Start Something Green
The We Mean Green Fund provides the opportunity for members of the UNT community to make our campus even greener! Every student pays a $5 Environmental Service fee during the Spring and Fall semester that is dedicated to reduce UNT's impact on the environment. Students, faculty, and staff can submit their idea for making UNT more sustainable by filling out the expression of interest.
The WMGF Has 2 Co-Equal Goals
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Have the greatest possible impact to increase the environmental sustainability of the UNT campus
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Have the greatest possible impact for students at UNT by providing educational opportunities related to environmental sustainability.
Put your green idea into action
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Submit your Expression of Interest outlining your idea.
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Meet with the Sustainability Coordinator to discuss your green idea and receive your proposal template.
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Complete your proposal template.
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Present your green idea to the student-led WMGF Committee.
The We Mean Green Fund Committee
The We Mean Green Fund (WMGF) Committee is a student-majority committee comprised of 10 students and 3 faculty or staff members. The Committee has the large responsibility of evaluating proposals for sustainability projects that are received from the UNT community, and recommending funding of approved projects from the We Mean Green Fund.
The Student Government Association and the Graduate Student Council each appoint 1 representative to the committee, and all other spots are filled through an open recruitment and application. If you would like to be contacted regarding opportunities to serve on the WMGF Committee in the future, please complete this form.
The WMGF meets on the last Friday of every month. The first hour of WMGF meetings are open to the UNT Community for all updates and presentations, and spectators are welcome. Spectators will be asked to leave for the final 30 minutes of meetings, as the WMGF Committee discusses and votes on funding for projects.
- April 29, 11:30 - 1:00 – Hurley Administration Building 205
- May 27, 11:30 - 1:00 – Business Leadership Building 295
Green Scholarship Opportunity
Jostens Global Citizen Sustainability Scholarship Opportunity
Applications closed October 11, 2015, and Paul McCormick has been chosen as the Jostens Global Citizen Sustainability Scholarship recipient for the 2015-16 year. The Jostens Global Citizen Sustainability Scholarship will be awarded for the first time this year. We are looking for undergraduates who are preparing for a career in sustainability, and who are engaging in green activities. The winner will receive a scholarship worth $1000 dollars. Questions? Contact Gary at gary.cocke@unt.edu.
Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Garden Workday
May 6, 9 AM - 1 PM
Help revitalize the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Garden.
We need over 100 volunteers!
Become an Eco Rep
Passionate about sustainable living on campus? You can go here to learn more about becoming a UNT Eco Rep.
Opportunities with Keep Denton Beautiful
Have a green idea?
Share with us your green idea, and we will give you all the details you need to propose your project to the committee. And remember, the committee is full of students like you! Interested? Our form is at OrgSync.
Questions about sustainability? Contact Gary at gary.cocke@unt.edu.
Funded Environmental Projects
Students, faculty, and staff have all made a difference with their Green ideas for campus. Check out a few you may have noticed around campus. Do you have a green idea that you want to make happen? Let us know.
The Big Belly Solar Compactors
The Bellies streamline the waste collection on campus by providing real time data on our waste habits!
50 Solar trash compactors with recycle units that make it so easy for students to recycle.
TAMS Bike Share
The WMGF Committee has approved the purchase of 10 additional bikes helmets and locks for a bike share program initiated last year by the TAMS Naturally club.
The additional equipment was approved to expand the program's efforts in promoting eco-friendly transportation.
UNT Tree Replacement Project
Proposed by UNT staff member Lanse Fullinwider, the project will help re-establish the trees on campus that have been removed due to construction projects, disease, or drought, and the project will promote the beautification and environmental enhancement of the UNT campus.
Increasing the number of trees on campus has a positive effect on air quality, as trees absorb harmful pollutants produced by humans, such as carbon monoxide.
Five for Five Project
The project targets five buildings on campus with five sustainability focused initiatives. The five buildings are: Willis Library, The Business Leadership Building, Sage Hall, Crumley Halll, Environmental Education, Science and Technology building.
With marketing and outreach, the project promotes Recycling, Water reduction, Energy conservation, Paper reduction, and Re-usable beverage containers.
Committee Membership Eligibility
Current students, faculty, and staff may apply to serve on the committee. Staff outside a teaching role must work more than 20 hours a week. All student members of the WMGF Committee must be registered full or part-time UNT students during their terms of office, hold at least a 2.5 GPA, and be in good standing with the university.
Committee Member Benefits
- You will gain valuable insight and experience at the university level.
- You will network with sustainability focused people at UNT.
- You will contribute to UNT’s goal of being carbon neutral by 2040.
- You will learn the process of project selection and evaluation.
Applicants to the WMGF
Applicants should be able to make a direct connection between a proposed project and the environmental improvement it will have on the campus. Potential projects can be focused on operations or can be an education and outreach campaign focused on changing behavior towards sustainability. All projects should address a specific aspect of sustainability, should be able to articulate expected outcomes, and should be able to track metrics that will determine the success of the proposal.
The WMGF cannot be used to fund campus organizations, student groups or activities that are only tangentially related to the above requirements. The WMGF can fund projects that originate from campus organizations or student groups, provided that such proposed projects fall within what is required by the state legislature.
Committee Member Terms
- Each member of the WMGF Committee will be appointed to serve for one academic year.
- Faculty, staff and student members may serve successive terms, provided they reapply and are approved.
- Faculty and staff may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
- Terms begin on the first day of the fall semester and end on the last day of the summer term the following year.