Three of the 2018 Husky Green Awards went to members of the University of Washington Bothell community, honoring their environmental leadership and dedication: Ruth Johnston, Amy Lambert and Alexa Russo.
Johnston, the vice chancellor for Planning & Administration, has been a champion for sustainability at the UW long before she moved from the Seattle campus to the Bothell campus in 2016. She established the UW Sustainability Office in 2008 and led development of the UW Climate Action Plan.
Since then, active engagement by faculty, students and staff has multiplied, Johnston said.
“Student clubs, curriculum, internships and capstones, research, facilities practices and university governance are all positively affected, resulting in UW being a national leader in this work,” Johnston said. “I am so proud of our collective work and commitment to reducing our carbon footprint. It’s been a highlight of my career at UW.”
Lambert, a lecturer in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Science and a visual artist, contributed to developing the CCUWBee Research Initiative and restores pollinator populations in the Puget Sound area in her free time.
Russo (environmental studies ’17) went from being the student assistant to the interim coordinator in the UW Bothell Sustainability Office where she organizes Earth Week events.
In addition, Cassie Lubenow, the outgoing sustainability offices’ staff coordinator, received an honorable mention.
The UW Environmental Stewardship Committee presents Husky Green Awards, made from recycled glass, to winners from all three campuses. The ninth annual awards will be presented April 20 during the 2018 Earth Day celebration in Red Square. The UW Botanic Gardens plants 10 plants in each winner’s honor.
