UVA Earth Week Marked a Milestone of Sustainability on Grounds

The 2017 annual UVA Earth Week program was a success on grounds. Throughout the week of April 17^th to April 23^rd, over 20 sustainability-driven events, such as the Farmers Market and the SustainaBanquet, come together to celebrate the university’s achievements in sustainability development and to show gratitude for resources here on Earth.

As one of the major kick-off events during the Earth Week, on April 18^th, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and UVA’s vice president Pat Hogan cut a symbolic ribbon that marks a milestone on the solar energy power program at UVA. Following the pilot roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system at Skipwith Hall, Clemons Library became one of the first buildings on grounds that implemented solar energy panels for electricity supply. Since their practice in mid-February, over 300 solar panels on the roof of Clemons Library have been producing what will amount to 199,600 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, which will cover nearly 15 percent of the library’s annual electric supply. In the future, in addition to the solar energy project, UVA will continue its effort to minimize the Green House Gas footprint by fuel optimization, water plant efficiency improvements and other alternative energy technologies development.

“During Earth Week, we try to build heightened awareness of sustainability issues, with a focus on the idea that our individual actions and professional pursuits, whether big or small, can have a significant collective impact.” —Andrea Trimble, Sustainability Director in the Office for Sustainability.

The great variety of events, like Earth Week Expo and the SustainaPitch, helped start a discussion about ways to shape our mutually shared environment into a greener place. Also, these events create a bond that connects various UVA communities and stirs up massive sustainability-related conversations within these communities.

To learn more, visit the UVA Sustainability website!