Month: January 2025

On January 11th, Michigan Tech hosted its inaugural Zero Waste Hockey Game, achieving remarkable sustainability milestones. This initiative was a collaborative effort among MTU Athletics, Husky Eats, and the Office of Sustainability and Resilience.

By the end of the game, 188 pounds of waste were collected for recycling and composting. Notably, in the stands and suites, Husky fans contributed to diverting an impressive 98% of post-consumer food and packaging waste, resulting in only 4 pounds of waste being sent to the landfill. This success was achieved by fans diligently sorting their unwanted items into designated bins for compost, recycling, liquids, or trash.  Fans also tested their sustainable and recycling knowledge by answering trivia questions between periods and a few select fans participated in an on-ice “Tricycle Recycle” sorting game, competing for a prize. 

This event highlights the significant environmental impact achievable through community collaboration. With the active participation of fans and the dedication of over 30 game day volunteers, the Husky community created a greener game day experience. Building on this success, Michigan Tech plans to continue its waste reduction efforts and implement zero waste initiatives at future games, demonstrating the power of collective action in fostering environmental sustainability.

Are you an undergraduate student at Michigan Tech with a passion for sustainability and climate action? We invite you to apply for the fourth annual Frank Chernosky Campus Climate Ambassador Award.

This alumni-funded award is named after Frank Chernosky, a former professor and advisor at Michigan Tech.  Mr. Chernosky was an early advocate for sustainability principles who impacted many students before dying tragically from a rare form of Heart Cancer in 1971.  The award consists of three forms of student support: a partial tuition scholarship, funds for professional development and/or applied work, and a formal mentorship by campus and/or external professionals.  One recipient will be chosen annually.

The award for 2025-26 will be $9,600 – a scholarship amount of $8,000 spread over fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters, and a professional development and applied work fund of up to $1,600 to be used by August 2026. Awardees will also receive active mentorship from campus and/or external professionals to help them develop networks and skills for their future work.  The overall timetable for the award is flexible to accommodate opportunities such as a co-op or internship.  Applicants and award recipients will solidify the details on the timing of the award, as well as the nature of mentorship and professional development, through the application process and dialogue with the committee.

To be considered, an applicant must be a full-time undergraduate student at Michigan Tech with the equivalent of at least three semesters of full-time enrollment at Michigan Tech by the fall of 2025. They must also have a minimum of two semesters of coursework remaining, though there is potential for flexibility to accommodate an internship or coop into the award timeframe.

Applications are due via this Google Form by Friday, March 14, with interviews to follow. The committee will make a decision by April 11. Interested students are encouraged to draft their application early discuss their ideas with Alan Turnquist before applying: alturnqu@mtu.edu

Full details of the award and a link to the application are available in the PDF document below.