University of Wisconsin–Madison
Katie Piel is a rising senior studying environmental studies and communication arts with a certificate in business. She began her internship for the Office of Sustainability in January 2018 as part of the Green Office team, which trains offices around campus in sustainable practices. She believes in the power of individual action in the fight …
For the past six years, UW–Madison doctoral students Tom Bryan and Tim Lindstrom have designed hands-on activities that use the campus as a “living laboratory” for sustainability. Bryan brings a rich research background in food systems, which is a strong motivating force in his personal life as well as his work on campus sustainability. Lindstrom …
This guest article was written by Jason Gallup, former Student Programs Director at the Office of Sustainability. The window for avoiding the catastrophic effects of environmental degradation is small. As a society, we are now well aware that without major reductions in our carbon emissions, we soon will face irreversible changes to our planet that …
As summery June weather arrived in Madison, the Office of Sustainability welcomed a talented new group of student interns to work on campus sustainability projects over the course of the 2018-2019 school year. The eleven students joining the Student Intern program come from a variety of backgrounds and majors, but they all share a passion …
Summer is the perfect time to go green! Check out these five sustainability tips for the warm season ahead. Eat Seasonally & Locally (& Go Heavy on the Veggies) Show seasonal produce some love! Treat yourself to nutritious vegetables and fruits that benefit your health, while also supporting local Wisconsin farmers and the planet. Find …
A recent UW–Madison study shows that the increased frequency of high-intensity rain events is worsening phosphorus runoff from manure-covered agricultural fields more than scientists expected. To learn more about a new effort aims to address this problem in Dane County, read the full article on the UW–Madison news page here.
“Zero waste”—it’s an idea that can feel slightly naïve in our consumerist culture. Nearly everything we do produces waste of some kind. And when large groups of people gather for an all-day event—say, hundreds of attendees at the 2018 Earth Day Conference, hosted by the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and held at Monona Terrace—the …
It has become commonplace to categorize climate change as a “wicked problem”. It is “wicked” because, in addition to its profound complexity as an atmospheric phenomenon, preventing climate change from causing catastrophic damage will require unprecedented global cooperation. Sadly, it is also commonplace to feel doubtful that world governments will succeed in this feat of …
This marks a new series of newsletter articles penned by our own Office of Sustainability interns. Our first article is by Carolyn Hamburg, who is a rising senior studying political science and environmental studies with a certificate in education policy. During Summer and Fall 2017, she worked as an Office of Sustainability intern, and will be …
Each year, University Housing coordinates Sustainability Move Out, a waste diversion program during the housing resident move-out. The student volunteer-run program has three primary goals: Divert waste from the landfill Educate event participants on sustainable behaviors Support the missions of campus and community donation partners Last spring, 160 volunteers provided over 750 hours of staffing …