GROWING GREEN

Six environmental projects are coming to the campus in the next several months after officials approved the student-funded work last week.

The University Sustainability Council and its Student Advisory Subcommittee selected the projects — ranging from solar panels to educational videos — out of 29 applicants, spending about $53,000 out of an available $148,000 generated by a mandatory $6 student sustainability fee.

The student fee — which started at $4 last year and will increase to $12 — goes to the Campus Green Fund, which was previously used to buy renewable energy credits. But last year, the sustainability council and the Student Government Association moved to target spending for on-campus projects suggested by students, faculty and staff.

Not only does this new method have a more direct impact on the campus, it also sends a direct message about sustainability to the university community, said Jesse Yurow, a senior environmental science and technology major who pushed for a change in the fund's purpose.

"This kind of action is important, but it's not a very visible action," Yurow said of the way the money was being used last year. "I'm really excited to see what students can come up with; I think this is a pretty incredible opportunity."

The projects selected will reduce stormwater runoff from Lot 1 and Campus Drive, install solar panels on the A.V. Williams Building, improve composting and gardening at St. Mary's Hall, develop an online children's educational program and videos about sustainable living, construct artificial wetlands for the 2011 Solar Decathlon project and create a rooftop garden on the South Campus Dining Hall.

Office of Sustainability Associate Director Scott Lupin, a member of the sustainability council, said he was glad to see diversity in the project ideas.

"We're very pleased with the number of proposals that were submitted and the variety of project types," Lupin said. "We feel the six projects that have been endorsed so far are a broad array of projects that support different aspects of the sustainability effort."

The 29 projects submitted last month were winnowed down based on 14 criteria, but Student Advisory Subcommittee Chairman Matthew Popkin said two of the most important factors were the projects' impact on the student body and the environment.

"Sustainability is a very versatile subject and can work in a lot of different areas on campus," Popkin said."We wanted to make sure it was a good use of student money."

Office of Sustainability Manager Mark Stewart said the status of the remaining 23 project proposals — requests totaling nearly $700,000 — will be determined in February, when the concepts will compete for a slice of the remaining $95,000 in the Green Fund this year.

Students voted to finance the fund in 2007 and will pay $8 in the upcoming 2011-2012 academic year.

"It's more of a testament to the desire of the student body to have a more sustainable campus," Popkin added.

Although some students weren't happy to dish out more money, several said the cause might just be worth it.

"I'm not happy about it, but it may be worth it because it's for people all over the campus, and I don't think that's a bad thing," junior communication major Seulah Yoo said.

Sophomore journalism major Julia Torrez said the university should consider more creative ways to collect money besides targeting students, but she supports the project.

"The initiative is great because it's showing we have an opinion about our environment," she said. "It shows that our generation is taking action."

saravia@umdbk.com