A Little Bit of History
The Green Love initiative was not a decision made by one person, nor was it made on any particular day. Instead, its development was incremental and inspired by AS student leaders. That said, the AS commitment to become more sustainable was inspired by those that have taken it upon themselves to educate the world in an effort to preserve its health and beauty.
Throughout the years, AS has taken steps to go above and beyond in recognition that we need to reduce our environmental impact. For example, it has been observed that we maintain a recycling program superior to the rest of the campus. Yet that’s just one facet of what we at AS are doing. At the Mission Bay Aquatic Center, Glen Brandenburg, the Director, has been passionate about preserving the environment his entire life. He has managed to create an extraordinary example of a sustainable facility that enthusiastically practices energy, water, and waste conservation, which without a doubt has set the standard for the rest of our facilities and services.
With the recent surge in public awareness of sustainability issues over the last decade AS has been fortunate to have many sustainability advocates on board. In 2006, the executive board lead by President Matt Keipper made the decision to contract with architects Perkins+Will on the overall program and budget of our renovations and expansion of Aztec Center to ModernSpace. Why Perkins+Will? One key element is their consistent dedication to sustainable architecture, which they have literally written the book on.
When it was time for the new executive members to transition to office in 2007, Vice President of Finance, Justin Motika had toyed with the idea of offering incentives for student organizations that achieved significant strides in sustainability. He thought to dub this “Green Love” after a program he had implemented in his fraternity where an “Eco-chair” was to oversee a revamped recycling system and work to improve energy, water, and waste consumption. Without hesitation, President James Poet and the executive board expressed full support to expand the program throughout AS, and thus included it in the 2007-2008 Key Priority Goals.
Re-elected for a second term in 2008-2009, President James Poet appointed Erica Johnson as the 2008-2009 AS Green Commissioner, tasked with the responsibility to institutionalize sustainability within AS and the University. Erica Johnsons commitment, hard work and passion, played a vital role in all that the Green Love Board accomplished during the 2008-2009 academic year. Erica Johnson along with Grant Mack, Green Loves Vice Chair, and the dedicated Green Love Board assisted with the development of various sustainable programs within AS and the University, but above all else Erica Johnson and the Green Love Boards biggest accomplishment was the passing of the Resolution in Support of ModernSpace LEED Platinum, paving the way to making SDSU’s new Student Union building the most sustainable and technologically advanced Student Union building in the nation.
With the lead of our Executive Director, Dan Cornthwaite, the values of the Green Love initiative have been effectively developed and communicated to the senior staff. Currently Grant Mack, the 2009-2010 AS Green Commissioner and Chair of the Green Love Board, is working to develop and continue many of the facets included in the initiative, adding his own knowledge and expertise to further the progression of sustainability, leading the way for an efficient, healthier and environmentally responsible future that Erica Johnson and many other progressive AS leaders had envisioned.
Updates
You can now download Green Love Wallpaper for you computer desk-top.