Unveiled in an event on Friday, a new office on campus will further the goal of promoting sustainability at the University of Wisconsin through research, education and campus life.
The event kicking off the opening of the Office of Sustainability featured several speakers who had roles in realizing the goals and implementation of the new office.
The Office of Sustainability focuses on making UW a living model of sustainability, as well as integrating sustainability research and education into campus operations, speakers at the event said.
In addition, the office aims to eliminate waste as well as honor and engage students and advance literacy in hopes of spurring a cultural change. In 2010, a task force charged with building a foundation for effective sustainability on campus developed the office.
Gregg Mitman, interim director of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, commended the progress the university has made in reducing waste and conserving energy since the “We Conserve” movement, which began in 2006.
During the event, Mitman, who is also the chair of the Sustainability Initiative Task Force, pointed to the rich ecological history of Wisconsin, which includes influential environmentalists like Aldo Leopold, John Muir and Gaylord Nelson.
“If we are able to make UW a real living model, then we can begin to think about how we translate that to the environmental stewardship of our planet,” Mitman said.
Mitman also worked with Provost Paul DeLuca and Vice Chancellor for Administration Darrell Bazzell to establish the office.
DeLuca said he predicts the creation of the Office of Sustainability will go down as a key campus initiative that will prove important moving forward.
Although Bazzell said the launch of the office is certainly significant, he believes the university must not let up in its efforts to promote sustainability.
“This is a time to double our efforts. This is not a time to rest. We need to press forward aggressively to realize our visions,” Bazzell said in his address at the event.
Craig Benson, director of Sustainability Research and Education, echoed Bazzell’s sentiment.
At the event, Benson said UW has succeeded in raising awareness but needs to further promote rational sustainable thinking and foster science and engineering on campus to fully utilize the opportunities the new office offers.
Director of Campus Sustainability Operations Faramarz Vakili also emphasized the importance of reducing waste around campus to improve sustainability.
Senior class President Steven Olikara, who served as the student director of the operation, organized the launch event and provided both the opening and closing remarks. He urged students to get involved both on and beyond the campus because “that is the Wisconsin way.”
Benson said along with the office’s launch, they plan to provide Sustainability Innovation in Research and Education grants, internships and a sustainability certificate program in the future.
Other programs introduced as a part of the office included an improved “Got Ideas” program and the Communities of Practice program. Benson said the office welcomes any innovative ideas from the campus community at the new website at www.sustainability.wisc.edu.
