Evergreen Students Vote for Clean Energy

OLYMPIA - In a campus-wide referendum that ended last week, The Evergreen State College students voted to offset the campus' electricity use with energy from clean renewable sources such as wind and solar power. A new student fee of $1 per credit will pay for the purchase of Green Tags (renewable energy certificates) equal to the amount of electricity used by the campus each year. Green Tags, often sold by electric utility companies such as Puget Sound Energy, are a way of subsidizing the production of renewable energy. The students overwhelmingly supported the initiative by a vote of 1102 to 112.

This initiative is the culmination of coordinated efforts by student and community groups working together as the Clean Energy Coalition.
"This is a big step towards campus sustainability and it shows Evergreen students commitment to protecting the environment and slowing global warming," said Brad Bishop, the Clean Energy Coalition coordinator and WashPIRG chapter member. The non-profit organizations Climate Solutions and EnviroCitizen offered support to students on campus who led the campaign.

The campaign was inspired by students at Western Washington University, who last spring voted to charge themselves up to $19 per quarter to offset 100% of the campus' energy use with clean energy. Evergreen will be the second university in the state to make this commitment. Different from the system at Western, the Evergreen fee will be split into two pots, with 10% of the money raised staying at Evergreen to fund student research projects for developing of renewable energy production on campus. The remainder of the money raised by the new fee will be to purchase Green Tags equal to the total electricity use on the college.

"This is a great initiative by the students to implement a plan improve the environment." said Art Costantino, Evergreen's Vice President of Finance and Administration

The supporters of this initiative hope that this effort will spur the development of clean and renewable energy industry here in the Northwest and eliminate Evergreen's contribution to global warming.

"Institutional commitments to clean energy are an important step towards kicking the fossil fuel habit. Evergreen students recognize this and are ready to make it happen," said Leon Smith, Energy Outreach Coordinator for Climate Solutions.

"Energy is one of the most pressing issues of our time and students across the country are taking the lead," said Crystal Leaver, the Northwest Field Organizer for EnviroCitizen.