Last year was the first time UofL received the QS global ranking, and it was established relying solely on publicly available information.

“This is the first year that sustainability data was intentionally gathered and reported to QS with the encouragement and assistance of the Office of Institutional Research,” said Justin Mog, assistant to the provost for sustainability initiatives.

Mog said this newest metric complements the steady progress UofL has attained every three-year measurement period under the framework developed by the AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher ����ֱ��).

President Gerry Bradley said a sustainability mindset is critical to a university’s policies, procedures and culture. “Anything else means that we are not actually creating the better world that we say we want for our students and our community.”

According to STARS, UofL has remained in the top 100 most sustainable schools on the planet, consistently maintaining the highest STARS rating of any school in Kentucky and ranking fourth among its official benchmark institutions. The next STARS ranking will be announced in April.

Recently, UofL was also granted two core recertifications. For a fourth time, UofL was named a�� (a rating valid 2025-2029) by the League of American Bicyclists, and for the 16th consecutive year recognized as a Tree Campus Higher ����ֱ�� institution by the Arbor Day Foundation.

Since UofL first signed onto the Climate Commitment and formed the university-wide Sustainability Council in 2008, it has launched a wide variety of campus sustainability initiatives making meaningful impacts on the lives and learning of our campus community. A few of these include: ��

• Degree programs in sustainability
• Slashing greenhouse emissions by half
• UofL Free Store and Cardinal Cupboard
• Campus gardens and community composting
• Farmers Markets and CSA programs
• EcoReps and Ecolympics
• Sustainability Roundtable
• Kroger Zero Hunger Zero Waste Scholars

Mog said rankings like STARS and QS help UofL recruit sustainability-minded students and employees and help to prioritize and better understand where to invest limited resources.

“If you think about it, UofL ‘s reason for being is to create a better future for our students, to conduct research that will make the world a better place, and to engage the community in mutually beneficial ways,” Mog said. “Sustainability is key to crafting that future every day.”

Interested in finding out more about sustainability and what you can do to help? Visit ��

Now housed in a renovated 272-square-foot space at the rear of the Honors House, the move significantly boosts the store’s accessibility and impact.

“It makes a huge impact for students that either can’t afford or don’t have easy access to certain items, and it’s also just an incredible way to reduce waste on campus,” said Lilly Clagett, a third-year student who manages the store and is pursuing an individualized major in environmental sciences in the ��

Other highlights include a changing room with a bench for ADA accessibility and capacity for more volunteers. The new space was sponsored by , who has been a steadfast partner to the university in student enrichment. Additional support was provided by and the

What is the Free Store?

The store operates on a simple premise: any student with a Cardinal ID can walk in and take what they need, completely free. Items frequently include clothes, shoes, bedding and essential kitchen items. Students and staff can also donate to the store, arranging pick-up or bringing donations to the location. ��

The UofL Free Store originally launched in 2013 by the student organization ‘Group Recycling and Sustainable Solutions’ (GRASS), with the support of the UofL Sustainability Council and has steadily grown from its humble beginnings in Unitas Hall and its previous location in the Student Activities Center.

This initiative is part of UofL’s broader commitment to sustainability, evidenced by the university once again securing a place in the , with an impressive rating of 96/99.

Students can get involved in sustainability efforts on campus through:

• Fighting food insecurity and climate change by working with the
• Volunteering with the
• Managing the ; and
• Volunteering with the Free Store!

Learn more on the website and more on how to get involved on campus at the website.

Honeybees have always been a part of��Robinson’s��life��as she��first learned about beekeeping from family members who’ve cared for beehives through generations, starting with her��grandfather,��and��then her father.��Beehives bring nostalgic scents and sounds to��Robinson, whose earliest memories include following her grandfather around their family hives in Meade County, Ky., harvesting honey for their��“Bee Happy Farms”��honey jars.

“My grandfather had this big garden and orchard with apple trees, so he had the bees to pollinate them,”��Robinson said. “I��just��remember playing around the garden and being close to the bees. They��weren’t��ever interested in me because I��wasn’t��bothering them, so that fear��kind of��got eliminated when I was pretty young.”

After the death of Robinson’s��grandfather, her family kept a hive on his property to support the orchard. She and her father now tend to the inherited bees. “It’s��crazy that��it’s��a family tradition that can carry��on,��beyond someone like that,”��Robinson reflected.

The UofL’s beekeeping internship, too, has brought Robinson closer to her��father who she��now asks for advice when dealing with new obstacles facing��UofL’s��beehives. His insights keep a heritage of beekeeping knowledge from disappearing.

Everything about beekeeping can be done��in��a variety of��ways, from how the hive is��built and how to handle the bees to the protective clothing worn by beekeepers.��

“It’s��like��a dance to specifically move with the bees and see which frame��they’re��mostly on and which one I should touch and which one I��shouldn’t,”��Robinson said.

As a beekeeper, Robinson has developed her own style under the guidance of her father and the UofL Sustainability mentorship.��

“I��read somewhere that bees can remember their��beekeeper’s��face, so I always try��to��talk to them when I get in the hive and just see how��they’re��doing,”��Robinson said.��“There are old folktales about the��‘telling of the��bees,’ so��there’s��a strong connection between beekeepers and their bees.”

A Spring Sting

Beekeeping��isn’t��always comfortable,��even��for a legacy beekeeper.

“I��have gotten stung a few times, but after��the second��time��it’s��no big deal,”��Robinson said.��“And��every time I do��get stung, I never blame the bees.��It’s��not their fault that��they’re��stinging, they��just��think��I’m��like a bear trying to get their honey.”

Bees often face a fear from people, much like snakes or bats, and many believe that their presence always means potential danger. However, bees are defensive, not aggressive, so their sting is a last resort. Like other animals, bees fear humans more than people fear them and prefer keeping to themselves.��

According to Robinson, even with wasps and hive beetles, honeybees defend the hive by surrounding the pests to block them from an area or to overheat them with their wing movements.��

But keeping bees also��comes with its rewards and pleasures. To extract honey from the hive, Robinson first determines how much honey needs to��be left behind��for the bees. The frames are then removed,��and��the bees��are brushed��into an empty super box/hive box. Finally, the beeswax on the frames is uncapped with a blade to release the honey and the frames are placed in a spinner to remove, filter and jar the honey. Beeswax is often collected during the filtering process and can also��be used for various products like lip balm.

“One of my favorite things about beekeeping is just the smell of the��beehives,��it’s��this��really sweet��aroma. I think��it’s��really special��and really cool to introduce new people to that, and the sound of the buzzing from the hives,”��Robinson said.��“It can��definitely��be intimidating, but��I’ve��found it to be a��little��bit more soothing because I know bees are in there and that��they’re��happy.”

As��UofL’s��beekeeping intern, Robinson cares for the beehives year-round. Before the winter, Robinson adds entrance reducers and hay bales around the hive to reduce wind-chill. Throughout the early spring, she visits the hives a couple of times a month to monitor the bees’ behavior, add pollen patties, remove any pests and add more hive frames��which��are��used��by the bees to build honeycombs.

After the bees become more active in the spring, honey can��start to��be harvested��through the summer.��Robinson dresses in a beekeeping suit that covers her legs, arms and face in one sealed garment to protect her from her buzzing friends.��She also burns natural wood shavings to calm the bees down if��she’s��in the hives��for a��longer��amount of time��than��normal.��Robinson uses a brush to gently guide the bees out from any tight spots or crevices to keep��the bees��safe��as she��carefully removes frames and places them on a rack to check the��honeycomb’s��structure and��honey��production.��

“You really count on every bee to help your hive survive,”��Robinson said. “So,��it’s��a very gentle process.”

Last year, one UofL hive produced about 12-pint jars of honey and grew enough to create a second hive.��

Robinson says there’s��no negative aspect in harvesting the bees’ honey when done��properly.

Tending to the hives functions like a symbiotic relationship where the keeper protects the hives from pests, cold, moisture and hunger while harvesting honey for consumption. Seeing the hive thrive and overcome obstacles is as rewarding for Robinson as collecting honey.

“Seeing how much everybody likes the honey is really cool. Not that I made it, but it feels like I helped at least jar it,”��Robinson said.��“It’s��cool to see the different tastes of what this honey is like compared to a different��hive’s��honey.”

Supporting the Hive

Caring for bees��not only��ties Robinson to her community and family, but it also��fulfills a called duty to the environment and sustainability.��

“The responsibility as UofL’s beekeeping intern to me is to show kindness and consideration toward ecology, urban agriculture and every little pollinator that comes my way,” Robinson said. “To help our bees is an honor because I’m also helping our local and community gardens, wildlife and student outreach on sustainable, eco-friendly practices.”

Honeybees are��an important��keystone species as pollinators��and��their success could��be directly tied��to the success of future generations. Keeping beehives helps secure a sustainable future and protects��an important��species from eradication. In trade, beekeepers can harvest honey and beeswax from hives��to use��for various purposes.

“It’s��just important for everybody to know that you can absolutely be a beekeeper wherever as long as you have a yard and some plants nearby,”��Robinson said.��“You just have to know some pretty basic things about bees��and��how to use the equipment.”

Justin Mog, assistant to the provost for sustainability��initiatives,��created the beekeeping internship to help connect student learning with sustainable agriculture and nature stewardship.��Mog works closely with Robinson to manage��the��hives and honey harvesting��at UofL.��The two also participate in programming on-and-off campus to better connect the Louisville community with honeybee conservation.

“Anyone who cares about sustainability needs an intimate understanding of how nature works, and I find��there’s��no better way to do that than to crack open a beehive and observe��what’s��going on,”��Mog said.��“I learn so much from my bees!”

After graduation, Robinson hopes to continue beekeeping��either through��volunteering or keeping her own hives.��“I would love to have some beehives of my own one day as��kind of��a family tradition, help my dad still take care of his bees and hopefully get more involved with the����

KSBA offers resources, workshops and programs to help create new beekeepers and share knowledge.

Interested in becoming��UofL’s��next beekeeping intern? Contact��.

The financial support comes from the , made possible through a gift from the recently retired president of HDR’s global water program, Glen Ellmers and his wife, Cherie. The funds will be used to add a new biology and sustainability curriculum to the INSPIRE program. , an acronym for “Increasing Student Preparedness and Interest in the Requests for Engineering,” is a summer enrichment program dedicated to introducing engineering to students from historically underserved populations across Louisville area schools.

The curriculum expansion aims to enhance the experience for approximately 20 students who attend the week-long camp each summer, providing them with a broader understanding of STEM fields and fostering their interest in engineering, biology and sustainability.

INSPIRE’s core objectives include exposing students to various engineering subfields, engaging them in hands-on activities and facilitating local site visits with community partners. Additionally, the program assists students in identifying their strengths and prepares them for the college transition process.

“With HDR’s generous investment, the INSPIRE Program will see significant enhancements, providing a holistic educational experience to our participants,” said Dayna Touron, dean of the . “This investment not only supports the expansion of the curriculum but also enables us to offer a real-life, on-campus experience to the students during the INSPIRE Summer Camp.”

The proposed enhancements include Biology and Sustainability Days, where participants will delve into disciplines such as drip irrigation, water research, composting, creating headphones, slime cell graphs, 3D printing, laser cutting and biomedical engineering demonstrations using real organs.

The collaborative effort of UofL’s departments of Biology and Urban and Public Affairs and the will produce two immersive days designed to combine interactive classroom learning with hands-on experiential activities. This innovative approach aims to bridge the gap between traditional academic disciplines, providing students with a holistic understanding of how biology and sustainability intersect with engineering issues.

The INSPIRE program will also introduce a residential aspect, allowing students to stay in a residence hall on UofL’s campus for the entire week of the camp. This immersive experience aims to familiarize students with college life and ignite excitement about pursuing degrees in STEM fields like engineering or biology.

“We believe that this investment will not only impact the participating students but also contribute to the broader goals of diversity and inclusion in STEM education,” added Kyle Guthrie, vice president and HDR’s Area Manager for Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. “We look forward to witnessing the success stories that will emerge from the INSPIRE Program and its expanded curriculum.”

Earlier in February, community partner and UofL neighbor, Dave Barker led participants through a maple tapping workshop, installing taps on several trees in the center of campus. Barker instructed participants on the best practices for tree tapping without causing harm to the trees. He explained that sap flows are much more accessible to tap after temperatures swing from below freezing at night to above freezing during the day, creating an internal pressure that carries sap through the tree. After these conditions are met, sap may be seen leaking through natural scars. The only equipment then needed to harvest sap is a drill to make a one-inch hole, a tap to hammer in, tubing and a covered bucket. Once the sap is harvested, it’s then boiled down to remove the water and create syrup.

Justin Mog, assistant to the provost for sustainability initiatives says tree tapping is a sustainable way to create local maple syrup and sugary products while cutting personal emissions. Combining maple tapping with other gardening and farming practices can make an important impact in reducing individual environmental impacts.

“I think the most important thing we get out of this project is a better understanding of sustainability, which is all about tapping into the local resources right under our noses that we tend to ignore,” Mog said. “As we learned at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, what makes modern life so precarious and unsustainable is an over-reliance on extractive economies that pull in resources from all over the place. Rather than spending a bunch of money and burning a bunch of fossil fuels to ship in syrup from Vermont, I’d much rather see us make our own and reconnect with the abundance that nature provides for us right here in Louisville.”

To make a gallon of maple syrup about 30–60 gallons of sap is needed. Assuming weather conditions support the flow of sap, UofL Sustainability hopes to produce a few gallons of syrup from Belknap campus trees. While the workshop focused on tapping maple trees, several other tree species can be tapped for sap to make syrup. Birch, hickory, sycamore and other types of trees can be used to create unique syrups with different flavor profiles from maple syrup.

The annual maple tapping workshop is part of . The Garden Commons is a collectively managed space open to all students, staff, faculty and community members. Participants who assist in the garden’s projects are welcome to share in the harvest and take their share of organic produce.

The Garden Commons hosts several workshops and events to get volunteers engaged in recognizing the accessible abundance of gardening and foraging. Upcoming events include workshops on orchard care, berry foraging and community gardening in abandoned urban spaces. Garden Commons intern and UofL student Savannah Dowell organized this year’s maple tapping workshop.

“I want everyone who participates in the Garden Commons to walk away with the understanding and confidence that they, too, can grow, forage or learn anything their heart desires. The world of sustainable urban agriculture can be overwhelming, but don’t become debilitated by the plethora of possibilities,” Dowell said. “Whether you start with a mass-scale maple tapping project or a windowsill herb garden – just start!”

Over the coming weeks, Cardinals can help empty sap buckets into collection barrels at the North Information Center and behind Gottschalk Hall by . ��

Taste UofL’s maple syrup and honey at this year’s on Friday, April 19, from noon – 1 p.m. at the Cultural & Equity Center 176 (Belknap Village North).

View pictures on .

The Arbor Day Foundation is the world’s largest membership nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees. Its Tree Campus Higher ����ֱ�� program began in 2008 to encourage colleges and universities to plant trees on their campuses.

“As chair of UofL’s Campus Tree Advisory Committee, I know just how passionate our staff, faculty, and students are about protecting, diversifying, expanding, and learning from the trees on our campuses,” said Justin Mog, Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability Initiatives.

Trees on campus and in urban spaces can lower energy costs by providing shade cover, cleaner air and water, and green spaces for students and faculty. In addition, trees improve students’ mental and cognitive health, provide an appealing aesthetic for campuses, and create shaded areas for studying and gathering.

“Trees not only play a vital role in the environment but also in our daily lives,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Having trees on college and university campuses is a great way to show a commitment to students and faculty’s overall wellbeing.”

The Tree Campus Higher ����ֱ�� program honors colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and engaging staff and students in conservation goals. UofL achieved the distinction by meeting Tree Campus Higher ����ֱ��’s five standards, including maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and student service-learning project.

Currently, there are 411��campuses across the United States with this recognition. More information about the program is available at .

The Louisville native was even more ecstatic six months later when the humanitarian organization won the for its work in combating hunger and creating better conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas around the globe.

“The Nobel Peace Prize was definitely just phenomenal,” Grantz said.

Although the award was announced when people were working remotely because of COVID-19, one plus was that Grantz and all the other WFP employees who shared in the honor were able to “attend” the virtual ceremony in Oslo, Norway, via Microsoft Teams and hear the acceptance speech of their World Food Programme executive director.

“It makes you in your core want to work even harder and do more,” Grantz said. “It brought goose bumps to your skin…This is why I joined this organization.”

As a liaison between the partners and the offices in the affected countries, Grantz said she works to ensure everyone’s on the same page in seeking and providing critical aid.

When a disaster or conflict happens somewhere, that country’s office sends in information and writes a proposal about what’s needed to help the area deal and recover. Grantz or another officer reviews the proposal to see it meets all requirements of donors, usually government agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Grantz negotiates with donors to ensure the need is met with as much money as possible. And then she might work with the country’s office again to make sure the aid goes to meet the true needs resulting from the emergency. Each situation requires special logistics for WFP to get the food where it’s needed – and that process might be complicated by the emergency at hand.

Her UofL graduate education provided a helpful launching pad for the challenging, rewarding mission.

Interested “to understand the science behind all of it,” Grantz was attracted to the then-new interdisciplinary master’s degree with the sustainability concentration to build on her undergraduate interests in international relations, sustainability and global health.

Several courses then relate to her work now, she said. In an urban farming class, she learned about the importance of good soil and food equity, particularly the importance of access to nutrient-dense food. In an agriculture class, students talked to farmers and got their hands dirty in planting. An environmental law class helped her learn to unravel and understand the essence of thick legal documents. In an anthropology class centered on ecology and politics, she learned how to interview people, evaluate a situation’s pros and cons and apply what she gleaned from case studies.

While at UofL, she even had a hand back then in food distribution, volunteering on the Health Sciences Center’s “green team” that worked with Starbucks to collect food left over at the day’s end and to give to Louisville nonprofits to share with people in need.

Also while a graduate student, Grantz co-organized the Louisville Solar Tour, a bus tour of homes, businesses and other facilities to demonstrate the advantages of the alternative source. “That helped me with my grants management and partnerships,” she said.

“I’m lucky that UofL was a part of my journey because without it I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Grantz said, also describing sustainability studies as “so versatile, you can go into so many different pathways from there.”

Louie’s Greenhouse is an indoor hydroponic microfarm requiring only water and nutrients to grow greens all year around with no pesticide involved. The farm can grow a total of 45 different microgreens, lettuces, other leafy greens (like kale and Swiss chard) and even flowers. Tangy Basil Mix, Italian Herb Mix, cilantro and dill are already sprouting in the vertical greenhouse.

According to Babylon, the maker of the microfarm, each unit reduces water usage, carbon emissions and chemical runoff found in traditional farming, with one farm netting 7.13 pounds of fertilizer runoff avoided annually; 97.5 pounds of food waste saved annually; 13,128 gallons of water saved annually; and 676 single-use plastic saved annually.��

The farm is one of the newer sustainability initiatives that UofL Dining Services provider Aramark is implementing across campus.

“I wanted to bring hydroponic growing to campus as soon as I got here! It’s a great way to interact with students and get them involved with growing their own food,” said Lindsay Klingenschmidt, Aramark sustainability manager. “We’ve been working with and UofL Auxiliaries on a partnership to help make our vision a reality.”

Along with providing Ville Grill chefs with fresh produce, Louie’s Greenhouse demonstrates UofL’s commitment to sustainability and is proudly supported by corporate partner Canon.��

“Canon’s corporate philosophy of��Kyosei—all people, regardless of race, religion, or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future—fuels our dedication to conducting business in harmony with the environment. Canon Solutions America has a strong commitment to promoting both our own sustainability efforts and those of our customers,” said Peter P. Kowalczuk, president of Canon Solutions America. “So, when UofL told us about the opportunity to support the installation of an indoor vertical farm on campus, it was a win-win. Not only does this way of growing greens reduce environmental impact, it’s also a beautiful and fun way to enhance the experience for the university’s students. We are excited to explore even more ways Canon Solutions America and UofL can partner to make a positive impact on both students and our planet.”��

Ville Grill’s location was a no brainer since they see over 1,000 students and faculty every day. Microfarm planners hope to have a positive impact on students and influence them to get more involved with their own food. The farm is surrounded by glass so guests can come and see what is growing inside.

Klingenschmidt��and two sustainable dining interns oversee care of the flourishment of the greens since the farm must be locked to keep the food they’re growing safe from contamination and tampering. But Ville Grill visitors will see the farm open when the two students are working each week. The interns also work hand-in-hand with Ville Grill chefs to see what the chefs would like to add to the microfarm and how they would like to incorporate it into Ville Grill meals.

This is not the only initiative showing the growth of sustainability throughout campus. UofL and Aramark are working on multiple other projects like incorporating more Zero Waste events, emphasizing recycling and composting, along with adding more local produce and fair-trade certified products on campus.

Follow UofL Dining on Instagram (@uofldining) to get updates on Louie’s Greenhouse.

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