Sustainability

This past fall, Housing and Residence Life and the Sustainability Office instituted a campus EcoReps pilot program with three students. Recently, the initiative added nine more participants.

A nationwide program, EcoReps provides an opportunity for students to assume a leadership role within their residence halls. Students provide peer-to-peer education to increase awareness of campus sustainability efforts.

For the second year in a row, UNC Charlotte is participating in RecycleMania, which began Feb. 3 and runs through March 30. Colleges and universities across the United States and Canada compete in this event, including seven from the UNC System.

Based on last year’s results, the University’s goals for 2019 are:  

The Charlotte Green Initiative, a student-led organization, recently approved funding for two sustainable projects: the installment of bird boxes and the Statement Making Fashion Show.
The Biological Sciences Department’s proposal to build and install 25 bird boxes on campus was approved. These boxes will provide nesting areas for Eastern bluebirds, Carolina wrens, red-breasted nuthatches, Carolina chickadees and other cavity-nesting birds and will be placed in a specific trail across campus, which will include the greenway, Davis Pond and Hechenbleikner Lake.

For the fifth consecutive year, UNC Charlotte has earned the Tree Campus USA Award. Given by the Arbor Day Foundation, this national honor recognizes colleges and universities that are committed to urban forest management and that engage staff and students in conservation goals.

Established in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation, Tree Campus USA currently has more than 250 colleges and universities that have achieved this distinction.

Orbis Grille, located in PORTAL, is helping the University reduce its landfill waste by offering a compost option for dine-in customers. It is the first dining facility on campus to offer a customer-facing compost option.

UNC Charlotte recently made Princeton Review’s “Guide to 399 Green Colleges” for the second time. The guide is an unranked list of environmentally responsible “green” colleges, which students often consider when applying.

Get involved in UNC Charlotte’s annual Sustainability Week, being held Monday through Friday, Oct. 15-19. This observance informs the University community about sustainable practices on campus.

Monday, Oct. 15 – Tree Banding

8 to 9:30 a.m. – Hauser Alumni Pavilion

The Dean of Students Office is seeking student speakers and bell ringers for UNC Charlotte’s Fall Commencement ceremonies (Friday and Saturday, Dec. 14-15). Faculty and staff are requested to encourage students graduating in December to apply for one of these prestigious honors.

UNC Charlotte staff, faculty and students recently participated in the seventh annual Appalachian Energy Summit, hosted by Appalachian State University. The summit is a gathering of energy and sustainability leaders from higher education and other industries to exchange ideas for improving campus performance in energy, buildings, waste, transport, buildings and curriculum.

The Weird Recycling Center, located on the first floor of Popp Martin Student Union, provides the campus community an opportunity to recycle unique items.

Funded by the Charlotte Green Initiative, the Weird Recycling Center accepts items such as plastic bags (which must be clean, dry and empty) and unwanted cords, cables, batteries and ink cartridges. The center also provides an opportunity for student organizations to host donation collections for other unique items.