University of California, Davis
ER-1: Student Sustainability Educators Program

The Waste Reduction & Recycling Program provides assistance to campus in regards to waste reduction & recycling. The campus has a goal of zero waste by the year 2020, one core piece of information that this program tries to promote. Staff provide training on ways to increase diversion rate and reduce waste to multiple campus entities via presentations, active assessments and evaluations, interactive activities, and many more. Students involved in the program have the opportunity to interact with campus members in many different ways. The students are provided training when they join the program to ensure that they are equipped with the information and basic skills that they need in order to successfully disseminate information throughout campus about waste reduction efforts. The students are a resource to campus members on the topic of zero waste. The students interact with a wide range of campus members, from students to staff and faculty to campus visitors. Student are involved in face to face interactions with campus members in a variety of settings, including sports events, zero waste events, departmental recycling and composting training, general recycling questions that are directed towards our program, and many others.

Students are selected through an interview process to become a member of the program. In the interview process, current staff look for individuals who express interest in waste reduction and recycling activities and overall sustainability elements. After the students join the program, they are assigned projects and activities based on what their strengths are.

The students go through a set training list when they join the program. They are provided with information about the campus zero waste status and what it means to be zero waste at UC Davis. The training includes a segments specifically emphasizing presentation and outreach to campus members. The students are trained by their fellow peers in the program. The training process also allows for current members to apply what they have learned to train another person.

The program is currently financially supported by the institution. The campus provides resources and financial support for students to be a part of the program.

Positive Impact provides sustainability programs and resources to students living in the residence halls. The program employs three Sustainability Interns, plus a small group of Resident Advisors that have sustainability education as their specialty assignment. The Sustainability Interns: organize active programs (movie screenings, water taste testings); take the lead on the development and implementation of the Go Zero Waste 2012 Competition (residence hall sustainability competition); create content for the website and social media; and collaborate with the other student sustainability staff on campus.

The position description is posted, applications are accepted, interviews are conducted, and three candidates are hired per academic year.

The Sustainability Interns are in training for the first two-three weeks to learn about Student Housing practices, campus practices, diversity, new initiatives, various resident attitudes on sustainability, answers and background to FAQs, etc.

Student Housing allocates a budget for job funding, as well as a programming and education budget for each academic year.

Student sustainability interns work within the UC Davis Dining Services Department of Sustainability and Nutrition to engage their peers and others within the campus community at all Resident Dining commons, the Silo Union and the Scrubs Cafe on topics related to sustainable food. Various focuses within the internship are available, and include: Resident Garden Coordinator, Aggie Grown Coordinator, Resident Dining Education Coordinator, Retail Dining Education Coordinator, Waste Reduction Coordinator. Various activities include tabling in the units, Green Chef challenges between students in the various Resident Dining units, floor programs in the residence halls, garden parties and activities, tours of local and campus farms, waste sorting games, waste audits, film screenings, Meatless Mondays, UC Davis Farmers Market, UC Davis Student Farm field-to-table, UC Davis Russell Ranch field-to-table, Segundo housing area resident garden, Healthy Planet, Healthy Me education, waste audits, campus food systems tracking and assessment, Farm-to-College events, resident hall floor programs, and more! Interns report to UC Davis Dining Services Sustainability Manager, Dani Lee and Sustainability & Education Coordinator, Sara Kosoff. Coordinator positions are paid; volunteer internships are also available within each area. http://dining.ucdavis.edu/sus-ecofoodcorps.html http://dining.ucdavis.edu/sus-education.html

Interns apply for a Sustainability Internship with Dining Services and are interview by a panel of current sustainability interns and the Dining Services Sustainability Manager and Sustainability Coordinator. Selected interns are offered a paid internship. Dining Services also partners with several student organizations and local community groups to host educational activities in the various dining units.

Students receive a 1 week orientation at the beginning of the academic year covering all current sustainability programs within campus dining as well as company policy. Students are trained on the various topics they are educating about by the Sustainability Coordinator and/or the Sustainability Manager for Dining Services during weekly meetings. On-the-job training for various emphases within the internship (ie. Zero Waste events).

- Dining Services Sustainability Manager - program overview and development - Dining Services Sustainability Coordinator - intern management - Funding for various activities is provided out of the Dining Services Department of Sustainability & Nutrition budget - 1 full time employee - Sustainability & Education Coordinator for Dining Services to manage the program and develop the curriculum - 5 paid student internship positions - student educators are paid a minimum wage - Program materials support - printing costs and cost of drawing prizes, etc.