Student Sustainability / We Mean Green Fund
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
- Have the greatest possible impact to increase the environmental sustainability of the UNT campus
- Have the greatest possible impact for students at UNT by providing educational opportunities related to environmental sustainability.
Prevent litter, protect waterways, get your art displayed, and get PAID $250 for your art! Full details and application instructions HERE.
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.
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.
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.
Join the North Texas Eco Reps
The North Texas Eco Reps are student leaders that educate their peers living in residence halls on how to live sustainably at UNT. In 2016, we are all about RECYCLING! Eco Reps will be teaching residents how to recycle right and having fun with residents while they do it! The Sustainability Smackdown will pit residence hall vs residence hall to see who can truly recycle the best, and the winning hall will receive a trophy, a pizza party…. And bragging rights! Interested in joining the Eco Reps? APPLY HERE.
Jostens Global Citizen Sustainability Scholarship
The Jostens Global Citizen Scholarship will be awarded to the UNT undergraduate student with a passion for sustainability. 1 scholarship in the amount of $1,000 will be awarded in the Fall 2016 semester.
2015/2016 WMGF 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
UNT Community Garden
A group of students led a proposal to establish the UNT Community Garden between North Texas Lofts and Legends Hall. The garden is set to open in Fall 2016 and will be a FREE resource for students to garden, learn, and build community!
I Bike UNT, Bike Safety
The Bike Safety Committee worked through the We Mean Green Fund Committee to receive funding for their efforts to address bike safety at UNT, and encourage biking to, from, and around UNT. Look for educational programming and giveaways throughout the 2016/2017 school year!
I Bike UNT, Bike Theft
With a student idea and a partnership with UNT Police, this We Mean Green Fund proposal aims to prevent theft from occurring at UNT and also provide a tool for recovering bicycles if theft occurs. The initiative launched at EarthFest 2016 when UNT PD engraved over 100 bicycles and those students received an OnGuard Bulldog U-Lock. More events will take place throughout the 2016/2017 academic year, so follow UNT We Mean Green on Twitter and Facebook for event details as they are announced.
TAMS Green IN Grid Out
This proposal purchased equipment so that students could hook their bike up to a stand and a generator and generate electricity for their phones and laptops. TAMS then conducted surveys of those students that participated to determine the effect that generating electricity had on their perceptions about energy use and conservation. This equipment is available for other departments. Email gary.cocke@unt.edu if you are interested in using this equipment for your activity.
BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle)
This is an ongoing initiative from the Office of Sustainability, and in 2016 the We Mean Green Fund funded the purchase of 3,000 reusable bottles that were distributed at EarthFest. The bottles help UNT Students keep single-use plastic bottles out of the landfill and keep the oil used to produce these bottles in the ground.
Sustainability Hackathon
In 2016 UNT Sustainability hosted its first annual Sustainability Hackathon which brought together students from all backgrounds to solve problems related to campus sustainability. 8 proposals were generated with 1 already being implemented. Winners of the hackathon received $500, $400, and $300 gift cards for first, second, and third place respectively.
Latest WMGF Minutes
UNT Certified as Bee Campus USA
UNT’s commitment to provide habitat for pollinators and education about their importance to healthy ecosystems has earned UNT the honor of being named the first Bee Campus USA in Texas and the 12th in the nation. Follow UNT We Mean Green on Facebook and Twitter to learn about garden workdays and educational opportunities.
