Promoting Earth-Friendly Action

By Lisa Moore

 A dedicated group of students at UNC-Charlotte are doing their part to make their campus greener. The Earth Club strives to create a more sustainable campus through education about environmental issues, promoting earth-friendly action and setting a good example for their peers.

“Over the last year we’re received an extremely warm reception to our efforts at the university. Professors and staff have been very enthusiastic and are incredibly encouraging,” says senior John Avery, president of the nearly 10 year old organization.

“UNC-Charlotte is going through a transition that will definitely create a greener campus,” states Avery, a veteran environmentalist who started a recycling program at his high school. “Thankfully the administration and student government are making it a point to implement projects that should help lessen our environmental footprint. It makes it easier for the Earth Club to pursue our goals when key people on our campus also want to make change.”

The UNC-Charlotte Student Green Fee Initiative is the current focus for the group. Club members are asking students to vote for  a small raise in student fees to make energy-efficient renovations  for the campus including clean energy sources. Students will be able to vote on this issue in September.

The Earth Club is also active in speaking out about environmental issues in the local community. The group recently attended the public hearings regarding the controversial Duke Energy Cliffside expansion project, concerning the construction of another coal-fired power plant near Charlotte.

“We encouraged students to call and email our state representatives and the NC Utilities Commission,” recalls Avery. “We’ve also spoken in support of greenhouse gas reduction legislation and the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.”

Weekly meetings (followed by vegetarian/vegan dinners, of course!) feature discussions for new campaigns and projects. The club hopes to adopt Toby Creek, a stream that runs through the campus. Working hard to keep their campus clean and beautiful, 40 volunteers recently picked up 400 pounds of trash.

The 35 members of the Earth Club are enthusiastic about the environment and are working diligently to spread green fever.

“By simply being active and letting people know that we want to do everything we can to make UNCC a little greener, I know that we can make positive changes for our campus,” concludes Avery.

To learn more about UNC-Charlotte’s Earth Club visit http://www.sco.uncc.edu/EarthClub/.