Sustainability

Detroit Publishing Company vintage postcard of the Thoreau and Alcott House, historic house in Concord, Massachusetts, 1902. From the New York Public Library. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

Thoreau’s Great Insight for the Anthropocene: Wildness is an Attitude, not a Place

The mantra 'In Wildness is the preservation of the world' can remain true, provided we ask ourselves what we mean by wildness and what we’re trying to preserve, writes Robert Thorson at UConn.

A path in a secondary forest in Lindero Sur, San Juan Province, Argentina.

Tropical Forests Naturally Regrow Quickly, But Without Species Variety

Forests recover growth in a few decades, but it may take centuries before the species diversity returns to the original composition, according to a study co-authored by Robin Chazdon of UConn.

On the ground in Uganda. (Khaled Elfiqi/EPA)

Op-ed: Why Storage and Handling are to Blame for Uganda’s Poor Quality Seed

Monitoring mechanisms and collective action by stakeholders are key for better seeds, writes Nathan Fiala of the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources.

Andrew Stillman uses radio-telemetry to track the movements of black-backed woodpeckers in post-fire areas. (Photo by Jean Hall)

The Birds Who Seek Out Goldilocks Fires

Black-backed woodpeckers prefer forests that are burned just right – not too hot, not too cold. But as wildfires become more intense, megafires are not creating a sufficient diversity of habitats.

Grace Pelletier '19 (CLAS), a cashier at the Union Central Exchange, loads a reusable tote bag with a purchase on Jan. 15, 2019. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

Dining Services Ends Use Of Plastic Bags

The change supports the University’s ongoing sustainable efforts and is the result of a joint effort between Dining Services and the Zero Waste Campaign of UConnPIRG.

Stacks of Environmental Microcontroller Units (EMUs) that were developed by UConn researchers to facilitate the collection of fine-scale data. (Sean Flynn/UConn Photo)

More Data, Lower Cost – DIY Electronics Tackle Global Change

UConn researchers developed low-cost environmental sensor units to facilitate the collection of fine-scale data. Now they're making them available to others.

Wood burning stove. (Getty Images)

Changing Air Quality in the Land of Steady Habits

Although ozone season is a couple of months away, Connecticut's air quality in winter is negatively impacted by the amount of wood burned as fuel, says engineering professor Kristina Wagstrom.

Reducing your greenhouse gas emissions can be as easy as changing the types of food you buy and eat, according to a recent study led by UConn researchers. (Bret Eckhardt/UConn Photo)

Climate Change: It (Doesn’t Have to Be) What’s for Dinner

Reducing your greenhouse gas emissions can be as easy as changing the types of food you buy and eat, according to a recent study led by UConn researchers.

Turn down the thermostat. (Getty Images)

Want to Thwart Climate Change? Here are 8 Steps You Can Take

Turn down the thermostat, use only what you need, and don't wait to start. These are among the New Year's tips from faculty for those who are concerned about the environment.

A group of students and faculty attended COP24, the UN climate change summit, earlier this month in Katowice, Poland, where world leaders discussed details of the Paris Climate Accord, and ways to mitigate emissions. (Office of Environmental Policy/UConn Photo)

Students Talk Climate at COP24

Student bloggers who were part of UConn's delegation to the recent UN climate change summit in Poland discuss the personal impact of their experiences.