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Spring 2025 Projects
In 2025, the 91心頭利 Committee on Sustainability awarded 14 Green Fee awards to fund sustainability projects across campus.
The Green Fee was established in 2008 and was proposed by students as a way to encourage and inspire initiatives to further sustainability at 91心頭利.
Spring 2025 Green Fee Projects:
Compost Bins for Health & Wellness
$320 to Emma Lankford ‘25, Aayla Kastning ‘26 and advisor Isabella Chalfant
Dining Sustainability’s compost program always aims to expand to new parts of the 91心頭利 campus. This Green Fee funds two new compost bins, one outside the McLeod Tyler Wellness Center and one at the Matoaka Boathouse.
Preventing Sedimentation and Erosion Behind Keck
$6,250 to Pearl Imbriale, Cheryl Leu and advisors Tony Orband and Randy Chambers
In an effort to mitigate stormwater erosion and sediment build-up at the Keck Lab on Lake Matoaka, this project funds the creation of a rain garden with native plants behind the lab. Native plants will slow down runoff and filter the water, provide habitat, and present an opportunity for education.
Toward Mass-Production of Diatom-Based, Sustainable Materials
$98,500 to HC Schniepp and BK Song
The Applied Science Department and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science are collaborating to grow diatoms, algal micro-organisms that capture carbon dioxide, at a large scale. Once grown, the diatoms will be used as raw material for ceramics. The result would be a raw material that has sequestered carbon from the atmosphere and is sustainably made.
VIMS (VA Clean Marina Program & VIMS Sustainability Committee) Baler to Further Sustainability on VIMS Campus
$10,000 to Abigail Clark and Sonia Samantaroy
VIMS utilizes cardboard and boating shrinkwrap, which is not recycled in Virginia. This Green Fee funds a baler, a machine that compresses material and makes them recyclable. Once the material is baled, International Paper, a recycling center in Richmond, Va., will pick up the bales and properly dispose of them.
VIMS Composting Program: Expanding Sustainability and Impact
$9,981.78 to Jennifer Dreyer, Kaite Cisz, Mara Walters and Gina Ralph
After the success of VIMS’ compost program pilot year, this Green Fee funds another year of the program and supports its expansion. Between July 2024 and February 2025, VIMS composted 5,928 pounds of organic waste that would have otherwise been disposed of in a landfill. The program has greatly reduced the organic waste on the VIMS campus, and this project would allow it to grow further.
Introducing Recycling Infrastructure to Walter J. Zable Stadium
$3,700 to Aayla Kastning ‘26, Sophia Heilen ‘26 and advisor Isabella Chalfant
This project establishes recycling infrastructure to Zable Stadium. During the football season, visitors purchase aluminum cans and plastic bottles at games, which were disposed of in the trash and sent to landfills. This program would allow containers from concessions sales to be properly recycled.