By Charles Peckman
The University of Iowa Student Government discussed three sustainability-related proposals on Tuesday in the University Capitol Center.
The first one, a resolution presented by Sen. Akash Bhalerao and Sen. Noah Kirschbaum, was entitled the “IMU Sustainable Events Resolution.”
The resolution, which encompasses events hosted by student organizations at the IMU, aims to promote sustainable measures to be taken during these events.
Among the sustainable measures, a requirement to have compost bins readily available at all IMU events was discussed.
“The main concept here is that compostable materials such as food, paper, and other things, if they’re put into our landfills, don’t have the opportunity to be composted,” Kirschbaum said.
Up to 40 percent of material in landfills can be considered compostable, he said, and this is something the UI should try to counteract.
“We have a unique opportunity to address this problem on campus,” Kirschbaum said.
The resolution states that if University Catering provides food for events, the dining ware and food products should be compostable aside from butter packets.
In addition to compostable food products, the resolution states that composting should be an important operational step on the part of the IMU, because the building acts as a hub for students and student organizations on campus.
Bhalerao said that currently, the IMU has the resources available to compost during events, but this is not done during every event held there.
“Getting composting at all the events will help minimize food waste and silverware from going into the landfill,” Bhalerao said.
After a period of debate, UISG passed the resolution with 46 “yes” votes.
The next sustainability-related resolution discussed was the “FSL Sustainability Charter Bill.” This bill was presented by Sens. Akash Bhalerao, Greyson Zaun, and Hallee Haygood.
The emphasis of this bill is to work with the Fraternity & Sorority Life sustainability director and the Sustainability Office to create a sustainability charter for fraternity and sorority chapters.
The bill states that because Fraternity and Sorority Life engages 17 percent of undergraduate students at the UI, there is much incentive, and there has been much interest shown, in creating an Fraternity & Sorority Life Sustainability Charter at the UI.
“The purpose of this legislation is to create a charter community where the different chapters and members of fraternities and sororities throughout the UI to have the means to have members who are interested in sustainability,” Zaun said.
After deliberation, the bill was voted on and passed with 46 “yes” votes.
The last bill with regards to sustainability, “Sustainability Appreciation Bill,” aims to recognize student organizations that and students who are make efforts to add sustainable practices to their everyday work and lives.
The bill was presented by Bhalerao and Sen. Tayo Ajose.
The UISG would work with the Sustainability Office and Kristi Finger in the Center for Student Involvement & Leadership to create sustainability-related awards, as well as create a nomination system for these awards.
Ajose said this collaboration would work “to define the criteria by which these organizations would be selected for this award.”
After another period of deliberation, the bill was voted on and passed with 45 “yes” votes.
