Tag: Green Fund

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

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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

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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

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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 entry, Nina Delgadillo relates her conversation with Morgan Barlin. Whether conducting a waste audit, recovering food from the dining halls, or …

“To instill the spirit of conservation”: A decade with the Office of Sustainability

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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 of bottles, cans, and paper; images of the planet earth; and the logo, or plea, repeated on the facades of …

UW–Madison rolls out electric-powered mowers

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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 and blowers, and wanted to replace a majority of her aging mower fleet. “The mowers weren’t unusable,” she said, “but …

New UW–Madison campus sustainability map goes live

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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 map was created with a broad audience in mind. While some viewers may be new to campus, others may have …

UW–Madison supports largest solar development in Dane County

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Thinking Outside the Box: UW-Madison Green Fund Supports Improved Cardboard Recycling System for University Housing Buildings

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If you had to guess the consumer material that causes the biggest sustainability headaches, what would you pick? For most, the answer would probably be plastic, and for good reason.  Plastic is literally everywhere: on the highest mountains, in the deepest ocean trenches, in the atmosphere, even in your table salt. And because of the …

The Royal Flush: Sending less water and money down the drain

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In 2017, University of Wisconsin–Madison graduate student Johnny Uelmen applied for the Green Fund—a program of the Office of Sustainability that awards money to student-developed projects that reduce the environmental impact and operating costs of campus buildings. Uelman was awarded close to $6,000 to support the installation of low-flow toilets in the University Housing Tripp …

Sipping Sustainably: Green Fund Project Brings Hydration Stations to Campus

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Reusable water bottles are more and more visible on the UW–Madison campus. They peek out from backpacks and balance on Terrace tables. They bear scrapes, scuffs, and stickers from all over the world. And with the proliferation of upgraded water fountains in university buildings, it’s easier than ever to refill one’s bottle with cold, filtered …