University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
EN-3: Student Life

Public and Environmental Affairs Council (PEAC): The purpose of The Public and Environmental Affairs Council is to see that the University fulfills the roll of being ECO-U. We stand up for the environment, and hope to create a more sustianable campus and Green Bay Community through environmental awareness programs. With lots of hands-on work by enthusiastic people, the organization has been and will continue to be successful in achieving its goals.

SLO Food Alliance: This student group’s goals are: 1) Educate the campus community about the importance of locally grown, sustainable food, 2) Encourage a sustainable food system on campus and throughout the community and 3) Maintain the UWGB Campus Garden and use it as a focal point for the student organization. Members of this organization manage the campus organic garden which grows produce and herbs supplied to the Union’s food service. The group also offers a weekly garden stand for the UW-Green Bay campus for home use.

Student Government Association: Environmental Affairs Committee: It is the goal of the Environmental Affairs Committee to see that affects to the natural environment are considered in all matters taken up by the University. The original founding of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay focused on the connections between the natural environment and higher education. Throughout time this view has been transformed in various ways and continues to change even today. Our goal is to see to it that the environment continues to be as important of a voice as it was in previous times.

The Environmental Affairs Committee also works to understand the concerns of the current student body on local, state and federal matters related to the environment and the impacts of such matters on this University.

SLO Food Alliance (active through Spring 2020): This student group’s goals are: 1) Educate the campus community about the importance of locally grown, sustainable food, 2) Encourage a sustainable food system on campus and throughout the community and 3) Maintain the UWGB Campus Garden and use it as a focal point for the student organization. Members of this organization manage the campus organic garden which grows produce and herbs supplied to the Union’s food service. The group also offers a weekly garden stand for the UW-Green Bay campus for home use.

Common CAHSS is an annual event in which UW-Green Bay and its College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS, pronounced "cause") strive to generate awareness and conversation on a thematic common cause—organized around interconnected local and global challenges that require collective solutions spanning disciplinary and geographic boundaries. From Fall 2020 to Spring 2021, the theme was “Beyond Sustainability: Imagining an Ecological Future,” where faculty, students, and staff explored the need for a more robust framework than “environmental sustainability” to address the interrelated environmental and social crises that we now face. The word “environment” draws a line of separation between humans and the rest of the community of life. “Ecological” better captures the vital relationships among all living beings and systems on the planet. “Sustainability” implies that we have a stable condition that we can preserve going forward.

It included a conference on campus and a speaker/event series. The series included 4 public lectures, a panel discussion, a musical performance, and a keynote speaker, in addition to a virtual conference—all related to sustainability.

It was sponsored by the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS) but was attended by people from across the campus.

https://www.uwgb.edu/common-cahss/2020-theme/

The University art installation that reflects the principals of sustainability within the University Union, additionally we have hosted performances and speakers on the topics of sustainability and its impact on society and culture.

In Fall 2019, the Lawton Gallery in collaboration with the Richter Natural History Museum hosted an exhibition titled "Museum of Natural Inspiration" where artists made artwork inspired by the Richter collection.

https://news.uwgb.edu/phlash/releases/08/29/artwork-inspired-by-richter-museum-of-natural-history-is-at-center-of-lawton-gallery-exhibit-74-19/

In Fall 2021, a student hosted a photography exhibit titled "Conservation Works" in our 407 Gallery. They showcased biodiversity at the natural areas owned and managed by UWGB's Cofrin Center for Biodiversity.

https://news.uwgb.edu/phlash/announcements/11/11/conservation-works-at-gallery-407/

UREC Outdoor Adventure Programs aim to enhance the student experience through inclusive outdoor adventure programming to facilitate student development, leadership, and health. UREC Outdoors' vision is to be a student-oriented body striving to instill in students positive values and stewardship of the natural world through education and shared experience.
https://www.uwgb.edu/university-recreation/outdoor-adventure-recreation/urec-outdoors/

UW-Green Bay's Housing and Residential Education Office is committed to sustainability and energy conservation in all facilities, services, and programs. They've also set sustainability learning outcomes as one of 5 primary residential education. Those goals, and programs through which they will be instilled, are outlined below:

"UW-Green Bay recognizes the importance of sustaining a healthy campus environment for future Phoenix to come. Students will be empowered to make a positive impact on the environment and learn sustainable practices.
• As a result of living on campus, students will determine one’s social responsibility as future professionals and citizens.
o Programming
o Resident Conversations
o RA Training
o Conduct Process
• As a result of living on campus, students will be able to define sustainability and identify major sustainability challenges and opportunities.
o Programming
o Resident Conversations
• As a result of living on campus, students will be able to apply critical thinking skills to provide sustainable solutions and build resilient communities.
o Programming
o Resident Conversations
o RA Training
• As a result of living on campus, students will learn how to apply knowledge beyond campus and know what it means to be a green global citizen.
o Programming
o Resident Conversations
o RA Training
o Conduct Process"

https://www.uwgb.edu/housing/programming/model/

The sustainability committee has hired a student intern each year to promote the activities of the committee, maintain our social media presence as well as our website. The student also helps educate the university community about the importance of using the hydration stations.

In Fall 2021, the new sustainability coordinator hired 3 interns, and will hire 2 more in the spring.

URL coming in April 2022.

The Public and Environmental Affairs program spearheads the Green Ribbon graduation pledge among graduating seniors. Departing seniors are invited sign the pledge statement. They’ll get green ribbons to wear on their robes in return, signifying their support of the following statement: “I pledge to explore and take into account the social and environmental consequences of any job I consider and will try to improve these aspects of any organizations for which I work.”

The UWGB sustainability committee has created the following pledge for individuals to complete as we head into another school year. By thoughtfully considering each of the items in this pledge, we hope that you will lead a more sustainable lifestyle.

Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations. Sustainability is important to making sure that we have, and will continue to have, the water, materials, and resources to protect human health and our environment.

https://www.uwgb.edu/sustainability/participate/sustainability-pledge/