In Progress Projects

These projects are still ongoing and are utilizing funds provided by TGIF

Zero Waste Reusables Advancement Research Project

Project Description

This gives undergraduates at UC Berkeley opportunities to have real experience in the field and to gain a deeper knowledge of the importance of zero waste on campus and in the real world. Each student will have a different concentration to focus their time on. One student will direct their attention to the reuse stations that are located throughout campus, and help the program become more developed. Another student will work on increasing the use of reusables and promoting zero-waste on campus by conducting surveys and helping educate through programs in Student...

VLSB Pollinator Garden

The Department of Integrative Biology and Herbicide-Free Berkeley seeks to restore previously established pollinator gardens near VLSB. This project will allow for the study of anthropod presence within two distinct plots throughout the restoration process, and will expend most of its funds on the hiring of work-study interns to restore and monitor the garden.

Vertical Farming at Berkeley Engineering and Organic Research and Development

Vertical Farming at Berkeley, a student nonprofit group, seeks funding to support their research into vertical farming setups. Part of their work involves outreach and education to local schools, as well as donation or sale of produce to the Berkeley Food Pantry and/or Cal Dining

UC Gill Tract Community Farm Cultural Foods CBPR

Project Description

The UC Gill Tract Community Farm is seeking funds to begin a commuity-based participatory research (CBPR) project to address culturally relevant food needs of graduate students at University Village through their Bear Pantry. The insights from this survey will inform future food initiatives at the Farm and Bear Pantry

Project Links

Project Application

Project Poster (coming soon!)

Sustainable Housing at California Solar Decathlon 2023

Project Description

The Solar Decathlon Build Challenge 2023 (henceforth SD23) marks SHAC’s third entry into the Solar Decathlon competition, an international green building challenge hosted by the US Department of Energy. This project aims to address Alameda County’s lack of affordable housing and growing youth homelessness through innovative, sustainable engineering with heavy community involvement from the underserved target market. Over 8000 individuals in Alameda County alone experience homelessness daily, with youth (ages 18-24) comprising up to 9% of that population (753...

Supporting and Expanding the Green Labs Certification Program

Project Description

This Green Labs project is seeking funds to support campus labs in obtaining Green Lab certification, piloting the use of alternative lab materials that are not dependent on single-use plastics, and the creation of software to track lab energy consumption and waste production

Project Links

Project Application

Project Poster (coming soon!)

Putting the "Campus" in Campus Grocery: The Food Collective as a Full-Service Grocery in the Student Union

Project Description

The Collective serves over ten thousand student patrons each year with affordable, healthy, sustainable and local foods from minority vendors and farmers — including over 150 weekly student member-volunteers each semester — out of a small space never intended for food service with a highly-limited but functional grocery selection. We're returning to the Green Initiative Fund — the single most significant funder in building the Collective's skill sets and capacity over the past 12 years — to support us in fulfilling the longtime student vision for a dedicated...

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!)

Inclusive Excellence Hub Sustainability and Environmental Justice Initiative

Office of Graduate Diversity seeks to create a sustainable, healthy, and equitable space for underrepresented students on campus. The Inclusive Excellence Hub recently opened, and serves as a community space for climate and diverstiy justice programming on Channing Way. They are seeking funds to make the building and outdoor hub space more sustainable through energy efficiency building improvements, the creation of an outdoor green space, and the creation of environmental justice programming to be implemented by their Diversity and Community fellows

High-Output Parallel Biodiesel Processing System (HOPBPS)

The Biofuels Technology Club (BTC) at UC Berkeley's College of Chemistry has a clear mission: to achieve a zero-waste campus by producing biodiesel from campus dining hall waste cooking oil. Since its founding in 2015, the club has successfully produced over 500 gallons of high-quality biodiesel, which has been tested extensively in the lab and for 12,000 miles in a car. The club's ultimate goal is to power the UC Berkeley campus fleets, closing an important loop within the school's consumption and waste streams. However, the club's current processing setup has limited capacity, preventing it from producing the significant quantities of biodiesel needed to achieve its goal.