions - for current students at 3 p.m and prospective students at 4 p.m. - to give an overview of the various majors and minors offered in the College of the Environment. Also learn about opportunities for advising, scholarships, and student organizations within the college. Treats will be served. Students considering any of the following majors are strongly encouraged to attend: Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, Atmospheric Sciences, Bioresource Science & Engineering, Earth & Space Sciences, Environmental Science & Terrestrial Resource Management, Environmental Studies, and Oceanography.

Society for Ecological Restoration work party
6:30-8 p.m. | Center for Urban Horticulture
Come on out to the SER-UW Native Plant Nursery to help clean native seeds that we'll be sowing in the late winter and early spring. We'll be cleaning seeds from several different native species and storing them until they're ready to be planted.  Just bring yourself and a water bottle--we'll provide the snacks!

Tuesday, Oct. 18

Sustainable Exhibitor Fair
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | HUB Ballroom
The centerpiece of the festival will the sustainable exhibitor fair in the HUB Ballroom. Dozens of exhibitors who put sustainability first will be there to inform the UW community about their efforts. Learn about environmental student groups, UW programs, community partners and more.

Ballo Conservatio
2-4 p.m. | Meany Hall Gallery
This is a chance to view the Campus Sustainability Fund/Dance Program collaboration, Ballo Conservatio: Dance Conservation as part of the SustainableUW Festival.

Documentary night with SAGE
6 p.m. | Wallace Hall
Join the Student Association for Green Environments as we view the epic documentary This Changes Everything. Inspired by well known author Naomi Klein's non-fiction best-seller, this film seeks to re-imagine the challenges of climate change and bring new light to the struggles that communities around the world face.

Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story
6 p.m. | Alder Commons
In celebration of the 2016 SustainableUW Festival, The Whole U is collaborating with UW Housing & Food Services and UW Recycling to present a screening of the award-winning documentary, “Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story.” Stick around after the screening to share your thoughts during an informal discussion. 

Wednesday, Oct. 19

Sustainability Careers Meet & Greet
3:30 p.m. | HUB 334
Presentations on sustainability careers with representatives from the business, non-profit, government and education sectors, followed by a meet and greet for students to talk with the speakers. Presenters speak briefly on their organizations but also on their individual career paths. This event is for students in all majors who are interested in learning how to connect their career path with sustainability.

Center for Urban Horticulture Green Building and Gardens Tour
2:30 p.m. | Center for Urban Horticulture
The Center for Urban Horticulture's Merrill Hall was the first certified “green building” on the UW Seattle campus, and houses the UW Botanic Garden headquarters, the Elisabeth C. Miller Library and the Otis Douglas Hyde Herbarium. We will look at the design features that make this structure environmentally friendly, including solar power, sustainable building materials, and natural features such as rain gardens. We will also tour the surrounding gardens, including the Soest perennial beds, the Fragrance garden, the McVay Courtyard and more! Cost: Free, but please RSVP if you plan to attend.

Salmon Safe certification celebration
9 a.m. | HUB 337
The University of Washington celebrates its recertification as a Salmon Safe University. Salmon Safe recognition acknowledges the University’s work on pesticide and fertilizer use, stormwater treatment, water conservation and more.

Thursday, Oct. 20

Husky Highlight
4 p.m. | Paccar Hall Deloitte Commons
The team behind JikoPower, the 2015 Environmental Innovation Challenge winner, will talk about their product and the journey from idea to impact. The JikoPower Generator captures wasted heat from a cookstove or fire and turns it into electricity to charge cellphones, LED lights, and other small devices. JikoPower work to use innovation to provide the means and opportunity for everyone to safely light their homes, provide for their families, and be connected. This event is also part of UW's Entrepreneur Fest.

Friday, Oct. 21

UW Sustainability open house
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Gerberding B40
Meet with UW Sustainability staff and associated student groups to learn about sustainability efforts on campus and how you can get involved. Electric bikes will also be on hand for test rides.

Kincaid Ravine work party
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Kincaid Ravine
Join us as we create native pollinator habitat in the largest remaining natural area on the UW campus! EarthCorps is partnering with the Society for Ecological Restoration-UW Chapter, the University of Washington Campus Sustainability Fund and the King Conservation District to promote a healthy forest in Kincaid Ravine.

Saturday, Oct. 22

UW Football sustainability volunteers
3 p.m. | Husky Stadium
Help UW Athletics reach their goal of 80% waste diversion while cheering on the Huskies against Oregon State. Volunteers will be stationed around the stadium during the first half and at halftime, letting people know how to recycle and compost properly as well as helping fans choose the best option for their trash. After halftime you are free to watch the rest of the game. Sign up here

Other events:

UW Bothell campus garden groundbreaking
Monday, Oct. 24
Join us at UW Bothell in the grassy area between the sports fields and the north parking garage to help us break ground on the new UWB campus garden, and promote local food and sustainable agriculture. Bring a dish to share for the potluck and learn how to get involved with the new UWB garden.


SustainableUW Festival full event calendar:

See the SustainableUW Festival calendar on its own page.

2016 SustainableUW Festival sponsors:

Cascade Sponsors

Olympics Sponsor

Foothills Sponsors

Puget Sound/Salish Sea Sponsors