In the October Issue:

OPPORTUNITIES:

• Sustainability Fund Grants — Due Oct 15

• Bike Friendly Campus Survey

• Campus Litter Clean-Up Challenge

• Common Grounds Dialogues

• Good Neighbor Day

EVENTS:

• Walk Maryland Day at UMD & Walktober — 10/05, events all month

• Self-Care Fair & Mental Health Awareness Week — 10/07

• Good Neighbor Day Food Drive Kick-Off — 10/8, collection all month

• AGNR Cornerstone Event — 10/12

• Dining Services Annual Harvest Fest — 10/19

• Green Office Training — 10/25

UPDATES:

• Bike Safety Month at UMD

• MD Drive to Zero Waste

• Cool Food Meals at 251 North and South Campus Dining Halls

• Measuring Campus Forest Carbon at UMD

• Meet Sustainability Staff: Rose Rodriguez, Sustainability Coordinator

O P P O R T U N I T I E S

Sustainability Fund Grant — 1st Deadline

Between $2,000 and $400,000

Do you have ideas on how to make our campus more sustainable? Apply for a grant to help launch your vision into reality! Approximately $400,000 is available each fiscal year. Email sustainabilityfund@umd.edu with questions or concerns.

Bike Friendly Campus Survey

Campus Litter Clean Up Challenge

Are you planning a campus clean-up event this fall? Please join National Wildlife Federation and the University of Maryland Arboretum & Botanical Gardens in the Clean Earth Challenge and help us collect ONE MILLION pieces of trash that litter our lands, oceans, and waterways! Be a part of the Clean Earth Challenge! Every piece collected counts, and when we work together, the impact is big!

To join the University's efforts, please email Meg Smolinski at msmolins@umd.edu for the school code and instructions.

Common Ground Dialogues

"Common Ground Deliberative Dialogues" (CHSE 328A) is a 1-credit, 7-week course that will run from October 20th through December 8th on Thursdays from 6-8pm in the Art-Sociology Building. This course is open to all undergraduate students and is currently pending approval for the "cultural competency" (DVCC) GenEd. This is a unique opportunity to engage in student-led conversations with your peers about hot button societal issues. Enroll before October 20th and contact Ben Beltran at bbeltran@umd.edu with questions.

Good Neighbor Day — Nov. 12th

Good Neighbor Day is a collaborative partnership that brings together residents of College Park and surrounding communities with University of Maryland students, staff, faculty, and alumni for a day of service. There are more than 40 service projects, workshops, and donation drives in College Park and neighboring communities for Good Neighbor Day. Volunteer for a service project, register for a workshop, or donate to a drive on Good Neighbor Day to make an impact in our community!

E V E N T S

Walktober — Walk with us!

Wednesday, October 5, 10:00am or 4:15pm

Did you know that walking is the State of Maryland's official exercise? DOTS is hosting two walks - one at 10:00 am and the other at 4:15 pm on October 5th to celebrate Walk Maryland Day as part of Walktober. Visit the Walk Maryland Day website and follow instructions to join one or both of the DOTS walking groups (view walk routes here). All members of the UMD community are welcome and there will be small goodies for folks who join a DOTS walking group.

If you can't attend either of the DOTS walks but would like to participate in Walk Maryland Day asynchronously, then you're in luck! Grab a colleague, pal, family member, or pet and head out. You can also joint a future Walktober event.

Self-Care Fair

Friday, October 7, 12:00-3:00pm | McKeldin Mall

Good Neighbor Day — Food Drive Kick-Off

Saturday, October 8, 9:00am-6:30pm | STAMP Student Union

College Park and surrounding communities have the opportunity each year to help fight food insecurity by participating in the Good Neighbor Annual Food Drive. This event kicks off a month-long initiative, from October 8 to November 12, to collect food and monetary donations for our local food banks.

AGNR Cornerstone Event

Wednesday, October 12, 8:00am-6:30pm | STAMP Student Union

Join thought leaders from across academia, industry, and government for AGNR's 4th annual Cornerstone event on Wednesday, October 12 at Stamp Student Union. This year’s event will celebrate and build partnerships around the college’s strategic initiative. The event features keynote speaker, Kate Orff, founding principal of SCAPE. Attendees will have access to a number of concurrent sessions focused on urban food security, community climate resilience, planning, design & housing, and more.

Dining Services Annual Harvest Fest!

Wednesday, October 19, 4:00-6:00pm | South Campus & 251 North Dining Halls

Celebrate the Harvest season with Maryland Dining at South Campus and 251 North Dining Halls on Wednesday, October 19th from 4-6pm. Swing by for fall fun activities including FREE pumpkin painting on the outdoor plazas, enjoy a dinner menu highlighting locally sourced ingredients, and meet the farmers who work hard to keep us all well fed every day.

Green Office Training

Tuesday, October 25, 12:30-1:30pm | Virtual

Join over 600 offices across campus in achieving Green Office Certification! Offices are encouraged to elect one or more representatives from your office to attend our 1-hour, virtual training on how to adopt sustainable practices and achieve bronze, silver, gold, and platinum level Green Office certification! The UMD Green Office Program includes checklists of sustainable actions for offices to select from, along with guidance tools, and templates to support staff to implement each action.

U P D A T E S

Bike Safety Month at UMD!

Hello Terps! October is Bike Safety Month! Celebrate the fun and fitness associated with bicycling. Receive free give-aways, and learn new things about bike safety and sustainable transportation with DOTS and RecWell! Bike Safety Month is a time when we call attention to all motorists, bicyclists and scooter riders to renew commitments to share the road.

• Make Space for Each Other: Leave 3 feet between yourself and another vehicle when passing—don’t try to squeeze by. Motorists should anticipate these vehicles, be patient, and make space for smaller vehicles.

• Be Predictable: Make your intentions clear to everyone. Don’t make abrupt turns or swerve around other vehicles.

• Ride on the Road: Bikes and e-scooters should generally be used on roads. If you must use a sidewalk to access your destination, dismount your bike and walk. Remember to always yield to pedestrians.

• Follow the Law: Obey traffic signals, stop at stop signs, stay in your lane and always yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. Motorists abide by the traffic speed limit and don’t drive distracted.

Take the pledge to demonstrate your commitment to share the road and help keep our campus streets safe!

Maryland Drive to Zero Waste

Will you help us Drive to Zero Waste?

In order to reach our goal of 90% waste diversion at all home football games, UMD is once again implementing the Drive to Zero Waste. Three waste streams are present in SECU Stadium: compost, recycle, and landfill. As waste leaves the stadium, it is again sorted to ensure the lowest level of contamination. Additionally, FM staff provide trash and recycling dumpsters and bags in all tailgate lots to encourage fans to dispose of waste properly. We ask that fans take the full bags to the nearest dumpster when they are finished tailgating. Do your part by sorting your waste as you cheer on the Terrapins!

Try a Cool Food Meal at 251 North and South Campus Dining Halls

Measuring Forest Carbon Stock and Flux

UMD students as part of the Campus Forest Carbon Project are leading the charge as the first in the nation to use remote sensing science to quantify forest carbon dynamics on campus for inclusion into UMD’s greenhouse gas inventory. Funded by UMD’s Sustainability Grant, undergraduate students within the Department of Geographical Sciences are using the same NASA science implemented within the State of Maryland’s climate action plan. Learn more about how these undergrads are using remote sensing and GIS to help UMD advance their carbon neutrality goals.

Meet Sustainability Staff: Rose Rodriguez

The University of Maryland Office of Sustainability supports and advances environmental performance, economic prosperity, and social equality through a variety of initiatives. The office facilitates the development and implementation of sustainable policies, practices, and curricula for the campus community.

Rose assists with administration for the University Sustainability Fund, contributes to communications and outreach efforts, and supports aspects of the Climate Action Plan. Prior to working at UMD, Rose worked as the first Sustainability Coordinator of Trinity College in Hartford, CT. Trinity College is also her alma mater where she earned a Master’s degree in American Studies in 2018 and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Hispanic Studies in 2015. While at Trinity she worked on data collection and reporting, communications, student outreach, waste management, strategic planning, and community relations. In her free time Rose enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and exploring the DMV food scene.

SustainableUMD represents the University of Maryland’s commitment to advance sustainability through teaching, research, service, and operations. The UMD Office of Sustainability celebrates these efforts through the SustainableUMD newsletter, website, social media, and more.

Have a question or want to submit content for the SustainableUMD Newsletter? Contact sustainability@umd.edu with the subject line: “Newsletter Content”