Mission
The Zero Waste Coalition aims to bring together waste-relatedorganizations at UC Berkeley to improve communication between them, collaborate on initiatives, be a resource for zero waste on campus, and foster a zero waste community.
History
In 2017, the ASUC Zero Waste Student Advisory Committee was established in an effort to connect organizations working on waste-related projects at UC Berkeley. In Spring of 2019, the committee was re-established and rebranded as the Zero Waste Coalition by Nicole Haynes. Successful initiatives include:
Coalition Meetings
- Our monthly Coalition meetings bring together various campus organizations and departments working on zero waste projects, bridging these groups together and fostering collaboration.
- These meetings are open to anyone with an interest in zero waste; fill out our interest form for the time and location of our next meeting!
Cal Move Out
- We organize Cooperative Reuse, an annual, city-wide furniture recycling program. In 2022, the program successfully diverted over 200,000 lbs of landfill waste and recycled nearly 800 mattresses.
Zero Waste Lab
- In the fall of 2020, we started the Zero Waste Lab, which gives undergraduate students opportunities to participate in zero waste-related research projects, with on and off campus stakeholders.
- Interested students can apply on SPUR website
Zero Waste October
- A month of educational programming aimed at engaging individuals at UC Berkeley in waste sorting and reduction efforts. *Zero Waste October was initially started by a middle school teacher and her students in Marin, CA.
Educational Efforts
- In Spring 2020, the ZWC engaged over 5,000 students and faculty members in a weeklong push for compost education.
- In Spring 2023, the ZWC engaged hundreds of students in waste-education classroom chats.
Non-Essential Single-Use Plastic Elimination Policy
- In April 2020, UC Berkeley committed to the strongest plastic ban in the country. This comprehensive target will eliminate all non-essential single-use plastic with viable alternatives by 2030.
- ZWC members are committed to finding solutions for the university to achieve this ambitious goal.
Chloe Liu
Zero Waste Coalition Chair
Chloe is a 3rd year studying Society and Environment and Political Science. She is interested in pursuing environmental sustainability and justice through policy change. She is also involved with on-campus environmental efforts through the ASUC. Outside of school, Chloe has been involved in multiple political campaigns.
Tatum Hurley
Zero Waste Coalition Vice Chair
Tatum is a 2nd year studying Society and Environment and Ethnic Studies. She is passionate about bringing awareness to and learning about the intersections of environmental issues and race, class, and gender in America. She also works with Cal Zero Waste to implement zero waste efforts on campus and bring attention to environmental justice in the world of waste.
Getting Involved in Zero Waste
Interested in Zero Waste on campus? Check out a few of the ZWC featured member organizations below & view the full list here
For more information on sustainability related courses and organizations, see the Student Environmental Resource Center's (SERC) New Student Resources.
SERC Zero Waste Research Center
The SERC Zero Waste Research Center researches and implements strategies for reducing campus waste, with a focus on purchasing, redesigning products, creating behavior change incentives, and instituting closed-loop “circular economy” waste systems.
CALPIRG Plastic-Free Seas
CALPIRG is a student-run nonprofit committed to tackling climate change, protecting public health, and revitalizing democracy. The Plastic-Free Seas campaign is calling for campus, city, and statewide bans on single-use plastic.
ReUSE
ReUSE is a not-for-profit thrift store run by student volunteers, located in the MLK Jr. Student Union. They accept donations of clothes, textbooks, office supplies, and other miscellaneous items which are cycled back into the community.
Contact
Zero Waste Coalition official email: zerowastecoalition@berkeley.edu
Meeting Time: During the academic year, the ZWC meets every three weeks on Thursdays from 5:30–6:30pm. Fill out our Interest Form to join our bCal list!