UMW Sustainability

10/01/2026

Happening now !!

10/01/2026

Come join us for the annual UMW 🌳Tree 🌲 Festival at Ball Circle!

09/28/2026

🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁 It's that time of year! 🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁

5 Benefits of using fallen leaves in your home garden instead of raking and bagging or burning them.
https://blog.nwf.org/2026/08/5-benefits-of-using-fallen-leaves-in-your-garden/
NWF International UMW Sustainability

Here are five reasons you may want to leave the leaves in your yard this fall!

09/25/2026

Do you know our climate goals?

09/25/2026

🌳 Only 5 days until the UMW Tree Festival!

Join us for an afternoon celebrating trees, community, and sustainability.

📅 October 1
⏰ 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
📍 Ball Circle

Enjoy tree climbing with Bartlett Tree Experts, photos with Smokey Bear, community-partner exhibits, educational displays, crafts, and interactive activities.

Bring your friends and come celebrate People • Planet • Purpose with us! 🌿

09/25/2026

Does your family--including extended family--have at least 2 members who've previously attended or are currently attending Mary Wash? If so, that means you are a Generations Family, and we'd love to celebrate you during Family Weekend!

Join us on Saturday, October 3 from 9 - 10:30 a.m. for Generations Breakfast Bites, a casual, drop-in breakfast on the Linden Terrace in the CRUC. You'll enjoy good food as you get to know other Generations families--and we have a special gift for you, too!

We'll also be doing complimentary family portraits at the Fountain in front of Monroe Hall from 10:30 - 11:45 a.m. All families--not just Generations ones--are welcome to get a photo taken.

To register for the Generations breakfast, click here:
https://umw.imodules.com/gen26

09/16/2026

Have you ever wondered about the benefits of applying compost?

Compost is much more than just recycled food scraps and yard waste. It is a powerful tool that helps build healthier soils, cleaner waterways, and a more resilient environment.

✅ Improves soil fertility and increases organic matter
✅ Reduces soil compaction and enhances water retention
✅ Supports beneficial soil organisms and healthier plant growth
✅ Reduces stormwater runoff and improves groundwater recharge
✅ Helps prevent soil erosion and boosts crop and landscape productivity
✅ Increases carbon sequestration and reduces greenhouse gas emissions when food waste is composted instead of landfilled

In fact, composting food waste and applying it to land can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 78% compared to landfilling, while also storing more carbon in the soil.

Whether you're gardening at home, managing landscapes, or supporting sustainable community practices, applying compost is a simple step that creates lasting environmental benefits.

Healthy soil. Clean water. Climate resilience. Compost makes a difference.

09/14/2026

UMW's Trees Make a Difference
As a designated Tree Campus, the University of Mary Washington is committed to preserving and growing the trees that make our campus beautiful, resilient, and sustainable.

Our campus trees help reduce summer heat, improve air quality, manage stormwater, store carbon, support wildlife, and create welcoming spaces for learning and community. These efforts contribute to UMW's strong sustainability leadership, recently recognized by inclusion in The Princeton Review's 2026 Guide to Green Colleges, which highlights institutions demonstrating exceptional environmental responsibility.

Every tree contributes to a healthier campus and a more sustainable future.

📖 Read more about UMW's latest sustainability recognition: https://eagleeye.umw.edu/2025/12/03/umw-gets-a-green-thumbs-up-from-the-princeton-review/

08/27/2026

🌳 FROM CAMPUS TREES TO CAMPUS TABLES 🪵
Ever wonder what happens when a campus tree needs to be removed? Come see the last of the trees from the UMW Theater construction project milled to be repurposed into something new!
Join UMW Facilities Operations and Virginia Department of Forestry for a live wood milling demonstration and discover how salvaged campus trees can become beautiful, useful lumber—and ultimately, campus furniture!

Come watch the mill in action, learn about urban forestry and sustainable stewardship and see how a UMW tree can take its first step in become a campus table. All are welcome!
treecampushighereducation

07/02/2026

🌡️ Extreme Heat Is More Than Just Uncomfortable It's a Growing Public Health Challenge

As temperatures continue to rise across the globe, extreme heat is becoming one of the most significant climate-related risks affecting our communities. It's changing how we work, travel, learn, and live.

Communities around the world are already adapting:
🌳 Planting more trees to increase shade
🏢 Installing cool roofs and reflective surfaces
💧 Expanding access to public drinking water stations and cooling centers
🏘️ Designing cities with more green spaces to reduce the urban heat island effect
🚶 Adjusting work and commuting schedules to avoid the hottest parts of the day.

While these strategies help us adapt, reducing greenhouse gas emissions remains essential to limiting future warming. At the same time, investing in resilient communities today protects public health, improves quality of life, and strengthens our ability to withstand a changing climate.
How can you stay safe during extreme heat?
✅ Stay hydrated.
✅ Limit outdoor activities during peak afternoon temperatures.
✅ Wear light-colored, breathable clothing.
✅ Check on older adults, young children, neighbors, and others who may be more vulnerable.
✅ Seek shade or air-conditioned spaces whenever possible.

Every action—whether planting a tree, conserving energy, or checking on a neighbor—helps build a more climate-resilient community.

💬 What are some ways you stay cool during periods of extreme heat? Share your tips in the comments!