Seattle University
EN-3: Student Life

Sustainable Student Action is a club that strives to educate the community on environmental issues and to work on projects that lead to a more sustainable future. The Green Team attends large catered events to educate campus members which bin to put their food waste, recyclables and trash.

The Urban Farm is an innovative collaboration growing organic produce for needy families. The farm was created on 1 acre of unused land at the King County Wastewater Treatment Plant in Renton, 11 miles south of campus. In the first year, 7,000 pounds of produce were given to the Salvation Army Renton Food Bank. Seattle University’s Environmental Studies students plant, grow and harvest food as part of their coursework in sustainable agriculture. The students also provide public outreach and education on the benefits of growing produce using biosolids.

Upcoming events: 1. Interfaith Earth Day 2016 2. CEJS Conference "Just Sustainability-Hope for the Commons" This conference will be held in August 2016, where Attendees will get an opportunity to connect with researchers, businesses, and communities that are bringing Environmental Justice and Sustainability(EJS) issues to the fore of public discourse. Authors have been invited to submit papers. This conference has been planned with an aim to: -Emphasize EJS research in a wide variety of disciplines -Build an EJS network of Jesuit institutions -Inspire EJS work through the arts -Highlight work being done by nonprofit and government agencies -Foster interdisciplinary conversations, research, and teaching Link:https://www.seattleu.edu/cejs/conference/Just-Sustainability/ Events from past years: 1. Arctic Encounter Symposium 2014: The goal of the Arctic Encounter Symposium was to engage participants in a focused discussion, through a balanced forum, highlighting shared interests and concerns of the United States and the global community as we look north to the last emerging frontier - the Arctic. The program incorporated five plenary sessions, featuring 3-4 speakers, and two concurrent sessions featuring research presentations by leading academic experts from across the country. The Symposium was structured to challenge the status quo dialogue and to critically address the Arctic's potential, to consider what is at stake, and to collaborate on solutions. 2. Interfaith Earth Day 2015: Interfaith Earth Day, was hosted by Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry who is a longtime partner and local nonprofit dedicated to eco-justice. The theme of this day was, 'Indigenous Rights, Indignant Wrongs' and addressed the devastating impacts of fossil fuel mega-projects on Native American culture and spirituality. The aim was to remind all of the shared responsibility we have to protect Mother Earth. Link:https://www.seattleu.edu/stm/news-events/news/?id=151279

--In 2014 CEJS organized AJ Rafael in Concert: A Benefit and Fast in Solidarity with the Philippines. A YouTube sensation, AJ Rafael is a Filipino-American. Since first posting his music on YouTube in 2006 he has had over 90 million hits. All proceeds from the concert benefitted School of the SEA (Sea and Earth Advocates), a leading environmental education organization whose facilities were devastated by Typhoon Haiyan. Members of the Seattle University community fasted in solidarity with Yeb Sano, the chief Filipino negotiator to the UN climate change meetings in November 2013.

The OAR program was created in 2008. Presently it runs an average of 30+ trips per quarter, led by more than 25 student leaders with advanced training in group facilitation, wilderness medicine, risk management and incident response and environmental stewardship. OAR also hosts several certification courses and outdoor skill workshops throughout the year. The Outdoor Adventure Program trips focus on road and mountain biking, indoor and outdoor climbing, trail repair/ beach cleanup, hiking, backpacking, camping, skiing and snow shoeing, kayaking, canoeing, stand up paddleboarding, whitewater rafting and coastal surfing.

In fall 2012, all incoming freshman read Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization by Lester R. Brown. During orientation, the students broke into groups of around 10 people and participated in a book discussion facilitated by a faculty member. In Spring 2014, the Seattle University Mission Day focused on sustainability. Half day sessions were held for students and staff(separately) that highlighted the work Seattle University is doing in the area of sustainability

Earth and Society is a Learning Community on floors 2 and 3 in Campion Hall. Students explore possibilities for deepening their understanding and experience of how they and fellow earth-creatures can share this beautiful, diverse, complex ball of cosmic dust in ways that are healthy and sustainable. Students are part of living into new, creative ways to engage some of the most exciting, challenging and urgent issues of our lifetimes.

The Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability (CEJS) hires 4-6 student interns each quarter to work on a variety of sustainability projects. The CEJS leases space in the Bullitt center (the greenest commercial building, certified by the Living Building Challenge). CEJS interns give building tours to SU students, faculty and staff. Interns have also collected data for the university's STARS rating and the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory; produced videos highlighting community organizations and sustainability initiatives; assisted in event planning and marketing; developed the Center's website; contributed to the CEJS newsletters by writing articles on how Seattle U faculty, students and staff implement sustainability projects on campus and in other countries.

Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) is a co-curricular program that encourages all students to participate in sustainability projects both locally and abroad.