Students to be honored for environmental ideas

Tree planting and highway clean-up hikes are activities that come to mind when thinking about ways to celebrate Earth Day. These opportunities give students a chance to show their awareness of environmental issues and lend a helping hand in their communities. \nThis year, the Environmental Policy Committee (EPC) of the Kelley School of Business will take this interest to another level. The idea is to encourage students of all majors to think of creative solutions to environmental issues and seek companies that actively protect the environment through their business and philanthropic activities. \nThe inaugural Kelley Green Awards will be presented at 7 p.m. Monday in room 102 of the business school to students with creative environmental solutions. One category will recognize the hypothetical "green" products or processes submitted by students. A corporate award will be presented to student-nominated companies that incorporate environmentally sensitive polices into their business activities. \n"We are recognizing businesses that show environmental leadership, and we wanted to see companies that are doing something for the state of Indiana," said Dr. Tom Lyon, director of the business school's Environmental Policy Committee. \nThe nominations range from medical to automotive companies, yet all have one issue in common: Each company donates its time and resources to the protection and improvement of the environmental condition of Indiana.\nSenior Lisa Hulsman, one of the event participants, chose to nominate a hometown company that took the initiative to build a public plaza along the Wabash River. \n"This was a big thing a small company did to make a difference," Hulsman said. "It is good for the environment and brings a small town into the light of things." \nHulsman's nominee is also active in recycling and solid waste reduction. \nFinalist nominators will receive $200 for their success in finding companies with innovative "green" programs. They will also be able to meet with a leader from the nominated company at a pre-presentation dinner. Each corporate representative will have an opportunity to speak about the effects the company's efforts have on their communities and their environmental goals for the future.\nStudents who submitted innovative green concepts, or possible products, will also be recognized through the Kelley Green Award program. All Green Idea finalists earned $50 for their elaborative concepts and will present their ideas during the presentation Monday. The audience will vote for its favorite idea to determine the evening's winner of an additional $150. \nThe monetary awards and appearances by corporate leaders are benefits the committee is honored to provide to the students, but education is its main concern. \n"We are not a business; we are educators;" said marketing professor Robert Smith, an EPC member. "This program forces students to think about environmental issues"