CoLab Funds Bobcats Go Green Event
There is always something to celebrate in Athens. Whether it’s graduation, Greek Life Rush Week, or Ohio University anniversaries, campus is always glittered in decorations. While celebrations of accomplishments are always welcome, the harmful impact that leftover decorations have on the environment is less so.
Bobcats Go Green (BGG) are on a mission to rid Ohio University's campus of wasteful materials while keeping the party going. BGG is a student organization affiliated with campus recycling that seeks to encourage all students to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle. They welcome students of all different backgrounds and majors to participate in the mission to leave Athens in better condition than it was found. After several years and baby steps, BGG has found their voice to stand up against wasteful products.
Era Bakia, President of Bobcats Go Green, says that while Ohio University has taken a few leaps to become a sustainable campus, there are still some materials that present harmful consequences. “I was cleaning up after things like graduation and I realized that OU has a pretty big confetti problem,” Bakia said.
To combat the confetti issue, Bobcats Go Green have partnered with Ohio University’s Greek Life, to create a solution to the confetti issue. On Wednesday, September 7th, the team met in the CoLab to build their own confetti made out of all natural items that were collected from campus. Leaves, flowers, and different kinds of petals were cut up or hole punched and carefully placed into party style poppers to keep the fun while remaining sustainable.
“This year, we’re trying to go even further and really ban it from campus, so we targeted Greek Life and we are giving them confetti to supply them on their eco journey for bid day,” Bakia said.
In an effort to support student organizations and supply them with the means to reach their goals, the CoLab offers activity grants to those who embody the themes of collaboration, entrepreneurship, innovation, or creativity. Students can be reimbursed for up to $250 for any supplies, such as refreshments, guest speakers, crafts, etc., that they wish to have. The Bobcats Go Green team used CoLab space to their full advantage to collaborate with one another and leave the Athens campus better than they found it.
“I would highly recommend the CoLab for any groups,” Bakia said. “I love collaborative learning, so it was great.”
Does your organization have an entrepreneurial idea? Do you want a grant to fund your business idea? Email colab@ohio.edu for more information. The link to apply for a CoLab grant can be found here.