Green Your Dorm 2023 was a hit -- over 240 students joined us in UVA's Student Garden to learn more about sustainability engagement, equity, food, and waste.
On Friday, August 25th, over 200 students made their way to the Student Garden for the second annual “Green Your Dorm” event, where they were greeted with several tables from the Office for Sustainability (OFS), the Recycling team, and Green Dining. The event – which was designed for First Years – was a chance to learn more about UVA Sustainability and the ten 2030 Sustainability Plan Goals. Students and community members made their way to 5 tables where they heard about topics like waste management, UVA’s ROSE (Reusable Office Exchange Program) , sustainable dining practices, and outreach opportunities.
Each table aligned with one of UVA’s Sustainability goals. Students started at the Research, Learning, and Teaching table where they had the opportunity to learn about courses related to sustainability. Then they stopped by the Equity and Accountability table – run by OFS’s new Equity and Environment team –to discuss intersectional topics on Grounds like transportation and food access .
Students also had the chance to learn about UVA’s waste reduction goals through the new Waste Directory, a helpful online tool for students, faculty, and staff who might not know if something is recyclable or not. They also got exposure to UVA’s ROSE program and ReUse store, which are helpful and often underutilized resources for both faculty, staff and students. The event included optional tours of those facilities, where a few students left having purchased or signed out office supplies and dinner ware!
Staff from Green Dining chatted with students about the ways that UVA Dine is bringing sustainable food purchases to UVA, as well as ways that students can make a difference, like using reusable to-go containers.
Students who made it through all the tables earned a free succulent at the end. During the 2 hour event, 242 students came through, making this year’s kickoff event a huge success! Stay tuned for more Green Your Dorm events happening throughout the semester.