“Renewables,” “biofuels,” “research,” “better marketing.” These are some of the words that Washington University students used to describe ways the University could achieve a higher level of sustainability on campus.

Last Tuesday, two members of Green Action attended a fundraiser for President Obama at which they interrupted him during a speech, questioning him about his future plans for the Keystone XL pipeline.

Senior Arielle Klagsbrun fell in love with Barack Obama in 2008 when she worked on his presidential campaign. When she saw the man she voted for three years ago on Tuesday, she interrupted him during a pause in his speech to ask him to veto the Keystone XL Pipeline Project.

Washington University placed in the top 5 percent of schools that participated in RecycleMania 2011, a national collegiate recycling competition. The University recycled 556,623 pounds of waste this spring in the contest’s Gorilla category. The Gorilla category is based on total recycled materials collected on campus.

A National Coal Council meeting in downtown St. Louis was canceled following a protest from Washington University Green Action. Directly after council members had finished taking roll call on Tuesday, students from Green Action and Missourians Organized for Reform and Empowerment entered the meeting at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark.

A Green Action appeal aiming to provide St. Louis with a working plan for a green jobs economy was shot down by the Student Union Treasury last Tuesday. The vote against the environment-advocacy group was 11-7, with no abstentions.

From Oct. 1-4, the Climate Solutions Forum hosted speakers, workshops and activities to encourage dialogue on community-based renewable energy solutions. The Global Energy Future Symposium took place on the same dates on Washington University’s campus. The Climate Solutions Forum was organized by Green Action, Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment (MORE) and Climate Action St. Louis.

I’ve enjoyed the last week or so on campus, not because of the beautiful weather, certainly not because of the crippling workload that comes with the end of the semester, and not even really because the summer is rapidly approaching. I’ve been thrilled with the excitement on campus surrounding some real controversy.

Wash. U. Students for Proposition A, Green Action, the Performing Arts Department collaborated to organize an improvisational flash mob dance in front of the Danforth University Center. The dance was meant to raise awareness of the upcoming April 6 vote on Proposition A, which will support St. Louis public transit. The Chancellor was among the [...]

A new green initiative called the Student Sustainability Fund is on the ballot for the upcoming Student Union elections. Ellie Cooper, Emily Averna and Rachel Zemke, three sophomores in the College of Arts & Sciences, are the sponsors of the initiative, which seeks to dole out $11,900 each year for the next two years to students seeking funding for their projects dedicated to inspiring sustainability on campus.