The Learning Abroad Center (LAC) on the Twin Cities campus is tackling the carbon footprint of travel. In May, it invited Emmanuel Gentil, lecturer in environmental sciences at DIS: Study Abroad in Scandinavia, to conduct a two-day Carbon Literacy Workshop for all staff. Staff earned certificates from The Carbon Literacy Project, and the office is applying to be recognized as a Carbon Literate Organization. Kate Nelson, director of campus sustainability at the Office of Sustainability, joined in the two-day workshop and also presented to staff at a June all-staff meeting.
In addition, Assistant Dean Ann Hubbard served on the UofM MPact 2025 Air Travel Committee to create guidelines for both domestic and international travel for faculty, staff, and students. The LAC is also creating a sustainability action plan to reduce overall travel, choose alternatives to short-haul flights, promote low-impact travel, and mitigate carbon emissions with in- and offsets.
On the teaching side, it is incorporating the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as a key focus in courses abroad and training staff to incorporate best SDG practices.
