2008 Woodie Awards
Six universities approve green fees
Jaime Stanford
Issue date: 9/24/07 Section: News
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These fees, capped at $10, pay for clean energy projects and green power.
The schools include University of Tennessee Knoxville, University of Tennessee Chattanooga, University of Memphis, Austin Peay State University, Middle Tennessee State University, and Tennessee Technological University.
"Tennessee Board of Regents was thinking about making it mandatory, but they decided that they wanted students to vote on it," said Micky Morton, vice president of Initiative for Clean Energy (ICE). "Because when they see that seven dollars on their tuition they're like 'Hey, we voted on that.' And then they can be invested in it."
Established two years ago, ICE, along with faculty and staff, has been instrumental in developing the newly implemented program and education about the clean energy initiative.
"When we first formed, we were talking way too big," said Morton. "We were like let's take coal and replace it with something else, and ETSU didn't even have recycling. So last semester we decided to just focus on recycling and getting that going first. Just get one thing going, and other things will follow."
Recycling will be followed with an alternative transportation program in association with the Center for Physical Activity and the cycling club called Yellow Bikes.
Several bikes have been purchased, painted yellow and will be available to check out for the day to ride while on campus.
Other means used to lessen emissions are hybrid and flexible fuel vehicles.
Hybrid vehicles help the environment by decreasing the vehicle's emissions by using both an electric engine and fuel. Therefore, such vehicles do not contribute as much to the greenhouse effect.