History of the Clean Energy Committee
History:
In the winter of 2005, Evergreen students voted in favor (91% of those who voted, voted yes) of a self-imposed clean energy fee. As a result, every student currently pays $1.00 per credit, every quarter, in order to purchase Green Tags from Evergreen’s energy providers (Puget Sound Energy and Tacoma Public Utilities). Because of this student vote, Evergreen now offsets 100% of our electricity purchases with green, renewable sources. In fact, according to the EPA, The Evergreen State College is the 8 th largest purchaser of green energy in the country.
Besides helping to make our planet, our community, and our college a greener, healthier, and more sustainable place to live, the Clean Energy Initiative created an added bonus: the Clean Energy Fund. Ten-percent of the money collected from the Clean Energy Fee goes into this fund. The sole purpose of the Clean Energy Fund is to provide financial support for on campus renewable energy projects. Projects eligible for funding must fall into one of the following categories: 1) research into renewable energy and conservation technologies; 2) clean energy projects intended to save energy or produce electricity; or 3) demonstration projects which educate the community about sustainable technologies.
As a student of The Evergreen State College, you have a great opportunity to cultivate your ideas into applied solutions with the intent of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. All that is required is a little ingenuity, determination, and thoughtful planning. Simply read the Clean Energy Grant guidelines and fill out an application. Your application will be reviewed by the Clean Energy Committee (made up of four students, the director of student activities, the director of facilities, and a faculty member) who is responsible for the allocation of the money contained in the Clean Energy Fund.
Clean Energy Committee - article submitted to the CPJ
More on the history of the Clean Energy Committee:
The Evergreen State College Clean Energy Campaign is a coalition of student groups including WashPIRG, Student at Evergreen for Ecological Design (SEED), The Environmental Resource Center (ERC), Developing Ecological Agriculture Practices (DEAP), and Greener Futures.
We are proposing a small student fee that would offset all of the electricity that Evergreen uses with the purchase of clean renewable energy.This initiative will fuel the development of renewable energy industry here in the NW; will make Evergreen a leader in the fight against global warming; and will serve as a model to other universities around the country. We feel that this action is consistent to the core values and mission of this institution.
Original Proposal:
Clean Energy Fund: A $1.00 per credit fee will be charged to every student, each quarter until this initiative is repealed by further action of the student body.
Purchase of Regional Green Energy Resources: Ninety percent (90%) of this fee will be used to purchase Green Tags from a reputable vendor, in an amount equal to the total amount of electricity used on the campus quarterly.
If the total electricity expenditure is less than the total fees collected, the remaining fund will be placed in a fund designated for on-campus renewable energy projects.
If the total electricity expenditure is more than the total fees collected, the remainder of the funding to purchase the requisite Green Tags will be solicited from the campus administration. This will encourage energy conversation and increased efficiency.
The Green Tags purchased must meet the following criteria:
- Must be Green-e certified or from a Green-e certified source.
- Must come from new renewable energy generation. Must be generated in the Pacific Northwest (WA, OR, ID).
- Investment in On-Campus Projects: The remaining ten percent (10%) of the total fees collected will be invested in a fund that will be designated for on-campus renewable energy installations.
Time Period: The contractual agreement for Green Tags purchase will be reviewed and updated every 5 years.