Discover what Washington University is doing to improve sustainability on campus, in St. Louis, and internationally.
Applications Open: Summer WashU Climate Corps
In September 2024, WashU launched the WashU Climate Corps, part of the Campus Climate Action Corps (CCAC), the first nationwide AmeriCorps program solely dedicated to campus-based, community-led climate action. The summer term of the WashU Climate Corps will run from May or June 2025 through the end of July 2025 and will build on the foundation of the program […]
Green Cup ResCollege Competition 2025
What is Green Cup? Every spring since 2011, WashU’s Residential Colleges compete to reduce energy use and adopt more sustainable lifestyles, preventing hundreds of metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere and helping the university save money on electricity costs. The Green Cup competition will kick off this year on Friday, February 7th and conclude […]
Minimizing Waste During WashU’s Brand Transition
In August 2024, Washington University in St. Louis unveiled a new brand aimed to “bring WashU to the world.” The change happened as the new school year began with updated websites, signage, and merchandise. While rebrands provide opportunities to advance institutional identity, the material impact can be significant. To limit financial and environmental impacts, the […]
Exploring WashU’s Danforth Campus Shuttles
Written by Office of Sustainability student associates, Wissal Boudaoud and Cate Young, Class of 2025. We celebrated Active Transportation Month on the WashU shuttles this October. Students who rode the shuttles and entered our raffle won exciting prizes from businesses along the routes, including Schnucks movie theater popcorn, Fitz’s root beer, and a Crema Coffee […]
Green Office Program Spotlights Newly Certified Offices
Written by Office of Sustainability Green Office associate, Sofia Martinez, Class of 2026 WashU’s environment includes numerous offices and labs. When considering the university’s environmental impact, these spaces are important to consider, as they consume energy, use materials, and generate waste. By certifying with the Green Office Program, employees across the university can make a […]
WashU Receives Green Labs Award at International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories Conference
WashU was commended for the success of its Green Labs Program at the 2024 International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) conference, held this year in St. Louis. The conference convened architects, engineers and sustainability professionals to discuss energy efficiency and waste reduction in research laboratories. The “honorable mention” award recognized the program’s rapid growth over […]
Guide to Sustainable Holiday Celebrations
Once November starts, the anticipation of the upcoming holidays hits. It’s a time filled with loved ones, traveling, gift-giving, and big feasts. We hope that you will have a good time, no matter when or where your celebration takes place. The holiday season also corresponds with a peak in consumerism, energy consumption, and waste generation. […]
Danforth Campus Named Bicycle Friendly University at Gold Level
The League of American Bicyclists, the premier grassroots advocacy organization encouraging better bicycling and protecting the rights of people who bike, has honored WashU’s Danforth Campus with a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly University award in recognition of the institution’s achievements in promoting and enabling safe, accessible bicycling on campus. “When universities make biking easier, safer, and […]
Sustainability Coordinator Position opens for WashU School of Medicine
Sustainability initiatives and programming on the Medical Campus are growing! The Operations and Facilities Management Department (OFMD) is excited to announce the opening of a new Sustainability Coordinator position, in addition to the current Sustainability Coordinator, Heather Craig. The expansion of the WUSM sustainability team will lead to a deeper level of engagement in sustainable operations […]
WashU Transportation Survey Opens
WashU requests your participation in an institution-wide transportation survey. Data gathered from this survey will provide campus planners key information about the transportation behaviors and preferences of the WashU community and will assist in identifying additional ways to support the different modes that students and employees take to get to and from campuses. The survey […]
The Hidden Costs of AI
Written by Office of Sustainability student associate, Meghan Jachna, Class of 2027. Generative AI (artificial intelligence) tools such as ChatGPT and other Large Language Models have had a significant impact in almost every facet of society, but in education and university settings especially, generative AI is transforming the way that students and professors conduct their […]
Focal Pointe awarded Local Sustainable Business Award
WashU’s Grounds Service contractor, Focal Pointe Outdoor Solutions, was awarded the Ralph Wafer Environmentally Sustainable Business Award at the Missouri Coalition for the Environment (MCE) luncheon in September. This award honors business leaders and entrepreneurs whose innovation and dedication drive the economy towards environmental respect and inclusion. It is named for Ralph Wafer, a distinguished […]