Editorial: Sustainability groups green the campus

Sustain Mizzou and Greek Going Green lead the charge as MU goes green.

Published May 7, 2009

Although MU received a C-grade in sustainability from the Sustainable Endowments Institute near the beginning of the year, it is now a greener place because of the work of the various sustainability groups on campus.

Of course, these groups - such as Sustain Mizzou and Greeks Going Green - have done much of the work, but student governments, the administration and smaller organizations have all had a hand in making MU a greener campus.

One of the most notable steps forward was the approval of a sustainability fee. Students voted to create the fee, which gives $52,000 to fund projects and hire students to work toward sustainability efforts.

In addition to the sustainability fee, groups have advocated for more sustainable practices and worked to raise student awareness.

The Wellness Resource Center and Sustain Mizzou hosted MU's first farmers market at Lowry Mall in April, encouraging students to buy local produce.

In March, Sustain Mizzou showed students they wasted 8,700 pounds of recyclable materials with Recycle Mountain, a mountain of trash which Sustain Mizzou members stood on to hand out informational pamphlets.

MU has also participated in Earth Day, Blackout Mizzou and Mizzou Dashboard in the past year.

Even the administration is working toward sustainability, with plans for a new biomass boiler and various reusable resources from Campus Dining Services.

Students and administration are progressively working toward a sustainable campus, something they've taken great strides to strive for this year.