By SUSAN JONES
Aurora Sharrard’s recent promotion to assistant vice chancellor for sustainability is reflective of “first of all her incredible impact and just how central sustainability is to everything,” said David DeJong, senior vice chancellor for business and operations.
“It started off as a back office within facilities management 20 years ago — just somebody who had an eye on things — but it’s really front page, so much of what we do,” he said.
Sharrard came to Pitt in 2018 as director of sustainability, then executive director and now assistant vice chancellor. In Sharrard’s time here, sustainability has emerged as one of the University’s key values.
Barely a week goes by that some action from the Office of Sustainability isn’t being promoted by the University, such as the Climate Action and Pitt Sustainability plans and last year’s Pitt Sustainability Challenge, which awarded Ecotone $300,000 to develop technology to divert carbon emissions by converting local food waste into nutrient-dense, ready-to-use fertilizer.
DeJong said the Sustainability Challenge brought five amazing projects to the forefront, “and we are definitely going to do all five. It’s just a question of timing them out.”
‘Circles’ program
This spring, the Office of Sustainability is piloting “All We Can Save” Circles, a new program for faculty and staff to connect more deeply and openly about the climate crisis to help address climate anxiety.
“Circles” operate like a book club, with 10 biweekly sessions that follow “All We Can Save,” an anthology of essays, art and poetry by 60 women working in diverse ways to address the climate crisis.
The goal with this program is to provide a space for open dialogue, to foster deeper connections and support among our peers, and “seed action for climate solutions,“ according to the Office of Sustainability.
“It’s about getting the community actively engaged and participating, thinking about things we can do,” DeJong said. “We’re all in this and the more diverse viewpoints and perspectives and interests are heard, the better.”
The first cohort is already meeting, but there are plans to offer this program each semester.
Other sustainability initiatives at Pitt
Better Climate Challenge: Pitt recently joined more than 175 partners in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Climate Challenge. In doing so, Pitt reaffirmed its own commitment to carbon neutrality by 2037 and support for broader national climate action. Pitt officially committed to reducing Pittsburgh campus Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent within 10 years (between FY22 and FY32) — and will work with the Department of Energy to share successful reduction strategies. These goals are in line with existing Pitt Climate Action Plan strategies, while also helping put focus on steam use reduction, production and procurement of renewable electricity, and fleet vehicle efficiency and electrification.
Zero Waste Laundry Sheets: Starting in February, Pitt Housing began piloting a zero waste refillable laundry sheet dispenser from Generation Conscious in Lothrop Hall. The dispenser eliminates consumer packaging and the sheets are made without water, reducing the waste and carbon impact of laundry on campus. The Lothrop Hall Zero Waste Laundry Sheet Pilot was funded by both Pitt Green Fund and a Year of Emotional Well-being grant. The project was developed over two semesters by students in the Geology 1333: Sustainability class.
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
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