The Environmental Conservation Organization met last Thursday to discuss the Green Fee with students and how the money would benefit the university.One of the main points of the meeting was to push for students to submit proposals by Nov. 5 for any ideas they might have for Green Fee funds.
The Green Fee was put into effect in spring of 2008. It is a $5 per semester fee that is paid by students and generates roughly $120,000 each fiscal year.
Cheyenne Peavler, student member of the Green Fee Committee, discussed some of the projects that the Green Fee has been a part of since its inception.
She also showed how the projects the Green Fee has started have the potential to make a bigger impact on campus.
“The electric cars that the recycling workers drive around are one of the projects,” Peavler said.
When the Green Fee bought one, [Facilities Managment] put money down to buy others once they saw how much they were liked.”
The Green Fee is active on campus but, as Peavler explained, it is more about letting the students see those dollars at work.
“We want something that the students can see really readily,” Peavler said.
“The lights, in buildings, are being switched over to motion detectors, but we need students to see what is being done with their money.”
The money is being used for projects like the bike racks around campus.
Bob Stokes, another student member of the Green Fee Committee, talked about the financial situation of the fee.
“There is currently $184,886 of unallocated funding in the fee,” Stokes said. “That included rollover money from last year and the $120,000 from the start of this fiscal year.”
Stokes said that these numbers, as well as increasing enrollment, show that the Green Fee budget is in no danger of running out of funds anytime soon.
“With enrollment numbers going up, as they did last year and this year, the $120,000 would likely go upwards,” Stokes said. “There were seven projects approved last year that are in various stages of development and implementation.”
Stokes mentioned several of the various projects the committee has underway.
“One of the projects is working with the CPA and engineering department to use some of the elliptical trainers to actually generate a small amount of electricity,” Stokes said.
“This has been delayed because the refurbishments going on to the buildings did not allow the person heading that project a lab to work in, but it should be up and running soon.”
Stokes also talked about a solar tube project in the music building to be used for lighting in the hallways.
Another project is dealing with an arboretum for Little Bucs.
“That is something that people can actually go by and see,” Stokes said.
Some other project pending include dealing with recycling building water and teaching a sustainability class, as well as others. This is where the proposals come into play.
“Now, we are pushing for people to submit their good ideas,” said Lance Lewis, president of ECO.
Lewis also talked about students’ understanding of how the Green Fee was used.
“A lot of people have no clue,” Lewis said. “Until this semester we assumed people knew about it. When we were actually pushing for people to vote for it, it was all over campus.”
It is more about a mindset than what others might think said Lewis.
“The university needs to seek out and find that culture of sustainability,” Lewis said. “We are trying to get that implanted into the students.”
Stokes said this money does have the ability to make a huge impact on the campus even though it is such a small amount by each person.
“If you are talking about $5 per semester, what is an individual going to do with that money,” Stokes said, “But, when you pool that money together it can potentially make a large-scale impact on a campus this size.”
There is a link on the ETSU webpage that leads directly to the Green Fee proposals and explains what the proposals are and how to submit.
The proposals will be accepted until 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5.
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