Campus Sustainability

Reducing Waste from To-Go Meals

use a reusable bag

Due to COVID-19, MDining has had to adapt their operations for public safety and serve meals to-go. This has been a huge change given that they serve approximately 95,000 meals in a single week. They have done a great job ensuring that as much of the packaging as possible is compostable. But understandably, even with compostable packaging, this method of … Read More

What Is a Carbon Offset?

carbon offsets explained

Carbon neutrality is not always achievable by simply reducing energy consumption and converting to renewable energy. In some situations, the use of fossil fuels is unavoidable, like for commercial air travel and other scope 3 emissions. As universities, cities, and even entire countries attempt to achieve carbon neutrality, they will look to use carbon offsets to compensate for areas of … Read More

PCCN Interim Report and You

PCCN Town Hall Discussion

The President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality (PCCN) Spring 2020 Progress Report was recently released, and because this is a lengthy report at 38 pages, one of our Ambassadors asked us to summarize it and provide some possible actions they could take regarding the PCCN. So, while we encourage you to read the full report for yourself, we hope you will … Read More

2018 SCIP Results: The Culture of Sustainability at U-M

SCIP Infographic

After many months of data collection and analysis, the results of the 2018 SCIP survey are live! The Sustainability Cultural Indicators Program (SCIP) is a collaboration between the Graham Sustainability Institute and Institute for Social Research to assess sustainability knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes across U-M students, faculty, and staff over time. First implemented in 2012, the 2018 survey is the 5th iteration … Read More

PBA Community Gathering Recap

On November 13, 2018, 75 Planet Blue Ambassadors gathered at the Michigan League to network and discuss campus sustainability issues. The tables were arranged by campus location in an attempt to help PBAs network and find others from their regions of campus. Also in attendance were staff members from the Office of Campus Sustainability and Student Life who spread themselves out among … Read More

Custodial Staff Damon Woodard and Shannon Taylor

Woodard and Taylor

The Samuel T. Dana Building, home to the School for Environment and Sustainability, is one of the first academic buildings on campus to have compost bins for daily use. Last month, we interviewed two people that are instrumental to the success of the Dana Building composting program: Custodial Staff Damon Woodard and Shannon Taylor.   Both Damon and Shannon have worked for U-M … Read More

PBA Spotlight: Paul Dunlop and Zero Waste at the Big House

Paul Dunlop

It’s time for football and the U-M team kicked off its season with many new starting players, new maize uniforms, and renewed optimism that we will beat our arch rivals. One big change fans may notice is the Michigan Stadium Zero Waste Initiative.  Paul Dunlop, the Senior Facilities Manager for Michigan Stadium, leads the Zero Waste Stadium efforts. The Zero … Read More