UMB Sustainability March Newsletter

UMB Sustainability

Nurturing our elm for years to come

News and Upcoming Events

Save the Date for Earth Month: April 2023

April is right around the corner, and so is our Earth Month programming! Be on the lookout for more information about the month's events, but here's a sneak peek:

All Month: Specialty Recycling Collections

All Month: Declutter Challenge

All Month: Collaborations with the Community Engagement Center

April 12: Campus Cleanup (see below)

April 24: Food Justice Panel hosted by the Intercultural Center

Starting April 24: 30-Day Nature Challenge with Launch Your Life

WHEN: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 from

10am - 2pm (volunteer for one or more 1-hour shifts)

WHERE: Meet at the HSFIII Main Entrance (670 W Baltimore St)

Celebrate Earth Month by joining us for a trash cleanup of campus to #KeepUMBBeautiful!

Sustainability-Focused Living Green Wall Takes Root at UMSON

On any given day at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), students can be found studying, collaborating, and, quite simply, just taking a breather in front of UMSON’s new living green wall, the two-story focal point of the Virginia Lee Franklin Lounge.

Point-of-Use Cart Program Ending March 1

EVS's Point-of-Use Cleaning Cart program will come to an end March 1. Requests for custodial services can be made through the Facilities Work Request Portal. In alignment with our core values set of Well-Being and Sustainability, these carts will be collected and donated to Baltimore City schools.

Read more in The Elm.

Monthly Green Tip

Our March green tip is all about water conservation measures in honor of World Water Day, which is celebrated annually on March 22.

Download the Green Tip graphic by visiting our website.

Get Involved in Baltimore

Baltimore City Department of Public Works

February 22, 2023 - April 24, 2023

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) is updating the city's 10-Year Solid Waste Management Plan and is inviting residents and community stakeholders to provide feedback as the plan is developed. DPW is encouraging residents, people who work in Baltimore, environmental advocates, business and education leaders, and all other stakeholders to be involved in the development of the plan by attending public meetings or submitting comments for discussion. Learn more about the plan, submit comments, and register for meetings here.

Baltimore City Office of Sustainability

March 7, 18, and 22, 2023

In March, Baltimore City's Office of Sustainability will host three virtual workshops to discuss community visions for moving climate action forward in Baltimore as part of the city's Climate Action Plan Update. Each of the three workshops will be run via the same format. Visit Baltimore City's Office of Sustainability's EventBrite page to register by clicking on one of the following dates/times that is most convenient for you:

Resources

Specialty Re cycling Collections

Curious how you can properly dispose of various specialty materials on UMB's campus? Visit the Specialty Recycling Collections page to get the lowdown on how to recycle batteries, electronics, ink cartridges, and more.

Sustainability Term of the Month

Environmental Product Declaration (EPD): a comprehensive report created by a product manufacturer that documents the ways in which a product, throughout its lifecycle, affects the environment.

EPDs are very common within the construction industry, as they make it possible to compare the impacts of different materials and products in order to select the most sustainable option. Learn more about EPDs here.

Join a Sustainability Working Group

Looking for a way to get more involved with sustainability at UMB? Join one of our four sustainability working groups! Working groups are open to students, staff, and faculty. Working group meetings are held once every two months for a total of six meetings each year. Meetings last one hour, and some work outside of bimonthly meetings will be required.

If you are interested in joining any of the four working groups (Reduction, Resiliency, Engagement & Education, and Green Labs), please fill out this form. For a brief summary of each working group, visit this page.