On Tuesday, April 17, almost 40 students, faculty and speakers filed into the Shiloh Room at the University Center to discuss the potential and positive effects of a revolving fund.
    
Speakers talked about potential solutions at this forum and collaborative discussion focusing primarily on energy efficiency.
   
 Nick Alderson, junior in environmental studies and past intern for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, organized the “Gettin’ Green & Savin’ Green: Energy Efficiency at UT” event.
   
 “This event was focusing on energy efficiency and the benefits of energy efficiency,” Alderson said. “Here on campus we really want to institute a revolving fund for greener energy.”
    
A revolving fund is where the university makes an initial investment towards a renewable energy source. The money saved from that investment through energy efficiency returns to the original fund to be used to invest in other cost-effective initiatives.
    
“We want to get the word out to students and get them more interested in green efficiency,” Alderson said. “We want them to go to the chancellor, faculty and staff and express an interest in a revolving fund. (Students) want the university to be a leader in energy efficiency here on campus.”
    
This meeting was to receive student feedback to give to Chancellor Jimmy Cheek and his office.
    
“Students are very responsive to green energy,” Alderson said. “UTK already purchases about three percent of its power through green power from TVA. That’s paid for through the student environmental fee. Through energy efficiency, we can decrease the total amount of power we need, reduce our canon emissions, and afford more green power.”
   
This event had three speakers to educate the students in attendance about energy efficiency: Bruce Tonn, political science professor and senior researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the Environmental Sciences Division; Bill Park, an agricultural and resource economics professor; and Maria Rosales, senior in environmental studies and the Tennessee Campus Organizer of Southern Energy Network.
    
These three speakers lectured students on the importance and the relevance of investing in greener technology.
   
 Tonn discussed how a switch to a more sustainable, energy efficient lifestyle through buildings and weatherization can benefit many parties.
    
“Energy efficiency has a positive impact on people’s health, comfort and ability to pay for their energy costs,” Tonn said.
    
Tonn has been working with the Department of Energy with a National Weatherization program to increase energy efficiency in low-income homes.
    
This forum discussed ways the campus community can speed the adoption of new energy efficient measures and the means to pay for these investments. The revolving fund being pushed by students like Alderson and Rosales will help achieve the goal of being more energy efficient.
    
“The revolving fund is our ‘big idea’ and we want the administration to address it as such,” Alderson said. “Other top 25 universities have revolving funds.”
   
 “At a school noted for its accomplishments in sustainability, UTK now has the chance to invest in innovated and sustainable energy practices for the future,” Rosales said. “I have been around (here) for five years, and I’ve seen a lot of students dedicate time and effort for energy efficiency. I think it’s time to see the university do its part now.”