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The Election
The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) was on the ballot in the spring 2006, winning a landslide victory. It was one of the most supported initiatives in the election and was an unprecedented success in terms of garnering graduate student support.
Official Ballot Language
Do you approve of a $2.60 per undergraduate and graduate student per quarter, including summer, mandatory fee in order to support The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF)? TGIF will provide funding for projects intended to reduce the University's impact on the environment. If passed, the fee would begin fall 2006 and be subject to reaffirmation in spring 2010. There will be a return to aid surcharge added to the fee based on the RTA percentage receiving the most votes.
Pollution and waste generated by the University contribute to major environmental problems such as global warming, climate change, and the degradation of air and water quality. In 2004, the University released 143,293,685 lbs of CO2 into the atmosphere by using energy created by burning coal, oil, or gas.
In an Associated Students survey of over 3,000 students 82% of respondents felt that it was the responsibility of UCSB to reduce its green house gas emissions. UCSB has for the past few years worked to assess its environmental impact and to bring staff, faculty, and students together to determine what steps need to be taken.
A student-majority grant allocation committee will control the TGIF. Projects will likely include renewable energy and energy conservation such as installing solar panels on roofs and energy efficient equipment in labs, student housing retrofits, energy efficiency, and waste reduction. As an example, by replacing the sidewalk lamps around campus, UCSB would save $100+/yr per light.
Other projects will likely focus on water conservation through the use of waterless urinals in bathrooms and using reclaimed water on university landscaping. In addition, 20% of the fund will be allocated by the grant committee for student internships and education.
