Have you ever had a brilliant idea that you felt would make a positive change on campus? Well, get out your pen and paper, because here’s your chance to have your voice heard. The “The Think Outside the Brick Competition” is an annual competition sponsored by Student Government’s Sustainability Commission. It gives students at North Carolina State University the opportunity to submit ideas that make campus a more sustainable place. Once submitted, a committee of students, faculty and staff will review these ideas and choose two finalists and a winner. This year, the winner will receive a $1000 grant to start their project, and the two finalists will each receive $500.
After starting last year, the competition chose the Students for Organic United Living (S.O.U.L.) Garden as the first winner. Submitted by the Wolfpack Environmental Student Association, the garden has started to grow in a clearing behind the Lake Raleigh dam on Centennial Campus. Thanks to a successful growing season this summer, the garden has yielded radishes, turnips, jalapenos, beans, pumpkins and more. As the summer turns to fall, the garden is already making plans for next year. By spring, they should have a fence built, and they will begin selling three by four foot plots for $10.
While the S.O.U.L. Garden was the ultimate winner of last year’s competition, many other ideas were submitted. There was an idea to tint windows in the library reducing their energy bill. One group advocated planting more trees on campus. Not all of the ideas were simply facility enhancements either — there was a plan to create basketball style backboards affixed to bins to encourage recycling, and there were others advocating for fruit trees on campus.
Get ready to be creative and think big. The possibilities are endless, and anyone can submit as many ideas as they want. It’s easy to enter too. All you need to do is submit a one-page proposal. The proposal should include an outline of the project, as well an explanation of its impact. Its budget should not exceed $1000, and should include how it would be implemented if chosen. All ideas must be submitted by a current or former N.C. State student, and must be sent before 11:59p.m. on Nov. 15. All applications will be reviewed, and every idea will be evaluated, so don’t hesitate to share your idea.
For more information, go to: http://students.ncsu.edu/exec/sustainability/ or email any questions you have to [email protected].
The best ideas come from passionate students who want to make a difference. Don’t delay making your voice heard.
