The SERC Green Team was created to develop a comprehensive zero waste program for the ASUC buildings by overseeing vendor waste and sourcing practices, educating the campus community through informational initiatives such as “Bring-Your-Own” reusables, and conducting research on the university’s current waste streams. These LEED Gold certified ASUC buildings, totaling 172,539 square feet, are home to a variety of invaluable student resources like the Amazon Student Union, Cal Student Store, the Art Studio, the Open Computing Facility, the Multicultural Center, and many food vendors. The Green Team works under the Zero Waste Research Center and with the ASUC body, facilities management, and building vendors, with the eventual goal of formulating a plan that can be adapted to other buildings at UC Berkeley.

The Green Team members work on a variety of projects to contribute toward the University of California’s Zero Waste by 2020 goals. The team is currently working on streamlining the bin infrastructure in the Student Union buildings, developing an employee sustainability training module, and implementing a reusable dishware checkout program for student organizations.

In the summer of 2020, the Green Team pivoted to focus on the Single-Use Elimination by 2030 Policy. CALPIRG advocated for this policy last year, and in April, 2020 Chancellor Carol Christ endorsed it, paving the way for the most ambitious institutional ban of single-use plastic ever, applicable to all purchases made by campus, third-party vendors, contractors, sponsors, and partners intended for sale or distribution on or on behalf of the UC Berkeley campus. SERC’s Green Team has worked with Cal Zero Waste and the Office of Sustainability to draft a roadmap that outlines how to achieve this ambitious target, complete with sector-specific programs and timelines. By the end of the Spring 2020 semester, this roadmap will be incorporated into the campus’s Zero Waste Plan and updated regularly for the UC-wide Zero Waste Working Group.