Last February, I had the opportunity to help host a tote bag screen-printing event through the Plant Blue Ambassador Program, where I serve as a Communications and Outreach Intern at the University of Michigan. What began as a creative crafting session quickly became something much deeper. Surrounded by students printing their tote bags, laughing over paint mishaps, and carefully pressing … Read More
This is not my first Michigan winter. And yet, I feel more bothered this year than others. I recently got a memory on my phone from last year where it was an abnormally warm day in February and I ran in shorts outdoors and seeing this made me long for the freedom of summer months. But unfortunately, I cannot rush … Read More
What sparks joy and inspires you? Is it taking a deep breath in a forest, laughing with friends, or dancing to your favorite music? When we consider how to prepare for climate change, we often focus on physical infrastructure, like flood-resistant buildings or emergency shelters, but overlook the mental health impacts of climate change. By taking time to recognize joyful … Read More
In 2016, the University of Michigan set an ambitious goal to achieve zero waste at home football games and divert 90% of game day waste from the landfill. The Zero Waste Stadium Program launched in the 2017 season as a collaboration among Athletics, the Office of Campus Sustainability, U-M Waste Management Services, campus sustainability partners, volunteers, and stadium concessions. Now … Read More
Nervous for Winter? We all live in Michigan and as we all know, Michigan winters can be cold and long! With less sunlight and less green, we miss the freedom of summer and warmer weather. But did you know that nature, something we see everyday as we commute to campus, can help you through these winter months? Research done here … Read More
Welcome (back) to campus, Wolverines! A new semester makes it a great time to try new habits that are healthy for both you and the planet! Biking is a perfect place to start and a wonderful way to explore low-emission recreation and transportation. The University of Michigan and Ann Arbor community is home to many new bike lanes, resources, and … Read More
There are so many ways we can try to reduce our carbon footprint, and many of them often seem overwhelming and unattainable, such as driving less when living in a community that relies on private transportation. However, one of the easiest and least commonly thought of ways to reduce your footprint is practicing digital sustainability and green computing. “Digital sustainability … Read More
This time of year, U-M students across campus are busy with final papers, exams, and team projects that are due before the end of the school year. They are wrapping up their academic endeavors for the semester, and are focused on representing what they have learned through their courses to the best of their abilities. One thing that tends to … Read More
I spend a lot of my time talking to people about composting. It is a vital part of the University of Michigan’s strategy to reduce waste sent to landfill and ensure nutrients get cycled back to rebuild our soils. It supports healthy ecosystems and food growth. However, I think all this talk about composting can overshadow the actions we can … Read More
Have you ever found yourself wanting to engage in the sustainability community on campus but struggling to navigate the different student organizations? Let’s face it, finding a sustainability organization is hard sometimes! It can be confusing and overwhelming, especially since we have more than 122 organizations tagged as “environmental” on Maize Pages. The three of us have reflected that when … Read More
