Working and Educating For a Sustainable World
UW-L Sustainability News
Green Fund Update
**NEW** Spring 2013 Green Fund Application form (.docx file) now available. Apply today! Applications are DUE April 8. Please email Ian Wright at wright.ian@uwlax.edu with any questions.
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)
Countdown to Earth Week Film Festival Begins March 28th
The Students for Sustainability, a UW-La Crosse student organization, is sponsoring the “Countdown to Earth Week Film Festival” with four documentary films that highlight environmental and sustainability issues. All films will be shown at 7:00 p.m. in 1309 Centennial Hall and are free and open to the public. For questions or accommodations contact envcouncil@uwlax.edu.
March 28
Gasland focuses on communities in the United States that have been impacted by hydrofracturing or “fracking” used when drilling for natural gas.
April 11
Queen of the Sun investigates multiple angles of the recent honey bee epidemic; colony collapse disorder.
April 23
Switch unites audiences in a shared understanding of energy and promoting efficiency.
April 25
Chasing Ice is the story of the Extreme Ice Survey and James Balog’s mission to gather undeniable photographic evidence of climate change.
Archived Recording of Bill McKibben's Skype Presentation Now Available Online
An archived recording of Bill McKibben's March 4th “Notes from the Climate Fight” Skype presentation at UW-La Crosse is available online: http://goo.gl/IMAQ2.
On Sunday, February 17th, McKibben helped lead the largest climate march in U.S. history in Washington, D.C. where an estimated 40,000 demonstrators marched in hopes of persuading President Obama not to approve the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. If built, Keystone XL would transport Canadian tar sands oil across the United States to refineries on the Gulf of Mexico. The vast majority of climate scientists say the burning of Canadian tar sands oil would seriously increase the release of greenhouse gases contributing to human induced global warming. James Hansen, America’s preeminent climatologist, wrote in 2012, “If Canada proceeds [with the construction of Keystone XL], and we do nothing, it will be game over for the climate."
UW-L Vermicomposting Update
The UW-L vermicomposting machine purchased with money supplied by the student Green Fund is doing well in a cooperative
effort with Western Technical College and Hillview Urban Agriculture Center.
Read more about it in this Campus Connection article.
UW-L has a 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 your 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: Steve Tippins — stippins@uwlax.edu
- Environmental Council: Longstanding student organization with faculty and staff involvement encouraged. Meeting time is 7pm Mondays, in 1200 Centennial. 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: David Wermedal, Student Association Vice President — wermedal.davi@uwlax.edu
Read the Sustain UW-L News Blog
Upcoming Events
Next JCES Meeting
- Friday, April 12
10:00 a.m.
113 Carl Wimberly Hall