News arrived this spring that UofL was ranked highest in Kentucky in a key sustainability measure, the international Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS).

“UofL’s unwavering commitment to the health of our planet is another reason to be proud of this institution, but this is not the time to remain idle,” said Neeli Bendapudi, UofL president. “We will and we must continue this hard work to ensure a bright future. I am so proud of our faculty, staff and students who are devoted to this issue for the university and in their daily lives.”

STARS, part of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher ����ֱ�� (AASHE), relies on institutions to report the steps they are taking regarding environmental, social and economic stewardship. Schools’ ratings are valid for three years, and the total points they earn result in awards that range from platinum (highest) to bronze.

UofL scored for 2019, a 1% increase since UofL’s last STARS rating in 2016 and the highest rating for any college or university in Kentucky. The score also notched UofL’s second consecutive gold award. UofL ranks fourth among ACC schools with a STARS rating.

“This is the fourth STARS report we have submitted since 2011 and we continue to increase our score each time,” said Justin Mog, assistant to the provost for sustainability initiatives. “Our new score puts UofL in the top 100 most sustainable schools on the planet. We can attribute this progress to the ongoing commitment of our university’s administration, faculty, staff and students to this increasingly important issue.”

Among the efforts that helped push UofL to the top were the new, the and our annual maple-tapping project on campus.

Recycling still a priority

With a gold STARS rating on our side, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that recycling remains a priority at UofL.

Our participation in the North American RecycleMania competition in February and March resulted in a No. 1 ranking in Kentucky in two categories: diversion and per capita. We recycled 57.6% of our trash overall for the eight-week period, or 16.8 pounds per person.

Additionally, the Sustainability Council recently issued UofL’s , showing UofL last year recycled or composted more than 6.5 million pounds of waste, or slightly more than half our total waste.

UofL’s , begun in 2010 and run by philosophy lecturer Brian Barnes, will expand this fall with the addition of a student intern to manage worm composting operations. 

April 15 – Louisville : 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Ernst Hall, 216 Eastern Parkway. Attendees will learn the many aspects of Kentuckiana trees.

April 16 – UofL Community Composting Volunteer and Compost Pickup: noon to 2 p.m., 200 block of E. Bloom St. (one block north of Cardinal Blvd. between Brook and Floyd streets). Help out and learn about composting at UofL’s . Dress to get dirty.

April 17 – Pollinator : 1 to 2 p.m., Garden Commons at the Cultural Center. Betsy Ramey of the Kentuckiana Beekeepers Association will talk about bees. She will bring part of a hive and discuss how to make a garden pollinator-friendly. Participants will get to taste local honey and make a wildflower seed bomb.

April 18 – Farm-to-Table Dinner: 5 p.m., Red Barn. Locally sourced, seasonally appropriate ingredients will be turned into a delicious four-course meal at UofL’s annual celebration of local food and farmers. The menu features tomatoes, cheese, mushrooms, chicken and ice cream.

April 23 – Americana Community Center : 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4801 Southside Drive. UofL students will help install a rain garden and plant native perennials around the perimeter of the community garden at the center, which helps 5,000 refugees yearly.

Now through May 3 – Zero Waste for Move-Out: Collection bins are set up in the lobbies of all UofL residence halls for students to donate unwanted items, including non-perishable food items, as the school year nears its end.