KEEPING OUR A COMMITMENT TO
B
y implementing green solutions into buildings across campus and producing an effective strategy for increasing the lifespan of buildings and outdoor spaces, sustainability has become a priority at the University of Pikeville Leading by example, the university recently launched an initiative with a sustainable focus. Clean Paws is a new student group working to educate and engage the campus community about the importance of sustainability.
Some solutions have developed quickly on campus, while others are long-term projects. UPIKE’s City View Café now provides compostable to-go containers and paper cups instead of plastic or Styrofoam, as well as offering glassware for dine-in. In addition, 24 water filler stations have been installed in convenient locations across campus to reduce the use of plastic bottles.
Clean Paws has a variety of opportunities for students, faculty and staff and empowers the campus community to rethink its relationship with the products that are used every day. Currently, students are working toward implementing a policy for cardboard recycling that will include collection locations placed throughout campus and utilize the recently acquired larger cardboard bailer to handle the waste volume. The first of many, 16
UPIKE MAGAZINE | SPRING/SUMMER 2022
a cardboard drop-off location has been added to the ground floor of the Administration Building. Clean Paws President Emily Dendinger has been a passionate advocate surrounding sustainability on campus.
“Clean Paws is the sustainability initiative for the mountains. We created this club to provide education on waste reduction and management for the future generations to make a lasting impact in the years to come,” said Dendinger. “UPIKE has shown tremendous initiative by asking us to start this club and we are working with several members of leadership weekly, to make the campus a more sustainable place for everyone.”
By using sustainable elements to spark creativity inside and outside the classroom, UPIKE can influence how students learn and educators teach while decreasing the institution’s impact on the environment. A more environmentally-focused campus ensures stimulation for its student body from an intellectual, social and civil perspective. In 2021, UPIKE partnered with Rubicon, a company based out of Lexington, Ky., that developed a software platform that provides innovative waste and recycling solutions for businesses and governments worldwide.
