Who Does This Work

Campus Partners

• Housing and Residential Education (HRE)

  As students’ first home and community at DU, Housing and Residential Education (HRE) plays a central role in educating and engaging students in intentional and sustainable living. HRE partners closely with the Center for Sustainability to ensure both move-in and move-out produce less waste, and with Custodial Services to provide recycling bins in all resident rooms and compost and recycling in the lobbies of every residence hall. HRE and Facilities ensure the buildings are as efficient as possible. 

  Additionally, HRE sponsors numerous programs to increase awareness and educate about sustainable personal lifestyle choices. Educational bulletin boards and hall meetings discuss waste, energy, water and transportation best practices. Community-wide programs hosted by RAs engage residents in how to live sustainably.

  Learn more about HRE’s sustainability initiatives here.

• Denver Dining by Sodexo

  As DU’s contracted food service provider, Sodexo works to ensure the food we eat on campus is nutritious and delicious, and they have set aggressive goals toward local and sustainable sourcing and disposal. To this end, Sodexo signed on to the Real Food Challenge in 2014, and met its goal to serve 20% Real Food (local and sustainably sourced) in the dining halls. Sodexo was also integral in creating the Sustainable Food Policy at DU, which continues to drive sustainable practices across all good service.

  Beyond this, Sodexo has implemented several programs to reduce waste in the dining halls and kitchens, as well as being key partners in alleviating food insecurity at DU through their generous support of the DU Food Pantry and the Swipe Out Hunger program.

  Read more about Sodexo’s sustainability initiatives here.

• Parking and Mobility Services

  Parking and Mobility Services’ mission is to help the DU community get to, from and around campus. They provide a myriad of options that make getting out of your single occupancy vehicle (SOV) affordable and convenient. They register bikes to help keep them safe from theft and run a campus shuttle that improves connections to light rail and moves people quickly across campus and to community amenities. Parking and Mobility Services is dedicated to making alternative transportation the norm at DU. 

  Read about all of Parking and Mobility Service’s sustainability programs here.

• Aramark Custodial Services

  Custodial Services play a central role in DU’s goals of becoming a zero waste campus by 2035. Without our custodians, our waste would not end up being recycled or composted. Custodial Services is leading the way in green cleaning practices, reducing chemicals and allergens. 

  Beyond this, Aramark is a key monetary supporter of the DU Food Pantry, a program that ensures everyone in the DU Community has food to eat when they aren’t sure where their next meal might come from. 

  Learn more about Custodial Service’s work here.

• Human Resources and Inclusive Community (HRIC)

  Human Resources and Inclusive Community (HRIC) works to provide staff at DU the resources they need to live full, healthy and balanced lives. Part of this is offering their People Development “14ers Program” which provides a centralized, campus-wide container for professional and personal development classes, workshops, programs and experiences to the University of Denver faculty and staff. Using the beautiful Colorado mountains as the backdrop, this program highlights the many diverse professional development offerings through a series of pathways, with each pathway having its own focus, curriculum and criteria. The Quandary Peak pathway is dedicated to Sustainability education and gives staff the opportunity to deeply engage with how to bring a more sustainable outlook to their work.

  As part of employee benefit packages, HRIC also provides an RTD transit EcoPass to all full-time employees. This benefit allows full access to the transit system, making commuting easier and stress-free.

  Learn more about the 14ers Program here

• Anderson Academic Commons (AAC)

  The LEED Silver-certified Anderson Academic Commons (AAC) has had a Sustainability Committee since 2014. It is open to participation by faculty, staff and student employees of any library or academic support unit housed in the AAC. The AAC regularly sponsors films, panels, staff and faculty trainings, special events, and the quarterly Zero Waste Finals event with treats and a trash diversion game. With the support of building users, the AAC has the best day-in-day-out waste diversion rate on the DU campus: 69 percent of its waste was kept out of the landfill stream on its most recent waste audit. The AAC frequently co-sponsors events with the Center for Sustainability and other groups, and sponsors a team tending two plots in the Bridge Community Garden. Learn more here about our programs. 

  The University Libraries maintain a substantial collection of policy, scientific and popular environmental publications for the use of the DU Community. Our library research guides on sustainability topics are available here.

• Health and Counseling Center

  Well-being is the on-going process of reflecting on and engaging with your values and actions to help you thrive now and into the future, and it is the mission of Health Promotion and the Health and Counseling Center to ensure that everyone at DU is able to be well. Among the eight dimensions of well-being that Health Promotion has identified is Environmental Well-Being, which describes a safe and sustainable environment as crucial to personal well-being. Living a more sustainable life can improve health — both physical and mental — and the HCC works to make these connections as students navigate the demands of college life.

  Read more about the 8 Dimensions of Well-Being here.