Students might have heard of Dining Team Green (DTG), a team within University Facilities and Services that focused on sustainable initiatives concerning dining on campus, from projects such as the Meliora Kitchen Events, Sustainability Hack-a-thon, and Earth Day Dinner. As a student-staffed University organization, DTG created, executed, and promoted UR Dining-related events for years.
In tandem with DTG, Facilities Team Green (FTG) handled all environmental events unrelated to UR Dining, such as the Move-Out Cleanout, Shred Fest, and the plastic bag kiosk in Wilson Commons.
This summer, these two programs merged into one, now called the Sustainability Office. Although the two separate teams no longer exist, many of their familiar projects and initiatives will remain, as will the ability for student staff members to propose ideas and hold leadership roles.
“Both Amy [Kadrie, Senior Manager] and Phil [Piedmont, Waste Minimization Specialist] have encouraged me to share insights about DTG and provide feedback on the team’s current structure,” Alan Rojas, Take Five Scholar and the Office’s Sustainability Manager, commented. “They have been very receptive to my input, and I truly appreciate that.”
Within the Sustainability Office, student staff members are divided into three new categories: Education and Engagement, Marketing and Communications, and R5 and Zero Waste. The duties that existed under both Team Green programs are split amongst the three.
The Education and Engagement team partners with student organizations like Grassroots, maintains connections with the SA Secretary of Sustainability, and writes GoGreen articles to educate students. “Right now,” Luisa Luna-Gastelum, senior and Education and Engagement member, said, “Carmen and I are working on planning this year’s hack-a-thon and potentially solidifying it as a yearly event.”
Students working for Marketing and Publicity manage the Office’s social media, promote events, and serve as the Office’s mouthpiece. Their new Instagram account, @ursustainable, is an excellent source of information regarding upcoming programs, tips to become more sustainable, and ways to get involved on campus.
“The R5 Team focuses on waste management and minimization on campus. [As Sustainability Manager] I serve as the connector between students and sustainability staff,” Rojas said.
But just like any other Team Green member, Rojas has a second role. As a member of R5, his main project this semester has been organizing the Zero Waste dinners, the first of which took place on Sept. 30. “This event aims to raise awareness about food waste while collecting data on food waste from dining halls,” Rojas said.
The department’s other projects include the Shoe Recycling Program, the Little Library, and the Plastic Bag Program, which were all originally part of FTG, according to Rojas.
Though the structure of the organization has changed, its mission remains the same: to raise awareness around and promote sustainable living at the University. In the future, the Office hopes to work with RAs regarding residential sustainability and continue to explore new and interesting ways to make our campus ever greener.
For further information, the Sustainability Office’s mission and various initiatives can be found on the University website.
