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SustainableUMD News
Free Cotton Candy Draws Students to Learn About the Green Terp Bucket List Challenge
This October, the Office of Sustainability celebrates Campus Sustainability Month by hosting a celebration in Hornbake Plaza! The event was held on Thursday, October 23rd, from 1-3 pm and featured 18 organizations and university departments. The organizations were able to promote their initiatives and also share interactive activities related to sustainability.View Article Details for Free Cotton Candy Draws Students to Learn About the Green Terp Bucket List Challenge Terps Taking Action: UMD’s Student Sustainability Leaders
Article by Vivian Maneval ‘27By the time most students are winding down for the night, members of the Food Recovery Network are just getting started, collecting trays of untouched meals from the dining hall to redistribute to local communities. On Sunday mornings, Sustainable Ocean Alliance members gather bright and early to lead cleanup crews, teaching their peers how to sort waste before heading out to clear the litter left behind after Saturday’s football game.View Article Details for Terps Taking Action: UMD’s Student Sustainability Leaders Demonstrating Progress: Student-Funded Agricultural Innovations
Article by Vivian Maneval '27Beneath the shade of solar panels, crops can thrive, livestock can wander, and the plot of land that feeds our power grids can also feed our families. This is the promise of agrivoltaics, an innovative approach that combines renewable energy generation with agricultural production.View Article Details for Demonstrating Progress: Student-Funded Agricultural Innovations Weather Stations, Native Plants, and Chesapeake Bay Field Trips: Sustainability Fund Updates
View Article Details for Weather Stations, Native Plants, and Chesapeake Bay Field Trips: Sustainability Fund Updates 
Sustainable Practices at the Farmers Market
Springtime marks the return of farmers markets season at UMD! This spring, the UMD Farmers Markets were held every Wednesday at Tawes Plaza from April 2nd to May 7th, 2025. Farmers markets are a great place to support local produce and small businesses, and connect with the campus community in an outdoor setting! Larry Tumlin, the Market Manager in Dining Services, organizes the event and also offers cooking demonstrations.View Article Details for Sustainable Practices at the Farmers Market 
Maryland Day Highlights: Sustainable Activities Hosted by the Office of Sustainability
Since 1999, the University of Maryland has hosted Maryland Day to celebrate UMD’s agricultural roots and hold community outreach activities. This year, Maryland Day was held on Saturday, April 26th, from 10 am to 4 pm, showcasing activities and demonstrations in different neighborhoods.View Article Details for Maryland Day Highlights: Sustainable Activities Hosted by the Office of Sustainability
Feature Stories
Feature stories highlight multi-year collaborative projects and visually explore the resulting improvements and opportunities for a more resilient and sustainable campus. Written by Office of Sustainability staff in partnership with the SustainableUMD Network, these stories celebrate the success of interdisciplinary efforts around campus.
Small Fee, Big Impact
T. Brinks & V. Maneval/ Mar. 4, 2026
The Sustainability Fund, a student-driven grant program, has shaped campus sustainability operations and education for 15 years.
Transportation at the Intersection of Sustainability, Safety, and Learning
N. Pilsbury / May 9, 2025
UMD's Dept. of Transportation Services has a long-standing commitments to accessible and sustainable transportation opportunities
Growing Gardens from Grants
C. Gallagher / Dec. 15, 2023
A $30,000 grant from the Sustainability Fund helps the Community Learning Garden grow to support learning, community, and food security at the university.
10-Years of Sustainable Food
C. Lundquist & E. Hightower / Nov 02, 2022
UMD’s award-winning Dining Services program has served as a leader for sustainability initiatives on campus for over a decade. Green Dining programs aim to educate the community while progressing UMD's carbon neutrality goal.
Measuring Campus Forest Carbon
E. Hightower / Oct 12, 2022
Forests and other green spaces provide important benefits to mental and physical health, education, and campus operations. Students and researchers at UMD partner to better understand forest carbon sequestration and flux.
A Year in Review: 2020-2021
E. Hightower / Mar 25, 2022
The University continues to strive for excellence in climate action, aiming to achieve the visions embodied in campus, community, and global sustainability goals. The 2020 calendar year highlights the University’s unwavering commitment to sustainability and climate action even as financial and social challenges mounted with the impacts of the global pandemic.
Building a Sustainable Future
S. DeLeon / Nov 18, 2020
At the local scale, UMD and partners in government and business are guiding future planning with a deep commitment to “smart growth.”