Sustainability Institute

UW Oshkosh may not be the Home of The Falcon, but it is home to a continuing saga of Peregrine Falcon excitement. Since 2011, the roof of Gruenhagen Conference Center has been home to a nesting pair of falcons every year.

UWO Community Gardens has grown in size and engagement since its creation in 2006 by a group of students. The Community Gardens plots are open to students, staff, and faculty with CSA (Community-supported agriculture) models to grow-your-own or individuals can buy-in for a plot while the gardens manager will grow and harvest. Learn more about UWO Community Gardens efforts and news here.

The Campus Sustainability Council is composed of staff, students, and faculty who work toward making the university more sustainable, primarily in terms of campus operations. As such, the Council acts as a voice for multiple constituencies on campus and serves as a communications hub for current sustainability efforts. We advise the Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellors on sustainability priorities and we liaise with relevant stakeholders across campus, providing support — time, subcommittees, technical expertise, clout — for meeting sustainability objectives. The Council raises awareness about sustainability, we act as a sounding board for proposed measures, we work to hold the campus accountable to its sustainability commitments by helping with assessment and evaluation of sustainability initiatives, and we present recommendations to the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellors.  Brad Spanbauer and Moe Muldoon co-chair the Campus Sustainability Council and can be reached at sustainabilitycouncil@uwosh.edu.

UW Oshkosh’s innovations in sustainability are being integrated into all university functions and operations. Our actions involve reducing consumption and wastes, generating and purchasing renewable energy, curbing pollution, working toward climate neutrality, building green buildings, purchasing sustainably sourced goods and services, following sustainable landscaping principles, and infusing sustainability into the curriculum, outreach, and research. The Sustainability Office is responsible for documenting what campus is doing in the above areas to become a more sustainable campus, informing the campus community about relevant sustainability matters, reporting sustainability performance data to national and regional organizations as needed, helping to promote campus sustainability accomplishments, identifying sustainability needs and opportunities, and assisting with and/or leading campus sustainability initiatives. Regular and routine activities of the Office include reporting annual sustainability data to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) through the organization’s  Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), reporting greenhouse gas emissions data biannually to Second Nature, assisting with annual fall and spring sustainability events, participating in the Campus Sustainability Council, advising the UW Oshkosh administration on sustainability matters, advising and guiding the Campus Green Fund, and updating the campus website.

The Environmental Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) Laboratory was developed as a state-of-the-art contract research and testing laboratory that performs contract testing and R&D services for companies around North America.  The main areas of focus are water and wastewater, environmental health, biodegradation, and biogas testing. The ERIC conducts lab, pilot, and field demonstrations of various project technologies. In addition to conducting many standardized testing methods (i.e., ASTM, Standard Methods, etc.), the ERIC is certified by US EPA, WI DNR, WI DATCP, US Composting Council, and the American Biogas Council.  The ERIC also houses the UW Oshkosh biodiesel laboratory and aquaponics systems in conjunction with the Department of Engineering Technology. Furthermore, the ERIC Labsupports UW Oshkosh biodigester operations by providing technical data for operators and consulting services. Additionally, the research and contract testing for clients is done simultaneously with training students using these real-world client-based problems.  Over 60 students gain internship experiences throughout the year through the ERIC and its allied programs.

The Facilities Management organization is dedicated to providing an attractive, clean, accessible, safe and well planned educational environment to facilitate campus activities, and support the mission and goals of the University. All efforts of the department are service based, and satisfactory customer service is an essential component and goal of all departmental undertakings.

Learn more about the University’s storm water management plans, general information on storm water related issues and storm water pollution prevention guidelines. The goal of the University’s storm water management program is to ensure that storm water generated on University property does not adversely impact the natural environment.