Spring Grants

These projects were funded during our Spring grant cycle, where projects receive more than $5,000 for projects that take between one to three years to complete. 

Solar Thermal Heating Systems in the Berkeley Student Cooperative

Project Description

The BSC intends to install solar thermal heating systems in its African-American Theme House (AATH) and Oscar Wilde, its LGBTQIA & Queer Theme House. The BSC celebrated its 85th anniversary last October and remains a cornerstone of student housing at UC Berkeley. As such, this project is a long term investment in green energy and community well-being for generations of co-op students beyond the 59 that currently reside in AATH and Wilde.

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Carbon Crew: A Diversified Approach to Carbon Neutrality

Project Description

Carbon Crew was established in Fall 2018 to redefine the role of carbon neutrality in campus engagement through the work of three teams: Food Team, Campus Engagement Team, and CO2RE (CO2 Reduction and Education Team). Focused on institutionalizing plant-forward dishes that are healthy, cheap, and less carbon intensive than regular meals, Food Team hosts regular plant-based sampling events geared towards redefining Cal Dining’s menu cycle by incorporating student interest, chef experience, and Cal Dining leadership to lower our carbon emissions. The CO2RE team is working...

Campus Water Sustainability Research and Opportunities Map

Project Description

The goal of this project is to maintain the energy and engagement of the Land Use Working Group (LUWG) as a representative campus and community body, effectively incorporate LUWG recommendations into the Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) process, improve the process of LRDP outreach and review to be more transparent and inclusive, and institutionalize the LUWG recommendations so that they will be implemented in future LRDP processes as well.

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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.

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Project Application

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Earth Action Initiative

Project Description

Our vision is to foster a community of people on and around campus to take direct climate action, and help reduce the barrier to action for others. The goal is to demonstrate meaningful climate action is possible, especially for students and community members, and provide a roadmap of how that can happen. To execute the Earth Action Initiative vision, EAI will organize a variety of events and actions that build community, leverage existing efforts, inspire new plans, and find innovative ways to communicate with each other.

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Increasing Diversity in the Environmental Workforce Through Education and Training

Project Description

Despite an increase in the amount of students receiving a Bachelor’s degree, underrepresented students are still underrepresented in the fields of Science and Engineering. This disparity can be due to a couple of reasons: guidance, resources, and mentorship. This project aims to increase diversity in the environmental sector and STEM fields by providing first generation and underrepresented students technical environmental training often needed for jobs in environmental fields.

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Reducing UC Berkeley’s Environmental Impact through Stormwater Management

Project Description

Designed to address lacking stormwater infrastructure and the pollution of Strawberry Creek during rain events, this project implements a stormwater infiltration basin on the north side of the A&E parking lot (directly east of Sather Gate) to reduce the volume of stormwater and pollutants entering Strawberry Creek. Throughout campus, impervious and semi-impervious surfaces such as sidewalks, parking lots, lawn fragments, and plazas accumulate harmful pollutants such as heavy metals, fertilizers, oil, gasoline, trash, and...

The Team Editorial Program at the Leaflet

Project Description

The Team Editorial Program at The Leaflet was founded to increase environmental discourse on the UC Berkeley campus. By expanding the content reach, operational capacity, and professional development efforts of The Leaflet, one of the only environmental publications in the UC system, the Team Editorial Program allows the publication to increase environmental education, storytelling, and conversation at UC Berkeley.

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Decade II BSFC

Project Description

Over the past decade, the Berkeley Student Food Collective (BSFC) has served as a consistent and accessible source of affordable, healthy, and sustainably-sourced food for the Berkeley community. The BSFC is ready and eager to move into its second decade of operations: but its ability to further serve students will hinge upon critical updates to its retail storefront and staffing model. With the help of TGIF, the BSFC will be able to move forward with these key changes, allowing the organization to both scale and expand its work...

Environmental Education for Students of Color

Project Description

This grant application primarily aims for a renewal of this grant to launch SCECon 2020. The secondary aspect of this application is a proposal to fund an outdoor retreat for students of color. The first objective is necessary to diversifying environmental education that students of color receive on this campus at a level that is immediately feasible, inspiring, and desperately needed. This project will be aiming to foster an intersectional environmental movement by hosting a conference that inspires and empowers...