DePaul University
ER-T2-1: Student Group

Environmental Concerns Committee: The Environmental Concerns Committee is housed under DePaul's Student Government Association. The Student Government Instituted the ECC in 2010 in an effort to further implement sustainable initiatives on campus. The ECC collaborates with administration, faculty, staff, and students to increase sustainable practices and environmental awareness. ECC is a student-led committee, currently with about 15 creative, dynamic and committed student members from many different majors within DePaul. In 2010, the ECC surveyed students to collect preliminary data regarding a University Green Fee. The results received from the student population was around an 80% approval rate to institute a University Green Fee at DePaul. The ECC also organizes a series of events for Earth Week at DePaul. In the past, the week-long events have included an Earth Fair, a field trip to Allied Waste, a film screening of "The 11th Hour," an educational lecture and student luncheon with guest speaker David Orr, a Sustainability Fair, Native Species Planting, and an educational programming collaboration with World Bike Corporation. The ECC, along with the Student Government Association, works closely with DePaul's Facility Operations to allocate funds for operational based sustainability initiatives, such as advocating for an increased use of solar energy, putting refillable water dispenser stations throughout campus, and a variety of other initiatives. The Student Government Association created a Senator for Sustainability position due to the success of the ECC in order to promote an awareness around issues of sustainability and further exemplify DePaul's commitment to sustainability.