Western soon will become the second public school in the nation and the first in Washington state to start the switch to renewable energy, said Nausheen Mohamedali, Western senior and Students for Renewable Energy member.

On Friday, Western's board of trustees passed a motion to use renewable energy on Western's campus. The switch to renewable energy is scheduled to start Sept. 21, the first day of classes fall quarter, said Tim Wynn, director of facilities management for Western.

The trustees' vote follows an initiative passed by 84.7 percent of students in spring 2004, said Associated Students president Rachel Zommick.

"Western students are at the forefront with all eyes on us. We are at the front of an important environmental issue," said Eileen Coughlin, vice president for student affairs and academic support services.

Following this vote, the board of trustees will vote again in August to determine the fee students will be charged, starting fall quarter 2005. The student initiative requested that the fee not exceed $19 per year, which the board of trustees approved. The fee will be included with tuition charges, said Western junior and member of the Students for Renewable Energy Erica Althans-Schmidt.

Members of Students for Renewable Energy were overjoyed by the unanimous agreement by the board to the renewable energy motion.

"I feel amazed, I'm thrilled, I'm glad it happened within two years and before I graduate," Mohamedali said.

Students for Renewable Energy, comprising approximately 20 active members, has been working to educate the student body about renewable energy since it originally became an AS club in spring 2003. Students for Renewable Energy also worked with the administration and the AS to formulate the spring 2004 initiative, Althans-Schmidt said.

"We are very excited. We're very proud of the students at Western," said John Warner, board of trustees chairman. "They are doing the right thing and using their education well. We are happy to give them the green light."

Western's power supplier, Puget Sound Energy, is using power from hydroelectricity, gas fire turbines and coal fire turbines, Wynn said.

"Gas, coal and oil are non-renewable, they are not being made anymore," Wynn said. "The Earth will run out."

These forms of electricity give off emissions into the atmosphere that cause global warming.

Renewable energy is safer for the environment because it uses electricity mainly from wind and solar power, he said.

"Students are investing in the environment," Coughlin said. "Energy used from a renewable source is the direction of the future."

Following the board of trustees' vote, Wynn said he will start negotiating the supply rate with Puget Sound Energy. The rate is the amount of money it will cost to supply the campus with renewable energy, also called green power, Wynn said.

Puget Sound Energy will take the negotiated rate to the Washington Utility and Transportation Commission for approval, Wynn said. The Washington Utility and Transportation Commission sets the rates and regulates all commonly held utilities in Washington state, including electricity.

After the commission's approval, Wynn will take the rate to the board of trustees in August, which will make the final decision regarding the fee amount.

"Those students worked very hard -- they were sophisticated in their efforts," Coughlin said. "The students have been rightfully praised for their grass-root student leadership effort. The students have the potential for national recognition."

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