About Us

The Charlotte Green Initiative (CGI) is UNC Charlotte’s green fund, dedicated to allocating resources towards sustainable projects on campus. Established in 2008 through a petition to the UNC Charlotte Student Government Association, CGI receives approximately $60,000 annually from a $1 “green fee” included in each full-time student’s semesterly tuition.

CGI is a student-led initiative, with a committee of diverse undergraduate and graduate students from various areas of study with a keen interest in sustainability. This committee meets weekly to review and approve funding proposals for sustainable projects on campus.

Proposals can be submitted by any member of the UNC Charlotte community, including organizatons, students, faculty, and staff. The committee carefully evaluates each proposal based on its potential environmental impact, feasibility, and alignment with CGI’s mission.

Our Mission

CGI’s mission is to promote and support sustainability efforts at UNC Charlotte by carefully allocating funds to community projects. We aim to foster a more environmentally conscious campus community by funding innovative projects that reduce the university’s environmental impact and raise awareness about sustainable practices. “Sustainability” for the committee is defined broadly, incorporating anything covered in the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals.

OUR HISTORY

The Charlotte Green Initiative has its roots in the efforts of the UNC Charlotte Earth Club during 2006 and 2007. The Earth Club developed and proposed the idea of a “green fee” that would provide funding for projects aimed at making the university more sustainable and environmentally-friendly. This could include initiatives for renewable energy use, improved energy efficiency, and operating in a more eco-conscious manner across campus.

In spring 2007, the Earth Club collaborated with the Student Government Association (SGA) Senate Student Affairs Committee to pass legislation putting a poll question about the proposed green fee on the fall 2007 SGA election ballot. The results showed that over 70% of students overwhelmingly supported paying this additional fee to financially support sustainable initiatives on campus.

With student backing, the green fee was officially implemented in fall 2008, with $2.50 per student per semester going into a fund managed by the newly created Charlotte Green Initiative. Specific sustainability benchmarks and indicators were established to guide the CGI’s project selection and measurement of success. From this grassroots beginning proposed by passionate student environmental activists, the Charlotte Green Initiative has grown into a critical source of funding for innovative sustainability projects that continue to make UNC Charlotte a greener, more eco-friendly campus community each year.

Current Committee

Get Involved

We encourage all members of the UNC Charlotte community to get involved with CGI’s efforts. Whether you have a project idea to propose or are interested in joining the committee, we welcome your participation.