Top 10 Green Schools Devoid of Natural State’s School

The Green Guide has posted the top ten green schools in the nation. Guess who’s not on it. The University of Arkansas, which could also be called the University of the Natural State.

Once upon a time, I was a proud employee (sarcastic undertone detected?) of the UofA. As a matter of fact, I was part of the notorious Grounds Crew (then later as an actually proud employee of the UofA’s Printing Services, who are at least slightly more earth friendly, but under no mandate to be so.) The Grounds Crew, caretakers of the lands. We mowed, we trimmed the hedges, we weeded and planted many standard flowers, we sprayed hundreds of gallons of pesticides and herbicides across Fayetteville. I never said anything. Although, I thought many things. Many bad, bad things. I don’t think I’ll ever let myself do that again. Much of what I do now, I hope, will make up for all the chemicals I dumped before.

If you are a student, faculty or staff of the UofA, please remember there is more than one reason to Stay Off the Grass! And don’t eat near it, let your dog’s play on it, play on it yourself, or take it home on your shoes. It’s tainted and abused. If you are an individual or student or community organization hell bent on fixing this problem, contact me or post a comment. Bug the crap out of Chancellor White. Tell him to make it first on his list of “five major institutional goals.” Here is his phone number: (479) 575-4148. Here are more numbers.

• Dr. Gary Standridge - Special Assistant to the Chancellor - (479) 575-3593
• Leanne Bowles - Assistant to the Chancellor - (479) 575-4140
• Mr. Gail Moore - Executive Assistant to the Chancellor - (479)575-4148
• Mr. Richard B. Hudson - Vice Chancellor for Government and Community Relations - (479) 575-7964

Dr. John White has many assistants. Perhaps we can convince one of them to make help make a difference. Tell them we believe part of a quality education is a clean environment. And chemicals are not clean. Tell them that we’d like our children to go to a school that has not been soaked in chemicals. Remind them that their university sits in the middle of some of Arkansas’ greatest cities. That the pesticides and herbicides do not stop at the edge of the campus.