Campus Sustainability Month Is Here!

October is recognized nationally as Campus Sustainability Month. This month's events include:



• Campus Cleanup
• TODAY, Wednesday, Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., outside HSRF III
• Composting Workshop
• Tuesday, Oct. 7 from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m., SMC Campus Center Room 115
• Register Here
• Walking Wednesday
• Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 12 - 1:30 p.m., meet outside SMC Campus Center
• Register Here
• Baltimore Sustainable Student Meetup
• Thursday, Oct. 9 from 12 - 1 p.m., Zoom
• Register Here
• Climate, Health, and Policy in Maryland: An Interprofessional Symposium
• Tuesday, Oct. 14 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.., 4MLK
• Register Here
• Swap Party
• Tuesday, Oct. 14 from 12 - 4 p.m., 4MLK
• Register Here
• Meet the Founder: HEX Ferments with The Grid
• Wednesday, Oct. 15 from noon - 1 p.m., The Grid (HSHSL, 3rd floor)
• Register Here
• October Specialty Recycling Collections 
• Month of October, Campus Center and Lexington lobbies
• Items Accepted: Books, batteries, ink/toner cartridges, electronics, plastic bags, and film

Visit our website for the latest updates on events.

Upcoming Green PCard Purchasing Info Sessions

Join the UMB Office of Sustainability, PCard Admin Team, and Victoria Nellis from the Department of General Services for a session on sustainable purchasing. This info session will dive into what green purchasing is, the laws and regulations that impact green purchasing in Maryland, and reporting.

Register here for the session on Monday, Oct. 6, from 3 - 4 p.m.

Register here for the session on Thursday, Oct. 9 from 10 - 11 a.m.

Walking Wednesday Dates for October

On the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month, we will meet outside the Lexington Building (620 W. Lexington St) at 12:05 p.m. to walk around campus for about 30 minutes during the lunch hour. In October 2025, there will be a walk on Oct. 8 (the Oct. 22 walk is cancelled due to Founders Week).

Join the Teams at bit.ly/SustainabilityCommunityUMB to stay up to date.

October SustainabiliTea Session

Tuesday, October 7, 2025, 9 a.m.

Microsoft Teams

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

Join the Microsoft Team to learn more.

Meet Fre, Our New Office of Sustainability Fellow!

Firemariam Debele (Fre) is a Master of Social Work candidate at UMB, with a strong background in community engagement, program coordination, and student support. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work with a minor in Psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, as well as dual associate degrees in Social Science and General Studies from Howard Community College. 

She is passionate about fostering community well-being, inclusion, and resilience, Fre brings her people-centered approach to the Office of Sustainability. She is excited to contribute to projects that promote environmental awareness, equity, and sustainable practices on campus.

Free Trees for Baltimore City and County Residents

Saturday, October 18, 2025, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Stillmeadow Community Fellowship

5110 Frederick Ave. Baltimore, MD 21229

Blue Water Baltimore is partnering with local organizations to offer a variety of tree species to residents of Baltimore City and Baltimore County to plant in their yards. You will have the option to pre-order trees for pickup between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. or walk-up first come first serve for frees available from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. or until they run out.

Learn more about picking up, sign up to volunteer, or pre-order here.

MDOT Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Plan Survey Results

The Maryland Department of Transportation distributed an online survey across the state earlier this year to gather input from Maryland residents, local fleet managers, and professionals in the electric vehicle (EV) industry to inform Maryland’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Plan (ZEVIP). The survey included 44 questions in English and in Spanish and received a total of 1,487 responses. It aimed to gauge support for state policies and infrastructure development related to EVs, to identify the challenges and opportunities of EVs, and to assess current EV ownership trends.

See the results of the survey using this link.

Goxxip Girl Collective

The Goxxip Girl Collective is a collective of artists based in Maryland, who strive to build community within the ever-evolving art ecosystem of Baltimore and its surrounding counties. They consist of members from diverse backgrounds working in a range of media who aim

to empower, celebrate and support womxn.

They currently have an exhibit at the HSHSL Weise Gallery called "Perennial". Bringing together work that explores rebirth and resilience, "Perennial" converges on themes of repetition. The natural world cycles through pattern, color, seasonality, or narrative. Similar to perennial plants that return each year, artists return to their practices through repetition, adaptation, and exploration.

Learn more about the collective here, and check out the exhibit at the Weise Gallery on the first floor of HSHSL between now and Nov. 7.

Zero Waste Events Guide

As the semester ramps up and you attend and plan events on campus, consider hosting a Zero Waste Event. Check out the Zero Waste Events Guide for a step-by-step guide on how you can make it happen! Are you a student group? The Office of Sustainability and the USGA have partnered together and have limited compostable wares for students to use for their events.

Check out the Zero Waste Events guide using this link.