Five Green Fund project proposals for student-led sustainability initiatives on campus have been selected for implementation this year. They include pollinator habitats, bat boxes, a bike share program, birdfeeders, and apartment composting. The combined budget for all is nearly $27,000, and will be covered by the Green Fund, a student-paid fee that supports sustainable project ideas submitted by students from any major and approved through a selection process.
Anna Solberg, a 2015 NMU alumna who has returned to campus to serve as a MI Healthy Climate Corps climate action coordinator through October, said a total of 11 Green Fund proposals were submitted for consideration.
“They ranged from large systematic changes like the installation of a greywater system in the Jacobetti Complex to adding recycled plastic picnic tables around the academic mall,” said Solberg, who was profiled in a previous feature story on her NMU assignment.
“All of these proposals were creative and included thoughtful ways of pushing the university to make positive changes toward becoming a more sustainable campus. The final decisions were made based heavily on how the projects tie into NMU's Our Compass Strategic Plan. They align with the priorities of care for all species, expanding post-consumer composting systems, and reducing our Scope 3 emissions.”
Here are details on each of the selected projects (actual implementation by NMU Facilities may vary slightly from the original proposals):
Pollinator Habitat
This submission by the Potticary Lab and the Entomology Club is to install 10 overwintering habitats across campus. These habitats will support native pollinators such as beetles, moths and butterflies, flies and bees. Allowing a place that can attract and retain pollinators is key to diversifying the pollinator community on campus to help support plants, other animals, and even the education of those who traverse campus (through educational signage that will be displayed).
Bat Boxes
NMU student Delany Frank proposed placing 10 bat boxes across campus to increase awareness and biodiversity. She recommended that the boxes be placed in the Norwood Forested Area and across the larger Outdoor Learning Area with signage that increases awareness about what the boxes are used for and how bats are integral to the ecosystem. A recent EEGS student actually conducted research on where the best places across campus are for hanging bat boxes, so that information will be utilized to place them in the most appropriate locations.
Bike Share Program
The Bike Share Program is a free service offered to NMU students that allows them to rent a bike for up to three consecutive days. ASNMU proposed that 10 additional bikes be added to this program to increase student participation and decrease the amount of driving on campus and across Marquette. The bikes are rented out of the Fit Zone and the Outdoor Recreation Center assists in running the rental process.
Bird Feeders
The placement of a few bird feeders in the Native Plant Park, part of the Outdoor Learning Area, was proposed by NMU students Delany Frank and Taryn Andersen. They said the project will help bird biodiversity thrive on campus, assist in the pollination of plants and controlling of pests, and help birds during migration and throughout the cold winter months. In addition, students will have the opportunity to engage more closely with nature on campus.
Apartment Composting
NMU student Grace Listopad proposed a pilot composting program at the Woodland Park Apartments. Her proposal included placing four 64-gallon bins next to the dumpsters where those living at the apartments can dispose of their compost, diverting scraps from the garbage. She also proposed providing students with a magnet that contains information on what is and is not compostable, adding to the educational component that is often missing from implementing composting or recycling programs.
Over the course of the Fall 2024 semester, students were given the opportunity to submit Green Fund Proposals. After a process that spanned a couple of months, the proposals were ranked by EcoReps. SHINE conducted a feasibility assessment on the proposals, the Sustainability Advisory Council voted on which proposals should be selected (based on EcoReps' ranks and feasibility), and NMU Facilities is working on an implementation plan for the five projects selected.
Learn more about NMU's Green Fund here.