SERC's Green team is seeking funding to pilot a Conscious Event certification which will provide support, individualized guidance, and monetary incentives for RSOs on campus to implement sustainable choices in their group's on-campus events
The Fannie Lou Hamer Farm Project is a Black, student-led initiative organizing around Black wellness and land-based learning and healing on and around campus. We are exploring the intersections of Black liberation and ecological justice through agroecological and Afro-Indigenous land-stewardship practices. Our goals are to (1) increase access to land and food, especially for Black students (2) provide land-based education in topics such as regenerative agriculture, food systems, agroecology, and Black agrarian histories (3) promote connection between people...
Our project aims to compare the presence and abundance of pollinator species at the native plant garden at mak-’amham (Cafe Ohlone) with other non-native gardens on the UC Berkeley campus. Two surveys will be conducted in March and April to capture species diversity, to promote sustainable gardening by showcasing how the native plant garden supports diverse pollinator populations, contributing to healthy ecosystems and food sovereignty. The project underscores the cultural and ecological significance of mak-’amham, supporting Ohlone identity and...
Urban landscapes are an understudied source of carbon emissions and water consumption, yet their environmental impacts remain largely unmeasured. At UC Berkeley, where 40% of the campus is covered by landscaped spaces, hardscaping materials like concrete, steel, and asphalt contribute to embodied carbon and resource use. This project develops a life cycle assessment (LCA) framework to quantify these impacts, identify high- and low-impact landscape elements, and propose sustainable design strategies for impact reduction. By integrating LCA into...
The Student Environmental Resource Center (SERC), in collaboration with the ASUC Student Union and Zero Waste Coalition, proposes the creation of The Bear Necessities Refill Station, an automated refill station that would provide convenient, accessible and affordable zero waste options for everyday personal care and cleaning products. The station will be powered by Wonderfil, a refill station provider whose mission is to eliminate single-use plastics at the source. Centrally located within the MLK Student Union, this refill station will be in proximity to...
We aim to make more evidence-driven, inclusive and deeply educational signage for UC Botanical Garden’s Crops of the World Garden. This will promote thinking about sustainability in food systems among visitors and student groups. We are pairing this with a database of botanical garden signage from around the world to link gardens and inspire further innovation in this field. Communication with the public is an essential function of these living museums. We strive to make environmental justice messaging accessible and inspiring in a site that brings joy to visitors...
The Island Justice Fellows Program at the Critical Pacific Island Studies Collective (CPISC) enables UC Berkeley students to contribute to environmental justice practice, research, and campus community engagement opportunities concerning issues facing Pacific Islander (PI) communities, both residing in the Pacific Island region and in the diaspora in California. This year-long fellowship program supports a team of graduate and undergraduate students to address multiple gaps on the UC Berkeley campus: (1) the lack of institutional support for scholarship on the PI region...
Project RISHI is a nonprofit organization committed to the sustainable development of rural Indian communities. Since 2013, the UC Berkeley chapter has worked in Bharog Baneri, Himachal Pradesh to address the key challenge of agricultural water stress. Our Water and Sanitation project group focuses on Rainwater Harvesting Systems (RHS), which collect and store rainwater for use during dry seasons, ensuring reliable water access for subsistence farmers. These systems support water justice, food security, and stable livelihoods. Since 2018 we have installed 29...
The Berkeley Food Institute is an interdisciplinary research, education, and policy institute that works with communities on and off campus to advance a just and sustainable food and farm system. Our project, “Sustainable Food and Farming Systems Education Mentorship Project,” develops a replicable mentorship program supporting undergraduate and graduate students studying sustainable food and farming systems, providing wraparound support and targeted activities resulting...
The SCEC Retention Events will provide direct resources related to self-care and professional development for our members through student-led workshops and guest presentations. Examples of potential projects include BIPOC Environmental Mixers where BIPOC students and faculty have space to form a community with people of shared interests, while also focusing on intersectionality and resource sharing. Other potential retention events include professional development workshops on graduate school applications, networking events, and professional headshots for our...
