Six universities in Tennessee voted yes for “green fees” to be added to their tuition.
These fees, capped at $10, pay for clean energy projects and green power.
The schools include University of Tennessee Knoxville, University of Tennessee Chattanooga, University of Memphis, Austin Peay State University, Middle Tennessee State University, and Tennessee Technological University.
“Tennessee Board of Regents was thinking about making it mandatory, but they decided that they wanted students to vote on it,” said Micky Morton, vice president of Initiative for Clean Energy (ICE). “Because when they see that seven dollars on their tuition they’re like ‘Hey, we voted on that.’ And then they can be invested in it.”
Established two years ago, ICE, along with faculty and staff, has been instrumental in developing the newly implemented program and education about the clean energy initiative.
“When we first formed, we were talking way too big,” said Morton. “We were like let’s take coal and replace it with something else, and ETSU didn’t even have recycling. So last semester we decided to just focus on recycling and getting that going first. Just get one thing going, and other things will follow.”
Recycling will be followed with an alternative transportation program in association with the Center for Physical Activity and the cycling club called Yellow Bikes.
Several bikes have been purchased, painted yellow and will be available to check out for the day to ride while on campus.
Other means used to lessen emissions are hybrid and flexible fuel vehicles.
Hybrid vehicles help the environment by decreasing the vehicle’s emissions by using both an electric engine and fuel. Therefore, such vehicles do not contribute as much to the greenhouse effect.
Flexible fuel vehicles are equipped to use a gasoline blend or have two gas tanks and can interchange between the two power sources
Several hybrids and flex fuel vehicles have been bought for faculty, staff and students from ETSU who use them for state business.
Currently, about 250 students carpool to and from the ETSU campus. Julie Loudermilk, a junior majoring in physical education, commutes with her husband to campus every Tuesday and Thursday.
“It’s really convenient because if we’re running late we can easily find a parking spot and its closer to our classes,” Loudermilk said. Carpooling is a program run by the Adult Commuter and Transfer Services (ACTS) office that provides special parking for those who commute to campus with someone else. Thus, the program effectively reduces the number of vehicles driven to campus.
The ACTS office is working on a new online program, called the Ride Share Program, which will serve as a tool for students to safely find others who want to carpool.
“Ride Share will allow people to go in and input their data. Like I’m looking for someone on Monday, Wednesday and Friday that needs to be on campus by 8 a.m. and is leaving from the Kingsport area,” said Jeff Howard, assistant director of ACTS. “The program will then help to match you and put you in contact with each other.”
ICE plans to put the sustainability fee on the ballot in the Spring 2008 semester.

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