Campus Energy Management Updates

UMB is expanding its energy management efforts to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and support grid reliability. Several campuswide updates will roll out this summer.

Read about the campus energy management updates.

School of Social Work Construction Update

The new School of Social Work Building project requires chilled water utilities to be run in the street to the building. This utility relocation will require UMB to remove four trees alongside the U.S. post office as part of the new School of Social Work Building project in July or August. Several of the trees are Callery pears, an invasive species to Maryland, and will be replaced with native trees. You may notice tree removal and replanting in several phases in the coming year. Street trees will be removed and replaced with Willow oaks along the sidewalk, and inner lot trees will be removed and replaced with other natives. More tree plantings are planned to offset the total trees removed for this project.

You can stay up to date on this project by visiting the School of Social Work Building Project webpage.

July SustainabiliTea Session



Tuesday, July 7, 9 a.m.

Virtual, Microsoft Teams

The Office of Sustainability will be hosting our July open office hour virtually via Microsoft Teams. Stop in to say hello, ask questions, or share ideas. BYOT (bring your own tea!)

Join the Microsoft Team to learn more.

July Walking Wednesdays!

Join the Office of Sustainability for Walking Wednesdays every second and fourth Wednesday! Meet at the Lexington Building at 12 p.m. to go on an approximately 30- to 45-minute walk with us around campus.

July Dates:

• July 8, 12 p.m.-12:45 p.m. with special guests Officer Summers and police comfort K9, Poe
• July 29, 12 p.m.-12:45 p.m.

Join the Sustainability Community Microsoft Team and follow the Walking Wednesday Channel for the most up-to-date information and reminders.

Share Your Feedback — Resilience Assessment

The Office of Sustainability is updating its Resilience Assessment. As part of this update, we are gathering feedback from our UMB community and asking, "What does 'Resilience at UMB' mean to you?"

We are extending our survey and will create a word cloud of responses as part of this exercise. The survey is anonymous, but those who would like to be entered into a small "Thank You" gift drawing can enter their email address.

Take the Resilience Survey.

Ghost Rivers

Ghost Rivers is a multi-site public art installation and walking tour by artist Bruce Willen that visualizes a lost stream buried below the streets of Baltimore. This project reveals the hidden history and path of Sumwalt Run, which now flows entirely through underground culverts beneath the Remington and Charles Village neighborhoods. Through a series of installations, wayfinding markers, and writings, Ghost Rivers brings lost landscapes and histories to the surface.

Explore Ghost Rivers.

Climate Anxiety Resilience Hub

Climate anxiety is worry, anxiety, depression, hopelessness, or distress related to the state of the world and the climate. Climate anxiety is a legitimate response to the impacts of climate change, as well as the lack of action of leaders. As the impacts of climate change continue to increase in severity and frequency, it is crucial to find tools and methods to manage climate anxiety. This hub's purpose is to share on-campus and online resources to help. It is important to acknowledge our anxieties but also create space where we can envision a better future and actively participate in creating a more sustainable world. 

Explore the Climate Anxiety Resilience Hub's resources.