October 18, 2012
Energy a focus of third annual Sustainability Summit
Next week will be the University of Washington’s third Sustainability Summit, an annual event that celebrates leadership and accomplishments in environmental stewardship and sustainability.
A day of Sustainability Summit events Wednesday, Oct. 24, will culminate in the evening with a conversation about energy involving a leading Northwest energy and climate expert, Microsoft’s chief environmental strategist and other panelists.
The energy panel discussion will be 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Kane 210. KC Golden, policy director at Climate Solutions, is the keynote speaker, followed by Microsoft’s Rob Bernard, who is responsible for implementing the global strategy for the company’s environmental efforts, Pacific Science Center’s lead for science and education Ellen Lettvin and UW’s Ruth Johnston, who oversees the UW’s Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability Office among her responsibilities.
Lisa Graumlich, dean of the UW College of the Environment, will moderate the discussion.
Afterward, audience members are invited to a reception and poster presentations about some of the projects funded by the Campus Sustainability Fund. The student-managed fund gets a cut of student services and activities fees to fund short-term projects meant to lessen the UW’s environmental impacts. The reception will be 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the Walker-Ames Room, Kane Hall.
Earlier in the day, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., 50 groups interested in sustainability from on and off campus will have booths in Red Square.
Among student groups, for example, will be representatives from Husky Sustainable Storms, an initiative launched by students, faculty and staff to mitigate stormwater runoff on-campus by designing and installing bioswales that mimic ecological processes. University units at the fair will include Mailing Services – Creative Communications, which can help students understand such things as how to reduce mail waste and mail they don’t want.
Off-campus vendors include Total Reclaim that will collect personal unwanted electronics – such as computers, TVs and cell phones – for free recycling. Be sure to bring your Husky card because only items from UW faculty, staff and students will be accepted. It should be noted that Total Reclaim will not be accepting any electronic equipment purchased with UW funds or any batteries, lamps or ballasts.
Sponsors of the summit from on and off campus will also have exhibits as part of the fair.
“The purpose of the summit is to remind the UW community that all of our disparate acts of sustainability really are part of a larger movement,” said Kyle Murphy, a senior in political science and outreach coordinator for the Campus Sustainability Fund. “The summit provides space to coalesce, collaborate and provide inspiration for all of us moving forward.”
The day before the summit there will be an open house for those interested in learning more about the Campus Sustainability Fund and meeting this year’s coordinator Jamie Rowe, a graduate student in public affairs. The event is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability Office, Gerberding B40.
The organizers of the Sustainability Summit note on their website and materials some other events on campus next week that may interest environmentally-conscious members of the UW community including a movie screening and a launch event for an Encyclopedia of Puget Sound.
Tag(s): sustainability • UW Sustainability
