Grounds for Change: UW–Madison Launches Organic Landscape Management Pilot Project

This fall, UW–Madison is launching an organic landscape management pilot project that will transition four prominent campus areas—Library Mall, Henry Mall, Ogg Residence Hall, and the Divine Nine Plaza—to organic landscaping methods. Over the next …

UW–Madison Recertified by Bee Campus USA

A look into the “amazing,” “exciting,” and “hopeful” cross-campus collaboration leading to Bee Campus

“Our mission is to try to save the world”: Karen Oberhauser heightens sustainability at the UW Arboretum 

This article, by Emily Morton, is part of a series highlighting members of the Office of Sustainability’s Experts Database. In a collaboration with instructor Madeline Fisher’s course, LSC 561: Writing Science for the Public, students …

Solar-Powered and Ahead of the Curve: Shaping Campus as a Living Laboratory for Sustainable Transit

As bus riders traverse the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, they may notice a few enhancements to the transit landscape: screens delivering real-time arrival information and overhead lights that illuminate late-night and early-morning commutes. What they may not immediately recognize are the inconspicuous solar panels integrated onto the curved roofs of 20 campus-managed bus shelters, silently powering these improvements.

Celebrating solar panels, collaboration, and community at the UW Arboretum

After years of collaboration with the Green Fund, several student organizations, and other local partners, the UW Arboretum celebrated the installation of a new solar array this spring. The event, “EmPOWERing Youth for a Brighter Future,” brought together more than fifty high school and college students to discuss climate change and create community.

Where are they now? Nina Delgadillo interviews Morgan Barlin

In our “Where Are They Now?” series, current student interns interview former interns about their experience at the Office of Sustainability, and in particular how that experience has helped them since graduation. In the following …

“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 …

New UW–Madison campus sustainability map goes live

The new UW–Madison campus sustainability map enables viewers to explore sustainability initiatives from the comfort of their computer. The map, which was built using Google Maps, includes over 300 features organized across ten layers. The …