Office for Sustainability

UVA joins 90+ organizations and companies across America as part of the Department of Energy’s first cohort of partners in the national Better Climate Challenge, which calls for bold carbon emissions cuts to tackle the climate crisis.

In 2022, we look forward to celebrating the Earth April 1-22 with an expanded “Earth Day Every Day” Celebration! We invite individuals and groups to participate. Let’s show our friends, families, co-workers, classmates, and neighbors how much our community cares about this beautiful Earth that we all share.

The Sustainability Advocates, Eco-leaders, and Zero Waste Ambassadors work directly with the UVA Office for Sustainability to foster leadership opportunities for students interested in the environment and sustainability on Grounds and beyond. Read more about their adaptability and creativity, and how they completed their spring projects, given the COVID-19 restrictions.

It’s also important to highlight the young people who are at the forefront of this work, demanding action and inspiring others to get involved. This article highlights a group of four undergraduate students that are leading the charge at UVA, seeking to make our sustainability spaces more safe, equitable, and dynamic. Three students formed and lead the Environmental Justice Collective at UVA. Another is an Eco-Leader on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Subcommittee. 

In previous years, the student-athlete run group focused on waste minimization efforts, but considering recent events, the Green Athletics group has prioritized tackling topics of intersectional sustainability, which advocate for both the protection of people and the planet. Read more for a detailed recap of the year!

Across Grounds, faculty and staff have committed to making UVA more sustainable. Several offices and departments have sought to incorporate sustainability into the work setting through the Green Workplace Program, including the International Studies Office (ISO). Read more about ISO's commitment to UVA's sustainability efforts!

The Green Labs program, started in 2016, helped focus and lead efforts to assess and improve lab sustainability at UVA. The subsequent success and expansion of the program has created new opportunities for students to contribute to Green Labs initiatives around Grounds, including positions for two Green Lab interns. Read more to hear about how Dakota and Pumoli have helped transform the Green Labs program.

UVA’s Hoos ReUse program provides students an opportunity to donate gently-used or unwanted items to various community organizations in hopes of minimizing the amount of waste sent to the landfill. Hoos Reuse will still take place this year but will look differently given the ongoing COVID-19 situation. While waste minimization is certainly important, the health and safety of our community takes top priority during this year’s campaign. If you choose to donate, please be sure to practice social distancing and review best practices listed by the Center for Disease Control.