Here's another reason for the North Country to love having Plattsburgh State here: It's an institution that can put its numerical resources and considerable brain power to work for the good of everyone.

The latest example is "green" projects germinated and executed in creative minds on the campus.

One undeniable asset of colleges -- any colleges -- is that they are populated by young people motivated toward enhancing life for themselves and their fellow inhabitants of the planet. College students by training see the mistakes of previous generations and are taught how to improve on those past performances. They also have sense about them of how things ought to be and a lust to achieve change.

Out of these factors emerged Plattsburgh State's Campus Committee for Environmental Responsibility, which sponsors grants for work on projects that will benefit the community and the planet. During Earth Week in April, a forum was held to assess some of the suggestions for greening up the campus.

The money for the grants comes from a voluntary fee, cleverly termed a "green fee," that students can elect to pay. Students are asked if they want to pay $3 a semester to fund environmental projects on campus. So far, $14,000 has been raised from the fees. Obviously, students are taking advantage of the potential at their institution to conceive worthwhile projects.

Two clubs on campus are the recipients of grants.

The Earth and Environmental Science Club has created a means to turn discarded vegetable oil into biodiesel fuel for the college fleet of vehicles. This obviously saves money, accomplishes a significant local reduction of traditional-fuel emissions and even represents a tiny but symbolic gesture toward reducing dependence on petroleum. And it doesn't put any more stress on the tightening supply of corn, soy and other sustainable fuel sources.

The second winner is a plan submitted by senior anthropology student Paul Papadatos and the college's Botany Club to plant a community garden and tree nursery. The product of this effort would provide locally grown food for the campus and for community food shelves. Students in the school's dining halls will be eating vegetables grown right on campus -- good for the students, good for the treasury.

As the school year has wound down, much debate has been heard about relations between some unruly students and their year-round-resident neighbors. Sometimes, the din of that debate drowns out quieter discussions about the terrific things the great majority of students are accomplishing for themselves, the campus and the community.

Here are a couple of initiatives that sprang from energetic, conscientious minds properly directed and focused -- proof again that Plattsburgh State and its students are among this community's most prized assets.