Carlie LaughlinSix successful sustainability projects (WholeSum included!) led by University faculty and staff were selected to present at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE’s) virtual Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education!
With a theme of “The future is …”, this year’s Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education reflects the uncertainty about the future that many feel and invites participants to recommit themselves to the urgent work of building a future that is sustainable, equitable, and resilient.
Congratulations to the following presenters!
Joanna Ashford
Athletics, Activism & Action: Partnering to Creatively Communicate Sustainability.
Utilizing partnerships on campus, UK Recycling, UK Sustainability and UK Center for Applied Energy Research created a new way to engage campus – WholeSum- a blog that encourages authentic conversations around all aspects of sustainability.
Sandra Broadus
Where We’re Going, We Don’t Need Roads
The future of transportation is not going to be found in a parking lot. This session explores the bold steps UK is taking to make our campus more inviting for multimodal transportation and safer for a future that is focused on pedestrians first.
Allison Eades
Engaging Your Community and Celebrating Urban and Community Trees
The UFI team created a “How to Host a Tree Week” guide for communities interested in starting their own Tree Week. This session will delve into the contents of the “How to Host a Tree Week” guide, using past Tree Weeks as a model.
Kendra OoNorasak
Food Waste and Food Insecurity: A Multidimensional Approach with Three Pillars of Sustainability
This session introduces Campus Kitchen’s student-powered model that higher education can modify and replicate to advance sustainable food systems and food security.
Clay Turner
Using the Pursuit of Equitable Tree Canopy to Combat Effects of Redlining in Lexington, Kentucky
Learn more about the relationship between the historical practice of redlining and lack of tree canopy – and the consequences that those living in formerly redlined areas still face. This session will discuss how UK’s Urban Forestry Initiative worked with community leaders to collect additional data on this relationship, with the hope that this will lead to the development and eventual implementation of thoughtful, practical recommendations for enhancing the city’s tree canopy in the future in an environmentally just way.
Nicolas Williamson
TreeCATs (Collegiate Arborist Trainings): A Model for Campus Tree Engagement
The TreeCATs workshops promote knowledge, insights, skills, and engagement for college students. The audience will learn more about the value of urban and community forestry on a college campus, and how the trees around us are a bridge to a great deal of environmental and human sustainability efforts.
Because of UK’s status as a host institution, all students, faculty, and staff will be able to register to attend the conference for free from October 12-14th, plus receive access to eighty days of on-demand content.
The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE’s) virtual Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education is the largest stage to exchange effective models, policies, research, collaborations and transformative actions that advance sustainability in higher education and surrounding communities.
Find out how to register to attend AASHE’s conference for FREE!
These projects definitely suit the theme of this year’s conference! I especially appreciate the links between the projects and tangible changes we can make in campus life, such as catering to multimodal transportation and managing vegetation at UK.