Discover what Washington University is doing to improve sustainability on campus, in St. Louis, and internationally.
WashU School of Medicine Sustainability Plan Midterm Report
In 2018, the WashU School of Medicine Operations and Facilities Management Department published its first Sustainable Operations Strategic Plan for 2018 – 2025. This document was built upon the Office of Sustainability’s institution wide plan that was published in 2015, but shines light on programs and plans that are specific to the School of Medicine. Now […]
Commencement Celebration Maintains Sustainability Momentum
“The energy in the air and happiness was palpable, stretching throughout the entirety of the Danforth Campus,” senior director of Commencement and Convocation, Michelle Gelven, reflected on WashU’s 162nd Commencement. The day was memorable for a number of exciting reasons. Esteemed guests addressed the graduating classes: Emmy Award-winning actor and St. Louis native, Sterling K. […]
Student Represents School of Medicine at CleanMed Conference
Every year, healthcare leaders from over 1,000 hospitals across the country converge at the annual CleanMed conference, this year held in Pittsburgh, PA. CleanMed is hosted by Practice Greenhealth and Healthcare Without Harm, two organizations focused on fighting climate change within the healthcare sector. Climate change is one of the biggest threats to global human […]
Summer Sustainability Interns
The Office of Sustainability kicked off the summer with a group of six amazing and talented WashU students who are devoting their time off of school to advancing institutional sustainability. Learn more about these incredible students below! Learn more about the broader Environment, Sustainability, and Climate Change internship program here.
New Employee Well-being Program
This summer, WashU’s Human Resources has partnered with the Office of Sustainability and Parking & Transportation Services on a new mind-body well-being program called Sustain. Sustain is a month-long online program available to all benefits-eligible WashU employees. Participants will receive tips and activities that will allow them to collect points. Sustain allows participants to personalize […]
Let’s Talk about Climate Anxiety
Written by Communications Associate, Jarea Fang It has been more than half a century since we first celebrated Earth Day on April 22nd, 1970. Since then, our society has grown steadily more aware of the climate crisis, with many taking action in increasingly diverse ways. From joining international collaboration efforts to amplifying local activism like […]
Sustainability Events at Alumni Weekend
Written by Office of Sustainability student associate, Kyla Fung, class of 2026 Over the past decade, sustainability practices at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) have evolved and expanded dramatically. Starting as a small set of initiatives, our sustainability goals have developed into a holistic strategy that includes active partnership from hundreds of individuals on […]
WashU Debuts Electric Shuttles
Washington University in St. Louis has acquired three electric shuttles as part of its Danforth Campus fleet. The shuttles will be on display at the Earth Day Festival in Forest Park April 22-23. Attendees can park in WashU’s East End garage and ride a university shuttle to the event on the Muny grounds. The electric […]
Sustainable Transportation Updates
Written by Parking & Transportation’s Sustainable Transportation Coordinator, Becca Gilberg New Danforth Shuttle Operations and Shuttle App WeDriveU, one of the country’s leading shuttle providers, is now managing the Danforth shuttle operations, resulting in enhanced reliability and efficiency. The current vehicles are temporary while Parking & Transportation works to launch the new fleet. Along with […]
Celebrating Campus Composting
Written by student associate, Kyla Fung, Class of 2026, and Cassandra Hage, assistant director of sustainability From single-use utensils to banana peels, campus dining halls and cafés typically produce a high volume of waste. In order to reduce our carbon footprint and be a more responsible community member, WashU began separating compostable materials at certain […]
WashU Grounds Team Practices Sustainability
Written by Communications Associate, Jarea Fang Groundskeeping is a year-round task. From raking leaves in the fall, watering lawns in the summer, to plowing sidewalks during winter, WashU Grounds Services and service contractor, Focal Pointe Outdoor Solutions, have their hands full. Spring is an especially beautiful time of year around campus. With daffodils, cherry blossoms, […]
Green Labs Pilot Certification a Success
Written by Alicia Hubert and Heather Craig, WUSM Sustainability Team Over the past few months, labs across both the Medical Campus and the Danforth Campus have been testing out the new certification checklist for the Green Labs Program. Labs have been able to commit to the program since early 2020, but this is the first […]