In 2008 the University of Tennessee Knoxville established the Office of Sustainability. The Office of Sustainability’s core objectives include fostering sustainable development and promoting environmental stewardship. To promote their initiatives to the general student audience The Office of Sustainability has begun referring to its efforts by the catchy slogan make Orange Green. Current make Orange Green programs include Friends of Switchie, RecycleMania, Recyclympics, Hall Vols, and Green Dining.
On Thursday I attended the kickoff event for this year’s make Orange Green campaign held in Presidential Courtyard. For those of you not familiar with UTK’s layout this courtyard is in the center of the majority of the freshman dorms. This was a very advantageous place to hold this event considering how many freshmen not familiar with the programs would be forced to walk through the event to get to their dorms. The event contained booths detailing the programs sponsored by the make Orange Green campaign. At one of my booths I received the mug shown in the picture above the article. I received this mug for signing a form pledging that I will begin using this mug to get drinks at various places around campus including the UC eateries and Einstein’s Bagels. The cups used in the UC cafeterias have a special plastic coating around them. This plastic coating makes it impossible to recycle them. By using any reusable mug instead of the cups provided, you will be helping the environment. If that is not enough of an incentive to use your own cups you also receive the drinks at a lower price!
