Companies and students awarded for thinking green

Environmentally conscience students of the Kelley School of Business honored recipients of the inaugural Kelley Green Awards Monday. This award series is the result of the Kelley School's Environmental Policy Committee's desire to promote a program for and by the students. \n"We wanted to create a program that was student-driven," Committee member and Professor Robert Smith said. Smith wanted a program that recognized not only environmentally friendly businesses, but also environmentally smart business students.\n"That's where the awards ceremony came from," Smith said. \nThe ceremony is unique in two ways, he said, being the only awards ceremony given by a leading business school and created on the basis of student nominations.\nThe evening began with eight student presentations, with each student offering his or her best environmentally sound idea.\nThe ideas ranged from more environmental classes within a college curriculum, better disposal of out-dated computer systems to a trash can alarm, which alerts when recyclable materials are thrown away. \nStudents of the business school and beyond were encouraged by the committee members to think hard about current and future environmental issues and to explore their future environmental responsibilities as members of the business and industry communities. Participating students could submit concepts and ideas for environmentally conscience products and nominate Indiana corporations that actively fulfill their duties to their communities by limiting their business's effect on the environment.\nJoe Bissmeyer, a senior majoring in marketing, was encouraged by his professors to come up with innovative solutions to current environmental problems.\n"We used creative techniques taught in class to go beyond the quintessential bottom line focus of business to consider how environmental improvements by companies cannot only help the community but also increase efficiency and profitability," Bissmeyer said.\nAfter each idea was presented, the students marked their "green" ballots to vote for the best environmental solution.\nThe winner, junior Amy Harris, won for her creative solution for lack of recycling in the community. Her idea, a mandatory kindergarten recycling program, won by two votes. \n"I was completely shocked," Harris said. "I think all of the ideas here were wonderful."\nHarris' recycling program was inspired by the book "All I Really Needed to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten," by Robert Fulghum and by her involvement in Bloomingkids, a mentoring program for local elementary children.\n"There had to be a way to get these kids started early," Harris said.\nEach student who presented his or her idea were awarded $50 with Harris receiving $200.\nAfter the students' ideas were presented, the three companies nominated for the Green award were presented. The companies were nominated for their efforts to go above and beyond environmental standards. \nSenior Mandy Verner nominated Cummins Inc., of Columbus, Ind., which builds diesel engines, for reducing the nitrogen oxides of its engines by 98 percent by 2010. The company is on its way with current emissions reduced by 73 percent.\nBristol-Meyers Squibb's dedication to alternative fuel use convinced freshman Scott Doran to nominate the pharmaceutical company for the award. The natural gas fired steam plant, now used in Evansville, reduces the company's emissions by 75 percent. Indianapolis is treated to a cleaner burning energy alternative since the non-hazardous waste from the Bristol-Meyers Squibb plant in Mt. Vernon, Ind. is shipped to the city for use in energy producing facilities.\nSenior business student Lisa Hulsman nominated Buehler Foods, Inc., a grocery chain with its roots in Jasper, Ind. She nominated the corporation for its efforts to beautify a riverbank in Jasper with a public gazebo and walking trails. The grocery chain is also an active recycler of the cardboard containers used to ship stock to the store. \nEach of the students that nominated a finalist company received $200 and an opportunity to dine with the award's recipient before the ceremony. \nBeing the first year for the Green awards, Smith believes the ceremony went well.\n"We were very fortunate to have a large company, a medium company and a small company," Smith said. "I thought it was very successful"