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UR's First Sustainability Plan Is Here

For the first time, the University has a plan to guide sustainability efforts throughout campus.Learn More

UR Earns STARS Gold Rating

For the first time, University of Richmond has earned a STARS Gold rating from AASHE.Learn More

Explore Fall 2019 Sustainability Courses

Take a look at the dozens of sustainability courses being offered across campus this fall.Learn More

Rethink Waste: Know Where It Goes

Get to know what can be recycled and how you can reduce waste on campus. Learn More

Free Shopping at UROSE

Drop off office supplies or do some free shopping every Wednesday in Puryear 114. Check Spiderbytes for open hours.Learn more
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Explore Fall Sustainability Courses
Read the Latest Sustainability News
Green Room Program
Rethink Waste
Green Office Program
bees housed in two on-campus hivesRead More
solar array installed in 2016Read More
target year for University carbon neutralityRead More
LEED-certified buildingsRead More
of preconsumer food waste composted by Heilman Dining Center each year
waste diversion rate by 2025Read More
goats on campus for invasive plant removal in spring 2019Read More
pounds of electronics recycled at the last E-Waste Collection
Sustainability Facts

Events

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Sustainability News and Stories

Unveiling of Roadside Historical Marker at Ball Property in Goochland Commemorates More than 50 Years of Field Research
The unveiling of a roadside historical marker at the Ball Property in Goochland County, Virginia, will formally recognize a donation that has resulted in more than 50 years of field teaching and research at the University of Richmond.
UR Receives National Gold Rating for Sustainability Achievements
University of Richmond has earned a STARS Gold rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. It’s the first time UR has earned a Gold rating.
UR Biology Professor Eugene Maurakis Awarded Grant for First-of-its-kind Research Project on Nest-Building Minnows in Virginia
University of Richmond professor Eugene G. Maurakis has been awarded funding from the Virginia Academy of Science for his research project on nest-building fishes in Virginia.
UR Community Dives into Book about Flint Water Crisis This Summer
Students, faculty, and staff at the University of Richmond are adding the memoir of a pediatrician from Flint, Michigan to their summer reading lists.
UR Experts Discuss Volcanoes, Graffiti, and Disease at Science Museum of Virginia This Summer; Part of Popular Pompeii Exhibit
Three University of Richmond faculty members will showcase their expertise as a part of the Science Museum of Virginia’s latest exhibition, “Pompeii: The Immortal City”, an exhibit that allows guests to step back in time and discover the Roman civilization of Pompeii before the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D.
Bargain Shoppers Rejoice: UR's Big Yard Sale is Back in Business
University of Richmond’s annual Big Yard Sale is Saturday, May 18, from 8 a.m. to noon at Robins Stadium.
Science Meets Art in Exhibition on How Street Murals Can Beat the Heat; Recommendations Result of Faculty/Student Research
Science meets art in “See the Heat,” a new exhibition co-curated by University of Richmond senior Sarah Kwon, a biology major, and professor Eugene Maurakis, who teaches in the biology department and School of Professional & Continuing Studies.
Goats Return to University of Richmond for Extra Credit in Environmental Landscaping
On the heels of Earth Day, the university welcomes its second herd of goats to campus to clear away unwanted vegetation Tuesday, April 23.
University of Richmond Professor Stephanie Spera Awarded Fellowship for Fall Foliage Research in Acadia National Park
Stephanie Spera, an assistant professor in the University of Richmond Department of Geography and the Environment, has been awarded a fellowship to conduct research in Acadia National Park in Maine.
University of Richmond Professor Todd Lookingbill Honored for Leadership in Landscape Ecology
University of Richmond’s Todd Lookingbill, associate professor of geography, environmental studies, and biology, has received the 2019 Distinguished Service Award by the U.S. Regional Association of the International Association for Landscape Ecology.
Gerrymandering, Gun Control, and Extraterrestrial Encounters Will Be Among Topics Explored During Student Research Symposium
Nearly 400 students will present their original, faculty-mentored research at the University of Richmond’s School of Arts & Sciences 34th annual Student Symposium April 12. Topics include everything from alien life to hot button policy issues.
Employees Recognized for Outstanding Service
5 University employees were recognized with Outstanding Service Awards, and 167 employees were recognized for their years of service.
UR Law Professor Noah Sachs Co-Authors Report Linking Climate Change, Toxic Flooding Threats to Vulnerable Virginia Communities
A new report co-authored by an environmental law expert at the University of Richmond identifies flood-exposed communities in the James River watershed that are socially vulnerable to disasters as well as potential chemical contamination from local industrial facilities.  
University of Richmond Hosts Environmental Racism Symposium
The University of Richmond Department of Geography and the Environment and Bonner Center for Civic Engagement will host a symposium focusing on environmental racism Feb. 4, noon to 3 p.m., in the Robins School of Business, Ukrop Auditorium.
Eisen named as distinguished energy law scholar
This month, Vermont Law School – ranked as one of the top energy law programs in the country – recognized Professor Joel Eisen’s work as a pivotal leader in the field, naming him as its Distinguished Energy Law Scholar for summer 2019.

@beagreenspider on Instagram

Now is the time to request a GRTC bus pass for the year!
Did you know that we have around 45,000 bees living in our two campus hives?
It takes a lot of water to keep the University up and running, but as part of the #URSustainabiltyPlan, we want to reduce potable water usage 50% below 2010 levels by 2025.
Boulders salvaged from other construction projects on campus are being used in the new Gambles Mill Eco-Corridor to create terraces where people can sit, enjoy nature, and watch Little Westham Creek.
This month's sustainability champion is Andre Eanes, '20.
The latest sustainability newsletter is here!
This summer, professor Carrie Wu spent time at Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory researching how floral volatiles, the scents that flowers emit to communicate with pollinators, change in higher temperatures.
For our recent STARS Gold rating, @urichmond received innovation credit for participation in an urban heat island mapping project.
@urichmond's campus is full of wildlife that George Flanagin over in @urichmond_is captured beautifully in some photos.
University of Richmond's annual potable water usage has decreased by 10 million gallons over the past decade, in part thanks to the use of low-flow toilets, flush valves, shower heads, and faucets.
During any storm with more than .25 inches of rain, Little Westham Creek's new floodplain will fill with water, filtering and slowing down the flow to improve water quality and control erosion.
Last month, Professor David Salisbury and five summer research students embarked on a two-week journey across the coast, mountains, and rainforest of Peru to participate in a transboundary mapping workshop between the states of Ucayali and Madre de Dios, Peru and Acre, Brasil.