VFB is seeking funds to create a sustainable biofuel from microalgae. Their goal is to create a model for growing renewable fuels with low carbon impacts and to eventually generate algae for Berkeley research labs and support future research into sustainably grown algae.
For the past decade, the Biofuels Technology Club has been collecting waste cooking oil from campus dining halls to convert it into biodiesel. This process has significant pitfalls such as waste glycerol production and variable diesel quality. This project aims to solve these issues by using algal biomass as a secondary source for both biodiesel and bioethanol. The waste glycerol serves as nutrient-rich feedstock for the algae boosting intracellular lipid content that can be converted into diesel. The leftover algal biomass after lipid extraction can be further...
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
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
The overall goals of the project are to research Bay Area redwoods using Geospatial information systems and Traditional Ecological Knowledge. This research will focus on analyzing redwood environmental growth factors and forest management practices in order to determine the best locations for future redwood growth in the Bay Area. However, this research project is more than just its overall goals, it is also meant to be an introductory research experience for 14 students, some of which have not yet had the opportunity to take part in Berkeley research....
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.
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.
BSF's primary goals with this funding are to continue farming at the Oxford Tract, and other gardening spaces, which require space in the greenhouse and water, and continue being able to pay students for teaching the agroecology in action decal. Their work aims to reconnect UC Berkeley students with the land through anti-oppression and decolonial frameworks. They also donate food from the farms to the Basic Needs Center as a way to support food-insecure students on campus.
GOPE is seeking funds to support a series of workshops on edible gardening, foraging, and herbal medicine, specifically to engage with URM (underrepresented minorities), and FGLI(first-generation, low-income) graduate students. Their goal is to promote equity and inclusivity in outdoor spaces as well as build community and confidence in the outdoors.
By bridging academics, community leaders, consumers, and other vital actors within our food system, FIGC seeks to reinforce the goal of the Berkeley Food Institute (BFI): to understand and transform food systems in a cross-disciplinary manner in order to build a more resilient and equitable future within and beyond academic institutions. In 2022, FIGC ran a free-to the-public hybrid 2022 Conference, “Food Relatives: Decolonizing and Indigenizing the Global Food System” to connect scholars, community members, artists, and policy makers through varying...