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With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.
Name: Taylor Shelton
Position (in student organization): Member, former Co-Coordinator (President)
Date survey submitted:
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: UK Greenthumb
Number of active members: approximately 30
Website: http://ukgreenthumb.webs.com
Date of last meeting: April 21st , 2009
Frequency of meetings: weekly
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008: In the 2008-2009 school year, Greenthumb supported the ongoing campaign to initiate a student sustainability fee at the university. In addition, Greenthumb also focused on continuing to advocate for both local and national policy changes to shift away from coal-fired energy and mountaintop removal and towards renewable energy alternatives.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:
Several members of the group’s leadership and general membership participated in the formation of a new student organization (the Student Sustainability Council) to govern the student fee, which was approved in April 2009. Members of Greenthumb attended Power Shift 2009, in the nation’s capitol, and lobbied members of our state’s congressional delegation to support renewable energy.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ X ] No
[ ] Yes. Please list details for each competition.
#1 - Name of competition:
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe:
See answer from Student Sustainability Council.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:
In April 2009, Greenthumb co-sponsored the 5th Annual Earthdays in the Bluegrass, a month-long series of events on and around campus geared towards educating students, faculty and staff about sustainability. Earthdays in the Bluegrass attracted approximately 800 attendees in 2008 and over 1000 attendees in 2009.
Greenthumb also continues to partner with the Late Night Film Series at UK, which offers free film showings twice a week throughout the school year. At lease one sustainability-themed movie is shown each semester, chosen through a collaborative process with Greenthumb members and Film Series staff.
As part of the Kentucky state government Green Team initiative, Greenthumb members created and submitted a short infomercial to the Green Team Film Festival competition about energy conservation. Greenthumb also maintains a two mile Adopt-a-Highway route just outside Lexington, which requires at least four cleanups each year.
A group of students operate a small-scale demonstration garden on campus at the Gaines Center for the Humanities. Students are also involved in the long-standing Sustainable Campus Internship Program, which places sustainability-minded students in positions around campus that allows them to develop their skills while making the campus more sustainable.
5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible:
Student Sustainability Council (no website)
UK Solar Car Team (http://www.engr.uky.edu/solarcar)
UK Solar Decathlon (http://www.uky.edu/solarhouse)
Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition):
Greenthumb maintains ongoing connections with the Kentucky Student Environmental Coalition (KSEC), Mountain Justice, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KFTC), and the Cumberland Chapter of the Sierra Club.
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Name: Sam Nicaise
Position (in student organization): Team General Manager
Date survey submitted: 7/13/2009
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: UK Solar Car Team
Number of active members: 30
Website: www.uksolarcar.com
Date of last meeting: 7/13/2009
Frequency of meetings: twice a week
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008: Alternative energy, energy efficiency, alternative transportation. Design, building, and racing of Gato del Sol III, design and beginning construction of Gato del Sol IV.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008: 2nd place finish in Formula Sun Grand Prix 2009, attendance at many campus and community events with Gato del Sol III promoting our vision of spreading the awareness of alternative energy throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[X] No, We don't do anything in the organization of the events. We do compete in them.
[ ] Yes. Please list details for each competition.
#1 - Name of competition:
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please describe: Don't know too much about it, but have read about it in The Kernel and through Greenthumb.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:
5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible:
Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition):
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Name: Taylor Shelton
Position (in student organization): Member, Founding President
Date survey submitted:
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: Student Sustainability Council
Number of active members: 13
Website: none
Date of last meeting: July 1st, 2009
Frequency of meetings: bi-weekly
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008: The Student Sustainability Council was incorporated as a student organization in January 2009 to address the issue of funding and implementing student-led sustainability projects on campus. Throughout the fall semester 2008, a group of students from numerous different constituencies on campus met to determine an appropriate structure for the group. Since formation, the SSC has worked on passing and implementing a student sustainability fee to fund projects on campus, as well as funding and directing a student internship on rainwater conservation issues. The SSC has also assumed responsibility for running the Sustainability Lecture Series, which has thus far attracted 1000 students, faculty, staff and community members to engage with a diverse set of ideas in sustainability.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:
Since incorporating, the SSC successfully worked to pass the student sustainability fee of $0.75 per student per semester, which is expected to generate approximately $40,000 over the coming school year. With that money, the SSC hired a student intern in June 2009 to work on rainwater conservation issues on campus through the end of the fall 2009 semester, as well as funding an expansion of the free campus bicycle fleet based in the residence halls.
The SSC has also worked in partnership with the campus Student Activities Board to secure the speaker for the fall Sustainability Lecture Series, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. RFK, Jr. follows Vandana Shiva and Tom FitzGerald, a local environmental lawyer and 2008 recipient of the Heinz Award in the Environment.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ X ] No
[ ] Yes. Please list details for each competition.
#1 - Name of competition:
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
#2 - Name of competition:
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe:
Beginning in the summer of 2008, Student Government initiated a series of task forces to address specific issues on campus (e.g., transportation, Greek affairs, violence against women) including a sustainability-focused group. The position was originally known as the Green Affairs Task Force Director, but under the new SG administration, it has become known simply as the Sustainability Director.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:
See above.
5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible:
UK Greenthumb (http://ukgreenthumb.webs.com)
UK Solar Car Team (http://www.engr.uky.edu/solarcar)
UK Solar Decathlon (http://www.uky.edu/solarhouse)
Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition):
N/A
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