The Student Sustainability Committee is supporting a referendum during the Illinois Student Senate elections March 2 and 3 that would raise the student Sustainable Campus Environment Fee from $5 to $14 per semester.

Although nothing is planned specifically for the use of the funds, if this referendum passes, money will go toward making campus more sustainable and helping local farms, wildlife and conservation efforts, said Brian Deal, professor of urban and regional planning. All funds from the Sustainable Campus Environment Fee are managed and allocated by the Student Sustainability Committee.

The additional funding will provide for more energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

“We have over 45 proposals for sustainability projects that would in total require about 3.2 million dollars,” said Suhail Barot, chairman of the committee and graduate student.

The number of sustainability projects will continue to grow, and although the fee increase will not allow the sustainability committee to pursue all of the proposals, it will help the group take on more proposals, Barot added.

In 2003, the University’s energy bill was roughly $25 million, which is about $600 to $700 dollars per student, Barot said. Last year, the total tripled to $75 million, he added.

“Beyond all the environmental stuff, we save the University money,” Barot said.

The committee’s projects will save the University thousands of dollars, as projects funded and implemented between Fall 2008 and today will save the campus a total of at least $150,000 annually, Barot said.

He pointed out that their recent project of replacing Krannert Center’s fluorescent lights with LED’S will pay for itself in three years and save the University roughly $70,000 per year. The committee funded half of the project with a $225,000 grant.

Deal said such prior projects as the Activities and Recreation Center’s energy-saving, motion censored lights located on the racquetball and squash courts would not have been possible without this student organization.

He also said the “green fee” students now pay has been used for lighting sensors and retrofits in numerous campus buildings and helps fund student farms.

“Terrific projects are coming out of this organization,” Deal said.

And the Student Sustainability Committee is attempting to acquire more funds for future such projects.

“It’s good for students to see our University as a model of how things should be,” Barot said.

Barot said it is the committee’s hope that by the end of their four years, students will be more conscious of their carbon footprint.

“All over campus you notice the signs saying things about going green and reusable energy,” said Joseph Hall, junior in LAS. “We’re finally realizing that the earth isn’t totally sustainable. It’s definitely important to me.”