AASHE Campus Sustainability Month

August 14, 2020

Caroline Lonneman, Eco Rep

Caitlin Griffith, Sustainability Coordinator

UT Dallas is proud to participate in AASHE [Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education] Campus Sustainability Month! AASHE stands for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. In celebration of this event, the Office of Sustainability will be hosting and advertising partner events that celebrate and raise awareness of the value of sustainability in higher education through the month of October.

Here are some events that the Office of Sustainability will be hosting throughout October:

Virtual BioBlitz

A bioblitz event focuses on identifying as many species as possible in a specific area using the iNaturalist app. iNaturalist is a citizen-science app developed by Cornell University to help understand biodiversity of local environments. Participants take photos of flora and fauna. That information then uploads to the iNaturalist database. Researchers use this data to track biodiversity and population trends. Biodiversity is vital to ecosystem health and understanding it is important to sustainability efforts! The Virtual BioBlitz will encourage participants to explore their neighborhood and campus and help scientists wherever they are. The event will take place virtually from October 5 to October 11, with the results of the event being released on October 12. Attend the seminar on Monday October 5 to hear a professional citizen scientist explain the significance of these events and how to use the app! More details to come. Keep an eye on @utd_ecoreps & @utd_sustainability on Instagram for updates! Hours for this event count toward the UTD Sustainability Service Honors.

Comet Composting Program

Comet Composting is back! Participate in one of four composting trainings to receive your very own compost caddy! Use the caddy to compost kitchen scraps instead of throwing it in the landfill. Empty the caddy in one of two Organix composting bins on campus, where materials will be used as animal feed, biofuel, and compost. Dates for October compost training include Friday October 2 at 2:00 p.m., Monday October 5 at 4:30 p.m., Saturday October 23 at 10:00 a.m., and Wednesday October 28 at 12:00 p.m. Keep an eye out on @utd_ecoreps & @utd_sustainability for registration links.

Bee Balcony Workshops

Pollinators need your help! Participating students will learn about how to start their own home gardens to support local pollinators. The event will discuss topics such as creating upcycled planters, utilizing native pollinator plants, and taking care of seedlings. Dates are spread throughout the fall semester, but include October 16 for Sustainability Month. Times are TBD [To Be Determined] . More details to come. Keep an eye on @utd_ecoreps & @utd_sustainability on Instagram for updates! Hours for this event count toward the UTD Sustainability Service Honors.

You, Me, and Sustainability: a Student Speaker Series

This series will highlight sustainability student leaders that are current UT Dallas students and alumni. Speakers will talk about their activities and achievements as students, covering UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs [Sustainability Development Goals] ) from climate action to reducing inequalities. After each speaker’s presentation, there will be a question and answer portion. This event is designed to encourage students to apply their knowledge to addressing sustainable development now! Hours for this event count toward the UTD Sustainability Service Honors. Dates are TBD [To Be Determined] ! More details to come. Keep an eye on @utd_ecoreps & @utd_sustainability on Instagram for updates!

Watershed Warriors

The socially distant version of Campus Cleanup! Students can volunteer to clean up litter on campus all semester long on an individual basis after signing up online. This is a great way for students to help on campus while staying socially distant! To sign up for the Watershed Warriors program, contact sustainability@utdallas.edu. Hours for this event count toward the UTD Sustainability Service Honors.

Green Convene

The Green Convene is a virtual meeting of sustainability-oriented student clubs, professional organizations, and university sponsored groups to discuss goals in sustainability, cross-recruit members, and propose collaborative initiatives. This event intends to foster inter-group communication and collaboration while promoting all aspects of sustainability. The event will be held virtually on Thursday, October 8 from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Hours for this event count toward the UTD Sustainability Service Honors.

Conservation Conversation: the Policy Perspective

Environmentalism and sustainability are often seen as a highly polarizing issues with limited policy solutions. However, there is a niche for those of all political affiliations in the environmental movement. Through the help of distinguished guest speakers, this event will aim to increase education about historical and current examples of bipartisan coordination in environmental politics. The event will take place virtually on Wednesday, October 7 from 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.. Hours for this event count toward the UTD Sustainability Service Honors. Keep an eye on @utd_ecoreps & @utd_sustainability on Instagram for updates!

Gardening Week with UTD Community Garden

Socially distant volunteering at the Community Garden! Contact the Office of Student Volunteerism to get involved. Hours spent gardening count toward the UTD Sustainability Service Honors.

 

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