Student Sustainability / We Mean Green Fund
Introducing the Sustainability Graduation Cord Honoring Sustainable Volunteerism.Learn more HERE.
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.
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 learn the process of project selection and evaluation.
Recyclemania
This year, University of North Texas will be participating in the annual Recycle Mania competition. Recycle Mania is a friendly competition between other colleges around the country to engage, inspire, and empower students to recycle in their own creative ways. Measurements of recyclables will be measured every week and rated by the recycling rate. The North Texas Eco Reps will be leading this program and creating weekly challenges for the duration of the 8 week competition to engage the students of North Texas to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Be sure to do your part and keep campus green and clean!
2016/2017 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 Goes GreenSense, 100% Renewable Electricity
UNT will have 100% renewable electricity through enrollment in Denton Municipal Electric’s GreenSense Renewable Electricity Program. UNT’s enrollment will purchase Renewable Energy Certificates to ensure that energy from green sources is delivered to the grid to cover the electricity use at UNT’s main campus and Discovery Park campus. This We Mean Green Fund project was mentored by Dr. Adam Briggle and had a team of contributors including students. This purchase represents the desire of countless students that UNT commit to renewable energy.
Learn more HERE.
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 March 2017 and will be a FREE resource for students to garden, learn, and build community!
Learn more HERE.
Pollinative Prairie
In support of UNT’s Bee Campus USA designation, a group of UNT staff and students have received funding and access to 4.5 acres of space for the Pollinative Prairie, prairie restoration project. The prairie will serve as a pollinator habitat and feature native grasses, wildflowers, and habitat spaces to protect, preserve, and promote native pollinator populations. Efforts are currently being made to determine the best method of removing invasive Bermuda grass, and a full planting will begin Fall 2017!
Solar Trailer
UNT provides a number of educational and social events on campus every year. Many of these events require electricity, and traditionally this has meant the use of a loud, gasoline powered generator. Now, UNT We Mean Green fund has purchased a solar powered generator that will provide clean, sustainable, and quiet energy for UNT events! This equipment should be arriving Spring 2017!
Storm Drain Art
In an effort to bring awareness to litter and other pollutants, and its impact on our water resources, UNT We Mean Green Fund has started a competition to create a work of art on our sidewalks that brings attention to our storm drains. UNT Students can submit designs and win a $250 cash prize if their design is chosen for installation at one of the 3 designated locations. Art will be installed for Earth Day 2017!
Sustainable Shirts
The textile industry has profound impact on the environment. In an effort to lessen our contribution, the We Mean Green Fund has purchase organic cotton t-shirts to be given away at large events hosted by the Student Activities Office. The WMGF has given away thousands of sustainable shirts at Mean Green Fling, Homecoming, EarthFest, and Tailgate Recycling, as just part of its effort to be sustainable at campus events.
Tailgate Recyling
In 2016 a UNT student led a proposal to create a recycling competition at football tailgates to bring awareness to the importance of recycling and inspire some friendly competition. The competition collected over 230 pounds of recyclables, and awarded the championship trophy and catered tailgate to Phi Kappa Sigma for recycling more than anyone else!
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.
UNT Sustainability
Stay Up To Date With UNT Sustainability
UNT Gets 100% Renewable Electricity through WMGF
Learn more HERE.
Join the North Texas Eco Reps
North Texas Eco-Reps is an environmental leadership program that is committed to creating a culture of sustainability in the residence halls. Representatives engage students through peer education, projects, and outreach events. Eco-Reps represent an environmental consciousness and challenge their peers to adopt new habits towards a sustainable lifestyle. The Eco-reps will be taking on a project campus wide, Recycle Mania which is a country wide competition of who can recycle the most during an 8 week period.
Interested in joining the Eco Reps?
APPLY HERE.
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.
