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Funding Opportunities

Supported by the UT Student Green Fee

The Green Fee can be used to fund many different types of sustainability-related projects. If you have a rough idea of an idea you would like implemented please fill out the form on this page. If you’ve already thought through your idea and are ready to submit a formal proposal please do that here. Please see below for more specific types of funding that the Green Fee can contribute towards.

Proposals for the March meeting are due on Tuesday, February 27th, 2024

Proposals for the April meeting are due on Tuesday, March 26th, 2024

Proposals for the May meeting are due on Tuesday, April 23th, 2024

 

The next Green Fee Committee Meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 6th, 2024 at 4pm at this zoom link.
If you have submitted a proposal for funding, please plan to attend and discuss your proposal.
All students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend these meetings.

 


Make Orange Green logo


Student Organizations

Propose funding requests for student organizations doing sustainable outreach and engagement activities.

Student Organization Proposal

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Design & Research

Propose a student-led research or design project that will benefit the university.

Design & Research Proposal


Conference Funding

Attend a sustainability-related conference or workshop.

Conference Proposal


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Water Bottle Refill Station

Propose adding a new refill station to an existing water fountain in your favorite campus building.

Refill Station Proposal


Alternative Fuel Vehicle Assistance Program

Supplemental funding for electric and alternative fuel vehicles/equipment.

AFVAP Proposal



Previous Project Highlights

In FY 16, the Office of Sustainability conducted a Hand Dryer feasibility study to provide insight into whether Building Services should switch from paper towel use to hand dryers in high traffic areas. The results of the study showed both a cost savings and workflow efficiency improvement opportunities for Building Services, with greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions resulting from reduced transportation of paper towels to campus and then to individual buildings. In May of 2018, the decision was made to use a portion of the rollover money from the Facilities Services FY 18 operating budget to remove the majority of campus paper towel dispensers and replace them with hand dryers in high traffic areas.

The Arboriculture Team at Facilities Services enhanced the University of Tennessee tree inventory database by upgrading to a cloud based tree inventory management software that provides the University access to the tree inventory database through any web enabled device such as tablets and smart phones. This Enterprise version of the software also includes a Community Viewer that allows the public to have read-only online access to the tree inventory database via a web browser.

The Grounds team within the Building Services unit in Facilities Services requested funds to purchase a weather station and supporting software, in addition to running a dedicated electric line to the station. Their findings have resulted in a preference to utilize a weather station that communicates with the Rain Bird irrigation system to ensure no over-watering occurs and excess water is no longer an issue on campus.

Sam Adams, the UT Arborist, requested the Green Fee to fund a purchase a 16″ capacity brush chipper, for the purpose of doubling the amount of wood and brush that can be chipped and used on campus wide composting projects, reducing wood waste going to the landfill by approximately 60%.

With labor donated by the Facilities Services Department, this four-year, $384,000 project supported the installation of new lighting fixtures and controls that use about one-third less electricity and eliminate the need for excessive lighting in the Stokely Management Center (SMC). In addition, the project added daylight harvesting technology to the building so that the lighting dims as sunlight enters a space. These improvements have saved $56,000 a year based on 2003 electric rates.

 

 

The Green Portal Project is a program that aspires to connect all sustainability-interested students on campus. By making a profile and filling in your interests, you will be able to see all individuals on campus who share similar interests with you, thereby furthering the connections and strengthening overall environmentalism on campus.

 

Students gardening in the Grow Lab

The Grow Lab is a new campus garden that started in Spring 2018. As a living laboratory, the Grow Lab promotes experiential and service learning, demonstrates ecological food production methods, and encourages community engagement. Half of the plots will be designated for specific academic courses, research, and university groups. The remaining plots will be maintained by staff and volunteers with produce donated to hunger-alleviating causes.

To learn more about the Grow Lab visit the official site page. 

 

A 78-foot long boardwalk now spans the middle pool of a created wetland at the UT Gardens. Wetlands are a natural filter for water moving through the landscape. The created wetland receives runoff from an uphill parking area as well as the surrounding manicured gardens, helping to protect the Tennessee River against nonpoint source pollution originating from these areas. For more information, visit tiny.utk.edu/utwetlands.