On this Earth Day, an environmentally friendly trend's spreading to more Texas universities.
Three are scheduled to vote on adding green fees for students. At Texas Tech, though, administrators say they're keeping that discussion off the table and focusing on measures that won't cost students additional green.
The increasingly popular "green fees" are typically three to five dollars a student.
But Texas Tech's taking measures like replacing old toilets and sinks and conducting research to explore new green initiatives without that added money.
To get an idea of where the university stands on green measures and sustainability practices, Tech assembled a president's task force to do the homework.
The task force chair, Professor David Driskill, says most areas on on track.
"We're state mandated to reduce energy by certain percents every year," Driskill said. "We're doing it."
Driskill says the housing division's pulling more than its share of weight, even signing on with a local recycling company.
"They hired the Green Queens at the last move-in and move out and recycled I don't know how many tons of cardboard," he said.
In addition, bathrooms have new fixtures, windows and paint to meet modern environmental standards.
"That says you're using today's resources in a way that will be there for future generations," Driskill said.
He says it's not likely green fees are in the immediate future for Tech but some students like Drew Williams say they wouldn't mind.
"I think if it's small, like five dollars, it's worth it to help the world, Williams said. "Everybody has a carbon footprint"
For Kristen Dempsey, the student vote would speak for itself.
"They should see if everyone wants to pay for it," she said. "At least 50 percent of people who want to contribute because we do a lot without having a five dollar fee around here."
For now, the task force has turned in three recommendations to the president's office. They basically ask that sustainability be increased at every level of campus life.
