UMN Office of Sustainability

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities has received a STARS® Gold rating! 🎉

The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS®) Gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education ( ) recognizes the long-term sustainability goals and performances for all higher education based on multiple categories. You can read more about how the University achieved this accomplishment at: z.umn.edu/STARS2026

⚡️ Ready to electrify your commute? Join us Wednesday, May 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lilly Plaza to explore EVs, electric bikes, scooters, and a hybrid campus bus at our All Electric Commuting Event & EV Test Drive. Plus, free ice cream while supplies last 🍦 Open to the UMN community!

Apply to become a Minnesota GreenCorps member! We are thrilled to announce we will be hosting a MN GreenCorps member starting in September and the application for members is now open! We are looking for a member who is interested in serving communities, addressing critical environmental issues, and developing green job skills. There are up to 58 positions statewide and the service term is September 2026 through August 2027. Learn more by visiting the link bio!

Meet Nicki May — instructional designer, sustainability committee member, and PhD candidate at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
Nicki grew up around rivers, lakes, and open land. That connection to nature taught her early: you can’t take from it forever. Later, as an ESL teacher, she saw that not everyone has the same access to education — or the same voice.
That’s when it all clicked. Education. Equity. Sustainability. They’re not separate issues.
Today, Nicki is working to make sustainability something that belongs to everyone — socially, environmentally, and economically. Not a finish line. A journey we keep taking together.
Nominate a Sustainability Hero – z.umn.edu/SustHeroForm
Learn more at – z.umn.edu/SustainabilityHeroes

Sustainability is central to the University of Minnesota’s land-grant mission, shaping how it plans campuses, manages resources, supports learning, and serves communities across Minnesota. From zero-waste events to hybrid electric buses, these actions help reduce emissions and support climate action. ♻️ z.umn.edu/baep

Register to check out and test drive hybrid and fully electric vehicles offered by UMN Fleet Services! 🔋Explore the future of sustainable transportation at the Fleet EV Test Drive and Car Show 🚌! Stop by Maroon Lot on Wednesday, April 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to check out electric vehicles available through University Fleet Services, learn more about EV options for departments that purchase or rent fleet vehicles, and experience select models firsthand through test drives. Whether you’re actively considering an EV for your department or simply curious about the latest fleet technology, this is a great opportunity to see what’s possible!

Refreshments will be provided and all attendees will have the chance to register and win a $50 VISA GIFT CARD!!!

More information at z.umn.edu/EVtest or the 🔗link in our bio🔗