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Sustainability
Predilections of a destructive pest
The spotted lanternfly is emerging as a serious threat to agriculture and forested areas. At The Woodlands Cemetery near campus, Benjamin Rohr hopes to determine the types of trees the insect prefers to shape control strategies moving forward.
With unprecedented threats to nature at hand, how to turn the tide
One million plant and animal species are on the verge of extinction due to human activity, according to a U.N. assessment issued earlier this month. Here, experts highlight the report’s major messages and offer ideas for moving from inertia to action to stem threats to biodiversity.
The beauty of the two-wheeled commute
On Bike to Work Day, Penn will fete two-wheeled commuters with snacks, showers, and swag. For many at the University, commuting by bike is a way of life. Five Penn staff and faculty share how they make it work and why they keep riding.
Lightbulb moment: A snap-on solution for energy conservation
Senior Wharton student Michael Wong won a President’s Innovation Prize for his startup InstaHub.
Confronting inequities, sharing solutions
At the annual meeting of the Global Water Alliance, faculty, students, and practitioners shared solutions and challenges around the issues of water access, sanitation, and hygiene in the U.S. and around the world.
By the Numbers: The 2018 Penn Sustainability Annual Report
Seven highlights from this year’s Sustainability Report show progress on how the University is faring with its target goals to improve environmental sustainability.
Going plastic neutral
The winners of a 2018 Penn President’s Engagement Prize are launching a new venture to address the global problem of plastic waste.
Green labs group strives to make science more sustainable
With a Green Labs working group, Elicia Preston of the Perelman School of Medicine and the University’s Sustainability Office in Facilities and Real Estate Services are striving to make the pursuit of scientific research a more eco-friendly endeavor.
When green ‘fixes’ actually increase the carbon footprint
New research shows that when tech companies move in, they often encourage a sustainability mindset, but lead to gentrification and stable or higher emissions.
An old-school green deal
A major public lands package passed the U.S. Senate Feb. 12 with massive bipartisan support and is expected to pass the House later this month. Cary Coglianese shares insights into the bill’s contents—which entail the largest expansion of wilderness area in a decade.