Our campus green spaces have so much untapped potential! We have large swaths of area and even garden beds that lay empty or dominated by grass on our campus. If we as a school invested in these schools, I believe it would not only be for the beautfication of campus, but a direct support of our mission statements and core values as a university.

Biodiversity: Our more overlooked spaces could play host to a number of native species of plants and aligning projects, such as the monarch waystations or native wildflower beds. Beneficial pollinators would also grow more attracted to our campus. Many native plants are drought hardy as well, so this beauty could last even into the hot summers. 

Diet: Whether due to insecurity or not, the promotion of healthy eating goes in tandem with the growing of said food. While this would be a more long term goal, and supermarkets and the cafeteria are present to supply healthy foods, growing on campus could give students an answer as to where their food was coming from. This could also be outsourced to providing funds for clubs if sold or fresh produce to charitable organizations and our community.

Clean Up: In our more industrious, highway adjacent campus, atmospheric pollution is a issue close to home. Soil and air quality especially fluctuate. Even the simplest flower can recycle harsh compounds such as carbon dioxide into clean air, roots can hold back erosion , and generally more people tend to litter (or leave litter) in beautified spaces

Money: A lot of money goes into the maintence of grassy spaces, their water, their seed, and the gas guzzling tools that keep them neat. While I'm not calling for the total destruction of our lawns, some spaces could be utilized in ways that drop the price of landscaping on our campus. No need to weed-wack wildflowers!

Health: A 2015 study shows that exposure to green spaces reduces stress and improves mental health (Source: Kondo, Michelle C., et al. "Health Effects of Green Space in the Commuting Environment"). Finding personal fullfillment, relaxation, and fostering connections secondary to the classroom makes for an ideal college campus experience. Their is very little harm done in planting which is thoughtful of the needs of the area around it.

Community: With this with could promote events regarding plants, gardening, and nature both in and off campus. Events could be held to host primary education facilities in learning as we have done before, with our planting efforts a prime example for several subjects. Beautification efforts could attract guests and even future students more to the camps, more events and classes could be held outdoors if we have vistas people wish to spend time in, and clubs could utilize these new spaces for their own work and projects.

By growing more flowers and plants, we can enhance natural beauty, support pollinators, and create a more vibrant, sustainable environment for everyone to enjoy. Let’s come together to make our campus bloom—sign the petition and help us bring this vision to life!