Research Guides: EarthWeek: Campus Initiatives

Did you know...?

Our campus is dedicated to doing it's part in conserving our planet! Read on to learn about some of the incredible efforts being undertaken by various campus units and partners!

Campus Grounds Department

Our campus grounds department is focusing efforts to continue removing some invasive species and planting more native plants throughout campus. Going native means more landscaping with plants that are naturally attuned to the surrounding environment, reducing the need for extra water & fertilizers, that can runoff and pollute our bays.

Harte Research Institute: Oyster Conservation Program

Oysters are an important ecological and economic resource, but oyster reefs, once dominant habitats in estuaries worldwide, have experienced greater losses than any other marine habitat. The dramatic loss of oyster reef habitat across the Gulf impacts us all — we lose valuable benefits of oyster reefs as hurricane protection, natural water filtration, and fisheries habitat. HRI is working in three key interlocking areas to restore our degraded oyster reef habitats: Establishing an aquaculture industry in Texas that can take vital pressure off existing reefs; researching the best practices for restoring degraded reef habitat; and teaching the public about the value of recycling oyster shell to build new reefs.

Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) Community Garden

Right infront of the ECDC there is an experimental community garden where students and parents help maintain, grow and harvest vegetable, fruits, flowers and herbs all year around.

Dining Hall

The Islander Dining Hall has been certified as Ocean Friendly by the Surfrider Foundation. What this means is we provide eco-friendly choices in our dining hall through certain criteria below: no use of Styrofoam, follow proper recycling practices, reusable tableware is used for onsite dining, no plastic bags are used for take-out or to-go orders with utensils provided at request, paper straws are used and only at request, offer vegetarian and vegan friendly options, and use energy efficient lighting and appliances. We accomplished all these criteria to reduce our carbon footprint and leave a more positive impact on our environment. Our dining hall was officially approved as an Ocean Friendly Restaurant on October 30^th, 2019 and is one of two dining halls in the nation to take this initiative

Campus Organizations

Islander Green Team: The mission of the Islander Green Team (IGT), a student organization, is to spread awareness about environmental issues within our community, to promote opportunities and events for students, faculty and staff to become engaged and educated about environmental conservation along with striving for socio-ecological justice. The IGT commonly hosts DIY workshops that reduce or recycle waste and educational seminars that teach students how live more sustainably or educate them on environmental issues. Contact IGT with any ideas, feedback, or comments at Islander.Green@tamucc.edu or at (361) 825-5555
Sea Turtle Club: The sea turtle club is an organization devoted to promoting the awareness of sea turtle endangerment, participating in volunteer activities to directly help sea turtles and to develop a better appreciation for sea turtles and their role in the environment. FMI: islanderturtles@gmail.com
American Cetacean Society: This organization is a branch of the American Cetacean Society (ACS). ACS is dedicated to the protection and conservation of whales and dolphins through research and education. We host bi-weekly meetings discussing topics such as, marine debris, sustainable fishing/seafood consumption, entanglements, cetaceans in captivity, etc. Students involved in ACSSC-TAMUCC will have opportunities to attend conferences, meet individuals with similar interests, and participate in local research and community/campus events. ACS mission: "The mission of the American Cetacean Society is to protect whales, dolphins, porpoises, and their habitats through public education, research grants, and conservation actions." FMI: skasberger@islander.tamucc.edu
TAMUCC Ducks Unlimited - A conservation organization dedicated to preservation, restoration and conservation of wetlands and waterfowl habitat.
Environmental Council - The Environmental Council meets to review proposals for green projects (on campus) that will be funded by the student approved Environmental Service (Green) Fee.
The Coastal Bend Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation - A non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves and beaches for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education.

Make Your Own Contributions!

Islander Green Garden: This garden space on campus provides the opportunity to students, staff, and faculty to cultivate their own gardens and also provides plants for pollinators. How do you want your garden? What do you want to grow? What would you want to see or even eat? Floral or vegetation? Apply for your very own garden box!
Compost Program: This student founded program takes pre- and some post-consumer food waste, ex: coffee grounds from Starbucks, that would normally go to the landfill, and recycles them into a nutrient rich fertilizer to utilized in campus gardens and landscapes. 7,000 pounds of food scraps have been composted just this school year! Click on the link to learn more about how you can be a part of these efforts!

Relevant Courses

ARTS 3304 Intermediate Sculpture: Environmental Art - A study in sculptural design and expression. Examines the structural pattern of form through the elements and principles of design. Working with classical and contemporary techniques and materials. This course setting the ground work for a new sequence of classes title “No Waste” and these would be targeted for May term with a rotation of topics. For each of these, there would be a direct community service component that is filmed and then aired at the conclusion of the class as a documentary. No Waste: Plastic, No Waste: Fabric, No Waste: Construction.
ARTS 4304 Advanced Sculpture: Environmental Art - Assumes competencies attained in ARTS 3304. A study in sculptural design and expression. Examines the structural pattern of form through the elements and principles of design. Working with classical and contemporary techniques and materials. This course setting the ground work for a new sequence of classes title “No Waste” and these would be targeted for May term with a rotation of topics. For each of these, there would be a direct community service component that is filmed and then aired at the conclusion of the class as a documentary. No Waste: Plastic, No Waste: Fabric, No Waste: Construction.
BIOL 3428 Principles of Ecology - Introduction to the interrelationships of organisms and their environment. Population structure, community classification and regulation, and energy flow in ecosystems will also be covered.
BIOL 4343 Oceans and Human Health - Healthy oceans are essential to the habitability of our planet – for humans and all other forms of life. Students will explore links between oceans, pollution, human well-being, ecosystem services, resource management, and the science and legislation governing the enforcement of water quality standards.
BIOL 4436 Marine Ecology - Habitats and community structure in marine environments; biotic and abiotic factors governing the distribution of marine organisms
BIOL 4590 Special Topics: Coral Reef Conservation -
CHEM 4443 Environmental Chemistry - A study of the impact of chemistry on the environment, including topics of air pollution, water pollution, and beneficial chemical modifications of the environment.
ESCI 1401 Intro to Environmental Science - Principles of the scientific method and critical thinking provide a foundation for subsequent consideration of environmental issues through a multidisciplinary approach. Laboratory exercises and local field experiences reinforce concepts introduced in the lectures.
ESCI 3351 Oceanography - Methods and principles of oceanography. A survey of oceanography with emphasis placed on the physical processes affecting water and water masses of the world oceans.
ESCI 3443 Environmental Biology - Historical, contemporary, and projected concerns of human activities on biological aspects of ecosystem functioning.
ESCI 4202 Issues in Environmental Science - Exploration of major issues in environmental science posing past, present and future challenges.
ESCI 4335 Climate & climate variability - Course intended to guide environmental science majors in developing a conceptual understanding of Earth’s global climate and its variability. Review of past climates, present mean state of the climate system, climate variability from seasonal to multidecadal time scales, and climate change. Special attention given to climates of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and surrounding land regions.
GEOL 3443 Environmental Geology - Study of the relationships of humans to Earth’s physical environment. Geologic aspects of waste disposal, resources, conservation, land reclamation, geologic hazards, and land-use planning.
KINE 3301 Outdoor Adventure Programs - An introduction to a variety of outdoor adventure activities and basic outdoor skills. In addition to skill acquisition and assessment, this course covers such topics as: history and philosophy of outdoor adventure programs, risk and legal liability and trip planning.