USUSA College Senators Pass Legislation Furthering Sustainability Initiatives

By Meridian Wappett | February 11, 2022

The Utah State Student Association (USUSA) Academic Senate unanimously passed ASB 2022-02 on Monday, advancing the student government’s commitment to campus sustainability. Also known as the “sustainability bill,” ASB 2022-02 requires all USUSA senators to reflect the university's sustainability commitments by providing reasonable vegetarian meal alternatives, recycling receptacles at events, and eco-friendly materials for tableware.

“The passing of the sustainability bill is an important first step in changing our everyday actions to be more eco-friendly,” said S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources Senator Meridian Wappett, who sponsored the bill, said.

The bill is one of the first tangible actions USUSA has taken to reduce its carbon footprint as an association and is the student government’s first sustainability-related legislation since the passage of ECR 2019-08 three years ago.

As an institution, USU has made measurable goals in sustainability education and engagement, greenhouse gas reduction, waste reduction, and principled practice. USU has also created and supported the Sustainability Corps, the Green Office Program, Energy Wars, active transportation, Planetary Thinking in the Curriculum, sustainability initiatives in dining services, and Earth Day events. According to Senator Wappett, the purpose of the sustainability bill is to help align USUSA’s actions with the university’s goals for sustainability by establishing actionable standards for college senators to follow.

“Our institution has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050, and this bill is the Academic Senate’s way of aiding the accomplishment of that goal,” Wappett said. “This legislation is not the end of the issue, but it does open up the door to the ongoing work to become better stewards of the Earth.”

The standards for events hosted by USUSA senators enacted by the legislation include requirements to exhaust all options to provide vegetarian meals options; provide recycling receptacles; at low-attendance events, rent the zero-waste meal kit from USU Dining Services; and, at high-attendance events not catered by USU Dining, exhaust all options to supply tableware from renewable sources.

“Sustainability is something that we should all be passionate about because we all live on this planet together,” Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services Senator Chloe Christopher, who co-sponsored ASB 2022-02, said. “This bill is a step in the right direction toward our university’s goals of sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.”

The new standards went into effect after the USUSA Academic Senate unanimously passed the bill on Monday. Both current and future college senators will be required to follow these guidelines for their events this spring and subsequent semesters.

“The issue of sustainability is an ongoing one, but small steps and being conscious of your carbon footprint matters,” Senator Christopher said. “I hope that future senators will continue our work to make the university and USUSA more eco-friendly. After all, there is no planet B!”

The full text of ASB 2022-02 can be read at usu.edu/legislation.

About USUSA

The Utah State University Student Association (USUSA) is the hub for student involvement and leadership at Utah State University. As the student government elected by the USU student body, the association works to improve the quality of campus life and enhance student wellbeing. USUSA is an organization made by the students, for the students, and because of students – every student at USU is a member of the association and can actively participate in all activities, committees, clubs, events and initiatives.