|
|
Annual Tree Planting Event Approaching
|
|
 The Kentucky Writers and Artists for Reforestation, in partnership with various state and community groups, will host their annual tree planting at Rockcastle Wildlife Management Area on Saturday, April 7th at 10am. Download flyer here.
|
|
|
|
UK Named One of Top 25 Schools for LGBTQ* Students
|
|
The university received five out of five stars from the Campus Pride Index, a national benchmarking tool for colleges and universities which self-assesses LGBTQ*-friendly policies, programs and practices, conducted by and for LGBTQ* experts in the field of higher education. Learn more here.
|
|
|
|
UK Food Connection is Offering Student Grants
|
|
The Food Connection are seeking proposals related to the study of regional food systems from any program at the University of Kentucky. You can find more information on the grant process and past projects on their website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Personalized Commute Planning Available
|
|
|
**Originally printed in UKNow
We see the true power of partnership in our collaborative relationship with the city of Lexington; in our public-private partnerships that helped us construct state-of-the-art residential, dining, learning and research spaces; and in our progress toward a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly campus.
Aligning with the goals set forth in the UK Transportation Master Plan (TMP), the University’s suite of mobility alternatives not only expands the number of options aimed at improving access to, from, and around campus, but also benefits the campus, community, and environment.
- UK Transportation Services this year launched a pilot “cash out” incentive program for employees who choose to forgo bringing a motor vehicle to campus for one year. The program will give up to 200 qualified employees each up to $200 over a one-year period, that will be divided evenly on each paycheck during that time period.
- UK Transportation Services developed a partnership with Zipcar to provide a new, quick and convenient transportation opportunity. Zipcar provides an option for anyone who only needs a vehicle occasionally. The cars are easily accessible, as they are positioned near campus bus stops in the Woodland Avenue Lot and on Martin Luther King Boulevard.
- UK Transportation Services implemented a pilot bicycle voucher program aimed at encouraging students and employees to consider alternatives to driving a vehicle to campus. The bicycle voucher program gives up to 100 qualified students and employees each four $100 vouchers to spend at participating local bicycle shops.
- In 2015, UK and Lextran formed the BluPass program, a partnership which allows all UK students, faculty and staff to ride any Lextran bus route free of charge when they show their Wildcard ID. In 2016, the BluPass program reached a landmark of 1.1 million rides. In 2017, ridership nearly doubled; As of this past January, the BluPass program has provided more than 2.1 million rides in Lexington. The partnership has been so successful, we renewed it through June of 2019.
And, in a recent campus-wide survey about commuting habits, 30.7 percent of respondents indicated that they have considered switching to an alternative mode of transportation.
To help students and employees more easily navigate the wide variety of transportation modes available, Transportation Services is now offering free personalized commute planning assistance. This initiative showcases our commitment to the UK family—continuous improvement and innovative thinking to serve the campus’ mobility needs and to promote sustainability.
Visit www.uky.edu/transportation/commuteplanning to sign up for personalized commute planning assistance.
When signing up for commute planning assistance, students and employees will be able to indicate which alternative transportation modes they would like to try, as well as their desired starting and ending points.
Participating students and employees may choose to receive commute planning feedback via email, phone or at an in-person meeting, and may also opt to have a student transportation ambassador accompany them on a trial run of their planned route.
|
|
See Blue, Recycle Blue, Meet Joanna!
|
|
|

Joanna Ashford is the new Recycling Coordinator and she is ready to take on waste at the University. Joanna graduated from Campbellsville University with a Biology degree, initially aspiring to become a veterinarian. She quickly changed her mind after being introduced to the environmental sciences.
While completing her degree she had the opportunity to intern for the Fish & Wildlife Service, Natural Resource Conservations Services (NRCS) and Clay Hill Memorial Forest. She also spent two wonderful summers working as a tour guide for Mammoth Cave National Park. That wide portfolio landed her a job at Bluegrass Greensource (BGGS) after graduation. At BGGS, Joanna worked on the LiveGreenLexington Program implementing waste reduction, water conservation and energy efficient programs with businesses and apartment complexes in Lexington. This role allowed her to meet many business managers and understand how each of them handled waste and recycling.
After three years and many great friends, Joanna moved her career to the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Division of Waste Management (DWM), where she spent her days learning regulations, permitting landfills and traveling all over the state inspecting waste sites. This job gave her a new perspective on waste and the need to view our landfill waste as a resource. While working at DWM Joanna received her Professional Environmental Education Certification and felt it was time to move to a position that allowed her to spend more time on education and outreach. In 2015, Joanna took the position of Green River Basin Coordinator with the Division of Water and spent her time educating communities about water quality and nonpoint source pollution.
This range of experience has given Joanna the background needed to take on the ambition waste reduction goals set by UK Recycling. With the Sustainability Strategic Plan so close to completion, it is a fun and exciting time to be involved in sustainability efforts on campus. From sustainability committees in Athletics and Healthcare to student living and engagement, each area of campus has unique needs and vast opportunities to improve. Joanna is excited to meet everyone and assist you with your recycling and waste reduction needs!
|
|
Opportunities & Resources:
|
|
|
- The Urban Forest Initiative is hosting a screening of "Felled", a movie on reclaiming fallen urban trees tonight (3/7) at 6pm in the Henry Clay High School Auditorium.
- The call for applications for the 2018-2019 Sustainability Internship Program will be posted following Spring Break. Keep an eye out on the UK Sustainability website to apply.
|
|
**If you have a story that you want included in Sustainability eNews, please email lauren.f.thomas@uky.edu
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|