The green theme is spreading across campus as a growing number of students become increasingly interested in the eco-friendly movement.
Joining a club, such as the Environmental Club, is one of the many ways students can become involved.
The Environmental Club began outlining its plans for the semester Thursday, and members will present these ideas at the club’s general meeting Wednesday. The club is also planning its next Eco Mart for Green UH Day Oct. 29.
For this campuswide event, the Environmental Club’s activities may include educational and interactive activities such as lessons in composting and planting flowers.
Signing up to be a Green UH eco rep is also another way students can get involved on campus. ‘
Green UH helps guide environmental and sustainability efforts on campus.’ Eco reps help promote Green UH programs related to dining, transportation, research and academics.
As part of Green UH, the Sustainability Task Force works with students, faculty and staff to help develop sustainable strategies on campus for a greener future.
All the University efforts and activities are lead by Assistant Vice President of University Services Emily Messa.
She encourages students to become eco reps and said that they can volunteer as little or as much as they like.
‘ ‘Green UH Day is a carnival-type atmosphere where students can learn more about campus green programs and organizations,’ Messa said. ‘
The event highlights include campus eco-tours, demonstrations and a special weather balloon.
Not only will the tour spotlight green features on campus, it will also highlight UH history, showing students where Shasta used to live and the Eternal Flame of Service monument.
Environmentally conscious groups and the art community came together Thursday at the BioMorphica exhibit sponsored by the Blaffer Gallery.
Artists from five local high schools took part in the gallery’s Young Artist Apprenticeship Program to create a large art sculpture from recycled and natural materials as part of the UH Arts Open House.
Artist mentor Patrick Renner said the recycled and natural materials were used not only due to budget constraints, but also to keep the project’s low-tech, do-it-yourself concept.
At the end of the six-week art program, the students will have an opportunity to show their work at the Blaffer Gallery and enter into a college scholarship contest.
There has been a major effort to get students to recycle on campus, which would be a huge step toward going green.
The recycling bins located near many trash receptacles across campus make it convenient for UH to meet its green goals.
‘Recycling is very easy and not very controversial,’ Messa said.’ ‘Everybody feels good about recycling.’
RecycleMania made a big impact on campus last spring when Rice, the University of St. Thomas and UH competed to see which school could reduce its carbon footprint the most. UH diverted 33 percent of all waste through recycling last semester, and Messa hopes that the campus community will pull together and go for 40-45 percent this upcoming semester.’
Those seriously wanting to take their environmentally-friendly roles further now have the option to enroll in an environment or sustainability-related course, which will provide a more in-depth look at concerns from a variety of perspectives.
Sustainability on Campus is a new course that will be offered in Spring 2010. Messa also hopes to create opportunities for students to integrate their work from the course on the Sustainability Task Force.
Students can learn about the University’s green efforts by visiting the Green UH Web site at www.uh.edu/af/greenUH.
