Florida Gulf Coast University is Environmentally Friendly.

*Picture from FGCU*

Florida Gulf Coast University is known for being a very green and environmentally friendly university . It is located in South-West Florida and has much wildlife around campus. The school offers many resources to students to teach them and encourage them to recycle and preserve the natural resources that we have around campus. On main campus solar compactors and recycling bins are provided as well as energy efficient lighting. In housing, along with the amenities that are on campus, solar panels and freeze water air-conditions are also in place.

*Picture from Big Belly Compactors*

The school offers Big Belly Solar Compactors in many of the high traffic areas along campus. By having many these on campus where each and every student can see them, they are used more often and help to eliminate the waste and the litter that can be seen around many “typical” college campuses in the US. The Big Belly Compactors are constantly compacting the trash that is being placed in to them. This helps to limit the trash pickup saving time and money, as well as fuel. The Big Belly’s get 100% of their energy from the sun and also uses less than 5 watt hours per day.

Traditional recycling bins are also available all throughout the academic buildings. By having these accessible, they give the students who are just getting in or out of class the opportunity to get rid of the trash that they have while also being environmentally conscious.

*Picture from FGCU*

Many students who attend Florida Gulf Coast University live and work on campus. Since this is their home many take a higher pride in keeping it clean and being sustainable. The dorms that FGCU provides are equipped not only with recycling facilities such as the ones that are on the main campus, but they also have energy-efficient lighting. Many times the lights are off, or they will go off when there is no movement within the room. When someone walks into the room, the lights will turn on and after a while of no movement they will shut back off again. This helps to prevent an over use of energy as well as saves the school hundreds of thousands of dollars each and every year on their energy bill.

Florida Gulf Coast University is also known for having one of the largest ice-thermal storage plants in the state. This will be discussed further in the blog. However, in general this plant helps to save the University money and keeps the electricity bills low and reduces the need for additional buildings for air conditionings.

Academic Building 7!

As Jack Johnson states in his song The 3 R’s, “..And if you've got to make some trash, don't throw it out, recycle, we've got to learn to recycle.” FGCU took this meaning literal by placing recycle receptacles almost everywhere on campus. Each academic building at Florida Gulf Coast University has its own recycle bins as well as each dorm building. The university has programs to collect recyclable materials and reduce the amount of solid waste emitted. There are currently a total of fourteen locations of cleartainers. Cleartainers are recyclers for bottles, cans, and aluminum. In addition to these cleartainers, Florida Gulf Coast University’s campus also has its own plastic bag recycling station, newspaper recycling station, mixed paper recycling station, as well as solar compactors. Not only are there newspaper recycling bins located on the campus, FGCU has its own dumpster, free of charge, specifically for newspaper. Separating our recycled items may not seem like a big deal but it is in fact. Many do not realize how much energy is put into separating items that are being recycled.

*Picture from FGCU*

Not only are our recycled items being emitted, they are also being reused into the structure of our campus. For example, Academic Building 7, the newest building on campus, more than twenty percent of the materials used to construct the building was made out of recycled material. Academic Building 7 was the first building verified by the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification system. “The purpose of this system is to have external verification that our buildings are designed and built to save energy, increase water efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions, improve indoor air quality, and demonstrate stewardship of resources”. Located inside the building are changing and showering areas where those who rode bikes may wash. This encourages bike riding to lessen the amount of unnecessary emissions that are being forced into the environment from our vehicles. High efficiency bathroom fixtures are being used throughout this building to reduce and save hundreds of thousand gallons of water.

What does FGCU Provide as being environmentally friendly?

There are many random things that Florida Gulf Coast University does to remain an environmentally friendly university. This includes: purchasing EPA EPEAT Gold certified computers (environmentally friendly computers), vegetarian meals with cage free eggs at all on campus eating location, trash cans that are wildlife-proof with a separate recyclable compartment, and clearing exotic plants by hand so they can get replanted instead of tearing them down completely. The university requires all undergraduate students to take the University Colloquium class, a three credit-hour class that teaches about the environment and the environmentally issues. FGCU is among one of the only universities that uses an ice plant to generate ice at night when electricity is not used as much and sends cold water through tubing systems to each of the individual buildings for air conditioning. Additionally, tinted windows on all university windows reduce the solar heat gain decreasing cooling expenses. A reality that sets Florida Gulf Coast University apart from any other university is the fact that the school cannot build on two-thirds of the land that they own. This was a promise that was made to Ben Hill Griffin III which states that two-thirds of this land will remain natural while only one-third will be used for buildings. Eventually, FGCU will have to stop building outwards and start to build up as the university grows.

FGCU and Recycling!

Florida Gulf Coast University also encourages recycling. It is important for recycling to be encouraged because it is a vital part of saving our environment since it reduces landfills, contaminations, pollution, the use of non-renewable resources, and helps protect nature.


Recycling paper is done in a process of steps. First the paper is separated in type and grade. Then the paper is places into a large vat and combined with water creating a product named slurry, which is then placed on racks and big rollers push the water out. This allows the paper to be rolled up and cut into whatever size being used for the new product. The product slurry can be used for cardboard boxes, cereal boxes, telephone books, and newsprint. This process saves thousands of trees and helps preserve our environment.

Recycling metal cans is also done in steps. The first step is separating aluminum cans from the metal cans with an industrial sized magnet that picks up steel cans. Then the separated cans are crushed together and sent to the appropriate mill to be melted down and turned back into metal and aluminum. Just one ton of metal recycled saves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone. Using the recycled metal also saves 95 percent of the energy used to produce metal.

*Photo from Macronews*

Because of the benefits of recycling FGCU is participating in Recyclemania 2010, a great way to have fun and help the environment. Recyclemania is a competition among universities which has schools record trash and recycling data that is then ranked to see who has the largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of trash per capita, or have the highest recycling rate.

The students at FGCU participate in recyclemania by separating the trash into four categories: garbage, composite material, metal and glass, and paper. They are recording how much they throw away versus how much they recycle. Their plan is that, by using the data they’ve record, they can figure out more convenient ways for students to recycle. The dining halls at FGCU are also helping raise awareness for recyclemania by distributing flyers for it.

Eagles Love Tap Water!!!

At Florida Gulf Coast University it is strongly encouraged to drink tap water instead of bottled water. This launched the Eagles Love Tap Water campaign. There are many reasons for this group to promote drinking tap water. First of all tap water is much cheaper than bottled water and free for students. Tap water is also regularly checked for E. Coli and fecal coliform bacteria while bottled water isn’t. Tap water is also tested for coliform bacteria more than 100 times a month, unlike bottled water, which is tested once a week. The water in the plastic bottles is actually tap water 25% of the time, so you’re actually spending a large amount of money on tap water.

Bottled water is also a danger to our environment. The water bottles account for one and a half million tons of plastic waste each year, and this plastic waste is placed in landfills. In fact approximately 90% of the waters bottles used by Americans every year are not recycled thus being placed landfills. Add to this that it takes 1,000 years for a plastic bottle to biodegrade and a serious issue for our environment has been caused by our carelessness.

*Photos From Cafepress*

The group responsible for the Eagles Love Tap Water campaign, eagles4earth, is now also distributing 2000 reusable aluminum bottles to combat our growing environmental issue. The cost of this procedure is $8,280 but will save students so much more since almost every type of plastic water bottle purchased costs $1.25. You can fill the water bottles up at the newly installed spigots on the water fountains. Eagles4earth group also provides other alternate solutions that can be used like using water filters for your water.

The eagles4earth group has also distributed pamphlets to students to raise awareness of the harms of plastic bottles. The pamphlet contains information that indicates the harms and cost of plastic bottles like that it takes 1,000 years for a water bottle to biodegrade, that tap water costs $.002 per gallon and bottled water ranges from $0.89 to $8.26 per gallon, that it takes 17 million gallons of oil each year to create the 1.5 million tons of plastic used to make bottled water, and that the amount of waste created by the plastic bottles have contributed to make an island of trash estimated to be roughly twice the size of Texas, called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

When I was walking to class one day I got a pamphlet handed to me with information like this. I read the pamphlet, understood the dangers, and have tried to use bottled water as little as possible. In fact, I now refill water bottles with tap water, place them in my refrigerator, and drink them when they are cold. This has proven to be a good enough substitute to bottled water, and I most likely would not have thought about doing this had it not been for the pamphlet handed to me.

Center for Sustainability

Florida Gulf Coast University is a school that takes environmental preservation very seriously. Through organizations created by students and faculty FGCU is always taking measures to raise students’ awareness of the environment. One organization is the Center for Environmental and Sustainability Education, which actively encourages students to help our environment and provide our generation with a secure and safe future. Using innovative educational research methods, emergent eco-pedagogies, educational philosophy and practice based on ethics of care and sustainability the CESE educates the understanding of environmental goals for FGCU students. The CESE has four main goals that they are trying to achieve. The first is to advance innovative educational research methodologies. The CESE achieves this by doing local and global research. Not only does the CESE do research of the environment, but it also works on making people ecologically literate and advance civic engagement in the critical environmental issues of the Western Everglades and Barrier. This is the CESE’s second goal. Their third goal is to educate the faculty about environmental sustainability. And finally the fourth goal of the CESE is to provide opportunities to help the environment to students and faculties so that the CESE can achieve their environmental mission at FGCU. Resources provided for the students by the CESE are the Earth Charter Youth Iniative, Orion Grassroots Network, National Wildlife Federation Campus Ecology Program, and service learning programs.

Solar Energy

*Photo from Solaripedia*

On our campus, located in a huge field near the entrance of the university, are over 10,000 or so solar panels. These panels transport the energy from the sun and save it up to be used in the buildings. Using these solar panels reduce your use of fossil fuels, which then decreases pollution on our earth. This way of energy conservation is an excellent source and should be looked upon by other schools. Although cutting down the trees that were located in the space used, in the end we save a lot of energy from the solar panels. These panels power many buildings which are located throughout the campus. Solar panels have a magnificent environmental impact here at Florida Gulf Coast University. Speaking of solar powered machines, we also have trash compactors that are generated from the solar panels in the fields of our campus. Every time the trash compactor is closed, the machine crushes the trash and makes it very compressed. This saves on trash bags and is an awesome way to save money.

Solar panels are an excellent way to save energy. They are an important alternative to energy producing technology as opposed to nuclear power plants which are super dangerous and expensive. With solar panels, they can be left unattended for a majority of the time. With other technologies, the systems will be costly and high maintenance as well as harmful to the environment and those around us. Although expensive, in the long run, these solar panels save energy and money. FGCU will spend a total of about $8.5 million dollars putting in solar panels on the campus. Florida Gulf Coast University planned to make a sixteen acre solar panel field devoted to saving energy on campus. Along with this enormous field, solar panels will also be located on top of buildings and parking garages. On average, the university will save $875,000 every year and $22 million in a thirty year period. The solar panels will generate more than one-fourth of the power each year. Every year, FGCU plans to become more environmentally friendly.


“Environmentally, the benefits are equally dramatic. As a clean energy source, annually the solar energy field will prevent an estimated 9,000 pounds of nitrogen oxide, 14,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide and 5.1 million pounds of carbon dioxide from being introduced into our environment”. Specifically, nitrogen oxide destroys our precious ozone layer and inhaling sulfur dioxide can cause respiratory distress. Nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxed are gases that are given off mostly by coal from different industries.

Solar panels are composed of silicon and non-reflective glass. When the silicon is placed beneath this glass, a photovoltaic panel is created. This specific panel converts light into electricity. Since Florida is the “sunshine state”, it only makes sense that Florida Gulf Coast University contains a device that runs off of its beaming sunlight. The panels absorb photons, or basic units of light, from the sun, converting them into electrical power. Next, the power is pushed through an inverter. This inverter transforms this energy into voltage and electrical power.

Building for the Environment

*Photo from FGCU*

Our campus has many different buildings that are designed for a friendly environment. Each building is specifically designed to conserve energy in some way. For instance, each building reflects Florida’s climate by providing shade near buildings and walkways. It also includes tinted exterior building windows so the heat coming in is not as abrupt as is would be with a normal window. The campus has openings that allow the air to ventilate through the air conditioning units to conserve energy. The buildings are designed to endure the suns strong winds, the strength of a hurricane winds and rainfall during the intense rainy seasons. In the freshman dorms, Biscayne and Everglades, the windows are permanently closed shut. They designed the buildings this way so people would not take advantage of the air conditioning if the windows were left open. Many people are care less about turning off the air conditioning while the windows are open. This way, we are saving on electricity which saves the school tons of money.

Air Conditioning Can Save Energy???

*Photo from FGCU*

One of the main energy saving mechanisms that we have on campus is for our air conditioning. FGCU has one of the largest ice thermal storage plants in the state of the Florida. This device converts cold water to a holding tank to the cooling capacity. The storage unit operates at night to allow the chilly water to make the ice. The ice is then used during the peak electric utility period to power the fluid to move to the heat exchangers. The storage plant sends cold water through tunnels which are located underground. These tunnels go to cool buildings according to each building’s cooling needs. During the night, the plant produces ice when the electricity is low, which helps save on the electric bill, and it also reduces the need for other generating utilities.

Energy Saving Light Bulbs

Daydreaming in class, I notice the light bulbs and they happen to be the energy saving light bulbs. They are guaranteed to save money on the electric bill and they are everywhere on campus. Also, half of the lights turn off after a certain time in the freshman dorm, Biscayne. Some of the newer buildings, like Academic Building 7 and Holmes Hall, have light efficient mechanisms. When the hallways are not being used, the lights turn off. This is a great idea and is a good way to be green. All throughout the campus there are many different signs that remind you to conserve energy. For example, in every dorm room, by the light switches, there is a sign posted that says, “Did you turn your light off? Help us conserve energy and go green!” Seeing this reminds us that when you leave a room you should turn off the light because it is so wasteful to be left on if the room is not in use.

FGCU Compares

*Picture from FGCU*

Sustainability is something that many colleges pride themselves on and has become a large part for many campuses across the country in the recent years. Many of us “student aged” kids have been hearing even more about it now that colleges have jumped on the train to help make the world a better place. All across Florida you will see many Colleges and Universities, but a few only catch peoples eye as being highly influential and talked about. Three of the main ones are the University of Central Florida, University of Florida, and University of Miami. Here is how they compare to Florida Gulf Coast University.

Florida Gulf Coast University:

• Ice Thermal Air Conditioning
• Erosion control during building
• 50% more run off collection for treatment then the mandatory amount
• Limited disturbance to vegetation during construction
• Fresh-air ventilation through walkways on campus
• All buildings have sites for recycling
• Zero CFC Refrigerants
• LEED Certified buildings
• Car pooling website
• Campus shuttle

University of Central Florida:

• Preserve biodiversity within unique habitats
• Promote responsible land use
• Preservation of wetlands on campus
• Campus wide recycling
• Car pooling website
• Campus shuttle
• Building built after February 2007 are all LEED certified
• Chilled water AC
University of Florida sustainable.uf.edu
• Encouragement of reusable cups for campus employees
• “Green Teams” in campus dining to promote less waste
 Recycling and waste
 Energy
 Food
 Maintenance
 Paper
 Purchasing
 Water
 Transportation

University of Miami:

• Collects traditional recyclables as well as electronic parts and batteries
• LEED certification of all buildings build in 2009 or later
• Multiple student organizations to promote a “green” campus
• 50% discount on parking to those who drive hybrid cars
• UBike – offers affordable bicycles and safety equipment
• “green parking meters”



As you can see, many schools, both private and public, in the state of Florida are doing what they can to help the environment. But when compared to Florida Gulf Coast University, they stand way below the marker. Florida Gulf Coast University offers many different opportunities to support their efforts to keeping the campus clean, green, and eco-friendly while still making it accessible to everyone.

What Do Students Think Being "Green" Means?

*Picture From GMU*

Many students have many different opinions on what it means to be green and what it means to be environmentally friendly. Everyone has their own opinions. Some students from Florida Gulf Coast University are here to lend a hand in helping you define what it means to be green and sustainable.

Anne Z: I think to be green; you have to know what little things to do help save our planet. Like recycling and only buying what is needed so that you’re not wasting anything that you don’t have to. And keeping your use of non-renewable resources down to a minimum.

Tiffany M: I think that to be green you have to keep everything down to a minimum and not use your electricity or other resources. I think that it also means to keep your waste down and reuse as much as you can.

Alisha W: I think that when you’re green, you’re conscious to everything that you do. Driving, eating, saving water and making sure you’re not taking more then what you need from the planet.

Erika W: To be green, is to be smart about everything that you do. Thinking about what you’re doing and what you can do to use less.

Brittany U: When you’re green, you saving the world. You’re helping your future children have some place nice to live and teaching the younger generations how to do the same.

Evan M: Being green is being one with the world around you. Knowing how each and every action you do affects everything around you.

Students define "green" many different ways, but all end up meaning the same thing. That we must be consious of what we do and how we treat the planet that we live on and save it for future generations.