Penguin in the Southern Ocean

As the Southern Ocean heats up, the race is on to protect Antarctica’s marine life

June 6, 2023

As Earth’s atmosphere continues to warm, biodiversity in the global ocean is increasingly at risk. In this Q&A with Cassandra Brooks, we explain the importance of protecting the Southern Ocean in particular as the world races to conserve biodiversity across the globe.

A fleet of electric vehicles being charged simultaneously.

Postdoc leads research into decarbonization of transportation sector

June 5, 2023

A paper recently submitted to Nature Scientific Reports explores a scenario in which a 100%-electrified fleet of vehicles must attend to both ride requests submitted by customers and charging requests sent by a utility company during a period of high renewable energy generation.

Jody Jahn, center, in black

Research addresses burning questions on firefighter culture

May 31, 2023

For eight summers, Jody Jahn earned money for college working as a wildland firefighter on U.S. Forest Service crews. Now, instead of rappelling out of helicopters to fight fires, she's an associate professor of communication who studies the culture of wildland firefighting crews.

aerial view of a lake

Satellites reveal widespread decline in global lake water storage

May 26, 2023

More than half of the lakes around the world are losing water. The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at CU Boulder reconstructed lake levels from the past 30 years, determining that climate change, human consumption and sedimentation are the reasons for the decline.

Man moves a piece on a wooden board, while several other people watch sitting at school desks

Collective property rights spark spirit of cooperation that extends beyond managing land

May 25, 2023

Since the 1990s, Indigenous groups and other communities around the world have increasingly fought for, and secured, collective property rights to the land they live on. New research suggests that these arrangements can have impacts not just on ecosystems like forests but on the psychology of people.

Renee Crown Wellness Institute at 1135 Broadway

CU Boulder building rehab wins recognition from city landmarks board

May 23, 2023

The City of Boulder Landmarks Board recognized CU Boulder’s 1135 Broadway building, which now houses the Renée Crown Wellness Institute, with a project award.

Researchers on skis collect snow measurements near the Continental Divide in Colorado

Earlier snowpack melt in the West could bring summer water scarcity

May 22, 2023

Snow is melting earlier, and more rain is falling instead of snow in the mountain ranges of the Western U.S. and Canada, leading to a leaner snowpack that could impact agriculture, wildfire risk and municipal water supplies come summer, according to a new CU Boulder analysis.

Volunteers helping students move out of residence halls.

Students give big at the move-out donation drive

May 19, 2023

Each year, move-out produces tons of unwanted items headed for the landfill as students pack up to return home for the summer. CU Boulder implemented a solution to reduce waste and promote sustainability and generosity. Instead of trashing items, students participated in the Give & Go Donation Drive.

The recycling processing facility on the CU Boulder campus.

Office spring cleaning tips for faculty and staff

May 18, 2023

With the end of another academic year, you may be looking to do some spring cleaning around the office. As you start to declutter desk drawers and other office spaces, the Environmental Center has tips to help you make the most of your spring cleaning.

A scene from the TV show Extrapolations

Fact or fiction? New sci-fi series Extrapolations explores a climate-changed future

May 3, 2023

Black Mirror meets Don’t Look Up in Apple TV’s dystopian drama about living through climate change impacts. Not for the faint of heart, Extrapolations depicts a future with rising temperatures, sea levels and global tensions—all mostly within the realm of possibility, according to CU experts.

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