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Earlier this month UVM welcomed our new president, Suresh Garimella, with an installation ceremony. It included a choral performance by The University Catamount Singers who sang of a need to consider the future generations in the choices we make today, and how a person's worth might even be measured by their compassion and care in that regard. The UVM community measures up well with 88.5% of employees and students in 2018 indicating that sustainability is important to them.
Since 2001 there have been periodic surveys of the UVM community's beliefs, awareness and behaviors around sustainability. While each assessment has had a different focus based on the needs and interests of the time they were conducted, they all help build our understanding of what the campus community thinks and supports around the topic of sustainability and how that has evolved over the years. This helps us identify trends, gaps and areas for improvement or celebration.
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This month, the Office of Sustainability is conducting a survey about your perception and attitude about climate change. The results will be used to inform policies, initiatives, and services on campus. Please take 10 minutes to complete it if you find it in your inbox. You could win a gift card to the UVM Bookstore!
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SUSTAINABILITY AMBASSADORS
Enthusiastic about sustainability and interested in advocating for or working towards a more sustainable lifestyle or workplace? We want to support your efforts! Learn More
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SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATE
Learn from campus experts about UVM sustainability initiatives and practices, why they matter and ways you or your unit/department could be more sustainable. Learn More
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TRANSPORTATION SURVEY
CATMA will launch their Fall 2019 Employee & Student Transportation Survey in late October. It is important that you provide your input and encourage your co-workers to participate in our survey. Your responses are valuable as we continue to evaluate and develop commuter programs to better serve you, the community and our members. Keep an eye out for the an email with your unique link to the survey.
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ELECTRIC BIKE REBATES
Burlington Electric Department and Green Mountain Power are offering customers $200 towards the purchase of an electric bike. Ebikes have become increasingly popular in our state as they ease climbing hills and help cover longer distances. Want to try before you buy? Visit Local Motion.
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Why UVM Natural Areas?
There are many ecological benefits to green space, and they are usually the focus of arguments to preserve land. A new study gives another reason, happiness! The UVM researchers found that visitors to urban parks use happier words and express less negativity on Twitter than they did before their visit. Their elevated mood lasts for up to four hours afterwards.
The effect is equivalent to the mood spike on Christmas, by far the happiest day each year on Twitter. Feeling unhappy and cranky? Try a walk in one of UVM's natural areas or even just a campus green!
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ASK SPROUT 🌱
- grow your knowledge -
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Dear Sprout,
Why don't we have more solar panels on our buildings?
That question helped students create UVM’s Clean Energy Fund (CEF)! In 2012 the CEF funded a Comprehensive Campus Renewable Energy Feasibility Study, which found rooftop solar could theoretically generate about 8.5% of UVM’s annual electricity use.
Why so small a potential contribution by campus rooftop solar? Three major reasons.
- UVM uses a lot of electricity, about $9M for 58,000MWh per year. We have six completed campus solar projects. In 2017 they generated a total of 180MWh, or 0.3% of our campus need.
- Not all buildings are good candidates for solar panels. Common challenges include: historic status, clay or slate roofing, not being south-facing, shading by trees or other buildings, roof supports not strong enough, and obstructions like chimneys or mechanical systems. Listen to CEF interns explain here.
- In order to participate in the State of Vermont net metering program and receive the solar adder rate established by the Legislature, UVM as an organization can generate no more than 500kW of instantaneous capacity on its contiguous campus land.
-Sprout
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UPCOMING EVENTS
- Indigenous People's Day Celebrations: 10/15 - various locations, all day
- Jeff Speck - Making Places Walkable: 10/16 - Davis Center, 7-9
- Light Up the Night Bike Event: 10/17 - Davis Center Oval, at the corner of U-Heights and Main, 4:30-6:30
- Ashwin Paranjpe - Environmental Engineering in Kolvan Valley: 10/18 - Billings LH, 10:50-11:40
- Clean Energy Fund Proposals Due: 10/18
- Farmfest: 10/21-10/25: All Campus Dining Halls
- Taste of Vermont Dinner: 10/23 - 4:30-8 pm, Harris Millis Dining (entry $11.55)
- Brian Collier - Unlawning America: 10/24 - 2:50-4:05 Hills 122
- 10th Annual Burlington Halloween Bike Ride: 10/27 - Kestrel Coffee, 1:30-4:30
- Clean Energy Fund Forum: 10/31 - DC Chittenden Bank Room, 1-2:30
- Will Wieder - Representing Earth in Earth System Models: 11/4 - Gund Institute, 12-1
- Evy Gray - Building and Living in a Tiny House: 11/12 - Hills 122, 2:50-4:05
- Adam Minter - Travels in the New Global Garage Sale: 11/14 - Davis Center, 2:30
- Campus Sustainability Series (Transportation & Energy): 11/18 - Billings 165, 1:30-3:30
- Bill McKibben - Falter: 12/2 - Davis Center Maple Ballroom, 4:30-5:30
- Campus Sustainability Series (Zero Waste & Dining): 12/9 - Billings 165, 1:30-3:30
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