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. 

Waste Diversion in University Village

Project Description

University Village will remedy the mismatch in messaging around the Zero Waste goal and public waste infrastructure by using TGIF funds to replace single-bin trash cans in the Village’s public spaces with three-compartment Max-R bins. These bins, which have prominent visual signage for each compartment and thus have high collective visual impact, will serve as a launch point for renewed and sustained educational outreach to improve waste separation and diversion.

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Decolonize the Environment - A Series of Workshops on Env Intersectionality

Project Description

Our goal is to engage a large audience with the intersections of social justice and environmental justice. Mainstream environmentalism often does very little to address this intersection, which alienates those that are at the forefront of environmental degradation and calls for a restructuring how we view climate change and the solutions for it. We want to introduce and explore the systems of oppression that creates both environmental racism as well as social injustices. This series of workshops hopes to address these gaps and give the environmental community a...

Rentable Reusables

Project Description

The ASUC Internal Department of Sustainability (IDS) intends to purchase a set of dining ware (plates, bowls, cups, silverware, etc.) for Cal Catering to store and rent out to Berkeley student organizations so that they can host zero waste events and meetings.

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Project Application

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Berkeley Moves! Targeted Marketing Program Project

Project Description

Recently, UC Berkeley has received a gold-medal in bicycle-friendly universities by The League of American Bicyclists and ranked #4 in the country for most transit-friendly colleges by TransitScreen. Based on the increase of transit programs, technologies, and infrastructure, it is important for the students at UC Berkeley to rely on other forms of transportation (meaning very few cars are allowed on campus) as well as the value of transit as a sustainable, congestion and pollution mitigation program. Additionally, P&T launched a RideShare matching...

Focus 2020 Student Team Project

Project Description

Berkeley has a unique and exciting opportunity to advance sustainability in the next three years – through strategic assessment and planning; implementing measures to reach zero waste and advance carbon neutrality; and, to more widely institutionalize sustainable practices and understanding. This project adds two key graduate and undergraduate student leadership positions to the Office of Sustainability team, to help us reach the next level of campus sustainability by 2020, and beyond. This project will support funding for two years: the project will start in June...

Promoting Student Engagement-Leadership on Sustainability Project

Project Description

This project aims to increase UC Berkeley students’ global citizen leadership through participation in International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU) programs and cultivation of this citizenry on campus. The IARU, of which Berkeley is a member, was established as a platform for faculty, staff and students from the 11-member institutions to work together to address the major challenges of our time, including sustainability and environmental justice, both through academic programs and campus operations. The project supports three students’ experiences abroad...

Vermicomposting

Project Description

In efforts to better campus' waste management practices and improve waste-related knowledge and transparency, UC Berkeley affiliates are working towards developing the capacity to process all of campus’ organic waste matter in-house. Due partially to permitting restrictions, but also to ensure diverse methodology and research opportunities, the group will be introducing the following three different composting systems: 1) The first is an experimental aquaponics system, inspired by Sacramento State's. This innovative and newly developed system offers research...

Rainwater Harvesting Program

Project Description

The Rainwater Harvesting Project was founded with the ideals of sustainability and conservation firmly rooted in mind. It aims to address two issues: UC Berkeley mostly uses municipally supplied water that is treated to the standards of drinking water for irrigation, while rainwater from many campus-building rooftops is diverted directly into Strawberry Creek without filtration. Additional money and energy resources are wasted when potable water is consumed for non-potable demands and excess chlorine from treated water runs off into the stream during rain...

Reducing BearWALK Wait Times and Fuel Emissions

Project Description

Working with ASUC and the Graduate Assembly, UCPD collaborated to enhance BearWALK on the three free campus Night Safety Services. Since BearWALK is a walking service where UCPD student officers walk in between escort requests, feedback showed that clients wanted a reduced wait time. When BearWALK staffing was low (due to employees being a student first and an employee second), UCPD allowed the use of a patrol vehicle. As a way to reduce BearWALK wait times and fuel emissions, the idea of an electric bicycle was proposed so that the BearWALK employee could travel...

Gill Tract Community Farm Student Coalition

Project Description

GTCFSC will expand upon the efforts made from Phase I of this project, the Agroecological Fellows Program. It will also develop new initiatives and gain permanent funding for the program. GTCFSC has two main components: 1) Student fellowships and 2) student-initiated projects. The fellowship positions include two coordinators and nine student fellowships: Farm Management, Volunteer Management, Data Management, Food Distribution, Research, Food Justice, Communications & Outreach, and two Fundraising Fellows. The student-initiated projects are intended to...