A decade of progress, a day for celebration!

At Washington University in St. Louis, we promote sustainability all year long, constantly working to reduce our carbon footprint, understand and address climate change, and prevent environmental degradation. This Earth Day, the Office of Sustainability would like to highlight some of WashU's efforts. Learn more below!

WashU has cut its emissions while continuing to grow. Square footage of buildings on campus has doubled since 1990, but greenhouse gas emissions today are nearly the same as they were in 1990. Emissions peaked in 2010 and have since decreased by 22%.

Students are integral to campus sustainability. As of spring 2020, 154 students have participated in the Energy, Environment, and Sustainability internship program, Green Ambassadors have volunteered 4,864 hours, and 20 sustainability-focused student groups are active on campus.

WashU continues to lead the way with LEED certifications. With the completion of the East End Transformation, WashU received five LEED Platinum certifications in 2020, a major milestone in our commitment to being a national leader in sustainable building.

Native and ecologically beneficial landscapes are flourishing. On the Danforth campus, 10% of lawn turf has been replaced by biodiverse landscapes since 2010. On the east end of the Danforth Campus, we prioritized native plantings and converted 202,063 square feet of roads and parking lots to green space.

Alternative transportation programs grow, and improvements receive recognition. The League of American Bicyclists honored the WashU Danforth Campus with a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly University award, the first in Missouri and one of few in the Midwest.

WashU greatly expands solar energy production. The university is now home to 2.5 megawatts of on-site solar, making it one of the largest producers of on-site solar energy in the St. Louis area.

We buy local products and support local people and businesses. Of WashU’s food and beverage purchases, 22% is local, and 18% is environmentally preferable, humane, or fair.

Happy Earth Day 2021! How will you celebrate?

Participate in an Earth Day event

Support the Office of Sustainability

WUSTL

Campus Box 1103

6515 Wydown Blvd

St. Louis, MO 63105

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