10.20
Sustainability
‘The climate girl’ at Penn
‘The climate girl’ at Penn
In a Q&A with Xiye Bastida, the second year describes how she’s bringing climate activism to her college experience, how her Indigenous background influences her path, and why storytelling and protecting Earth go hand in hand.
Learn, reflect, and act during Climate Week
Learn, reflect, and act during Climate Week
Climate Week at Penn, sponsored by the Provost’s Office, offers a variety of events—both in-person and online—that invite the whole University community to learn about, reflect on, and address the climate crisis.
New ways to reduce waste on campus
New ways to reduce waste on campus
Reusable food containers, a new program to recycle flexible plastics, and mask and glove recycling are among the ways that Penn is helping members of the community keep the environment in mind this year.
Connecting students with Indigenous leaders
Connecting students with Indigenous leaders
People of the Land, a new Penn Global seminar taught by political science Professor Tulia Falleti, enables students to learn from Indigenous community members in South America.
The stories trees tell
The stories trees tell
In a photo essay, Penn Today highlights some of campus’s most iconic trees.
Penn group wins EPA Campus RainWorks Challenge
Penn group wins EPA Campus RainWorks Challenge
The student-led project will reimagine the campus of West Philadelphia’s Andrew Hamilton School, including vegetable gardens, a food forest, and other green stormwater-management tools.
A ‘human-focused approach’ to sustainability
A ‘human-focused approach’ to sustainability
Sustainability Director Nina Morris, who started at Penn in October, aims to build on the University’s strengths in creating a more sustainable campus and community.
2020 Green Purchasing Awards announced
2020 Green Purchasing Awards announced
Weitzman’s Megan Ryerson and Engineering’s Cheryl Hickey are awarded for their contributions to sustainable purchasing in travel consumption and kitchen waste streams.
On Galápagos beaches, human presence conclusively affects sea lions
On Galápagos beaches, human presence conclusively affects sea lions
Penn researchers, in conjunction with Galapagueño high school students, found that on more crowded beaches, the endangered animals are less aggressive to people.
Seven ways to be green at home
Seven ways to be green at home
Eco-Reps across Penn offer sustainability tips to save money, help the environment, and consume less during the holidays.
In the News
Scientific American
A better way to cool ourselves
Dorit Aviv of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design and international collaborators wrote an opinion piece about their work developing a healthier and more sustainable alternative to air conditioning.
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The New York Times
Biden’s push for electric cars: $174 billion, 10 years and a bit of luck
John Paul MacDuffie of the Wharton School spoke about the push to develop a robust charging network for electric vehicles in the U.S. “It is, famously, one of the ways that China has become the No. 1 country in E.V.s on most dimensions,” he said.
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
Wolf administration to buy half of state government’s electricity from solar
Mark Hughes of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy said Pennsylvania’s solar fields will provide jobs and tax revenue and move the state toward clean energy. “You want to make it hip, you want to make it cheap—but eventually you’re going to have to make it mandatory,” he said.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Universities are schooling future architects to consider community and history as they design
The Stuart Weitzman School of Design was mentioned for its historically grounded, intersectional, and interdisciplinary approach to teaching design and architecture. “You need to know history to be avant-garde,” said Winka Dubbeldam.
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Gizmodo
Why Joe Biden should trade his buildings plan for a Green New Deal
Billy Fleming of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design spoke about Joseph Biden’s plans to weatherize American homes. “I can’t help but oscillate between despair and frustration with the lack of imagination and ambition in this plan,” said Fleming. “Sure, take care of the low-hanging fruit that Presidents Clinton and Obama left for you on climate. Then, for all our sakes, think about extending your grasp an inch or two higher.”
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Los Angeles Times
Hydrogen fuel could revolutionize airlines. Here’s how that could look
Megan Ryerson of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design advocated for the use of alternative fuels, like hydrogen, in the airline industry. “Without [alternatives], we either have to stop flying or make drastic cuts in other sectors,” she said.
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