Campus Environmental Center

About the CEC

The Campus Environmental Center is UT’s largest student-led sustainability organization. We intend to foster environmental responsibility through community events and three student-led initiatives. In the fall semester alone, the CEC community contributed approximately 1,800 volunteer hours towards campus sustainability initiatives. That is equivalent to 75 full days, or 20 percent of an entire year!

We pride ourselves on giving students their first exposure to environmentalism through our membership program. Our student leaders and CEC members also facilitate volunteer opportunities for all UT students through project teams (Green Events, Microfarm, and Trash to Treasure). To remain accessible, our 180+ members do not pay dues, and we rely on university funding and grants.

Learn more about our project teams and fundraising efforts below!

Green Events

The Green Events team provides free zero-waste recycling and composting consulting services to student organizations. The team intends to educate about sustainability and contribute to UT’s goal of 90% waste diversion. The team accommodates groups of all sizes, from small weekly meetings to large campus events. The team hosts a weekly compost drop-off, making zero-waste living accessible for students in the dorms. Last fall, the team collected more than 800 lbs. of compost.

We are fundraising for…

• Compostable Materials
• Dinnerware for club event (50 members): $25 per event
• Dinnerware for club event (300 members): $150
• Compost bags for 100 students to start composting at home: $20.99
• Compost Bags for Student Events (48 pack): $23.99
• New Compost/Recycling Bins
• At-home bins for students: $30
• Frames for compost bags at larger events: $19.99

By funding these items, Green Events can remove price barriers for organizations that want to host a zero-waste event. If sustainable options are accessible for student organizations, UT will be a greener campus.

UT Microfarm

UT Microfarm is the first student-run organic farm providing the student body with volunteer opportunities and education on sustainable farming practices. The Microfarm has donated over 1,700 pounds since 2019 to the UT Outpost, the food pantry on campus. The Microfarm team also manages the only seed library on campus and partners with UT Grounds and Landscaping to maintain the Little Blue Prairie.

We are fundraising for…

• Planting materials
• Seed Library supplies for upkeep: $50
• Transplants for a semester: $250
• Trees for the orchid: ~$70 per sapling
• Equipment
• Safety supplies (gloves, organic ant killer, etc): $100
• Replacements for all broken tools: $500

Running a farm is a lofty task, and extra funding will provide adequate tools to all volunteers and beautify the farm. The team facilitated 26 workdays last fall, providing service opportunities for more than 450 students. The replacement and safety supplies will enhance the volunteers’ experience at the farm, while the planting materials will fund the newly-established native food forest and orchard.

Trash to Treasure

Trash to Treasure diverts gently-used clothing and dorm goods from the landfill, offering an affordable alternative to buying new. Through a campus-wide dorm donation drive and $1 thrift sale events, the team provides thousands of pounds of essential items to students and faculty. The team members also host the Making Amends workshops to teach students how to revitalize and upcycle clothing. By the end of the spring semester, the team is projected to redistribute the 3,000 lbs. of items gathered in the May 2025 donation drive.

We are fundraising for…

• Events & Moving Costs
• Sponsor a Trash to Treasure Thrift Sale on Greg Plaza (company marketing banner included): $450 per event
• Workshop/Storage Facility
• Permanent, accessible storage location on/by campus: $1200 per year
• Transportable wheeled bins: 4 for $320
• Workshop supplies
• Sewing Machine to host 4 events per year to mend clothing: 5 for $200
• Mending kits: 5 for $40
• Desk space: 2 for $215
• Laundering facility
• Washers and dryers capable of laundering thousands of pounds of clothing: ~$2500+

With a larger storage facility and more resources, Trash to Treasure can accept more clothing donations. The team can continue to provide the UT community access to affordable clothes, shoes, and school supplies.

Thank you for donating! To learn more about the Campus Environmental Center, visit our website or contact us at director@utenvironment.org.