University of Mississippi - Ole Miss Yearbook (Oxford, MS)

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Kermit the Frog once said, It ' s not easy being green, but he obviously did not attend school at the University of Mississippi in the year 2008. In fact, what you ' re reading right now was printed on recycled paper. This is partly because students and faculty members are making an effort to create a more eco-friendly campus. Jim Morrison, assistant to the vice chancellor for planning and operations, says small groups on campus have been working towards this for years, but it was not until spring 2008 that the university officially started going green. Before April 2008 we ' ve always had pockets of success from student-led groups such as Roots and Shoots and other groups, like an environmental studies class or recycling programs, Morrison said. But I think what we realized is that if we could develop some kind of structure to harness that activity and to move forward collaboratively, then we could be much Qaore successful in our efforts to move forward a campus sustainability initiative. ' And move forward they did. In April 2008, Chancellor Robert Khayat signed the President ' s Climate Commitment, which is a commitment universities across the country have signed pledging to develop a plan that will eliminate, or drastically reduce, their greenhouse gases. Since then, signs of an eco-friendly campus have been popping up all around campus, such as more recycling bins and more classes being offered in environmental studies. Students have formed groups promoting saving the environment and raising environmental awareness in the community. Roots and Shoots was established to bring together students who shared an interest in making the campus more eco-friendly. In an effort to do their part in the green initiative, Landscape Services has begun using biodiesel made on campus in their lawnmowers. By using biodiesel, the university is able to decrease greenhouse gases and save energy, We were very thrilled at the opportunity to try and use the biodiesel to not only try and save money but also to have cleaner output on our mowers, Jeff McManus, director of landscape services, said. English professor Ann Fisher-Wirth, with the help of several of her colleagues, has been working on a curriculum for a minor in environmental studies for years, which started with her teaching a few environmental literature classes. With her help the university has raised student interest in the subject by bringing in guest speakers and raising environmental awareness around campus. It was slow and a long process, and just within the last year or so has it caught much more fire rapidly, she said. Now we are in the process of having an environmental studies minor approved. It ' s working its way up and has already been through many committees. Fisher-Wirth is also the head the of the faculty senate ' s environmental task force, which identifies , environment issues on campus that need addressing. J .. Sophomore Hannah Black said she has noticed the environmental changes around campus, and it has caught her interest. Ever since recycling bins were put in the library, I ' ve noticed a lot of students using them, Black said. Sometimes it ' s hard as a college student to find the time, or the means, to recycle. That ' s why I think it ' s cool that the university is making it so easy for us. It makes me want to do it more. y m It was slow and a long process, and just within the last year or so has it caught much more fire rapidly. Now we are in the process of having an environmental studies minor approved. Ann Fisher-Wirth, English Professor i r ' ;V-- ' -.- ' IH ' l k iiK.

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greenscenestealers We know how to treat Mother Earth A • 4ww ■ Ir If 1 K Li :- ' - V ' . Bis«isf» .:- j- ' r 7jJ ' . Fhoto by Jennifer MtcHagg Katy McClenahan and Cephra McKee donate their time to help clean up the Grove after game days and separate the plastics and cans in special green bags to take to the recycling plant. This practice of recycling helps keep the Grove green, the way it is supposed to be. Cody McCloy and Brian Hardy of CNN ' s biofuel road trip challenge, interviewing Brad Crafton, made a pitstop in Oxford in their cross country treck in a 1978 Scout that was powered only with biofuel. They were impressed with the green initiative the campus promoted. The campus newspaper The Daily Mississippian and the University promote the action of placing discarded newspapers in special containers in the buildings. The same is done for office paper, bottles and cans with designated containers for each. TheOleMiss|019