Welcome to the first installment of Eco-Mind this year! Consider this your weekly update on all environmental happenings on campus and around town. UVM is recognized as a leader in higher education for following environmentally sustainable practices on campus. Much of the work that led to this recognition was initiated by the Environmental Council, which was created in 1995 to promote campus environmental stewardship.

The Council’s mission is to support campus activities and programs that enhance UVM’s environmental goals. The University’s environmental commitment is about about how we, as a community, conduct our everyday business and lives in a way that is conscious of our collective impacts on the environment. Students, staff and faculty all play a role in this effort to help maintain UVM’s reputation as a premier environmental university.

Get Involved:

– Join a student club that works on environmental topics. VSTEP, CEL and SEEDS are just a few of these clubs on campus.- Consider taking a class in an environmental discipline, regardless of your major. The environment is a topic that connects to all subjects.-Make recycling, composting and conserving energy a part of your everyday lifestyle here at UVM. Habits you form in college can last you a lifetime.-Join the Environmental Council as one of our student representatives. Meetings are held once a month and open to members of the campus and public. -Join the Green UVM Listserv to learn about meetings and events related to the Environmental Council. What is an environmental university?*Academics – supporting student & faculty learning and research on environmental topics by integrating academics with campus operations*Operations – ensuring that campus operations minimize our “ecological footprint”*Culture – promoting environmental awareness and responsibility throughout the University as part of our core beliefs and values*Accountability – measuring campus environmental impacts The Environmental Council undertakes a number of activities of interest to students.

The Council:

-Awards $10,000 annually through a Small Grants Program to students, clubs and staff doing campus sustainability projects. -Hosts the annual Environmental Fair to highlight academic and operational efforts that support the environment. This year’s Fair will be held October 20, 2005 at the Billings Center. -Offers technical assistance and professional expertise for students doing research on campus sustainability topics.-Hosts informational forums, speakers and debates throughout the year on topics affecting the campus. The campus is what you help make it to be. It’s your school. It’s your planet. And we welcome you to this terrific University and encourage you to get involved. For more information, go to: http://www.uvm.edu/greening