Adreonna RaineyConnectivity.
The word current co-lead Jon Blatnik, a junior studying environmental sustainability studies and economics, uses to describe the revival of Greenthumb at the University of Kentucky. This word captures the organization’s legacy and future milestones. For over three decades, Greenthumb has connected students to each other, to their environment, and to the power they have to initiate change on campus as the oldest student-run environmental organization in the Commonwealth.
Founded in 1993, Greenthumb evolved into a catalyst for environmental justice and has shaped sustainability efforts through campaigns, advocacy, and hands-on involvement. One of its earliest major successes came in 2009, when Greenthumb successfully wrapped up a five-year campaign to implement an environmental stewardship fee. This fee began as a $0.75 per semester fee that was approved by a majority of UK’s student body to fund renewable energy projects. Now this fee has grown to $4.00 per semester and is dispensed by the Student Sustainability Council for sustainability-related projects.
In 2010, the organization began advocating for the implementation of the University of Kentucky’s Emissions Reduction Plan. Established in 2018, it was a long-term victory that demonstrated how persistence and student voices can shape university policy.
In addition to advocating for more sustainable university policies, Greenthumb also advocated for more sustainable food options. In 2020, Greenthumb partnered with UK Dining to strengthen and highlight their existing commitments to featuring more sustainable food options in the dining halls, but the partnership was temporarily paused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
That same year, the group adopted and reframed the Divest UK campaign, helping push for greater transparency in the university’s endowment and advancing conversations about ethical investing. Their influence even reached the classroom, contributing to the creation of Finance 490: Responsible Investing, a course that blends finance with environmental and social responsibility.
For Shane Tedder, UK’s Director of Sustainability (and a UK alum!), Greenthumb was where environmental passion turned into action. He first discovered the organization as an undergraduate student in 2002 after seeing a flyer in the student center. Drawn in by his shared interest in outdoor activism, he became involved in efforts to protect Robinson Forest from mining. By his senior year, he was serving as vice president—leading meetings, organizing events, and even partnering with music festivals to promote recycling initiatives. His experience reflects the kind of hands-on leadership Greenthumb has consistently fostered.
Today, that same hands-on leadership is being revived by new student co-leads Jon Blatnik and Taylor Griffin, who are working to reestablish Greenthumb’s presence on campus.
“A big focus is the idea of inclusivity, bringing in as many people as possible,” said Blatnik. “ We want to saturate the campus with the presence of greenthumb”.
As the organization returns to the fall, this group will be running at full force, making sustainability the center of conversation. Griffin, a pre-law junior studying environmental sustainability, shares the same vision and emphasizes open-mindedness as a core value. The organization is intentionally open to all students, regardless of major, creating a space where anyone can learn about sustainability and get involved.
This new generation of Greenthumb activists will be connecting students to opportunities, organizations with shared goals, and ideas for real change. The group is actively seeking partnerships across campus and encouraging students and staff to contribute however they can, whether by attending events, sharing ideas, or helping identify areas where sustainability efforts are needed, such as organizing cleanups or supporting new initiatives.
As Greenthumb grows once again, its mission remains rooted in the same principle that has guided it for decades: meaningful change happens when people come together. With a renewed focus on connection and inclusivity, the organization is not just returning, it’s evolving into something even more impactful for the next generation of student activists.
