Sustainability Matters

Celebrating 15 years of the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability

We're looking forward to the board meeting on Feb. 17-18. While we celebrate the 15-year anniversary of the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, we quickly turn our focus to influencing the next 15 years. Meeting agenda is on the board website (password: board). Questions? Contact Emma Hopson (ehopson@asu.edu).

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Christiana Figueres inspires action to cut carbon emissions in half this decade

At the Wrigley Lecture Jan. 30 at ASU, climate leader Christiana Figueres said extreme events like the Australian wildfires are foretelling of things to come if we continue to sleepwalk into the future. “That world is possible, but it is not inevitable,” she said.

The wisdom of indigenous foodways

To equitably transform our food systems and tackle climate change, we must include indigenous voices and decision-makers. That's why the 2020 Food Tank Summit, co-sponsored by ASU’s Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems, focused on the wisdom of traditional knowledge systems.

ASU center makes global impact on ecology, conservation science

Established in January 2019, the Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science is directed by Greg Asner and builds on his lab work of coral reef mapping and measuring plant biodiversity in forests. The center is already making impressive impacts on global environmental decision-making.

Project Cities puts student talent on the map

For three years, Project Cities has been successfully connecting policymakers and students to co-create strategies for better environmental, economic and social outcomes. This success can be seen with Apache Junction, the program's first community partner. “Project Cities is an invaluable resource," said a city official.

Four sustainability scientists elected AAAS Fellows

Four sustainability scientists were named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): Sander van der Leeuw, C. Michael Barton, Gary Marchant and Charles Perrings. These ASU faculty were chosen in honor of their invaluable contributions to science and technology.

Second Nature recognizes ASU as a climate leader

Second Nature, a nonprofit focused on accelerating climate action in higher education, awarded ASU "Marks of Distinction" as a climate leader for cutting its net carbon emissions across the board. ASU did this while significantly expanding its campus buildings and on-campus student population.

ASU carbon-capture technology named one of 2019’s best innovations

Popular Science named ASU Professor Klaus Lackner's carbon-capture technology one of the most important engineering innovations of 2019. Nicknamed “mechanical trees,” these machines can remove carbon dioxide from the air a thousand times more effectively than actual trees.

ASU sustainability scientists forging a future of resilient infrastructure

Extreme weather events are becoming a chronic problem for our built environments. Sustainability scientists Mikhail Chester, Nancy Grimm and Nathan Johnson are part of an interdisciplinary, ASU-led project that will bring researchers and communities together to forge designs for resilient urban infrastructure.

Sunny day flooding in Norfolk, Virginia

"Sunny Day Flooding," a 9-minute documentary produced by Stephen Beschloss for the Global Futures Laboratory, investigates the climate crisis in Norfolk, Virginia — site of the world's largest Naval base. Norfolk is the first U.S. location where complications from sea level rise began in earnest.

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ASU conservation scientist on a mission to save sea turtles

Propelled by his long-time love for sea turtles, ASU marine biologist and conservation scientist Jesse Senko dedicated his life to saving the creatures. To reduce turtle bycatch from fishing nets, he developed effective solar-powered lights that attach to the nets and deter the turtles.

Turning plastic waste into educational opportunity

Three sustainability master's students won $6,000 in startup funds from the Microsoft Community Impact Pitch-Off. Their project, "The Circular Classroom," aims to serve Phoenix high school students with technology and support to transform hard-to-recycle plastic waste into low-cost 3D-printed educational materials.