According to UTRGV TV, the UTRGV Student Government Association has passed a resolution calling for a Green Fund, with students to vote for/against the measure in Fall 2018. As a graduate student, I understand the value of every last dollar, but I also have come to understand the importance of sustainability!
Before voting, students need to understand the long-term vision behind the green fund idea–that universities need funding to minimize damage to the environment, to people and to the economy. Sustainability is already written into our Mission, Vision and Goals–and UTRGV has earned a gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), which measures sustainability on college campuses. Yet funding for sustainability is cut smaller every semester, and we’re one of few universities with no formal green fund to support those efforts!
Green funds are being used across the U.S. to pay for initiatives, such as reusable takeout box programs for dining halls, university thrift stores, bike racks, and composting and recycling programs. Successful green fund programs at other universities have also supported micro-business loans for on campus, student-led enterprises and grants for student interest projects (they’re like contests for “green” businesses and projects), space-reclaiming projects (turning unused spaces into usable relaxation/butterfly gardens) and improvements for those spaces (like hammock stands and solar-powered phone charging stations).
Sounds good, right? Too bad UTRGV can’t afford any of that stuff! Students, if you want a nicer campus environment, vote for the green fund, and tell your friends about why it’s a good idea to do so. Pool together and treat yourself to some campus upgrades. You won’t miss the $2, but your university community will definitely feel the impact. This resolution didn’t pass last time–let’s get a green fund at UTRGV passed this year!
Karen Villarreal
Graduate student, communication program
Graduate assistant, UTRGV Office for Sustainability
