UVA Sustainability

Congratulations to UVA Health University Medical Center and the Sustainable Healthcare Operations Team on winning not one, but two environmental awards from Practice Greenhealth, the leading industry organization for sustainable healthcare. The Practice Greenhealth 2026 Circle of Excellence Award in Green Building recognizes the Medical Center as a top ten healthcare facility among 1,700+ hospitals in the United States! They also received a 2026 Greenhealth Champion Award.

This work represents consistent and tireless efforts on the part of many staff members and clinicians, and aligns with UVA Health's mission to provide exceptional patient care while efficiently stewarding resources like energy, water and materials.

Read more at https://ow.ly/oA8750ZaxvI

Students: summer is a great time to give back to your community. Pair a summer job with volunteering by selecting one of these student volunteer opportunities listed on the UVA Public Pathways program website. https://ow.ly/o2P750Z6qzj

🌱 Student Garden Summer Workdays are back! Join us every Wednesday from 4:30–5:30 p.m. EST at the corner of McCormick and Alderman Roads. All ages and experience levels are welcome, whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just getting started. Volunteers can expect to help with watering, weeding, harvesting, and other fun garden tasks 🌿 Please note that participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. And a friendly reminder: volunteers get first dibs on fresh produce! 🍅

May was a big month for the sustainability team 🌎♻️ From lacrosse games to move-out season to gown collections, there were a lot of moving parts - and some strong sustainability wins across the board! A big thank you to the students, staff, faculty, and community members who helped make these programs happen.

Check out a few of the highlights and stats from the month 👏🧡💙

🎓 Grads, give your gown a second life! 🎓

We’re collecting gently used graduation attire to pass along to local high school graduates. Since Charlottesville High School’s graduation takes place this Wednesday, we’re working on a quick turnaround!

✅ Gowns donated by Monday at 4 PM will be delivered to CHS.
♻️ Gowns donated between Monday evening and Wednesday morning will be sent back to Oak Hall for recycling (thank you, , for coordinating!).

After your ceremonies, drop your cap and gown in collection bins at the Shannon Library lobby, Clark Hall patio, JPJ Arena patio, or AFC lobby.

Wahoowa, and congratulations, grads! 🧡💙

A big congratulations and thank you to our fourth year sustainability student employees who are graduating this weekend! You rocked it: making meaningful contributions to advance sustainability at UVA, building your leadership skills, and inspiring your peer network to get involved. We have no doubt you will bring this ethos of care and stewardship to your next career step!

Gauri Arora
Duha Aykan
Abigail Corish
Gavin Crigger
Delilah DeMark
Charlotte Flynn
Anika Gupta
Diya Gupta
Kyle Hagerstrom
Phoebe Hall
Stephen Hotchkin
Abigail McHoul
Olivia Park
Jordan Perez
Isabella Ricci
Matthew Rusten
Anuti Shah

In this week’s Faces of Sustainability, you’ll meet Lois Stanley, an inspiring member of our UVA community.

Lois serves as UVA's Senior Vice President for Operations, reporting to the EVP and Chief Operating Officer. Get inspired by her story here: https://ow.ly/5y3t50YVGI8

In this week’s Faces of Sustainability, you’ll meet Anika Rekulapelli, Anthony Bruce, and Kara McClurken -- three inspiring members of our UVA community.

Help us in recognizing their contribution toward advancing sustainability here at UVA.

Anika is a third-year undergraduate majoring in Systems Engineering and Economics and a Sustainability Student Employee on the Waste Minimization team. Anthony is a lab specialist in Biomedical Engineering, and he manages the laboratory of Dr. Shayn Peirce-Cottler. Kara is the director of preservation for the UVA Library. Get inspired by their stories: https://ow.ly/TMo450YQBNW