Club brings proactive students together

Student activists Chris Castro and Hank Harding had searched for a club that suited their ‘green' needs, but never found what they were looking for.

So they started their own.

Castro and Harding, both environmental studies majors at UCF, wanted a club that not only talked the talk but was active as well. The friends decided to start their own club — Intellectual Decisions on Environmental Awareness Solutions, better known as I.D.E.A.S.     

I.D.E.A.S. is a new student organization started to inspire and promote environmental sustainability on college campuses through student involvement and service learning opportunities, according to the club's Facebook page.     

I.D.E.A.S. was created in the summer of 2008 at UCF with the main goal to bridge all of the environmental clubs on campus together to help the environment as one group. Such clubs like the Student Sustainability Alliance and R.A.C.O.O.N. Recycling share projects with I.D.E.A.S. and some of the same members.

"We've encouraged other proactive students to start their own projects, such as R.A.C.O.O.N. Recycling," said Castro, the current president of the club. "By acting as the umbrella organization for these projects, I.D.E.A.S. is able to allocate students to volunteer depending on their preference of work."

Caroline Pollifrone, a senior environmental studies major, was inspired to create the R.A.C.O.O.N. program after she began getting actively involved with I.D.E.A.S.

"We began discussing implementing something as far as recycling through the club early on," Pollifrone said. "So I decided to take on the project as a sector of I.D.E.A.S."

I.D.E.A.S. is also involved with a program in Miami called Shake-A-Leg, a nonprofit program that helps children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities through sailing.     

"We wanted to become a coalition of environmental organizations, bringing all of the campus ones together and increasing communication and productivity through the environment," Castro said.     

I.D.E.A.S. hosts local pond and beach cleanups frequently throughout the year. Castro said the club also plans on building its own solar panels to culture algae this semester.
While environmental sustainability remains the club's main focus, members also dabbled in experiments such as making hydrogen rockets.     

Sam Ruiz, a junior legal studies major, said she was happy to find a club that allowed her to channel her passion for preservation and conservation on campus.

"I really do have a strong passion for preserving this place," Ruiz said. "And I think a lot of people don't realize the importance of this."

Ruiz found the club through friends and plans on being an active member throughout her time as a student at UCF.

"The club is raising awareness on campus and is taking off for sure," Ruiz said. I just hope it maintains the strong proactive force it has right now."

Castro recently returned to Orlando after completing a summer internship with the Department of Energy in Washington D.C. During his time away, Castro said he was able to heavily promote I.D.E.A.S.

He ultimately helped develop chapters at other universities across the United States. There are currently five other I.D.E.A.S chapters at schools such as Penn State, Appalachian State, Valencia Community College, University of Florida and the Florida International University in Miami. These chapters will begin in the fall semester.      

The club has more than 500 Facebook fan and its own social networking site, ideas4us.org.