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Students Receive Sustainable Welcome by SPARK Cohort

There is always a buzz of excitement before Fall Welcome with staff ensuring that everything on campus is just so before welcoming in a new group of students who will spend their most formative years here at WashU.

The Office of Sustainability (OOS) hosted a group of twenty-one upperclassmen (and a law student!) as part of the third SPARK cohort. The SPARK Sustainability Leadership Program pulls together a diverse group of students with a shared interest in campus and community sustainability for nine days of programming and service work. More>>

WUSM Sustainability Plan Report

The WashU School of Medicine has published a midterm update on their sustainable operations strategic plan. The plan, published in 2018, sets a course for the campus to reach its sustainability goals by 2025. More>>

Reusables To Go with ReusePass

To support both convenient to-go dining options and institutional waste reduction goals, WashU has launched a new reusable to-go program, powered by ReusePass. Use your unique code to check out to-go boxes. More>>

New Center for the Environment

As part of WashU's Here and Next strategic plan, the university has launched the new Center for the Environment which will build on and further advance the environmental research that has been done at WashU. More>>

Are Doctors Prepared?

Are physicians prepared for the effects of the climate crisis on patient populations and healthcare operations? A team of folks at WashU School of Medicine is working to ensure that they are prepared. More>>

Fighting Wildfires

Roger Michaelides, assistant professor of earth and planetary sciences at WashU, uses radar imaging technology for his research projects including studying wildfire locations in remote parts of the Arctic. More>>

Phosphorus Recovery from Waste

Research out of Zhen (Jason) He's lab demonstrates a method to "zap" municipal waste to recover phosphorus, a nonrenewable resource. He's team has found a promising pathway to treating solid sludge. More>>

It's almost time for Lights Out! This is a reminder that bird migratory season is upon us. Reduce risks for birds from September through the end of October by closing blinds at night and turning off outdoor lighting - at home and on campus. Learn more about how WashU is being mindful of our traveling feathered friends here.

Ever Green Challenge

Oct. 2-6, WashU Dining Locations
Try plant-based meals on campus to be entered to win prizes while lowering your carbon impact. This challenge is open to all WashU students. Keep an eye on the event page for more details about prizes soon. More>>

Brookings Quad Tree Planting

Sept. 20, 9 am, Brookings Quad
Take part in remaking WashU history as a clone of the old Basswood is planted in Brookings Quad. This event is sponsored by the WashU Campus Arboretum team who maintain WashU's arboretum collection. More>>

WUSM Farmers Market & CSA

Every Thursday, 10 am - 2 pm
Explore the bounty and nourishment of seasonal eating at the weekly farmers market on the Medical Campus. Also: sign up with HOSCO to become a WashU Community Supported Agriculture member. More>>

WashU Mindfulness Day

Oct. 4, Umrath Hall
The inaugural WashU Mindfulness Day will feature a research symposium on current mindfulness-adjacent research at WashU, drop-in meditation practice opportunities, and showcases from community partners. More>>

Park(ing) Day

Sept. 15, 10 am - 4 pm, Blueprint Coffee
The Sam Fox School has organized to have a pollinator garden display outside of Blueprint Coffee on Delmar. Park(ing) day is a collaborative effort to find alternative uses for metered parking spots for a day. More>>

Heat Safety Standards Speaker

Sept. 26, 4 pm, Clark Fox Forum in Hillman
The Weidenbaum Center is hosting Aryn Baker, TIME Magazine's senior international climate and environment correspondent. The subject of the talk will be "The Battle to set US Heat Safety Standards." More>>

Equitable Energy Access Event

Sept. 27, 2 pm, 5501 Delmar
Cabanne District CDC will be hosting the Equitable Energy Mixed Income Housing Initiative kick-off event. The initiative brings together multiple stakeholders to raise awareness about high energy burdens. More>>

OneSTL Sustainability Lab

Sept. 26, 3:45 pm, T-REX
Give your input early on the region's first climate action plan which will include a priority list of projects eligible for competitive implementation grants through the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program. Networking follows. More>>

Circularity Center: Open Warehouse

The Circularity Center on WashU's North Campus (700 Rosedale Ave) will hold open hours on Wednesdays from 11a - 1p in Sept. and Oct. Come browse university surplus, office supplies, clothes furniture and beyond! More>>

Community Energy Fellows

The Department of Energy will match 25-35 recent grads and mid-career clean energy professionals with Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant eligible local and tribal governments. More>>

Do you have a sustainability story to tell from your office or department? Are you an alum working in sustainability and willing to share? Contact us to be featured as a guest author in the OOS newsletter.

Forward

The Office of Sustainability newsletter is intended as a clearinghouse of sustainability-related news and events at the university, in the region and around the world. Listings in the newsletter do not necessarily represent Office of Sustainability endorsements or views. To submit an event or news item to include in the newsletter, email sustainability@wustl.edu.

Our mailing address is:
1 Brookings Drive
MSC 1113-211200
Saint Louis, MO 63130

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