April 16, 2026 by Ellen Mueller
People of all ages must have opportunities to learn about sustainability and contribute to it in their surrounding environments. At the University of Kentucky, the Student Sustainability Council is achieving this by putting students in influential roles where they can influence sustainability on UK’s campus.
Beginning in 2010, the Student Sustainability Council (SSC) has distributed the Environmental Stewardship Fee, an annual $4.00-per-student fee used to fund sustainability projects at UK. Any member of the UK community can submit a proposal to the Council for funding. Since its formation, the SSC has funded more than one million dollars in sustainability projects. This council of students supervises the distribution of funds for projects relevant to the three pillars of sustainability (environment, society, and economy), with an impact on the campus, and a commitment to student engagement. This year, they plan to distribute nearly $200,000 for campus sustainability projects.
The SSC is a great example of student voice in action, with student representation and input in decision-making. The student members learn skills that will help them in their future professional fields, while grant recipients can develop great projects to promote sustainability in the UK community. These projects have included undergraduate research, sustainability campaigns, the Sustainability Lecture Series, student internships, study abroad trips, and service-learning opportunities. They even provide funding annually for several students to attend Bluegrass Greensource’s Sustainability Summit!
One of these attendees at our 2026 Sustainability Summit was Sarah Butler, a freshman at UK studying Library Sciences, who has recently joined the Student Sustainability Council. After transferring to UK this spring, the SSC provided her with a group of like-minded students passionate about bettering the environment. “I wanted something that I feel is gonna benefit everyone and not just me. And I felt like this was a really good cause to be a part of.” She was grateful that SSC allowed her to attend the Sustainability Summit, where she got to meet community members who are also passionate about environmental advocacy.
Since joining SSC, Sarah has become more mindful of the choices she makes in her day-to-day life. She says the Council educates the public on ways they can take more green-focused initiatives in their own community, bringing sustainability strategies used throughout the Commonwealth that students can easily recreate in their busy lives. “I definitely feel it’s helped reduce waste and educate people on ways that they can do that in just this setting here.”
She believes that as students, it is easy to become lost in our fast-paced routines, but that we should slow down from time to time and be mindful of our everyday habits. These practices, like recycling, saying no to non-reusable plastics, or using a refillable water bottle, may be small, but they will add up to a larger impact. They are also manageable and something most students can do. “When you throw something away, it’s still going somewhere. It’s not just gone. It’s gone from your sight, but it’s gonna be in someone else’s view. It’s still here.”
The Student Sustainability Council’s impact on Sarah and our larger campus is just one example of how powerful it can be to involve young people in local sustainability and environmental initiatives. This hands-on work helps us to see in real time how small changes can make a big impact in our communities. When Sarah goes back to her hometown in Marshall County, KY, she hopes to begin implementing some of the practices she has learned here at UK.
If you want to hear more student perspectives on environmental topics, the SSC hosts a weekly radio show called GreenTalks on WRFL 88.1 FM, UK’s student-run radio station, on Tuesdays from 2-3 pm. Past shows have discussed recycling at UK, invasive species, and other student sustainability organizations.
