Active / Published Environment & Energy Projects

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To promote the advancement of green chemistry and sustainable design principles through the creation of a venue for the discussion and dissemination of information among students and faculty from diverse fields such as chemistry, engineering, toxicology, public health, public policy, business, and environmental science. Learn more

Promote Transparency and Lower Barriers to Eating Locally Our solution should promote transparency by clearly linking all of the participants involved in a specific food sale, including producers, retailers, and distributors. It should lower barriers that consumers’ face by helping them eat seasonally, connect to and communicate with producers whose practices reflect their values, and find retailers who source locally. Encourage New and Struggling Farmers Our solution should provide tools to help producers share resources and exchange advice and ideas, with an emphasis on encouraging new producers to participate and seek help. It should also create clear channels of communication between producers, consumers, and retailers. This would allow producers to let others know of the struggles they face and to exchange information more easily with retailers to whom they sell. It would also encourage consumers to express their appreciation for the work put into their food, feedback that farmers both want and deserve. Encourage Political Awareness Our solution should promote discussion among all of the participants in the food system, allowing people to be more informed and aware of political barriers and their respective solutions. It should leverage both strong and weak ties and personal connections to help people become properly informed, organize around issues, and mobilize to take action. Foster Delight Our solution should emphasize the pleasure of personal connection and foster interactions that delight. It should allow people to explore the story behind their food in a fun, engaging way. As design strategist Patrick W. Jordan emphasizes, people want “products that offer something extra; products that are not merely tools but 'living objects' that people can relate to; products that bring not only functional benefits but also emotional ones.” (2002, p. 6) Our solution should motivate people to participate and to support each other by bringing this emotional benefit to the surface. Learn more

Our goal is to transform over 200 tons a year of coffee ground waste from our urban environment and transform it into a 'green-collar' job creator and nutritious food to be provided back to our local community. Learn more

The mission of the Berkeley Student Food Cooperative (BSFC) is to provide fresh, healthy, environmentally sustainable, and ethically produced food at an affordable price to Berkeley students. The BSFC will be a student-run cooperative natural and sustainable foods cafe and market. It will promote community building, social justice and environmental stewardship through the cooperative model. A cooperative is a business or organization run by democratic decision where all workers participate in equal and equitable environment. The BSFC will utilize the cooperative cost-saving model to offer our customers 20-40% savings on healthy, sustainable, delicious food. The Berkeley Student Food Cooperative will be an expansion of the already existing ASUC Sustainability Team "The Local", which provides affordable sustainable food items to the UC Berkeley campus. The BSFC is designed with the same structure as The Local produce stand and will source from local sustainable farmers, giving UC Berkeley a choice to eat healthy, fresh, and affordable food. We can provide quality fresh products at affordable prices because we source specifically from local family and small farmers. The BSFC is the business model for the 21st century; it is based on financial stability and growth in this turbulent economy while maintaining our core mission and values. We highlight the human element in the food system through true collaboration with local farmers, other cooperatives, and our community. Learn more