UW–Madison is a Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC) member until September 30th, 2023. All UW–Madison students, staff, and faculty are eligible to take advantage of the campus membership offerings. Anyone with a valid “@wisc.edu” email …
News
“To instill the spirit of conservation”: A decade with the Office of Sustainability
On the Office of Sustainability’s 11th birthday, looking back to the first decade—and forward to the next. By Marek Makowski Fifteen years ago, the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus was covered in statistics about recycled tons …
UW–Madison rolls out electric-powered mowers
In 2020, the UW–Madison Physical Plant allocated $3.2 million for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects to be spent in fiscal year 2021. Ellen Agnew, the Building & Grounds Superintendent, had recently purchased battery-powered hedgers …
At the UW–Madison Sustainability Symposium, presenters address “a potential existential crisis”
At the inaugural UW-Madison Sustainability Symposium, Josh Arnold presented a major pilot project that could allow UW–Madison to generate more renewable energy. “Our students, staff, faculty, and alumni—including many in this room—are demanding bold climate …
Progress after dismay: a vertiginous summer for climate activists
At the start of the summer, the Supreme Court delivered a blow to the EPA’s ability to limit greenhouse gas emissions. By August, however, Congress swung back. UW–Madison students and professors process the back-and-forth and …
UW–Madison earns Bee Campus USA certification
The University of Wisconsin–Madison has earned the Bee Campus USA Certification, making it one of 140 Bee Campus Affiliates nationwide. Bee Campus USA, an initiative of the Xerces Society, “…provides a framework for campus communities …
Midwest Climate Collaborative seeks input on research agenda
The Midwest Climate Collaborative (MCC), which launched in January 2022 with UW–Madison as a founding member, is a cross-sector organization that aims to advance climate action in the region. The MCC seeks to develop a …
Campus labs offered opportunity to participate in globally-recognized lab sustainability certification program
UW–Madison campus laboratories can apply to participate in the Lab Certification Program from My Green Lab, a globally recognized leader in laboratory sustainability. The program will be offered for free to the first 10 labs …
Composting trial restarts at UW–Madison
As of August 2022, UW–Madison has relaunched a food waste collection program on a trial-run basis. After receiving tremendous support from the campus community following the cessation of the previous composting program, the UW Zero …
Campus users respond to food waste survey
On August 4th, 2021, the Office of Sustainability informed campus users of changes to the UW–Madison food waste collection program. As part of the announcement, a survey was circulated to assess the thoughts, opinions, …