water
World Water Day

Did you know that March 22ndis World Water Day? Every year, the day is used to celebrate the water that sustains us and to recognize and raise awareness for the treatment of our natural water resources.

 

Fill It Forward, the program that Choose, reUse & WIN! functions through, is participating in World Water Day by giving back. From March 22ndto 29th, each scan through the Fill It Forward app will “double up,” giving two cups of clean water to those in need. Every cup given helps fund meaningful projects around the world. This is increasingly important as globally, 844 million people- 1 in 9- lack access to safe water. 

 

It is more important than ever that we recognize the urgency of improving the water quality for ourselves and for generations to come. 

 

How can you help?

-      Turn off the tap. Limit unnecessary water waste by turning off taps. This also reduces energy consumption and saves money on your water bill.

-      Make sure your trash ends up in the bin. Storm drains on campus run directly into the Mississippi. This means that whatever trash makes its way into the drain will end up in the river. Be sure to pick up litter! 

-      Avoid the use of harmful chemicals. Most of your cleaning can be done with simple soap and water first. By using these, we limit the amount of harmful chemicals ending up in our watersheds. 

-      Understand the importance of water systems. Sometimes, we forget the simplicity of our access to clean water. Try to remember that there is a finite amount of clean water that needs to stay clean for generations to come. 

All Sustainability News

Facilities Management’s Landcare team is the primary snow removal service provider for the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus, responsible for clearing nearly 100 miles of streets and walkways, and over 100 acres of parking surfaces. Learn more:

We're hiring a systemwide student communications assistant! Learn more or Apply now!

Join our speaker from the Great Plains Institute, Aaron Backs, to learn more about all things energy efficiency!

Register now!

The U.S. energy transition is arriving faster than you think. But the move toward solar is global: a recent study from Nature expects solar to be the cheapest source of electricity in almost all countries by 2027. Along with its arrival, clean energy prices are expected to become cheaper than fossil fuel options. 

Read more

Trees are showing their spectacular fall colors across Minnesota. This year, the changing leaves have come early due to the stresses of ongoing drought. Drought, flooding and higher temperatures associated with climate change are all factors prompting University of Minnesota experts to think about the future of our forests.

Extension Educator Angela Gupta answers questions about the future of MN forests Read More

A new variety of apple has been released by the University of Minnesota apple breeding program. Named Kudos, this new apple will be available to the public in coming years. 

Read more about the new Kudos apple here

Join our speakers from Drive Electric MN, Alejandro Nakpil and Moaz Uddin, to talk about the benefits of EVs, the current market, and climate impacts. Learn more and Register!

The Office of Sustainability's Living Laboratory program is BACK! Living Labs seek to transform otherwise unused space on campus into opportunities to learn, research, and innovate sustainability on campus. Applications are now open to students, staff, and faculty. Learn more and apply here.

U-Spatial has awarded prizes in nine categories, including a Grand Prize of $1000 to Andrew Hallberg's StoryMap, "Stop the Thud!".

A graduate student in Conservation Sciences, Andrew has created an interactive map tracking bird-building collisions at the UMN Twin Cities campus through "Stop the Thud!", a citizen science based recording system.

Check out Andrew's story map for more information and data and look for Stop the Thud! signs around campus to help continue this project!

Employee U Cards are now Employee Transit Passes (ETPs)! All Twin Cities benefits-eligible faculty and staff will receive unlimited access to all transit systems in the Twin Cities metro area! 

Learn more