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Environmental Studies Department |
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Fundraising for a Green CampusBy Jessica Steinberg and Chase Rude
Students can play a large part in fundraising for a green campus. This can be performed by student groups such as MECOS, the Outing club, and MEIC. We need to get the different environmental organizations to collaborate more. It can also be accomplished through optional student fees or dues, like the one for MPIRG. The amount could be determined by vote. If a student does not want to pay the minimal fee they could choose not to pay it. Some funds could also come from the Macalester College student government. Following are many possible ideas for fundraisers. One very popular way to raise money is by selling of merchandise such as a water bottle, frisbee, or t-shirt. Raffles can be held if they are legal in the area. Donations can be sought by either writing formal letters to local businesses or even canvassing the neighborhood. Benefit events such as a concert or a fair can be a lot of work, but they often pay off very well. They can also increase your support in the community. Many businesses will often match the amount of money a group raises at an event in exchange for advertising. A walk-a-thon or any variation on the theme is another way to get sponsors and donations. These are just a few ideas of how students could be involved in fundraising for a green campus. The faculty and staff also need to be involved. The administration can allocate some official campus funds for the environmental programs. They can also set up a foundation so that tax-deductible donations can be made by alumni, trustees, etc. One thing that became apparent was the need for a full time position to perform continuing environmental audit of the campus. This position can monitor where the campus’s money is being spent and also review such things as paper use and waste disposal on campus. The students can contribute a lot towards making Macalester a green campus but there is also a need for the administration to take part. Along with an annual or biannual review the environmental auditor could help locate grants and approach businesses to sponsor the greening of campus. Many grants are available through the local or federal government as well as private environmental organizations. One is more likely to receive a grant if they have a specific, well thought out and presented plan for how the money will be used and why it is needed. Grants are usually given for fairly large projects such as fitting a building with solar panels. Our campus needs someone to perform these audits, communicate the results to the community, acquire grants, and help in implementing solutions. This would be the next step for Macalester in making a commitment to not only an environmental policy but also to continued action. The money saved by implementing programs such as reduced paper or energy use can subsequently be put back into further environmental reform. Depending on how effective the programs are this can be a huge source of funds. One important thing to mention is the need for a permanent, full-time staff to manage the committee and be in charge of funding location and allocation. A formal yearly budget should be drawn up and regulated. This could be part of the environmental auditor position. A permanent staff and formal budget are necessary for consistency and credibility. They can help with getting funds from others sources as well as helping with organization. In conclusion, there are many ways we can get funds for greening the Macalester campus. They range from formal grants, to fees, to student fundraising activities. It is best if the campus environmental movement seeks funds from more than one source to guarantee that there will always be some available. Before any of this fundraising is done an environmental audit needs to be accomplished and Macalester needs to come up with specific plans for what needs to be done to green our campus. (Information on this subject will be available in a folder located in the Environmental Studies reading room.)
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