Tag Sustainability
Donation and recycling encouraged during August moving days
Many renters decide not to move unwanted furniture, clothing and other items to their new homes, instead just abandoning them on the curb. This year, there’s a better option.
UW professor helps promote sustainability throughout the state
Tom Eggert and his colleagues at UW–Madison are helping businesses showcase their sustainable practices through the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council.
Spring comes sooner to urban heat islands, with potential consequences for wildlife
It may be music to gardeners’ ears, but that tune could be alarming to some native and migratory birds and bugs.
Volunteers needed during University Residence Halls move-out
The Division of University Housing is recruiting people to help residents and their families say goodbye sustainably to items they no longer need.
New method for bio-designing yeast could improve biofuel production
Both the yeast strain and the method of its design could help overcome a significant bottleneck in the biofuels pipeline.
Campus dining spots going receipt-free
Beginning this semester, University Housing’s cash registers no longer automatically print receipts for every transaction. The Wisconsin Union is following suit, testing a similar change at select locations that should roll out across campus next week.
Heat waves hit heat islands hardest
Extreme summers like that of 2012 - which saw record temperatures in cities across the U.S. - may be atypical, but experts say they will return, especially as the planet warms under climate change. And as they do, cities will be especially vulnerable.
Volunteers needed during residence halls move-out
As more than 7,400 students prepare to move out of the university residence halls, the UW–Madison Division of University Housing is asking for volunteers to help residents and their families repurpose or recycle items they no longer need.
UW-Madison startup marries digital, physical worlds
A startup business that wants to link the realm of physical objects to the digital world of the Internet is basing its future on low-cost, highly engineered, one-of-a-kind plastic stamps.
‘My Earth’ energy-tracking app encourages sustainable behaviors
For a generation motivated by technology and fast-moving information, a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has created an energy-tracking app to make reducing day-to-day energy usage more accessible.
Registration opens for ‘Building a Sustainable Self’ conference
Madison Student Personnel Association (SPA) will host its annual conference, “Building a Sustainable Self," Thursday, Oct. 30, at Union South. By promoting its theme of sustainability — relating to self-care, as well as creative approaches in education that ready students to step into their role as civic and workplace leaders upon graduation — the conference will offer opportunities for participants to pursue their work with a healthier, more strategic focus.
Winning climate change solutions range from meat processing to mindfulness
The Climate Quest competition to spur innovative climate change solutions is down to a field of five. At the Climate Quest Concept Pitch on Sept. 19, 18 teams presented their ideas to a panel of investors and entrepreneurs, who rated the ideas on many factors including creativity, scalability and potential impact. The panel selected five teams to advance to the next round of the competition.
Movers encouraged to donate and recycle to reduce waste and mess
As the mid-August downtown leases turn over, overflowing dumpsters and buried curbs contain many items that can be reused or recycled. In an effort to reduce landfill waste and increase community benefit, the UW–Madison WE CONSERVE program and Office of Sustainability are partnering with the City of Madison, Goodwill Industries, Society of St. Vincent de Paul and student organization REthink Wisconsin to collect and donate reusable items.
UW-Madison’s newest residence hall achieves LEED Gold
Leopold Residence Hall, which opened in August 2013, has achieved LEED Gold certification for its design and operation.
New MOOCs to focus on environmental and community themes
Beginning in 2015, UW–Madison will take Leopold’s words to heart by offering six Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on topics ranging from Shakespeare’s dramas and the digital humanities, to understanding Leopold’s land ethic, to the relationship between climate change and public health.
UW-Madison to receive electric ‘micro cars’ for sustainability research
Four unique electric “micro cars” are coming to UW–Madison soon, part of a new research project that aims to reduce the university’s carbon footprint, gather data and initiate more sustainability research among faculty members and students.
Mobile sustainability game spurs students to take environmental action
Traversing the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus while consulting iPads and smartphones, the students in Cathy Middlecamp’s introductory environmental studies course could have been mistaken for anyone checking social media en route to class. But for these students, class was already in session. Middlecamp, a professor in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, partnered with the UW Mobile Learning Incubator to have students in Environmental Studies 126 playtest a new mobile game under development that explores sustainability features on the UW–Madison campus.
Climate Quest will use design thinking to develop climate change solutions
Climate Quest, a community-wide climate solutions challenge, is sponsoring a design-thinking workshop to help applicants grow the seeds of ideas into practical, high-impact climate change solutions.
Wisconsin Energy Institute building receives design awards
The Wisconsin Energy Institute (WEI) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison received Project of the Year and Best Green-Built honors for its dedication to sustainability in design, construction and functionality at this year's Commercial Design Awards.