What’s a green fund? Maybe you think that you already give the university too much green. What if you, as a student, could actually apply for some “green” to fund a project on campus that would make Virginia Tech more sustainable? The ability to do just that might be a reality in the near future.
Many Tech students have expressed a need for more bike racks and recycling bins. Some students would like more transportation options or bio-fuel buses. Others have come up with unique ideas to make campus more sustainable, like community gardens, bike-shares and composting. However, there has never been an easy way to make these innovative ideas a reality for the students who push for them. The green fund is the solution.
A green fund is currently being researched and pursued by students at Tech who want to give everyone with a good idea a chance to make a lasting impact on our university. The basic concept of a green fund is that each student would pay a small amount each semester, along with their tuition and other fees, which would go into a general green fund. The money that the fund generates could then be used for sustainable projects around campus.
This concept is nothing new — there are 66 institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada that have either implemented or voted to implement a green fund program as of May 2009.
The University of North Carolina currently has a $4 green fee, University of Maryland has a $6 green fee and The College of William & Mary has a $15 green fee. These schools and others have used the money to purchase solar energy, wind energy and renewable energy credits. Money has also been used for other sustainability initiatives as well, such as recycling, development of sustainability departments, purchasing of student public transit passes, green and LEED certified buildings, and the creation of sustainability and clean energy projects. Northland College in Wisconsin uses the funds to provide students with garden plots to grow their own food, and Portland State
University hopes to use the money to pay for bike parking stations, a new bike loan program and water bottle refilling stations.
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This is a tax for 'global warming'. But global warming isn't real, in fact, we have global cooling going on. It is much colder now than it was a few months ago. No new taxes!!!
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No, No, No we already pay enough for school and with state funding dropping plus a piss poor football season the tuition is going up already. If you could find a way to do this without us paying more fine, keep your hand out of my wallet.
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There is an opt-out option for people who don't want to pay. This is a proposed fund and hasn't been passed yet and we want to hear your comments.
Please fill out the survey at the bottom and if you have any questions or comments email them too vtgreenfee@gmail.com
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I did not see that part about opting out as long as that is in there go for it.
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Whether or not it's option is irrelevant. Optional fees have a more formal name: donations. Further, what people should put their money to is specific projects. You want to add more bike racks? Let people pay directly to that expenditure. Putting money into a fund that is then controlled by some "green" group is a bad idea - we might as well call it a tax.
Also, if things like bio-fuel buses are economically sustainable as well, then the BT should invest in them on their own as they will benefit from the return on investment.
This Green Fund doesn't make any sense, and has no place in our lineup of fees.
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Jeez so why don't we just make people pay for causes they don't believe in then?
Hey tomorrow I am setting up a booth on the drill field where you can sign up to pay the Chris fee in your tuition. This fee will help support me and my ideas and I may or may not use it for what I tell you I will.
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Wow, this is awesome! Think of all of the projects that could be funded from this extra little bit of cash. I'd be willing to bet that energy savings from efficiency projects could even end up saving students money in the future.
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