Theme: Waste Diversion & Reduction

These projects focus on how to reduce the amount of waste produced on campus, encourage behavior changes that reduce waste production, or explore avenues of recycling/compost/reuse that allow us to lower our campus's waste footprint. 

Wine Barrel Composting

Project Description

The Anaerobic Digestion Project within ESW aims to build an anaerobic digester that will efficiently convert food waste into methane, the principle component of natural gas. Compared to other hydrocarbons, burning methane as fuel produces less carbon dioxide for each unit of heat released. Additionally, a byproduct of anaerobic digestion is digestate, a nutrient rich natural fertilizer.

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Greening the Berkeley Science Review

Project Description

This grant will cover the difference in costs for the BSR to print on 55% recycled-content paper, purchase carbon offsets to cover delivery costs of the BSR, and fund a workshop to share green printing practices with the other 40+ ASUC publications.

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Closed-Loop Mechanical Recycling of PLA Filament in UC Berkeley 3D Printing Labs

Project Description

This is an extension of a past TGIF funded project that recycled plastic filament from failed 3D printing projects on campus. This grant would help use this recycling technique to create a completely closed-loop system for recycling 3D printing plastics throughout campus. Money will go towards final materials necessary to complete the project.

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Bear Share

Project Description

The Bear Share Project is a one of a kind initiative aimed at setting up a shared facilities system, potentially saving thousands of dollars per semester and reducing the cost of living on campus especially for newly incoming students and students with less resources. It will promote a circular economy and get people on board who may not normally think about sustainability and community wellness as it will create a chance to reduce on buying unnecessary items and add to the university’s goal of going fully sustainable too.

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Greening the Berkeley Science Review, Phase II

Project Description

Grant funding is requested to cover the additional cost of printing the spring 2013 issue of the magazine on recycled paper and to hire a spring student intern to assist with web-development of publishing online content.

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Accessible Household Refill Station

Project Description

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...

Repair for ReUSE Clinic

Project Description

Inspired by Patagonia’s Worn Wear program and Bay Area Fixit Clinics, Cal Zero Waste, in partnership with UC Berkeley’s student organization ReUSE, proposes to establish a Repair clinic housed in the ReUSE store located at Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union building beginning August 2018 for primarily UC Berkeley affiliated students, staff, and faculty. In compliance with the UCwide Zero Waste by 2020 goal, this project aims to reduce the amount of textile waste accruing from clothing damage by hiring a team under CZW to operate the clinic and collaborate with...

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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Zero Waste Fellow

Project Description

At UC Berkeley, over a dozen organizations (both departmental and student-led) work on waste-related issues. Until 2019, collaboration and communication among them was minimal and ineffective. The Zero Waste Coalition was established in Fall 2019 to allow for successful collaboration among organizations and to mobilize educational campaigns reaching over 5,000 students. Strong leadership within the zero waste community is vital to its continued progress, and the creation of the Zero Waste Fellow position (similar to Carbon...

​Ethical and Accessible E-Waste Recycling at UC Berkeley

Project Description

This project seeks to implement and institutionalize a streamlined e-waste recycling system on campus where none was accessible to students before. Student staff will spearhead an education campaign detailing the environment and economic impacts of e-waste, meant to support the campus-wide Zero Waste by 2020 goals. The recycling system is meant to be modular, and will be highly responsive to feedback from facilities, faculty, students, and other stakeholders.

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