MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Since 2020 Northern Michigan University (NMU) has selected student proposed projects each year for the “Green Fund” taken from an opt-in charge on tuitions.
“It gives students a say in how their money is used,” said NMU Junior Mollie Haremza who proposed one of the selected projects. “And it really boosts morale when it comes to sustainability being able to focus those funds on areas that students care about and they get to see that reflected on campus.”
This year the selected projects include bat boxes, bike rentals, composting, bird feeders, and pollinator boxes.
“These basically provide habitat for pollinating insects for pollinating insects to spend the winters here,” said Haremza. “We’re focusing on insects that aren’t your typical pollinators that you would think of so, beetles, and flies, and ants, and all of those species.”
Beyond the habitats, three of this year’s projects are centered around Marquette’s wildlife, which NMU’s Climate Action Coordinator Anna Solberg said contributes to NMU’s overall carbon neutrality goal.
“We are trying to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, and some of the tactics that fall within that plan are largely in support of wildlife on campus,” said Solberg. “Of how we can promote pollinators, to then support our plant life, which then support our animal life, which then support the larger campus as a whole.”
NMU’s Assistant Vice President for Sustainability Jes Thompson said the “Green Fund” projects are parts of NMU’s larger sustainability plan.
“As we work towards those goals we see it happening on multiple fronts. So a lot of reducing your carbon footprint just means reducing your physical footprint,” said Thompson. “So people might see some buildings come down and when these new buildings are being constructed they’re going to be built much more efficient.”
NMU plans to have the projects implemented on campus by the end of this summer.
