The main goal of U of T’s newest environmental network is to give students the opportunity to bring their green ideas to life. The University of Toronto Environmental Resource Network, or UTERN, will soon be giving out grants to fund environmental projects on all three U of T campuses. Thanks to a 50 cent levy approved last year in coordination with SAC, UTERN will be awarding approximately $20,000 in grants to help fund an assortment of student environmental initiatives.
Jake Irwin, the communications director for UTERN, states that one of the central aims of the new umbrella organization is to foster an environmental network at U of T. Irwin notes “there are environmentally-minded people on different campuses and in different programs who may not have the chance to communicate.” He hopes that UTERN can cultivate a network of like-minded individuals by giving grants to groups that share their resources, and are engaged with the broader U of T environmental community. Irwin stresses that “UTERN will be giving its money to students,” and that the objective of the program is to develop atypical environmental ideas that would normally go undeveloped due to of lack of funds.
The UTERN Board of Directors, which is made up of 11 elected student representatives who speak for an assortment of campus environmental organizations, has the final say when it comes to awarding grants. Applications for UTERN grants will soon be available on the group’s Web site, www.utern.sa.utoronto.ca.
In addition to awarding grants, UTERN itself is also getting involved on campus. One of the first environmental initiatives that UTERN is undertaking is a printer cartridge recycling program. Involving drop-off locations for the used cartridges, Irwin anticipates the program will actually generate revenue for UTERN and help make U of T a more environmentally friendly place.
UTERN’s annual general meeting takes place tonight from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at Innis Town Hall, and all are welcome. The election of several new board members is planned, and John Stonehouse from the Evergreen Foundation will be giving the keynote address.
