UW–Madison is tackling critical sustainability challenges in service of our campus community, the state of Wisconsin, and the planet.
61 Mkilowatt-hours (kWh) of renewable electricity procured by UW–Madison from campus rooftop solar installations, the O’Brien Solar Fields, and utility partnerships
500 +volunteers who helped improve and maintain the Lakeshore Nature Preserve, 70% of which were UW students, faculty, and staff
191 tons of food scraps diverted from the landfill thanks to the Food Waste Collection Pilot Program
Sustainability News
Reducing Food Waste and Fighting Food Insecurity in the Dining Halls: Nutrition Access Program
At UW–Madison’s six dining market locations, staff work hard to feed students by preparing buffet-style meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. To meet the expected demand and decrease food waste, dining market staff use data …
December 17, 2025Partnering Towards a Renewable Future
One of UW–Madison’s five institutional sustainability goals, first announced by Chancellor Mnookin in February 2024, is to reach net-zero emissions by 2048. Campus leadership set an interim target of 100% renewable electricity by 2030 as …
November 21, 2025Fourth-annual Sustainability Symposium highlights links between sustainability and health
The fourth-annual Sustainability Symposium opened with Paul Robbins, Dean of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, crediting students for the strides UW–Madison has made in sustainability, saying it was because they “would not leave this …
November 21, 2025