Big Green Climb tree planting is today...

News from NKU...

Tuesday - November 3, 2009
For immediate release...


HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The competitors in Northern Kentucky University's team-based campus-wide challenge, the Big Green Climb, took the stairs instead of campus elevators for the past six weeks in an effort to save energy and promote good health. The teams in the challenge, which was co-sponsored by the President's Climate Commitment Task Force and the NKU Wellness Center, climbed a total of 301,112 flights of stairs.

It costs NKU approximately 2.5 cents each time an elevator button is pushed. It was estimated that if each person on campus avoided pushing the button four times per day for a year, that the savings could be up to $218,000.

Dr. Votruba challenged all those at NKU to take advantage of the benefits of the Wellness Center on NKU's campus to become the healthiest university in Kentucky. Participating in challenges like the Big Green Climb is just one of the ways to take care of your personal wellbeing with the support of your professors, friends, co-workers and fellow students.

Big Green Climb teams were comprised of over 400 students and over 200 employees. The students, faculty and staff came together to help avoid energy usage and expenditure.

Five silk lilac trees, which were "earned" for the campus by all those who participated in the Big Green Climb, will be planted on the plaza in front of the Fine Arts Center on Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Ken Ramey, VP for Administration and Finance, will do an introduction at 11:30 a.m., followed by an opportunity for participants to help with the shoveling and planting of the trees. The Big Green Climb competitors and teammates will have the opportunity to have their picture taken with the official NKU gold shovels.

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