October is long gone, but 100 actions don't stop!

          Last month, students at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville had a die in flash mob as part of the 100 actions to demand 100% clean energy. After the die in flashmob, we marched to the Chancellor's office to discuss shutting down the coal plant! We were able to set up a meeting with the Vice Chancellor, and last Tuesday, 6 students including myself met with the Vice Chancellor, Sustainability Manager, and the Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities Services.

           At the meeting, we talked about our concerns on burning coal, switching to natural gas, and what we wanted. Jordan Norton explained that we wanted more clean energy—wind, solar, and geothermal. Brian Colon also discussed the need for energy efficiency. But how will our school ever pay for 100% clean energy or energy efficiency and retrofits? At the meeting, we proposed that the Chancellor sign the Billion Dollar Green Challenge. “The Billion Dollar Green Challenge (The Challenge) encourages colleges, universities, and other nonprofit institutions to invest a combined total of one billion dollars, within two years, in self‐managed green revolving funds that finance energy efficiency improvements.”

          Here at the University of Tennessee, we already have a green fee, but we want bigger, aggressive, sexier green projects. We need the University of Tennessee to invest $1 Million dollars to go towards a revolving green fund to finance 100% clean energy! The revolving green fund would allow us to keep track of our savings through their Green Revolving Investment Tracking System (GRITS), so all the money we save can go back to more green projects. Personally, I can't think of a better name to track our savings than GRITS! We are in the South after all!

          So, we met with the Vice Chancellor to get the administration on board. This past year, we presented the idea through the committee on the campus environment, we wrote the chancellor a letter after our flashmob, and even a private consulting firm suggested it! It has been on their radar from every direction. We need our school to sign the Billion Dollar Green Challenge! At the end of the meeting, we asked the Vice Chancellor if we could count on him to help us, and he said that he would do his best! He will talk directly with the Chancellor and keep us updated!

Yes!!! New Ally!

          Missed the die in flashmob, check it out here!