Content area
Full Text
Gonzaga University has been named for the second year as one of more than 350 most environmentally responsible colleges by the Princeton Review, a college ranking publication, for its sustainability initiatives and environmental programs, says Jim Simon, Gonzaga's director of sustainability.
In its sixth edition, the 2015 "Princeton Review Guide to 353 Green Colleges" reviews colleges, mostly in the U.S., based on their commitment to the environment. The online book links to information about Gonzaga and other schools' sustainability efforts based on 10 survey questions regarding the colleges' mass transit programs, whether the schools have at least one sustainability-focused undergraduate major, and other green programs.
Suggestions from Gonzaga students have resulted in the creation of the four projects financed by a student-managed Green Fund, which this year has a $20,000 budget, funded by an optional $5 per semester student fee. The four projects that have been funded include a campus garden and compost program, an indoor plant project, and a study of how much food served on campus is local, organic, or otherwise environmentally preferable.
All four projects have different missions but are related in that they were chosen by students and are managed by students.
"A student-led committee that vets and approves Green Fund projects meets several times a year after it puts a call out for student projects," says Simon. "Then the applications are discussed, and many are funded."
"These programs all benefit the Gonzaga student body ... and set a way for how we think about having a sustainable campus," says Simon.
He says the projects provide a great opportunity for students to increase decision-making skills and to learn about sustainability.
"They have the ability to direct funds to project management, and to realize the results of the projects. It all makes the Gonzaga campus more environmentally friendly," he says.
Ultimately, Gonzaga...