Student Projects Promote a Sustainable Campus
Envisioning a more sustainable campus, a group of students have posed ideas for renovating and retrofitting buildings, installing shower timers, promoting educational smartphone applications and incorporating gym equipment that converts movement into energy while users burn calories.
More than 130 University of Arizona students in the Honors College presented these ideas and others during Thursday’s MIS 111 Honors Project Showcase, held at the UA’s Eller College of Management.
The judged showcase coincided with the UA Green Fund opening its campus-wide call for funding requests for projects centered on sustainability and strong student involvement.
“This is a testament to the creativity embodied in the students and great ideas to improve campus sustainability,” said Lon Huber, the Green Fund chair, said about the forum.
All told, nearly three dozen projects were presented during the symposium. This year’s winning teams are:
- “Big Belly Trashcans,” which would use solar energy to compact stored trash, enabling more storage and less need for frequent emptying while keeping pests out of the bins.
- “EcoCat Boxes” would serve to incorporate the use of reusable to-go containers at campus dining areas. The boxes could then be returned to Dining Services to be cleaned and sanitized for further use.
- “I Heart Tap Water” would
- involve testing tap water against bottled water while encouraging people to refill rather than replace water bottles.
Huber, who attended the forum along with other Green Fund committee members, said the Green Fund committee would be providing seed funding to the “best ideas” from across campus.
Students who participated in Thursday’s symposium are welcome to apply for funding, along with other members of the campus community – so long as students are involved in a “meaningful” way, he said.
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