Working and Educating For a Sustainable World
UW-L Sustainability News
**Green Fund Proposal Applications Now Available**
Green Fund applications are due by February 24, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.
Find out more on the Green Fund web page.
Upcoming Events
February 9
Film “Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time”
5:45 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
Reception with refreshments in Centennial Hall, Room 1300
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Film and discussion in Centennial Hall, Room 1309
ADMISSION IS FREE
The first full-length, high-definition documentary film ever made about legendary environmentalist Aldo Leopold, Green Fire highlights Leopold’s extraordinary career, tracing how he shaped and influenced the modern environmental movement. Leopold remains relevant today, inspiring projects all over the country that connect people and land.
The film will be introduced and a discussion will be led after the film by Stanley A. Temple, Ph.D., Senior Fellow with the Aldo Leopold Foundation.
February 21
Presentation by Will Steger, Internationally Famous Explorer
6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Reception and book signing in Cartwright Center, Ward Room
7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m.
Lecture with question and answer session in Cartwright Center, Vahalla
ADMISSION IS FREE
Will Steger is a prominent spokesperson for the understanding and preservation of the Arctic and has led some of the most significant feats in the field of dogsled expeditions; such as the first confirmed dogsled journey to the North Pole (without re-supply) in 1986, the 1,600-mile south-north traverse of Greenland - the longest unsupported dogsled expedition in history during 1988, the historic 3,471-mile International Trans-Antarctic Expedition - the first dogsled traverse of Antarctica (1989–90), and the International Arctic Project - the first and only dogsled traverse of the Arctic Ocean from Russia to Ellesmere Island in Canada during 1995.
Having been invited to testify before Congress on polar and environmental issues, Steger co-founded the Center for Global Environmental Education (CGEE) at Hamline University in 1991. During 1993 he founded the World School at the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota). In 2006, Will Steger established the Will Steger Foundation which is dedicated to creating programs that foster international leadership and cooperation through environmental education and policy.
Will Steger joins Amelia Earhart, Robert Peary, Roald Amundsen and Jacques-Yves Cousteau in receiving the National Geographic Society's John Oliver La Gorce Medal for "accomplishments in geographic exploration, in the sciences, and for public service to advance international understanding" in 1995.
March 1
Film “Flow: How does a handful of corporations steal our water”.
6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Film and discussion in Centennial Hall, Room 1300
ADMISSION IS FREE
Irena Salina’s award-winning documentary investigation into what experts label the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st Century - The World Water Crisis. Salina builds a case against the growing privatization of the world’s dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel.
Interviews with scientists and activists intelligently reveal the rapidly building crisis, at both the global and human scale, and the film introduces many of the governmental and corporate culprits behind the water grab, while begging the question ‘CAN ANYONE REALLY OWN WATER?’ Beyond identifying the problem, FLOW also gives viewers a look at the people and institutions providing practical solutions to the water crisis and those developing new technologies, which are fast becoming blueprints for a successful global and economic turnaround.
The film will be introduced and a discussion will be led after the film by UW-L faculty Donna Anderson, Ph.D. (Economics) and Colin Belby, Ph.D. (Earth Science).
March 22
Screening the film “Crossing the Line: Defending Wisconsin's Environmental Commons"
5:45 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
Reception with refreshments in Centennial Hall, Room 1300
6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Film and discussion in Centennial Hall, Room 1309
ADMISSION IS FREE
Come hear the stories of five Wisconsin environmental activists and learn how you can become engaged in protecting your family, your environment and your community!
Together we’ll enjoy inspiring stories and the local premier screening of the new short film Crossing the Line: Defending Wisconsin’s Environmental Commons. An introduction to the film and discussion after the film will be led by Kimberly Wright, Executive Director of Midwest Environmental Activists.
Crossing the Line is a short film which celebrates the stories of five individuals, families and communities who, with the help of Midwest Environmental Advocates, stood up for their rights to clean air, land and water and won. One of the highlighted activists, Mr. Guy Wolf, will be present during the event to answer questions related to his activities.
A lively Q & A will follow the film and will include information on how you can protect your own community.
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
- Friday, January 27
- 8:50 a.m.
- 126 Wing Tech Center
Highlights
- Spring 2012 Sustain UW-L Events