Ƶ State University hosted several events on Oct. 23 for the 11th annual Campus Sustainability Day, a day dedicated to recognizing sustainability in higher education. The events, which took place at the Ƶ Student Center, included a guest panel and Q&A session, displays set up by student sustainability groups, and a national keynote and broadcast webinar titled “Climate Adaptation: Resilient Campuses and Communities.” Ƶ State has several campus sustainability initiatives, including energyefficiency installations, construction waste management, green building strategies, recycling programs and electric vehicles. Committees are involved in many sustainabilitydriven projects, including making the campus bicyclefriendly and maintaining the community garden. Many Ƶ State students are involved in sustainability initiatives on campus. Sustainabilityfocused student organizations on campus include: U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Founded in 2011, USGBC’s local Ƶ chapter strives to “educate members about green building and sustainable technologies, encouraging the community to be more sustainability minded.” The group has an architectural focus but accepts students of any major. Members volunteer, listen to guest speakers and tour colleges and buildings.
Net Impact Ƶ State’s local Net Impact chapter for graduate students is housed in the College of Business Administration. According to the organization’s website, Net Impact works “for a sustainable future” by “empowering a new generation to use their careers to drive transformational change in the workplace and the world.” Members go on business tours, volunteer, listen to guest speakers, go to sustainability conferences and participate in fundraisers.
C.R.I.C.K. (Cuyahoga Watershed Research Information and Conservation at Ƶ State) C.R.I.C.K. is a new organization on campus that works with the Center for Ecology and Natural Resource Sustainability (CENRS) to “unite students, faculty and environmental leaders from multiple disciplines for the purpose of engaging in research on the Cuyahoga River Watershed.” The group participates in restoration projects, workshops and meetings.
Ƶ Interhall Council (KIC) KIC is a residence hall association that unites individual hall councils on campus to “create a structured environment for residents.” The group is not focused on sustainability but advocates several sustainability programs, such as RecycleMania.
Biology Club The Ƶ State Biology Club, open to any students interested in biology, concentrates on various topics, including conservation and zoology. The club goes on field trips, listens to group speakers and participates in handson activities.
Posted Oct. 28, 2013 | Amanda Lang