Category: Student

Reducing Food Waste and Fighting Food Insecurity in the Dining Halls: Nutrition Access Program

At UW–Madison’s six dining market locations, staff work hard to feed students by preparing buffet-style meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. To meet the expected demand and decrease food waste, dining market staff use data from annual food waste audits and Leanpath technology to carefully adjust recipe quantities.   Though these efforts have been effective at …

Sustainability Conversations Across the Big Ten: A Look at Student Leadership

The latest episode of The SustainUW Podcast’s new miniseries, Sustainability Conversations across the Big Ten, looks at how student leadership shapes campus sustainability work at UW–Madison and Rutgers Univesity.

5 Ways to Have a Sustainable Game Day

Wisconsin Football games are in full swing, and with Homecoming weekend ahead, we want to make sure Badger fans have all the information and resources they need to be “green” on game day. From getting to Camp Randall to cleaning up after the tailgate, here are five simple ways to make your game-day traditions a …

Badgers Celebrate UW–Madison’s 12th annual Sustain-a-Bash

Despite a rainy start, Sustain-a-Bash 2025 was a huge success. Sustain-a-Bash is an annual week-long celebration of sustainability on campus, co-hosted with University Housing. This year, Sustain-a-Bash consisted of a native planting party, Green Fund and Wisconsin Urban Planning Association kickoff events, national voter registration day, a crafternoon with the Disability Cultural Center, and a …

Wandering Sustainably: From Zero Waste Project Assistant to Cross-Country Traveler

In our “Where Are They Now?” series, current student interns interview former students about their experience at the Office of Sustainability (OS), particularly how that experience has helped them since graduation. In the following entry, Tia Gaffney relates her conversation with Rachel Schumacher, a student who was involved in the Zero Waste Team within the …

The Greening of UW–Madison

An Office of Sustainability program supports student-initiated environmental projects. By Abigail Bures x’27

Six Ideas for a Sustainable Move-In

Make your move in more sustainable with these tips! Whether you are living in one of our on-campus residence halls or off-campus, these tips will help you reduce waste and move in sustainably. 1. Plan ahead Plan ahead to avoid bringing extra or unnecessary items! Coordinate with your roommates to see if they’re already bringing …

The American Dream Was Buried in Southern Utah

This essay, by Lily Smogor, is one of three winners of the 2024 Sustainability Writing Awards hosted by the Office of Sustainability. You can read more about Lily here.   The twin mesas rise together at the end of the road. They wear a skirt of juniper and yucca, the pinkish-orange rock peeking through only slightly until the …

Understanding Sustainability Through Privilege and Survival

This essay, by Maisha Islam, is one of three winners of the 2024 Sustainability Writing Awards hosted by the Office of Sustainability. You can read more about Maisha here.   The summer of 2022 completely changed how I thought about environmental challenges. I found myself caught between two worlds: the bustling, chaotic cities and the quiet, serene villages …

Where Health and Heat Meet

This essay, by Veronica Goveas, is one of three winners of the 2024 Sustainability Writing Awards hosted by the Office of Sustainability. You can read more about Veronica here.   I grew up in a village in Wisconsin, where summer heat was mild and fleeting. We measured storms by the inches they left on the sidewalk, not by …