The University of North Texas (UNT) is walking the walk and talking the talk as it relates to their commitment to a green, healthy and sustainable North Texas. With the creation of their We Mean Green Fund, students, faculty and residents of North Texas can now look forward a more sustainable future.

The UNT We Mean Green Fund (WMGF) will provide funds for projects that increase the energy efficiency of campus facilities, reduce the amount of waste created on campus, encourage sustainable behaviors and integrate the three tenets of sustainability into the campus culture: environmental, social and economic.

The WMGF is supported by a $5 per (long) semester student fee, voted in at a special election during Earth Week spring of 2010 and confirmed by a student majority. The university’s office of sustainability coordinates the implementation of all projects, which are administered through a student majority WMGF committee that reports directly to the UNT Sustainability Council, the primary advisory body to determine project funding.

WMGF requirements state that projects will positively impact social, environmental and economic sustainability on campus and in the Denton community; reduce UNT impact on the environment; contain education and/or outreach components; and receive support of campus officials. Only students, staff and faculty are permitted to propose projects, and student participation is encouraged.

WMGF projects already approved include electric vehicle charging stations, recycling bins and filtered water stations. Proposed projects not yet approved include a rainwater harvesting system and a natural dye garden.

For more information, call the UNT office of Sustainability at 940-369-8304 or visit [email protected].