The Sustainability Office celebrated our cyclists with another successful U Bike Week this September. Seven events hosted by campus departments encouraged people to ride together. Promotions included coffee shop discounts and social media contests – there was something for every cyclist! Highlights of the week: Volunteers counted over 1,400 bicycles parked at racks or secure […]
Read MoreBy Sydney Murray, Sustainability Office Green spaces—like urban parks, gardens, and trail systems—have a variety of benefits for human health, ecosystems, and economic growth. Studies show that green spaces can help reduce stress levels, mitigate regional and local flooding from storms, and improve air and water quality. However, not everyone has equal access to green […]
Read MoreBy Sydney Murray, Sustainability Office Higher education sustainability has changed significantly over the last decade. A field that once supported sustainability for the sake of business and profit has since adopted a more holistic model—one that that centers social equity and inclusion alongside environmental and economic concerns. “I’ve been doing this work for twenty years […]
Read MoreBy Emerson Andrews, Sustainability Office The Sustainable Campus Initiative Fund (SCIF) funded 19 projects during the 2021-22 academic year. The grants totaled $101,128 and the projects covered a wide range of issues, from bird banding to mural making. Project funding is approved by an allocation committee of students, staff, and faculty. SMALL Grants Little Cottonwood […]
Read MoreBy Sydney Murray, Sustainability Office Environmental, climate, and energy injustices affect humans and environments all around the world. Like many other small island nations, Puerto Rico is facing the brunt of these phenomena. Increasingly high sea levels, frequent hurricanes, and dependency on nonrenewable resources are a few factors that position Puerto Rico at the frontlines […]
Read MoreBy Maria Archibald, Sustainability Office Everybody wins when we have clean air to breathe. That’s the idea behind the statewide Clear the Air Challenge, which the University of Utah participated in this July to reduce single-occupant vehicle (SOV) trips and decrease carbon dioxide emissions. We would like to extend our gratitude to everyone who participated […]
Read MoreBy Maria Archibald, Sustainability Office Residents have long struggled with Salt Lake City’s infamous winter inversions, which trap particulate pollution in the valley where they accumulate to hazardous levels. But winter isn’t the only season during which our air is unhealthy to breathe. In fact, as climate change and drought intensify, threats to summer air […]
Read MoreBy Maria Archibald, Sustainability Office The Pac-12 Sustainability Conference gathered at the University of Utah this week for its first in-person event since 2019. The gathering, which was originally scheduled for summer 2020 and postponed due to COVID-19, brought together Pac-12 member universities to discuss and plan sustainability action in their college athletics departments. “After […]
Read MoreBy Sarah Buening, Sustainable Campus Initiative Fund Intern The COVID-19 vaccine marked a turning point in the pandemic and offered a glimmer of hope for many people, including University of Utah anesthesiologist Dr. Emily Hagn. Exhausted by the collective loss and continuous struggle of COVID-19, Hagn decided to keep her vaccine vial as a hopeful […]
Read MoreBy Maria Archibald, Sustainability Office “When it comes to health, our zip code matters more than our genetic code,” says Dr. Andy Hong, assistant professor in the Department of City and Metropolitan Planning and director of the Healthy Aging and Resilient Places Lab at the University of Utah. The built environment plays a significant role […]
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