Happy Earth Day from Interim Chancellor Lee H. Roberts
The interim chancellor highlighted some of the many ways Tar Heels prioritize environmental and sustainably work on campus and in the community.
This Earth Day, I’d like to recognize the importance of environmental and sustainability work to our campus and community. Across our great University, we have faculty, staff and students who are working every day to identify and solve the world’s environmental challenges. Carolina is a long-time leader in community-engaged sustainability initiatives — we became a charter signatory of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007. Led by our University initiative, Sustainable Carolina, we continue to increase operational efficiency and adopt new sustainable technologies to meet our goals.
We know that this work does not stop. Among our many initiatives underway:
- In 2021, we released an ambitious new Climate Action Plan.
- The Climate Action Plan created the Champion Sustainability Fund whose first project was a collaboration with Athletics to upgrade Carmichael Arena’s lighting, advancing both sustainability and the gameday experience.
- Just recently, we hosted the largest UNC Cleantech Summit to date in its 10-year history, which also happens to be the largest university-hosted event of its kind in the U.S.
- Last week, the Sustainability Research Symposium highlighted transformational sustainability research across campus.
- The Carolina Sustainability Council brings together undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff as advisers on sustainability strategy.
- The EcoStudio program has matched 466 Tar Heels in environmentally focused internships, with the University often serving as a living lab.
- Later this week, the Ackerman Center for Excellence in Sustainability will host our annual Sustainability Awards.
Thank you to all who are contributing to a sustainable and improved future. Go Heels!
