The FreeStore, a once-a-month event run by the Planet Blue Student Leaders (PBSL), is an ongoing effort to reduce waste, promote reuse, and build a more resilient campus community. The PBSLs collect and sort items from donation partners, the student move-out program, and unclaimed lost & found items. Using these materials, they create the event and curate an incredible, free … Read More
Our Mission: by Saanvi Kalia As a Business major and Sustainability minor, I was drawn to ENVIRON 361: The Psychology of Environmental Stewardship for its applications on how we can influence both business leaders and consumers to adopt sustainable practices. When the course professor, Tara-Sky Woodward, introduced a semester-long group project to develop a sustainability initiative with assistance from Student … Read More
We all want to get it right with plastics recycling, but with varying recycling rules and discouraging sounding statistics about recycling, it can be a bit confusing. Additionally, there isn’t just one type of plastic; in fact, there are 7 main types of plastics. Despite the confusion, properly sorting and recycling plastics is a key part of the University of … Read More
Sustainable living habits are often misconstrued as an ‘all-or-nothing’ mindset, where positive impact can only occur through perfection in every area of action. But in a recent conversation with Dr. Peter Oelkers, an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences and Biochemistry at University of Michigan-Dearborn, he emphasized that sustainability can be more than just a box to check. For him, it’s … Read More
As the new year begins to unfold, I’m sure many of you have made a commitment to a New Year’s resolution, whether it’s to save money or lead a more sustainable lifestyle. Well, I am happy to tell you that thrift shopping is one of the easiest ways to do both! Opting to go to a second-hand or thrift store … Read More
Last month, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the University of Michigan’s Campus Move-Out Donation sorting—a behind-the-scenes space that quietly holds stories of excess, care, and possibility. As I sifted through the things students had chosen to part with, I found myself pausing: a half-used journal with a single, powerful quote on the first page—“You are becoming the person … Read More
At the University of Michigan, sustainability is not just about pushing changes in campus plans and infrastructure—it’s about building a culture of sustainability at every level. Recognizing that changing work culture relies significantly on faculty and staff, the Office of Campus Sustainability (OCS) came up with the Staff Sustainability Mini-Grant, a funding source for supporting small-scale workplace sustainability initiatives. Bridging … 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
Campus and Community Connected Every fall and winter term, students from around the world return to Ann Arbor, and the streets bustle with noise as students, staff, faculty, tourists, and families enjoy the downtown restaurants and businesses. Ann Arbor is known for its bike-friendly and walkable environment, with a diverse selection of businesses, restaurants, and shops to discover. From cozy … Read More
Back in February, I had the opportunity to chat with Alison Richardson and Anya Dale from the Office of Campus Sustainability about a large-scale waste audit they were organizing. Check out Part 1 of this blog post series to read what we talked about in terms of the set up and purpose for the audit. Since that time, Resource Recycling … Read More
