University of Alaska Anchorage
EN-3: Student Life

The Sustainability Club- A student-governed campus club, their purpose is to bring students together for social events and projects to promote sustainability at UAA and in the local community. Green Fee Board_This promotes sustainability efforts in the university community by funding student initiatives defined by environmental stewardship, economic pragmatism, and social responsibility. USUAA- USUAA, the Union of Students of the University of Alaska Anchorage, is recognized by the University of Alaska Board of Regents as the governing body for students enrolled at the University of Alaska Anchorage. The purpose of USUAA is to represent the interests, needs, and welfare of all students within the campus community and to supplement and complement education on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus. USUAA provides for the expression of student opinion and interests to the community at large and works to protect the rights of all University of Alaska Anchorage students. Paper and Energy Working Group- The Paper Reduction Working Group is exactly what its name suggests—a group dedicated toward reducing the amount of paper used on campus. They also seek to reduce energy use as well, most recently conducting a survey on the amount of energy spent in UAA’s computer labs. Their results revealed that the most efficient and cost effective way to conserve energy is to have the computer screens go dark instead of alternating to a screen saver Transportation Working Group- he Transportation Working Group (TWG) is group that focuses on transportation around campus. Topics of discussion include winter biking, vehicle/biking/pedestrian safety and education, improving our multi-use trails, and more. The group is always looking for great ideas from students, staff, and faculty about transportation on campus. UAA Sustainability Action Board-The Sustainability Action Board (SAB) consists of 3 staff, 3 faculty, and 4 students, one of which is a USUAA student representative. At least one of the SAB members is from a community campus. The SAB advises and recommends to the Chancellor and the Sustainability Director courses of action on campus-wide sustainability issues and strategies. SAB promotes and supports annual campus efforts that advance sustainability, recognizes and honors exemplary actions that contribute to a sustainable campus climate and assists the Director in developing and implementing UAA's Sustainability Action Plan.

Sustainability Week on campus offers an insight to local foods and sustainable options for students to pursue when they are students at the University. he University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Office of Sustainability is dedicated to building a future for UAA and the Great Land through environmentally wise, economically sound, and socially responsible actions. The office has made great strides to promote sustainability awareness across UAA's campus and in the community since its founding in January of 2009. These are a few of the speakers brought together to generate discussions and engage students. “Who Owns the Water in Alaska” with Riki Ott, Gary Prokosch, Larry Merculieff and Bob Loeffler David Krakauer presents “How the World is Changing & How You Want to Change the World” Archeological Developments in Yakutat Bay, Alaska with Aron Crowell Celebration for the "forthcoming" publication of Transforming the University: Alaska Native Studies in the 21st Century The Art of Myth-Busting: Barthes's "Plastic" and the GYRE Art Exhibit with Jennifer Ann Wagner Lawlor For Love of Fish Bulent Kilic presents “ A comparative look at healthcare systems in Turkey and the US: Social Determinants of Health" Bitcoins Getting It Right 25 Years After the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: Ways to Strengthen Pre-Planning and Response Measures Ian C. Hartman presents “From the Beverly Hillbillies to Duck Dynasty: Whiteness, Culture, and Memory in the American South" 3 Artists Facing the World: Katherine Coons, Justin Herrmann, and Nathan ShaferCo-op Businesses Today with Renata Ballesteros-LopezThe Norton Bay Climate Change Adaptation Plan with Hal Shepherd Paul White presents Mining and the Environment: Archaeological Perspectives on an Unwanted Legacy Alaska State Climatologist Peter Olsson and ASET Scientist Birgit Hagedorn discuss their Research and Goals New UAA Faculty on Climate Change, Hydrology, Environmental Health and Resource Economics Rick Steiner presents “Imperiled Arctic: Place, Threats, Solutions”Julie Raymond-Yakoubian presents "Alaska Native Knowledge, Beliefs and Experiences of the Supernatural Environment"

Winterfest is held every year in February on campus. Activities include snow painting, recycled art called the flow of color. Recycled from UAA campus,thousands of plastic bottle caps were used to create this outdoor display of colors, and raise awareness about the number of plastic bottles that are used. If you can’t find a place that recycles plastic caps, you can certainly use creativity to reinvent them! Inspired little snowmen, Each student in the class will build a little snowman with personality of 2-3 feet tall. Only natural or organic materials can be used for decoration.

The Office of Sustainability employes students for the recycle crew. The students are in charge of picking up all of the recycles on campus at every building that has a recycle bin or recycling options available to the building. The students are offered briefing, office protocol, pathogen training, proper lift and safety techniques and defensive driver training. This education provides an overall understanding of everything that is required for recycling at the University.

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