University of Wisconsin–Madison
In the following article, Office of Sustainability student interns Norma Behrend-Martinez and Savannah Holt offer a three-part exploration of mental health during the pandemic, including personal stories, interviews with fellow students at UW–Madison, and a compilation of resources. For comprehensive information on the university’s pandemic response, please visit UW–Madison’s COVID-19 web page. Part 1: Why …
In our In Case You Missed It series (also known as ICYMI), students from the Office of Sustainability offer reflective reports on sustainability-related events and lectures at UW–Madison. The following entry is by Natalie Tinsen. Across the nation, undergraduate students are organizing and advocating for sustainability at their individual schools. However, their efforts have yet …
Interns Catie McDonald and Riley Collins collaborated with students, staff, and faculty at Texas Woman’s University to help make the 2020 Sci-Southwest Regional Symposium a zero-waste event, which means 90% or more waste was diverted from the landfill. Read the full story here.
Around 60-100 students gathered on Library Mall on December 6, 2019 to advocate for clean, renewable energy on the UW–Madison campus. The protest, which lasted for nearly two hours, was organized by various student-run organizations including Campus Leaders for Energy Action Now (CLEAN), the Sunrise Movement, NextGen, and a newly created UW System student coalition …
In late October, staff and student interns from the Office of Sustainability traveled to Spokane, WA for the 2019 AASHE Conference. AASHE, which stands for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, aims to “inspire and catalyze higher education to lead the global sustainability transformation.” The organization offers sustainability resources and toolkits, …
For about two weeks in the middle of May, you can find University Housing Sustainability Coordinator Breana Nehls behind the wheel of an F-250 pickup truck, rumbling through narrow service driveways and parking alongside Move Out collection points at residence halls across campus. At each stop, she hops out to greet her volunteers, inspect their …
Over the past nine months, the Office of Sustainability (OS) has hired several new staff members and student employees to work on a variety of sustainability initiatives and programming at UW–Madison. Learn more about these fine folks below! Ally Burg What is your role at the Office of Sustainability? Currently, I am the Student Programs …
Many students—and some faculty and staff—leave campus during winter break, so our interns have come up with a list of ideas for how to prepare yourself for a sustainable and meaningful time away. Below, Maddie Clarke and Hannah Kasun offer a range of tips covering cooking, energy savings, travel, and more. Gifting Reuse gift wrap, …
When you think of sustainability, what actions come quickly to mind? The definition of sustainability has expanded significantly in recent years, so that its well-worn associations—waste management and conservation, most prominently—are now complemented by a host of additional subjects. Equity, environmental justice, carbon neutrality, climate change, resilience, even straws: the list is long and …
On a chilly, windy afternoon in late September, a total of 28 student orgs, campus offices and units, and community partners set up tables in a grand circle on Gordon lawn to share their respective approaches to sustainability. Organized by University Housing, Sustain-a-Bash’s purpose is to inform, inspire, provide resources, and cultivate a sustainability …