Founded in 2010, the SSC has grown to encompass more than 10 organizations and numerous independent students who wish to make a difference in sustainable living.
“The best thing about SSC is the networking,” said Ellie Symes, financial director for the SSC. “Students that come independently don’t usually stay independent very long. You will find a member organization you particularly like or some project to work on.”
Each semester, the SSC works to revitalize the program and encourage students to get involved in their efforts.
“(We work on) creating behavior change on campus,” said Andrew Predmore, associate director for the Office of Sustainability . “It’s about getting people to realize little things they can do day to day.”
The two primary ways in which the organization achieves this goal are through Sustain IU week and the Sustainability Fund. The fund is based on donations from students and seeks to make palpable improvements on campus to promote sustainability.
“It is a way for students to leave their mark on campus and show they care about sustainability,” Predmore said.
Already, the fund has been used to position motion-sensitive LED lights in Ballantine Hall. The $10,000 project significantly improves energy efficiency in the academic hall, which has a constant flow of students.
In an effort to increase involvement from students all around campus, the SSC is inviting students to submit proposals until Friday as to how to spend the money in their fund. The proposals will then be reviewed by the council and chosen based on their potential for long-term success.
Symes said the council knew outside ideas were needed, so accepting applications from students on how to use the fund seemed like the perfect opportunity to get others involved.
“People working on these projects are really excited, and it gives them an opportunity to work together,” Symes said. “(The) person who wins it gets to take home that much more.”
With every registration, the council encourages more students to donate $5 to the fund. This way, other proposals will have the chance to be implemented in the future to make IU an environmentally conscious campus.
“My hope is that the project we choose is something very visible,” Symes said. “Hopefully it’s something that students can recognize, so that when students walk by they realize what it is and donate next time they are registering for classes.”
So far, seven proposals have been brought to the table. Recent trends in sustainability seem to be a move toward solar power and other alternatives to energy efficiency. However, it is still not determined for sure what kind of proposal may pass.
“I’m interested to see what students end up thinking is the best,” Symes said.
The SSC will announce the chosen proposal before the end of the semester, and work will begin early next semester to make it a permanent part of IU’s sustainability efforts. The council hopes that, in seeing the completion of the project on campus, others will be motivated to live a more sustainable lifestyle as well.
“We need leadership in sustainability,” Predmore said. “Science and technology aren’t enough. We need society to accept this as everyone’s challenge.”
