Download the full calendar here

Held every October, Campus Sustainability Month is an international celebration of sustainability in higher education. Throughout the month, colleges and universities organize events on campus and elsewhere to engage and inspire incoming students and other campus stakeholders to become sustainability change agents.

Washington University is proud to celebrate and kickoff a new year of sustainability advancements by hosting a wide diversity of events related to many aspects of sustainability, including alternative transportation, food, energy, environmental justice, waste, and more.

Campus Sustainability Month Events

• Food Roof tour and MetroLink ride, October 6th from 10a to 1p. A celebration of public transit and urban agriculture at its finest!
• Free Bike Tune-Up Series, featuring two sessions on both the Danforth and Medical School campuses (4 total). At the School of Medicine, the tune-ups will happen in conjunction with the farmers’ market! In addition to getting your bike in tip top shape, you will be able to learn more about commuter support programs from Parking & Transportation Services and pick up free safety gear and resources.
• “Your Energy Future” panel discussion by Net Impact, Wednesday October 17 from 7p to 8:30p in the Goldberg Lounge in the DUC.
• WashU Sustainable Harvest Festival, October 18th in Edison courtyard DUC, from 3p to 5p.
• Living Earth Collaborative seminar series, every Thursday at 4p in Rebstock Hall, Room 322.
• Recycling Genius Training, October 18 at 7p (Danforth campus, location TBD).
• Breakfast for Bikers, October 19 from 7a to 9a at Kaldi’s Coffee on DeMun avenue.
• Green Event Planning Workshop, October 19 from 12p to 1p in DUC 239. Learn how to apply best practices to events of all types and sizes, and how to participate in the new green event certification program.
• Screening of “The Happening“, October 22 at 7p in Simon 122, brought by Net Impact and Green Action. Representatives from Renew Missouri will join the event and participate in the Q&A session following the screening.
• Electronic Waste and Paper Shredding Drive, October 25th on the WUSM Campus at Scott & Taylor, from 7 to 9:30a.
• Tree Planting Day, October 25th from 2p to 4p at the Whittemore House (Danforth campus)
• MicroBrew Tour and MetroLink ride with CMT on October 27 from 11a to 2p (tentative date and time) – CANCELLED
• Weigh Your Waste on October 30, during lunch and dinner time in the Bear’s Den dish return area.
• Fall Arbor Walk on October 30 from 11a to 12p. Meet on the South sie of the DUC.
• Bear’s Den kitchen tours on October 31 at 10a, 1p and 3p. Meet in Studio 40 in BD!
• Cook with the Scraps Cooking Class on November 1 at 5p (new date!) in the Bear’s Den Studio 40 kitchen.
• “Meet the Mentors” for the Tyson Undergraduate Fellows program, November 5 from 5p to 7p in Mallinckrodt 302 (Danforth).

Any updates related to these events will be posted on this webpage, so keep an eye open on the calendar and get ready to participate! If you wish to volunteer your time to make Campus Sustainability Month a success, please email sustainability@wustl.edu.

Download the full calendar here

Instagram Contest

As the month of October provides a bounty of opportunities to learn about sustainability, the Campus Sustainability Month Instagram Contest challenges participants to capture the best moments, ideas and actions of the month through original Instagram posts. Each week will correspond to a new theme, ranging from “Forget Fossil Fuels” to “Favorite Tree on Campus”, that should inspire all contest submissions. Winners will be designated each week and will be able to choose from a selection of sustainable-lifestyle-enabling prizes, including bamboo cutlery sets, reusable metal straws and sustainability shirts!

At the end of the month, the content posted as part of the Instagram contest will be shared on the Office of Sustainability’s social media channels and winners will be publicly recognized!

Weekly Themes

• 1st Week (10/1-10/10): Forget Fossil Fuels! Post a photo showcasing alternative transportation – biking, walking, public transit, electric vehicle – or any other activity that would traditionally require fossil fuel, but for which you found a fossil fuel free alternative for!
• 2nd Week (10/11-10/18): Green Dining! There are many ways you can reduce your carbon foodprint with your eating habits. Cutting down meats, eating leftovers, using reusable dining ware are just a few of many ways you can dine sustainably! Check out our food guide to find out all the ways you can make an impact from the grocery store to the kitchen.
• 3rd Week (10/18-10/25): Favorite Tree on Campus! Certified as a Tree Campus USA, our beautiful campus is home to over 4,000 trees, with 100+ species. Examples include Shawnee Brave Bald Cypress, Valley Forge, Emerald Sunshine and so many more. Capture your favorite campus tree in an Instagram post!
• 4th Week (10/26-11/4): Why Sustainability? Tell us why you think sustainability is important and what you’re doing to be sustainable! Your post should illustrate a choice, inspiration, practice or habit demonstrating your commitment to sustainability. Wild card: be creative!

To participate in the contest you should meet the following criteria:

• Follow @wustlsustain on Instagram
• Use the hashtag #washusustainabilitymonth
• Photos entering the contest will be published by the Office of Sustainability at the end of the month. Please reach out if you would not like your photo to be shared publicly.
• The contest will end Sunday, November 4.

We hope you will join us as we celebrate sustainability during #CampusSustainabilityMonth and throughout the rest of the year!