“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 …
Recycling
From Copenhagen to Madison: The Progress of Sustainability
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 …
Earth Week Celebrations Return to the UW
The Office of Sustainability is celebrating the 48th annual Earth Day with a dynamic week of events. And they aren’t doing it alone: several organizations on campus are working together, including the Sustainability Committee of …
Badgers Use Sustainability to Empower Women in Costa Rica
When Maria Castillio, a 2017 graduate of UW-Madison and former Office of Sustainability intern, scored the opportunity to take a Semester at Sea (SAS) in 2015, she built a lasting relationship with Nicol Chinchilla from …
Volunteers needed for Housing move-out recycling
As the end of the semester quickly approaches, the UW–Madison Division of University Housing is asking for volunteers to help residents and their families properly recycle and donate unwanted items. With more than 7,400 students …
Waste study shines at Undergrad Symposium
A class effort to study the waste stream at Union South illustrates how a lot of student research done on campus has immediate, real-world value.
Five UW–Madison offices achieve Green Office certification
The Green Office program gives offices of any size the knowledge and resources to become more sustainable, both economically and environmentally. By becoming certified through the program, an office signifies that they have made a …
Recycled medical waste creates sustainable art
UW Health’s project uses discarded biocaps to highlight the relationship between health care and the environment and raise awareness about hidden waste.
Capstone students “clean the stream” in Union South
Students in Life Sciences Communications 515 partnered with Union South to reduce contamination in the building’s waste stream. Student teams created social marketing campaigns aimed at improving recycling and composting among Union customers.
University Housing takes sustainable move-out to a national stage
by Jill Sakai UW–Madison efforts to reduce housing move-out waste – and give students a real-world opportunity to learn about sustainability – are headed to a national stage this week.