Sacramento State’s Green Team plans to expand its composting program to the University Union and River Front Hall dining areas, utilizing $2,000 from the California State Student Association Greenovation Fund. Sac State received the funding following a proposal made last semester.

Associated Students, Inc. Director of Natural Science and Medicine, Green Team Committee Chair and biology major Kylee Homecillo explained that the Greenovation Fund supplies money for a sustainability project each year for every California State University campus. Two proposals are submitted in the fall and one is chosen in the spring, according to Homecillo.

“We are doing a composting project,” Homecillo said. “We are working with Sac State Sustainability to help us do initiatives for composting.”

The project would be an expansion of the compost program instituted at the Dining Commons. The compost collected is turned into biodiesel to fuel the Hornet Express shuttle service or used for the aquaponics program at the Sustainable Technology Outdoor Research Center, Homecillo explained.

Wajeeha Ahad, Green Team member and biology major, is excited about the potential for the compost program expansion. The additional compost could also be used for mulch, reducing watering requirements for trees on campus.

“We won’t have to buy mulch anymore, or for the [Hornet Express] — we won’t have to buy fuel anymore,” Ahad said. “It’s coming directly from Sac State.”

Ryan Todd, Sac State sustainability director, said his department will be working closely with Green Team to increase campus composting efforts.

“I’m excited they have shown interest in getting campus-wide sustainability programs, like composting, off the ground,” Todd said.

Homecillo acknowledged there is more sustainability work to be done at Sac State. She said other CSU campuses have, comparatively, initiated more sustainability projects.

“If you look at other campuses, they have so many great ideas,” Homecillo said.

The Green Team meets every other Monday, with the next meeting planned for Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. in the University Union Green and Gold Ballroom.