Focus Areas and Progress
Student Outreach & Engagement
W&M and UVA students partnered together to hold a joint zoom webinar open to both universities’ students, faculty, and staff. This was held in April during which the joint partnership was discussed by the W&M representatives and UVA representatives. Each university invited a student to speak on their version of low waste living on college campuses. The goal was to get the campus more aware of W&M + UVA Climate Action Partnership and provide them with resources and information about reducing their carbon footprint on campus.
Climate Action Planning
W&M formally launched its Climate Action Roadmap and UVA its 2030 Climate Action Plan. W&M finalized its request of a climate consultant and will be bringing on that consultant before the end of the year. The universities reviewed and discussed UVA's Thermal Energy Study and Delta Force initiative, both of which will help inform future steps at W&M.
Centralized Fleet Management
W&M completed a Fleet Management Inventory and Asset Validation to verify and analyst fleet make up and gather data on age and fuel type. Exploration into fleet management software was also conducted, in addition to formal partnerships that can shape the types of sustainable vehicles available in the university fleet. W&M has led efforts between the universities in exploring varying ways of managing a university fleet in order to create processes and tools necessary for a more sustainable fleet to exist. UVA has also purchased four battery electric buses for its transit system and procured 22 low-emissions vehicles.
Carbon Pricing
Carbon offsets will be a last resort in reaching the goal of a carbon neutral campus, but research is needed now in order to plan and appropriately weave this tool into the final product of how neutrality will be met. W&M conducted research on carbon pricing and the responsible sourcing of carbon offsets, creating a white paper for working group and stakeholder use. This was completed with input from UVA, who is also conducting research.
Study Abroad
The study abroad programs of both W&M and UVA jointly hosted their third Sustainability Abroad Panel, discussed offset providers for international student flights, and W&M began including sustainability related questions on program director reports.
