UVM Office of Sustainability

Three years into the implementation of the University of Vermont's Comprehensive Sustainability Plan and we're excited to share some highlights from the last year with you:
🍔21.4% of UVM Dining's food purchases were local
🚍GMT bus service expanded to Market Street
⚡Big energy savings in Howe Library
🌷5,000sf of new pollinator friendly gardens installed
🪙New University Supplier & Vendor Code of Conduct
Check out our website to read the full annual report and scroll our new student-designed StoryMap that pinpoints progress across campus since the plan's launch!

UVM has launched its new strategic plan, an inspiring vision for collective impact rooted in our longstanding shared values. The significant campus and community participation in the plan's development shines through across its four pillars:

Forge Bold Futures: strengthening student connections, purpose, and impact
Study What Matters: focusing our learning, research, and practice on values that guide meaningful change
Create Opportunity: expanding access, engagement, and partnerships beyond campus borders
Enable Excellence: building the systems, spaces, and support that help our community thrive

This plan resonates with us and our work of bridging academics and operations to advance sustainability on campus. We're excited to contribute to this vision of UVM's bold future!

🔗 Explore the full plan: https://www.uvm.edu/president/strategicplan
🎥 Hear more from President Tromp: https://youtu.be/6hTIyXPK99E

92% of students and employees agree that sustainability is one of UVM's values! How do we know? This semester we partnered with the RSENR capstone service-learning course, Environmental Problem Solving and Impact Assessment, to measure sustainability literacy and culture within the campus community. This team of seniors brought fresh insights to shape survey questions, honed their excel skills to analyze the responses, and interpreted the results in a formal presentation for stakeholders. We'll also submit their work to AASHE as part our our 2026 STARS report. University of Vermont

We love seeing our alumni doing meaningful work after graduation so it was a real treat to reconnect with four Eco-Reps last week at the summit and learn how they continue to advance sustainability in their roles at and !

Over 30 employees attended last week's walking tour showcasing our programs and initiatives in waste reduction, food sourcing, sustainable transportation, green buildings, landscaping, clean energy and more. University of Vermont is a leader in sustainability and we look forward to sharing this work with our colleagues every year because so many employees are just as passionate about these topics as we are! Employees who missed it you can still register for one of the upcoming Campus Sustainability Series sessions through the link in our bio:
📊11/7 - Understanding the Comprehensive Sustainability Plan
♻️11/14 - Sustainable Practices from Purchasing to Disposal
🍃12/5 - Exploring Intercultural Environmentalism

Last week, our Planetary Health Intern joined the Wellness Fair, hosted by the Wellness Learning Community, to share more about the importance of feeling a sense of place and how that relates to planetary health. We loved engaging with attendees and testing your knowledge with our trivia wheel!🌎

🌿 Take a Walk with Us!
Join the Office of Sustainability for a Campus Sustainability Walking Tour on Oct. 29, 2–4 PM 🚶‍♀️🌞

Explore how sustainability comes to life at from food and waste reduction, to transportation, buildings, energy, and landscape. 🌎✨

This tour kicks off our annual Campus Sustainability Series, with additional virtual sessions on:
🗺️ UVM’s Comprehensive Sustainability Plan
🌍 Intercultural Environmentalism
♻️ Sustainable Purchasing and Zero Waste Practices

Attend them all for a Certificate of Completion — or sign up for individual sessions.

💚 Open to all faculty & staff — spread the word!
🔗 Register at the link in bio!

👷🏻⚡️Our Facilities Management team took a field trip to Middlebury College to see their Energy2028 plan in action. Inspired by their energy efficiency and conservation programs, we’re excited to bring back ideas that can advance our carbon neutrality by 2030 goal!💡🌍

Last week, HLTH/SEP 3990: Pathways to Planetary Health, taught by Professor Christine Vatovec, toured our Main District Energy Plant in partnership with the Office of Sustainability. Students learned about how this plant efficiently heats and cools most of campus through miles of underground steam lines and chilled water pipes. We talked about what other energy sources are used on campus and UVM’s commitment to reaching carbon neutrality by 2030. The class was asked to consider how various energy sources can affect planetary health, the link between human well-being and the health of natural systems. Students left with a greater appreciation for everything that goes on behind the scenes to keep campus comfortable. We were happy to be a part of this learning experience and welcome opportunities to help faculty use campus as a living laboratory. Reach out if you’d like to partner with us!

Today, the UVM Office of Sustainability and UVM Transportation and Parking Services celebrated the new Green Mountain Transit Service on Market Street. UVM's commitment to sustainable transportation options were critical in getting this new route established. Now, the UVM community has frequent and reliable service between campus and the residences, shopping, and restaurants on Market Street.