Theme: Waste Diversion & Reduction

These projects focus on how to reduce the amount of waste produced on campus, encourage behavior changes that reduce waste production, or explore avenues of recycling/compost/reuse that allow us to lower our campus's waste footprint. 

Standardization of Waste Sorting Signage within UC Berkeley Residence Halls

Project Description

Project plans to standardize and improve waste sorting signate in residence halls, to support incoming students in proper waste sorting practices, ensure consistency and clarity in messaging, and educate and inform students about waste sorting at UC Berkeley.

Project Links

Project Application

...

Zero Waste Fellow

Project Description

At UC Berkeley, over a dozen organizations (both departmental and student-led) work on waste-related issues. Until 2019, collaboration and communication among them was minimal and ineffective. The Zero Waste Coalition was established in Fall 2019 to allow for successful collaboration among organizations and to mobilize educational campaigns reaching over 5,000 students. Strong leadership within the zero waste community is vital to its continued progress, and the creation of the Zero Waste Fellow position (similar to Carbon...

Recycling on Campus Tennis Courts

Project Description

Funding will allow for the purchase of recycling bins for 21 campus tennis courts and the implementation of education, outreach, and donation programs for recycling and reuse of tennis equipment.

Project Links

Project Application

...

Connie and Kevin Chou Hall Zero Waste Certification

Project Description

In 2017, Haas unveiled its newest building, the Connie & Kevin Chou Hall, an 80,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility dedicated to student learning. The building embodies Haas’s defining principles: Question the Status Quo, Confidence without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. Designed for LEED Platinum and WELL certifications, Connie & Kevin Chou Hall will also be the first business school building registered to attain Zero Waste certification by Summer 2018. The building will serve as a model for environmental sustainability...

Healing the Pavement on Campus

Project Description

Recycling concrete offers a sustainable path for pavement maintenance. Massive concrete wastes are generated in the civil and environmental engineering (CEE) structural laboratory every year because of undergraduate education and scientific research demand. The existing waste concrete disposal such as “landfill” is expensive ($400/ton) and unsustainable. This project aims at wasted concrete recycling for campus infrastructure repairing, mainly focusing on the maintenance of cracked pavements, to fulfill a win-win situation for both the CEE department and Berkeley...

PlateUp: Reducing Single-Use Plastic Takeout Waste

Project Description

The proposed project consists of surveying, identifying, and assisting (10) pilot restaurants in their transition from single-use plastic takeout boxes to compostables and/or reusables.

Project Links

Project Application

Project Poster (coming soon!)

ReUSE: Berkeley's Only On-Campus Thrift Store

Project Description

This project is to revamp the ReUSE store, allowing us to achieve our 4 main goals for next semester: 1) Doubling our charity impact to $3000 and saving at least 1000 pounds of clothing and material waste. 2) Growing our volunteer base and community from 50 to 120 general volunteers. 3) Revitalizing our ReUSE material stations across campus and successfully dispersing materials from storage. 4) Tripling our daily store foot traffic and social media outreach and engagement, specifically on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

Project Links

...

Waste Reduction in the Cal Greeks Community

Project Description

This project aims to reduce the volume of solid waste generated by the Cal Greek community through composting, recycling, and the ReUSE program.

Project Links

Project Application

Project Poster

Compost Alliance - Bringing Compost to Campus Buildings

Project Description

The Compost Alliance designs and implements campus building composting systems in collaboration with Physical Plant-Campus Services, which oversees both Custodial Services and Campus Recycling & Refuse Services. This system was piloted in 10 campus buildings and includes service, set-up, equipment, and educational outreach.

Project Links

Project Application

...

Bring Your Own Mug (BYOM)

Project Description

Reduce purchase and disposal of single-use coffee cups on campus through the use of a campaign titled “Bring Your Own Mug” (BYOM).

Project Links

Project Application

Project Poster