Sustainability

Advice from Sustainable Buffs on being a conscious consumer

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 20:11:42 +0000

Advice from Sustainable Buffs on being a conscious consumer Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 04/15/2026 - 14:11

Sustainability starts with making the most of what you already have. When you do need to buy something, there are ways to make choices that are better for the planet.

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Coping with climate anxiety

Megan M Rogers — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 21:15:37 +0000

Coping with climate anxiety Megan M Rogers Tue, 04/14/2026 - 15:15

Climate anxiety describes emotional distress related to climate change. Learning ways to cope can help you process these feelings, avoid burnout and stay connected to everyday life—while still caring about the future. Here are some strategies to try.

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New campus sustainability framework unveiled at CU Boulder Climate Week event

Megan M Rogers — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:50:45 +0000

New campus sustainability framework unveiled at CU Boulder Climate Week event Megan M Rogers Fri, 04/10/2026 - 14:50

The second annual Colorado Climate Week, which took place May 30–April 3, brought together leaders across the state to explore solutions, partnerships and bold ideas shaping the future of climate action and innovation. On April 1, CU Boulder hosted a full day of panels, presentations and discussions at the Limelight Hotel Boulder in partnership with event organizer Colorado Cleantech Industries Association.

A guiding framework for CU Boulder’s sustainability future

Chancellor Justin Schwartz opened the day by introducing CU Boulder’s new sustainability strategic framework, an ambitious roadmap that connects education, research, operations and partnerships into a unified approach to sustainability leadership.

During his remarks, the chancellor noted, “Education, research, operations and partnerships are interconnected and reinforcing. That’s the vision CU Boulder is preparing to achieve. It is ambitious but grounded in the work already underway and in the people who make it possible.”

Both the event and the strategic framework build on CU Boulder’s ongoing momentum in the sustainability space and the university's efforts to expand its sustainability work in ways that benefit the campus community, Boulder and Colorado.

Vice Chancellor for Sustainability Andrew Mayock said, “This event reflects CU Boulder’s deep commitment to advancing climate and sustainability solutions through collaboration. We were joined on the stage by top private, public and nonprofit leaders from across the state on the most pressing issues, including artificial intelligence, wildfire, climate-related economic impacts, community rights, climate tech innovation and more. We were grateful to be joined by hundreds of audience members, including Boulder residents, state and local officials, investors, students, faculty and the broader Colorado community.”

Moving the needle with conversation and partnership

The day featured a series of panels and discussions that explored the intersection of technology, policy and investment in climate solutions.

A standout moment was the session with Seth Levine, partner and co-founder of Foundry, who offered insights into how evolving models of capitalism are shaping climate innovation.

The day included separate policy discussions with Democratic candidates Attorney General Phil Weiser and Sen. Michael Bennet on their respective climate-related visions for the state going forward. Gov. Jared Polis and Congressman Joe Neguse closed out the day by highlighting the critical role of public leadership in accelerating climate action.

The day at the Limelight

The event concluded with a lively networking reception, where students, researchers, policymakers and industry leaders connected and continued conversations sparked throughout the day.

A statewide effort, a shared future

Now in its second year, Colorado Climate Week reflects the state’s growing reputation as a hub for climate innovation and partnership. CU Boulder’s leadership, and its newly launched sustainability framework, positions the university at the center of this momentum.

Through continued collaboration across disciplines and sectors, the discussions shared on April 1 signals not just talk but a commitment to action.

Colorado Climate Week brought together leaders across the state to explore solutions, partnerships and bold ideas shaping the future of climate action and innovation. CU Boulder hosted a full day of panels, presentations and discussions at the Limelight Hotel Boulder.

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Sustainability and social change from CU's founding to today

Megan M Rogers — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:59:00 +0000

Sustainability and social change from CU's founding to today Megan M Rogers Thu, 04/09/2026 - 11:59

Check out highlights of environmental champions and moments of social change across 150 years. Explore early environmental programs, campus sustainability milestones, student activism and the many different ways leadership has taken shape on campus and beyond.

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CU Boulder convening university leaders to share sustainability, facilities strategies

Megan M Rogers — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 20:28:01 +0000

CU Boulder convening university leaders to share sustainability, facilities strategies Megan M Rogers Wed, 04/08/2026 - 14:28

CU Boulder will host senior facilities and infrastructure leaders from universities across the United States and Canada April 9–10 for the West Region Higher Education Facilities Forum, a peer network focused on advancing campus infrastructure, capital planning and sustainability. The annual gathering will bring higher education facilities leaders together to exchange best practices, lessons learned and explore practical solutions.

As the 2026 host, CU Boulder will share updates on campus initiatives, including space optimization, sustainability and decarbonization efforts, facilities operations and capital construction, through presentations, campus tours and peer roundtable discussions.

“Bringing peer institutions together will create valuable opportunities to share lessons learned and accelerate progress on complex challenges like campus decarbonization and infrastructure modernization,” said Chris Ewing, vice chancellor for infrastructure and resilience. “These conversations will help universities develop practical strategies that strengthen facilities operations today while preparing campuses for the future.”

The forum’s peer-focused format will foster open exchange and relationship-building among institutions facing similar operational challenges. By convening the group, CU Boulder will support regional collaboration aimed at advancing more efficient, sustainable and forward-looking campuses.

Hosting the forum will reflect CU Boulder’s continued commitment to sharing knowledge, learning from peer institutions and advancing infrastructure solutions that benefit the campus community and higher education more broadly.

Senior facilities and infrastructure leaders will gather on campus to share strategies related to decarbonization, capital planning and campus operations.

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CU Boulder providing free upgrade to Transit Royale app

Megan M Rogers — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 18:24:06 +0000

CU Boulder providing free upgrade to Transit Royale app Megan M Rogers Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:24

CU Boulder students, faculty and staff now have access to Transit Royale, the premium version of the Transit app, at no cost through a partnership between Transportation Services and the Environmental Center (E-Center).

Transit is CU Boulder’s recommended mobile app for tracking Buff Buses and navigating transit options across Boulder and beyond. With this new agreement, the campus community receives a free upgrade to Transit Royale, unlocking additional features that make it easier to get around.

What is Transit?

The Transit app is a free mobile application that provides real-time information to help riders plan trips and track buses, as well as other local transportation options like RTD and BCycle. At CU Boulder, Transit is widely used to:

Track Buff Buses in real time
View live arrival times and route maps
Plan trips across campus and the Boulder area
Receive service alerts and updates

What does Transit Royale add?

Transit Royale is the premium version of the app, now available at no cost to the CU Boulder community. It unlocks additional tools, including:

Full regional transit access beyond the Buff Bus system
Unlimited schedules for future trip planning
Expanded trip planning with more route options
Personalized themes, icons and avatars
Optional leaderboards and achievements through Transit’s GO feature
Early access to new features as they are released

Supporting sustainable transportation

Providing free access to Transit Royale supports CU Boulder’s efforts to make transportation more accessible, reliable and sustainable. Real-time tracking and expanded trip-planning tools help reduce uncertainty and make it easier to choose transit.

How to get started

Download the Transit app from the App Store or Google Play, or update to the latest version. When opened on campus, the Transit Royale upgrade will be applied automatically—no payment or code required.

To learn more, visit the Transit App page.

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CU Boulder aligns with city drought guidance, emphasizes water stewardship across campus

Megan M Rogers — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:16:25 +0000

CU Boulder aligns with city drought guidance, emphasizes water stewardship across campus Megan M Rogers Fri, 04/03/2026 - 06:16

The city of Boulder has entered a drought watch and is asking the community to take voluntary steps to reduce water use. As record hot and dry weather persists across the Front Range, CU Boulder supports these efforts to help preserve water this spring.

The campus is working diligently to conserve water where possible while also maintaining green spaces that provide important health, recreation and community benefits.

Where campus irrigation comes from

A vast majority of CU Boulder’s irrigation uses ditch water—non-potable, raw water—that is not part of the city of Boulder’s water supply. These water rights were granted to the university when the university was founded. While not subject to the city’s current drought guidance, the university is committed to using all water resources responsibly—applying water efficiently, minimizing waste and prioritizing long-term sustainability and stewardship of this state resource.

“Regardless of the source of our campus irrigation, we approach all water use with care, focusing on efficiency, minimizing waste and making decisions that reflect long-term sustainability and stewardship,” said Jonathan Akins, campus civil engineer with Planning, Design and Construction.

The university does have a limited area of campus where irrigation is supplied by the city, and is delaying the use of potable (treated drinking) water for irrigation of lawns and turf in those areas until May 1 in line with city recommendations.

Smart irrigation and water stewardship

CU Boulder has invested significantly in systems and practices that support efficient water use across campus, including:

Advanced irrigation controls that adjust watering based on weather conditions
Soil moisture monitoring to prevent overwatering
Nighttime irrigation schedules to reduce evaporation
Ongoing system checks to identify and fix leaks or inefficiencies

The Outdoor Services team at CU Boulder uses all of these tools to make informed decisions about when to irrigate areas of campus, and for how long.

“We evaluate these systems and the conditions on the ground daily, adjusting campus irrigation in real time,” said Ryan Heiland, assistant director of Outdoor Services. “The goal is to be as efficient as possible, using only the water that’s needed to maintain healthy landscapes that support accessibility and community use.”

Campus irrigation typically occurs between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. However, community members may still see sprinklers operating in some areas during daytime hours when Outdoor Services is able to conduct system maintenance, safety checks or to ensure irrigation systems are functioning efficiently and not wasting water.

CU Boulder will continue to monitor conditions and coordinate with city partners as drought conditions evolve—working to conserve water while maintaining a safe, sustainable and vibrant campus environment.

What you can do

While there are currently no mandatory restrictions, early action can help avoid the need for stricter water use measures. CU Boulder encourages students, faculty and staff to support water conservation efforts by:

Prioritizing water for trees and essential plants
Using water efficiently indoors and fixing leaks
Being mindful of everyday water use

Find more tips on the city of Boulder’s water conservation webpage

The university supports voluntary conservation measures while continuing responsible water management across campus.

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Fiske Planetarium hosting Astronomy and Earth Day April 12

Megan M Rogers — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:29:23 +0000

Fiske Planetarium hosting Astronomy and Earth Day April 12 Megan M Rogers Thu, 04/02/2026 - 10:29

A free, family-friendly slate of activities is in store for Fiske Planetarium's Astronomy and Earth Day, with sponsorship by the SPIKE Center for Sustainability. Take in full-dome shows, STEM exhibits, telescope viewing, chats with students, staff and faculty, and more—some programming offered "en Español."

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Study: Geothermal energy is feasible for future CU Boulder campus use

Megan M Rogers — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:02:15 +0000

Study: Geothermal energy is feasible for future CU Boulder campus use Megan M Rogers Mon, 03/30/2026 - 11:02

CU Boulder and the Colorado Energy Office on Monday, March 30, released two state-funded feasibility studies evaluating whether geothermal energy could help reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions over the long term.

The studies evaluated both shallow geothermal systems, which are well known and commonly used for campus heating, and cutting-edge deep geothermal systems that could provide heat or electricity. Findings show geothermal systems of both types are technically feasible on campus and could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, though implementation would require major infrastructure changes and long-term investment.

The work provides CU Boulder with valuable technical data and planning insight as the university advances its Climate Action Plan and broader decarbonization strategy, which includes cutting campus carbon emissions 50% by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality no later than 2050.

“Evaluating frontier technologies like deep geothermal is an important step as we work toward our Climate Action Plan goals and explore pathways to reduce emissions across campus,” said Andrew Mayock, vice chancellor for sustainability.

“Our campus also serves as a living laboratory where research and campus operations come together to test and evaluate innovative energy solutions that can inform sustainability efforts well beyond CU Boulder. Moreover, this state-supported study is a great example of the continued leadership of the state of Colorado and highlights the importance of partnership."

Study resources

Incentive tracker—project information on the grants and links to final reports
Electricity generation scoping study—deep geothermal
Community district heating design study—geo-exchange

Deep geothermal systems can extend more than 20,000 feet underground, far deeper than shallow systems that typically operate less than 1,000 feet deep. While less widely deployed, deep geothermal systems could offer an opportunity to test emerging clean-energy technologies at scale.

No construction or implementation decisions are being made at this time. Instead, the studies are intended to serve as planning resources to inform future energy and infrastructure decisions as campus strategies, funding opportunities, partnerships and governance approvals continue to evolve.

That broader work is already underway. Last summer, CU Boulder selected an engineering partner to begin designing a campuswide decarbonization plan focused on transitioning heating systems away from steam and toward low-temperature hot-water systems powered by carbon-free energy sources.

“Colorado continues to lead the way in harnessing the heat beneath our feet to create a cleaner, more affordable energy future,” said Colorado Energy Office Executive Director Will Toor. “By investing in these feasibility studies at CU Boulder, we are not just helping generate data and technical insight—we are empowering our institutions to serve as blueprints for decarbonization. These projects are a vital step toward reducing emissions, improving our air quality, and proving that clean energy solutions can protect our state for future generations.”

The studies were funded by the Colorado Energy Office Community District Heating/Thermal Energy Network (Agreement GAE 25-2370) and Geothermal Electricity Generation (Agreement GAE 25-2398) grants awarded to CU Boulder in November 2024. The grants supported 59% of the study costs.

The results of a study involving future use of geothermal energy by the CU Boulder campus will help inform the university's decarbonization plan, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality by no later than 2050.

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Ralphie's Green Stampede claims zero-waste honors for 3rd straight year

Megan M Rogers — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 20:28:12 +0000

Ralphie's Green Stampede claims zero-waste honors for 3rd straight year Megan M Rogers Wed, 03/25/2026 - 14:28

The University of Colorado Athletic Department's signature sustainability program, Ralphie's Green Stampede, continues to achieve national recognition, earning 2025 GameDay Football Zero Waste Touchdown Challenge honors from the National Wildlife Federation.

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Sustainability

Advice from Sustainable Buffs on being a conscious consumer

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Coping with climate anxiety

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New campus sustainability framework unveiled at CU Boulder Climate Week event

A guiding framework for CU Boulder’s sustainability future

Moving the needle with conversation and partnership

The day at the Limelight

A statewide effort, a shared future

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Sustainability and social change from CU's founding to today

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CU Boulder convening university leaders to share sustainability, facilities strategies

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CU Boulder providing free upgrade to Transit Royale app

What is Transit?

What does Transit Royale add?

Supporting sustainable transportation

How to get started

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CU Boulder aligns with city drought guidance, emphasizes water stewardship across campus

Where campus irrigation comes from

Smart irrigation and water stewardship

What you can do

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Fiske Planetarium hosting Astronomy and Earth Day April 12

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Study: Geothermal energy is feasible for future CU Boulder campus use

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Ralphie's Green Stampede claims zero-waste honors for 3rd straight year

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