College Eight Sustainability Project

University of California, Santa Cruz
Fall 2008

The College Eight Sustainability Project is a collaborative service-learning program, tied to the College Eight Core Course, that promotes environmental awareness, waste reduction, and civic responsibility amongst the

College Eight community.

Project Collaborators:

• College Eight residential first-year students
• College Eight Programs Office
• College Eight CUIP Intern
• Waste Reduction Team
• Student Environmental Center
• Santa Cruz Homeless Garden Project
• Santa Cruz Resource Recovery Facility
• Student for Organic Solutions
• Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS)
• College Eight Provost
• Core Course Instructors
• Residential Life Team
• College Eight Dining Hall
• College Eight Garden Project
• UCSC Dining Services
• Campus Food Systems Working Group (FSW)

➢ Project #1: Waste Watchers

Waste Reduction Program, Led by the C8 Waste Reduction Team

During fall quarter there will be two “Waste Watchers” sessions per week. Each group will meet at the College Eight Sustainability Office Red Building Rm. 208. Groups will consist of 10 students who will be led through the waste reduction project’s objective. Tasks will include collecting recyclables from around the C8 residential community, composting, compiling assessment data, and discussing waste reduction issues.

➢ Project #2: Hidden Connections within Food Waste

Composting Program in the Dining Hall, Led by the Student Environmental Center (S.E.C.)_

There will be a 2.5-hour lunch shift for this project each Monday throughout fall quarter. 10 students will meet outside at the College 8 Sustainability Office (Red Building room 208) at 11am for a 15-minute educational piece on waste reduction and the impact of food waste in the dining hall. The task group will then proceed to the dining hall where they will collect compostable table scraps as students return their dish trays. In addition the task groups will educate students about the importance of waste reduction and how we can help with sustainability efforts in our community. Each task group will record their findings, i.e. pounds of waste per shift, on the Info and Data Board or experience in sharing the information will fellow students in the evening. This project’s goal is to attempt to reduce food waste in the dining hall. Students will participate in a task group once during the quarter.

➢ Project #3: Harvest for Health

UCSC Farm Project, Led by CASFS, Food Systems Working Group and College 8 Sustainability crew

Students will have the opportunity to go to the UCSC Farm/ Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS), in groups of ten to work in the farm fields with a farm coordinator for two and a half hour shifts. Tasks will mainly be focused on harvesting produce such as carrots, potatoes and broccoli that will be harvested for use in preparing meals at the Dining Hall for College Eight and Oakes students, continuing the sustainable food system loop. Students will meet outside of the College 8 Sustainability Office in the Red Building Rm. 208.

➢ Project #4: Jump to the Dump

Trip to the Santa Cruz Dump, Led by Kristen Van Kley, Waste Reduction Assist. & C8 Sustainability crew

Students will have the option to travel to the Santa Cruz Resource Recovery Facility on one of two Saturdays during fall quarter in groups of approximately 13 students. The student groups will be led through an educational presentation and history of the dump, and will be part of a facilitated discussion about where waste is ultimately transported, broken down, and/or stored indefinitely. Students will also perform a waste characterization study by sorting through residential loads to estimate how much recycling is still being dropped as refuse. Each group will be asked to document their experience with photographs and captions to be displayed on the Info and Data Board. Students will meet outside of the College 8 Sustainability Office in the Red Building Rm. 208.

➢ Project #5: Homeless Garden Project

Trip to the Homeless Garden Project, Led by College 8 Sustainability crew_

Students will have the option to travel to the Santa Cruz Homeless Garden Project (HGP) on one of two Saturdays during fall quarter in groups of approximately 13 students. Participants will learn about the role of HGP in promoting ecological and social sustainability, offering transitional work and agroecological farming skills for homeless residents of the county, and providing the community with local, organic produce and flowers. Student project groups will meet at the College 8 Sustainability Office at 10am (Red Building room 208) and proceed from there off campus. Tasks will involve assisting HGP staff with timely fieldwork and ongoing program development with hands-on experiential opportunities. Students will participate in a task group once during the quarter.