The movement is green at FAMU

Members of the Green Coalition maintain their garden.
Photo credit: Sydne Vigille

There is a hidden gem shinning beneath the grounds of Florida A&M University, a club that could change and save the environment on campus. The Green Coalition is making its way back into the hearts on FAMU’s campus.

Their objective, make FAMU a cleaner campus by collaborating with different clubs and environmental classes to brainstorm ideas, clean up the campus and promote sustainability. The club’s main project is to maintain their garden located near the recreational center, where they grow oranges and cumquats along with vegetables such as brussel sprouts, collard greens, kale, arugula, cilantro, onions, parsley, romaine, lettuce and other vegetables.

The Green Coalition has not made permanent plans as far as who the produce will benefit; however they would like to donate their produce back to FAMU.

One of the members who is part of the Green Coalition improved her health by changing her diet to organic foods. Brenay Wright, fourth-year computer information systems major, spent most of her teenage and adult years eating processed foods such as
Ramen noodles, chips and Chef Boyardee. At the age of 22 she suffered from an autoimmune disorder. Wright said that in the mornings, her body felt fatigued.

“Being sick isn’t fun,” she said.

Collard greens
Photo credit: Sydne Vigille

Wright made a decision to turn her life around.  She began to eat fruits and vegetables along with four glasses of water daily. Now she feels better than ever. She is now an advocate for healthy living and sustainability.

Wright is a beginner gardener but hopes the club will teach her how to perfect her skills. Her main goal is to open her own grocery store that solely sells organic produce and not have Americans depend on big corporations. Learning the skills in her major, Wright would also like to develop apps geared toward healthy foods, healthy living and sustainability.

The vice-president of the Green Coalition, Janel Kemp, a fourth year environmental and policy major, said the goal for the club is to bring awareness to other FAMU students: keeping the university’s environment clean and executing ideas on how to promote being green on campus. Kemp wants to create change in the environment through policy. Kemp’s first year living on campus, he found it was challenging to recycle her plastic bottles because recycling bins were not accessible around campus, especially near student dorms. This semester, she hopes to partner with the recycling center to place larger recycling bins next to garbage cans.

“The main goal is to get everyone involved in the green movement,” says Kemp.