Did you know that UO’s Center for Electrochemistry is doing leading edge research to support the end of environmental pollution in industry? Did you know that the TallWood Design Institute brings together foresters, engineers, and designers from OSU and UO to decarbonize the buildings of the near-future? Did you know the Center for Environmental Futures fosters cross-disciplinary art, research, learning, and more to integrate the “human” with the “environmental”? Did you know the Student Sustainability Center is overflowing with awesome ways to make a difference and get involved as a student? (No, really. Check it out below.) Did you know the UO Surplus program diverts thousands of tons of furniture away from landfills each year and the Energy Analysis team in the Office of Sustainability has found ways to save the university tens of thousands of dollars and lower energy usage across campus?  

Did you know...? Did you know...? Did you know...? Fall is the perfect time to learn about the scores of projects, programs, and people at UO working to conserve natural resources, design green technologies, plan healthy communities, and shape a thriving future for everyone. From lab leaders saying “yes” to the new Sustainable Labs program (more information below) to UO administration embedding environmental resilience into Oregon Rising goals to frontline office staff choosing to purchase recycled paper and reuse desks, our UO community is making a difference.  

 

“When you are reluctant to change, think of the beauty of autumn.”

-V V Brown

 

The Get Inspired section features an interview or profile with a UO staff, faculty, student, or alum making a difference on campus and beyond.

Q: How long have you worked at UO and what’s your favorite thing about working here?

I’ve been on campus since I started grad school in 2010. I truly believe that campuses, classrooms, and any other space where students and faculty get together are sacred spaces. I don’t think we should ever take for granted that we work at a place devoted to coming together, creating new knowledge, and supporting students as they form and reform understandings of how the world works.

Q: At a high level, what does Student Sustainability Center do and then what do you focus on specifically?

The SSC helps students find their purpose and passion by connecting them to sustainability initiatives in and around campus. We have student workers who operate a number of different programs ranging from a garden, food equity, climate anxiety, habitat restoration, and waste reduction and supporting reusables. That spans work inside the EMU and beyond: like the Grove Garden, the ROSE (Reusable Office Supply Exchange) room, and in the WRNA and Hendricks Park. Students can get involved through one-off events, through recurring programs, and/or by accessing our services (like borrowing I-Clickers and graduation gowns).

 

Q Environmentally focused work, particularly at a large, complex institution like the UO, can be both slow and complicated, navigating multiple constraints (and personalities). What keeps you motivated?

Students make a choice to be here, and they don’t have to be involved in an extra-curricular program like ours. So, every student that comes to us and wants to get involved is doing so because they believe they can make a difference and they want to try. Being able to be a platform for them to do so is very motivating.

Q: What’s one attainable dream you have for The Student Sustainability Center at the university?

I’d like the SSC to be able to have an opportunity for every student that comes to us wanting to get involved. That requires a range of programs offered at a range of commitment levels.

Q: Okay, enough about work. What’s a fun fact (or two or three) about you?

I think full albums are important to listen to and to own (especially in the streaming era), I was an extra in a (generally terrible) Bollywood movie called “Mr. White Mr. Black,” and despite growing up in Southern California, I didn’t start surfing until I moved to Oregon.

 

University of Oregon labs are busy contributing to the world's knowledge, generating invaluable breakthroughs and innovations, and training post-docs, graduate students, and undergraduates to be top-notch researchers. And even still, the people working in our labs care about our planet and its people.  

The Sustainable Labs program is designed in-house with busy UO research teams in mind. Each badge is focused and straightforward. You choose which badges to earn, when, and in which order. There are even a series of “level-2” badges for labs who want to take sustainability efforts further (and gain the bragging rights that go with it). The molecule-style design of awarded badges allows your lab to create and showcase how you've chosen to engage with the program. 

UO lab spaces are resource-intensive, consuming 2-3 times more energy than typical offices and generating unique kinds of waste that are not collected through typical recycling streams. The Sustainable Labs program seeks to increase sustainable practices in UO labs while maintaining research integrity as a tier-1 research institution. Through the program labs can increase recycling, better manage hazardous materials, reduce energy and water consumption, build a vibrant lab culture, and even save money. The program is a collaboration between the Office of Sustainability and Environmental Health and Safety.  

Surplus, Where the merch is hot and the puns are 🔥! 

Follow UO Surplus on Instagram to learn about cool items in our Q Street store in Springfield or anytime you need a laugh. Program lead Cimmeron Gillespie will be sure to make you snort, groan, giggle, and say, “Hmm, maybe I do need a place to file my parking ticket receipts.” @uo_surplus 

 

The City of Eugene, UO Craft Center, Outdoor Program and Student Sustainability Center are collaborating to host a Fix-It Fair on November 6th from 3:30-6:30pm in the EMU Plaza (near the O desk!). Bring your broken bikes, textiles, and small furniture to either get them fixed or learn how to fix it yourself! This event is open and free to all! 

In a big step toward campus sustainability, the university has received reimbursement funding from Eugene Water & Electric Board's (EWEB) Commercial Lighting Rebate Program.

Madeline Jonas-Lowery, Energy Program Specialist in the Sustainability office, emphasized the collaborative nature of the initiative. “The LED incentives process started in the summer of 2023 when student workers inventoried all lighting on campus, which provided the foundation of the lighting survey used to track changes," she said. "The Location Innovation Lab and Campus GIS & Mapping Program created an app for the electrical department to use to input the lights they switched out with LED's. FASS IT then created a report based on this data that the Sustainability Office has used to provide EWEB with the data. UO Stores also contributed reports on the invoices the electrical department bought lamps with, and the lamp purchases from vendors. We put all of this together in a report for EWEB, which required the building and room number of each lamp replacement, previous lamp Watts, LED Watts, costs of the lamps, and hours of operation.”

This initiative not only supports the university’s climate goals but also showcases the power of cross-departmental collaboration in driving impactful change. From June 2024 to July 2025, the university installed 7,477 LED fixtures, resulting in an estimated 500,000 kWh in energy savings. The majority of replacements were LED T8 tubes, which are energy-efficient, long-lasting substitutes for traditional fluorescent T8 tubes.

Madeline noted, "The total incentive from the lighting rebates program was $21,186. As LEDs are now the required replacements, campus will continue to see an increase in LEDs installed as the electrical department switches out lights daily." 

Looking for simple ways to reduce single use-waste? Thanks to a new Oregon law, you can now bring your own reusable containers to food carts, restaurants, and related. 

Oregon eateries can accept personal containers while still complying with Oregon Health Authority guidelines, as long as a few basic rules are followed. Here’s what to know.

Customer Guidelines for Reusable Containers:

-Containers must be visibly clean and designed for reuse.

-They should be durable enough to safely hold food or beverages.

-Both customers and employees must fill containers using sanitary, contamination-free methods.

NOTE: the image shows a similar police-rated Chevy Blazer EV, but not one of the two to be delivered to UOPD.

The University of Oregon Police Department (UOPD) is taking a major step toward sustainability with the addition of two new electric patrol vehicles.  The initiative aligns with the university’s forthcoming Climate Action Plan 3.0.

As part of its plan to replace three aging cars, UOPD worked closely with the UO Sustainability Office to evaluate electric vehicle options. Chief Jason Wade supported the move, noting the department’s commitment to efficiency and environmental responsibility. “We know the campus community values our commitment to sustainability, but we also have to ensure that any new vehicles meet the operational demands of public safety,” said Chief Wade.

Captain Don Morris oversaw the review and coordination process in collaboration with campus partners and law enforcement peers. The assessment confirmed that, with proper infrastructure and planning, electric vehicles can meet the operational demands of the University of Oregon Police Department’s 24/7 environment.

UOPD ordered two police-rated Chevy Blazer EVs in September. Once upfitted with standard law enforcement equipment, they will enter service on campus. “We’re excited to integrate these vehicles into our fleet,” said Chief Wade. “This is an important step toward a more sustainable and cost-effective approach to campus safety.”

We want to hear from you! If you commute to the University of Oregon, please take a few minutes to complete the 2025 UO Commute Survey: 

Take the Survey

Your feedback helps us improve campus transportation options and if you complete the survey by the end of the day on November 16, 2025, and you'll be entered to win a Duck Store gift card. It only takes about 10 minutes!

Thanks for helping us keep campus moving!

Looking for a reason to get a new, energy-efficient, low-carbon pollution heat pump this year?

In June 2025, the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) launched the Heat Pump Purchase Program with $12 million in incentives for heat pump installations in owner-occupied homes, rental homes, and new construction.

The program was extremely popular and over 3,000 incentives were approved in just a few months. Instead of waiting until 2027 as originally planned, ODOE will release all remaining funds, an additional $12 million, on November 3, 2025.  Applications that were previously denied due to lack of funds can be resubmitted if they meet the program’s requirements and if the installation occurred after June 17, 2025.

The program will provide up to $2,000 per installation in owner-occupied homes, rental homes, and homes under construction paid to approved contractors, who pass the savings to customers.

The heat pump program is part of Oregon’s broader climate initiative, the Climate Equity and Resilience Through Action program, funded by a $197 million federal grant, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To learn more and apply to the program, visit  ODOE’s website. The agency also continues to recruit contractors statewide to participate in the program. Interested contractors can register online. 

Many artists seek to connect, on some level, with their audiences. But for nontraditional student Anthony Michael Ryder, connection isn’t just the goal of his art. It’s what drives him in life.

Ryder is one of five student artists in Flourishing by Art, a new art initiative that supports the university’s strategic goal of helping everyone at the UO to flourish. Under the joint project of Housing Capital Construction and the Associated Students of the University of Oregon, Ryder and the other artists recently completed [three murals] and a sculpture for three residence halls.

Still We Rise: Intergenerational Leadership for a Sustainable Future

Get excited for the Washington Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference, March 2-4, 2026 at University of Washington!  

Register to join us at University of Washington in Seattle, WA March 2-4, 2026 at wohesc.org/register.

Don’t miss our 2026 Author’s Plenary - a powerful conversation on how fiction and history invite us to repair past harms, awaken fresh perspectives, and use memory and imagination as blueprints for a more just, sustainable future.

The Office of Sustainability offers monthly walking tours of sustainability features and practices at the Eugene campus. Tours take place on the first Monday of each month, and attendees can learn about work being done with infrastructure, academic programs and student groups, among other topics. The next tour will be December 1. 

Every Tuesday, find free produce, bread, and toilet paper at the EMU! Produce drops happen from 2:45-5pm (or until produce is gone) in the EMU Ampitheater.  Please bring your UO ID and a reusable shopping bag! 

 

 

Ariyana, student recycling educator, and other Sustainability students and staff connected with nearly 1000 people to discuss recycling and waste reduction at Fall Street Faire! The team shared information about recycling and waste reduction on campus, including info about new materials accepted through the Recycling Modernization Act (RMA).

Have a UO or Eugene/Springfield-related delight or a story idea to share? Send to sstoeckl@uoregon.edu.