Working and Educating For a Sustainable World
UW-L Sustainability News
Green Fund Summaries for 2009,
2010 and
2011 are now online. These provide an
overview of the projects that were funded with money from the Green Fund.
New UW-L Green Fund Bylaws (PDF)
Upcoming Events
Monday, April 16 - Saturday April 21
UW-L Earth Week Events
2012 UW-L Earth Week Flyer (PDF)
Water Tasting
Monday, April 16
Noon-2:15 p.m.
UW-L Clock Tower
Wash down FREE COOKIES while trying to tell the difference between bottled and tap water near the Clock Tower.
Dumpster Dive
Wednesday, April 18
Noon-4:00 p.m.
UW-L Clock Tower
LEARN exactly what can be RECYCLED. An actual campus dumpster will be upended and sorted near the Clock Tower.
Environmental Fair
Wednesday, April 18
Noon-4:00 p.m.
Hall of Nations, Centennial Hall
View presentations from local environmental groups and students in the Hall of Nations, Centennial Hall.
Bike Ride
Thursday, April 19
5:00 p.m.
UW-L Clock Tower
Bike ride through La Crosse with other bike enthusiasts to PROMOTE BIKING and learn the rules of the road. Meet at the Clocktower.
Marsh Clean-Up
Saturday, April 21
Start at 10:30 a.m.
Myrick Hixon EcoPark
Pick up trash along the trails. Meet at the EcoPark
April 22
Earth Fair at Myrick Hixon EcoPark
11 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Myrick Hixon EcoPark
ADMISSION IS FREE
The 2012 Earth Fair will be held on Earth Day, April 22, to celebrate this year’s theme: “Earth Day is Every Day!” To build on the success of the 2011 Earth Fair at the EcoPark, the 2012 Earth Fair will showcase a preview of the new outdoor adventure playscapes at the EcoPark.
This is the 4th Annual Earth Fair put on by Coulee Partners for Sustainability (CPS). CPS is a non-profit organization that formed in 2007 with the purpose of increasing environmental awareness in the Coulee Region through a variety of educational events. CPS’s aim is to involve people of all ages to share and spread the knowledge of environmental issues and discuss ways in which we can better our society and create a sustainable community.
Learn more at: www.cpslax.org/earthfair
Sustain UW-L Theme Year
After receiving approval from Chancellor Gow and all four campus governance groups — Student Senate, Faculty Senate, Academic Staff Council and the Classified Staff Advisory Council — the Sustain UW-L theme year is a reality. The main objective of this project is to raise sustainability awareness in the campus community by working to infuse aspects of sustainability in the curriculum as well as bring speakers, films and other events that highlight sustainability to campus.
UW-L has a New Recycling Website
UW-L has combined reduce, reuse and recycle with re-buy and rethink to form UW-L’s R-5 Program.
Becoming a Sustainable Campus
Living a sustainable lifestyle, running a sustainable business or organization and maintaining sustainable communities are no longer options in our world. They are now requirements. UW-L's Joint Committee on Environmental Sustainability (JCES) is passionate about improving the state of sustainability at our University. Help us by becoming involved in our efforts. Learn more about sustainability by looking at the resources on this website. Begin a conversation with your family, friends and co-workers about sustainability and what you can do to reduce the impact we have on our world. Be part of the process and the solutions.
Things You Can Do to Make a Difference
- Purchase only what you really need. Purchase items, when possible, that include recycled materials.
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Re-purchase and Rethink.
- Conserve water. Avoid purchasing bottled water.
- Eat locally/regionally grown foods in season.
- Walk, bike, carpool and use mass transit whenever possible.
- Turn off lights when leaving a room for more than five minutes.
- Configure your work computer to automatically “sleep” or "hibernate.”
- Turn off all unused electrical equipment when not in use.
- Buy equipment with an Energy Star label whenever possible.
- Unplug chargers when they’re not charging, i.e. cell phones, digital cameras, cordless tools, etc.
Send us you questions, comments and feedback.
Please let us know if you have questions, comments or suggestions about our website, the Joint Committee on Environmental Sustainability or sustainability efforts at UW-L by completing our online form. Also, if you are aware of or are involved with a sustainability effort on campus, please let us know about it. We'd love to highlight it on our website.
Just a few of the ways students, faculty and staff can become involved in UW-L’s sustainability efforts:
- Joint Committee on Environmental Sustainability: A very active committee made up of faculty, staff and students leading the implementation of the Talloires Declaration for institutional sustainability signed by Chancellor Joe Gow — Contact: Heather Hulett — hhulett@uwlax.edu
- Environmental Council: Longstanding student organization with faculty and staff involvement encouraged — Meets Thursdays at 4:15 p.m. in Cartwright Center Room 259 — Contact: envcouncil@uwlax.edu
- Green Transportation Council: Made up of faculty, staff and students advancing access for walkers, bicyclists, users of mass transit and car sharing in the campus area and beyond — Contact: Dr. Rob Tyser — rtyser@uwlax.edu
- Student Association: Your student government — Contact: Jason Krug, Student Association Vice President — krug.jaso@uwlax.edu
Read the Sustain UW-L News Blog
Upcoming Events
Next JCES Meeting
- To Be Announced
Highlights
- Spring 2012 Sustain UW-L Events