Community

Pitching In Together: A Showcase of Student Sustainability Projects

Image of the Energy Team During their Pitch

Two sustainability-focused student programs at the University of Michigan, the Student Sustainability Coalition (SSC) and the Planet Blue Student Leaders (PBSL), participated in a virtual “Shark Tank” style event called Pitching In Together in April of 2021. Over the academic year, the PBSLs piloted creative environmental behavior-change campaigns with students across campus, and at this event, SSC heard pitches from … Read More

Watching and Reflecting on the Animated Film Princess Mononoke

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Princess Mononoke movie graphic

On Thursday April 15, join the Planet Blue Ambassador program and the Center for Campus Involvement for a drive-in movie screening of Princess Mononoke! Yes, we said drive-in, and yes, we highly encourage carpooling with your housemates! If you haven’t yet registered your car, click this link to learn more about the COVID safety measures and secure a spot for … Read More

Plogging Our Way to a Cleaner Campus

Brian plogging around campus.

Coming back to campus in the fall amid a pandemic was scary. I will be the first to admit I was uncertain how the school year would look or if it would be as fun or rewarding as my previous semesters. One thing I knew for sure was that to get through these difficult times, I would need to stay … Read More

Community Justice Style: What Action Should You Take Next?

Oftentimes, when we talk about sustainability we talk about the individual choices we make to contribute to a better planet, but it is also important to give our attention to environmental justice and social justice as well because these go hand-in-hand. Many environmental challenges are unique and tend to affect BIPOC communities the most. Luckily there is so much shared power…

Sustainabilibuddies: Connect with Your Peers

Sustainability Buddies

Sustainabilibuddies is a new peer-mentorship program open to all Planet Blue Ambassadors. The aim is to foster a sense of community among our Ambassadors across campus. We hope to introduce Ambassadors to others in the campus community who are passionate about sustainability, with the idea that participants will make new connections, share success stories and challenges, and learn from each … Read More

A Day in the Life of a PBA – Jordan Graves

Hi! I’m Jordan, a UX Research Student in the School of Information and a Planet Blue Ambassador Program Assistant. I’m excited to take you along for a day in my life to show you some sustainable features of my day while working from home. These are three topics that I touch on in the video that I wanted to make … Read More

10 Common Sustainability Misconceptions

PBAs sitting on the North Campus Grove

Planet Blue Ambassadors are the champions of sustainability around U-M’s campus. But, it’s important that, as an Ambassador, you keep expanding your knowledge! Test your know-how with this sustainability quiz. Then, bring it to your next staff meeting, house meeting, or family dinner to see how everyone does!

PCCN Interim Report and You

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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

Climate Crochet: A Climate Conversation Starter in a Scarf

Climate Crochet Scarf

Throughout history, art has served as a creative means of advocating for and communicating about social change. Back in the 1840s, the Hutchinson Family Singers, a popular group from New Hampshire, used music to promote the antislavery movement. During the Great Depression, Dorothea Lange’s photography drew attention to the plight of the poor in rural America. In the 1980s, Keith … 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