Sustainability

The hot, windless days of summer can cause air quality to decrease, which indicates a greater exposure to airborne pollutants. During the month of August, Charlotte citizens are being challenged to do their part to reduce the amount of pollution in the air.
Beginning Wednesday, Aug. 1, N. C. Air Awareness, in partnership with Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) and Sustain Charlotte, is hosting the Clean Commute Challenge. Participants are asked to avoid single-person-per-vehicle commutes during the month, helping make the air cleaner.

The Integrated Network for Social Sustainability (INSS) and Sustain Charlotte are partnering to host the 2018 Charlotte Sustainability Summit, scheduled for Thursday through Saturday, June 7-9, at UNC Charlotte Center City.

This three-day summit will include presentations of student research, a film, discussions, workshops and talks that highlight the impact of collaborative efforts to advance sustainability in Charlotte.

The 2018 RecycleMania competition results are in, and UNC Charlotte’s showing indicates improvement in sustainable practices across campus. More than 200 colleges and universities participated in this annual competition, which ran from Feb. 4 through March 31.

Highlights from the University’s participation include:

Members of the campus community can properly dispose of unwanted electronics (e-waste) and medications between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Friday, March 2, in Parking Lot 5A.

This collection event is part of the University’s participation in the RecycleMania tournament, which ends March 31. All items collected will be included in final results submitted to the competition.

UNC Charlotte again is participating in RecycleMania, a competition designed to promoted waste reduction at colleges and universities across the United States and Canada.

This year’s contest is Feb. 4 through March 31; the University’s Sustainability and Recycling teams are facilitating UNC Charlotte’s participation.  

UNC Charlotte’s Veterans Services Office is committed to reducing its environmental footprint.

As the first office on campus to attain a Green Office Certification for the 2017-18 academic year, Veterans Services sets an example the Sustainability Office hopes many will follow.

Charlotte Wheels is a new campus bike-share program using Gotcha Bikes. Ten rack corrals have been installed, and 50 Gotcha Bikes are available for rent.

The bikes are belt-driven and have Shirmano three-speed internal gears; they also have baskets with bungee cords to secure books and packages. Safety lights illuminate the front and rear.

As temperatures rise, the campus and surrounding communities are more vulnerable to the effects of unhealthy air quality. The annual Clean Commute Challenge, an initiative spearheaded by N.C. Air Awareness, aims to combat this issue. 

The program, administered by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, provides individuals and organizations with tools to help reduce pollution and exposure to harmful levels of ozone and particulate matter.

A tree planting, the spring Campus Cleanup and an Earth Day Festival are just some of the activities planned by UNC Charlotte’s Sustainability Office to encourage the University community be become more aware of and involved in environmental issues.

UNC Charlotte was honored with 2016 Tree Campus USA recognition by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management.

Tree Campus USA is a national program created in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation to honor colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals. There are 296 campuses across the United States with this recognition.