August 2024

Hello alumni, colleagues, friends, and supporters,

As the summer comes to a close, I look forward to coming back together as a community. It’s important to remember that the University of Michigan is just that: a community; a family; a society in and of itself where students, staff, and faculty join together to take on our most pressing challenges, and test new and innovative solutions.

We’re doing this now in the area of sustainability, with an institution-wide approach that we call “Planet Blue.” It’s an approach, but even more, it represents our commitment to achieving carbon neutrality and fostering a campuswide culture of sustainability.

This work is far from easy, especially when the news seems especially dire. But we must not allow climate anxiety to impede meaningful engagement. Rather, we must come together in academics, healthcare, operations, campus involvement, and public leadership and use this tremendous opportunity to amplify and accelerate positive impacts for people and the planet.

We’re already doing so.

Climate justice in action

Power play

In May, we announced plans to construct 25 megawatts of on-campus solar power across the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses, including installations for adjacent communities that may be experiencing energy inequities. The total amount of electricity generated by this project will equal the power consumed by approximately 3,000 homes annually. We’re excited to work with Radial Power and our community partners to provide this visible demonstration of our transition to renewable energy and commitment to climate justice and climate action.

We’re also revisiting a Campus Connector transportation concept that would enable people to move between the Central, Medical, and North campuses in minutes, and we’re optimistic that this project can serve as a model for sustainable mobility.

At our health system, we’ve pursued several programs to spur decarbonization. The Department of Anesthesiology reduced greenhouse gas emissions from inhaled anesthesia by 88% within two years – exceeding an initial goal, without compromising patient safety or comfort. In addition, the Planet Blue at U-M Health program is expanding efforts in sustainable building standards, energy conservation, materials recycling, food composting, and virtual patient care.

In April – “Earth Month 2024” – more than 25 events took place across our campus on a variety of sustainability topics. In addition, U-M’s Vision 2034 framework and Campus Plan 2050 effort each emphasize sustainability and environmental justice as core themes.

Climate action

Finally, we look forward to welcoming our inaugural vice provost for sustainability and climate action this fall.

There are countless opportunities for U-M students, faculty, and staff to serve as climate leaders. It’s upon each of us to foster sustainability and advance Planet Blue for generations to come. That’s why this month’s Portrait of a Wolverine recognizes the 10,000-plus certified Planet Blue Ambassadors who advance sustainability on and off-campus in their studies, work, and lives.

The Planet Blue Ambassador program is active on all three campuses and covers a range of sub-topics — from reducing greenhouse gas emissions to producing sustainable food. In addition to sharing information about the University’s sustainability goals, the program also equips each ambassador with useful knowledge to contribute to a cleaner and more equitable planet.

Any student, staff, faculty, or alum can become an ambassador by completing an introductory training course at pba.umich.edu. You can sign up individually or with a group.

Blue on blue

Let me conclude with how I began.

U-M is a community, and sustainability is a community effort — whether we’re pursuing a more environmentally friendly campus or a more resilient world. So I invite you to learn more at planetblue.umich.edu. And for those already taking part in various efforts – whether in research, teaching, campus involvement, operations, healthcare, or advocacy – thanks for making this community as sustainable as it can be.

Thanks again for joining me, and I’ll see you in September.

With warm regards,

Santa J. Ono, PhD
President
 
 
(Lead image:  Jeremy Moghtader, program manager at U-M’s Campus Farm, left, with U-M students who plant, grow, and harvest fresh produce to sell to Michigan Dining, donate to the Maize & Blue Cupboard, and offer for sale at the campus Farm Stand. Credit: D. Holdship. Listen to “Harvest at the Campus Farm,” episode 52 of Listen in, Michigan.)