2015 Grant Awards

Bulk Bins

Project Description: In the hopes of furthering UC Berkeley towards its goal of Zero Waste by 2020, the Bulk Bin project, a collaboration between Cal Dining, Building Sustainability at Cal and the Zero Waste Research Center, will introduce bulk food dispensers in 4 on-campus retail locations.

TGIF Award: $5,836

Berkeley Art Studio Clay Recycling Project

Project Description: The Berkeley Art Studio has run a robust and well-respected ceramics program throughout its history. We have over 1,300 students participate in our ceramics program annually. These 1,300 students purchase, create artwork with, and often discard massive amounts of clay each class session. The Berkeley Art Studio has always recycled discarded clay, reducing our carbon footprint and plastic materials. Though the clay itself is not harmful to the environment (it is just mud after all!) the processing, shipping, and disposal is costly and has a large carbon and plastic footprint. Our recycled clay is sold at a lower cost than our other clays. Now that we will be able to purchase a new pugmill we can sell lower cost clay to students and other art studio members to at a reasonable price where they might not be able to afford it otherwise. Being able to recycle our own clay creates more hours for employment, and of course is friendly to the environment.

TGIF Award: $6,434

Berkeley Parklets, Bike Corrals, and Art Lots

Project Description: The purpose of this project is to: 1) Involve UC Berkeley students and affiliated adjunct faculty as leaders in a community effort to create sustainable alternatives to automobile-centric transportation; 2) Educate and provide experience for students and community members about the design/build process; 3) Create an affordable parklet prototype that can be replicated. 

TGIF Award: $16,000

Bicycle Parking Improvement Project

Project Description: The 2015 Bicycle Parking Improvement Project will add approximately 120 additional bicycle parking spaces in those areas of the central campus most in need of new bike racks. Work in some areas includes repair of damaged racks or removal of outdated/unusable racks. The project also includes an outreach component, aimed primarily at proper bike locking.

TGIF Award: $23,500

Dual Flush in Cooperatives

Project Description: This project will implement a comprehensive zero waste system in the Clark Kerr Campus, Foothill, and Stern residence halls. By installing recycling and composting systems as well as a strong educational campaign, this project will provide residents with the capacity, motivation, and awareness to sort their waste and minimize landfill waste.

TGIF Award: $2,251

Greener UC Berkeley Fleet

Project Description: Greener UC Berkeley Fleet will establish a pilot carsharing program for campus fleet vehicles within Residential and Student Service Programs (RSSP). Results of this pilot initiative will be used to evaluate potential for more widespread implementation of carsharing technology in U.C. Berkeley’s vehicle fleet. Additionally, two electric bicycles will allow employees (including student employees) to take short trips to campus by bicycle rather than with a fleet vehicle.

TGIF Award: $14,410

Green Lab Supplies and Equipment Award Program

Project Description: The Green Labs Program was created to improve sustainability practices in research labs on campus under the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability. Green Labs is trying to expand the fund to include the cost for promotion of the program, along with the purchase and promotion of green lab products by offering awards and subsidies to labs that participate and become certified. 

TGIF Award: $21,000

Healthy Bears Take the Stairs

Project Description: Healthy Bears Take the Stairs is a health and sustainability campaign in University Hall (U-Hall) that aims to reduce electricity consumption by promoting taking the stairs instead of elevators, and to increase physical activity among those who work and study in U-Hall by making the experience of taking the stairs more appealing, while simultaneously engaging the wider university community in healthy behavior.

TGIF Award: $5,399

High Efficiency Hand Dryers in Barrows Hall

Project Description: The Solar Powering Sigma Chi grant aims to make Cal Sigma Chi the first fraternity house in California to derive electric power from solar energy and provide more sustainable housing for some 40 Berkeley students. It will set a precedent of sustainability not only within the Greek community but also the greater Berkeley community at large. 

TGIF Award: $11,036

Solar Powering Sigma Chi

Project Description:The Solar Powering Sigma Chi grant aims to make Cal Sigma Chi the first fraternity house in California to derive electric power from solar energy and provide more sustainable housing for some 40 Berkeley students. It will set a precedent of sustainability not only within the Greek community but also the greater Berkeley community at large.

TGIF Award: $15,000
($10,000 grant/
$5,000 loan)

Sustainability in the Greek Community

Project Description: The Sustainability in the Greek Community team will install water aerators, motion sensor light switches, and LED lighting in order to improve energy efficiency and decrease water consumption.

TGIF Award: $5,500

Telegraph Green: The Next Least Generation

Project Description: The Telegraph Green project is focused on reducing food-service waste from quick serve restaurants on and near campus, building increased awareness of the scope of the quick serve waste problem, and possible solutions.

TGIF Award: $10,990

Tiny House in My Backyard (THIMBY)

Project Description: THIMBY’s objective is to design an innovative affordable and sustainable tiny house that can serve as a seed for a neighborhood of similarly minded design and build projects from UC Berkeley and the surrounding community.

TGIF Award: $25,932

WattTime: GHG Reductions From Campus Facilities

Project Description: This project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions due to electricity use in facilities across UC Berkeley campus by identifying opportunities to shift energy use to times when the cleanest energy is available from the grid, and implementing software and building controls systems to take advantage of those opportunities.

TGIF Award: $21,700