Dear Environmental Community and Visitors,

2/5/2010

The ERC plans to make a greater impact on San Jose State University this semester, greater than ever before. In its 43rd year of existence on this campus, and its 40th anniversary of Earth Day at SJSU, the ERC prepares itself to move into a new phase on environmental activism.

One of the primary features that is new to the ERC are its many subdivisions. There are now five in total. These subdivisions allow students to focus their efforts in particular areas of sustainability on campus: waste, conservation, and transportation. We also have groups now dedicated to planning our major events and representing the ERC on campus to administrators and student government.

EVENT COMMISSION

(EVECOM)

The event commission is dedicated to the primary conference event of the semester, Sustainability Week. This event is a series of speakers, panels, and workshops that will instruct attendees on serious environmental issues. One of the most important things about Sustainability week is bringing environmental issues to people who otherwise would not have an opportunity to learn about them. Also, some workshops and panels will be geared towards people who already have an interest in the environment. Sustainability Week ends with Earth Day, the national celebration of the Earth and its life systems. This event will end with a keynote address from the Mayor of San Jose and other speakers. All of these events will be managed by the Event Commission.

PROGRAM SPECIALISTS

(PROSPEC)

The Program Specialists tackle the task to represent the ERC and its functions. Their primary tasks are managing the ERC email, the website, making t-shirts for the class, and being knowledgeable about the different groups in the ERC. Additionally, they will help reorganize the ERC’s office, which over the years, has collected a lot of antiquated and obsolete matter. The Program Specialists will develop a greater sense of community within the ERC as well as establish ERC’s role in the administrative community at SJSU.

RESOURCE CONSERVATION

(Rescon)

SJSU’s campus is covered in non-sustainable vegetation, such as lawns, ivy, and non-native invasive plants. Resource Conservation’s goal is to mend the university’s many green spaces into native gardens, reducing the amount of water necessary to maintain vegetation on campys and benefitting the native environment of Santa Clara County. Additionally, they will be working with conservation agencies to put a limelight on the Peregrine Falcon, a native and special bird of prey which currently nests in downtown San Jose.

TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT

(TRANSDEV)

An important feature of SJSU is the mass amount of commuters that come to school every day. This is why Transportation Development provides necessary focus in an area with a huge environmental impact. Transportation Development hosts a monthly Bike to School Day each semester, encouraging students, faculty, and administrators to ride bicycles to school instead of driving. The day also celebrates those who use other self-powered transportation, such as scooters and longboards, as well as public transit. Transportation Development also serves to support programs from AS Transportation Solutions.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

(WASMAN)

One of the greatest environmental issues on campus is the mass amount of waste generated each day. There is already a recycling program on campus, but due to budget cuts, it has been less available to tackle this large campus’ proliferation of garbage. Waste Management will be providing support to the recycling program, assisting at events to ensure a “zero-waste” policy, and developing creative ways to teach students about better waste practices. Waste Management faces one of the greatest issues at SJSU–perhaps even the world.

Next week, November 16-18, is Greenapalooza

A series of events will be held throughout the week highlighting some of the most fundamentally important issues regarding sustainability at San Jose State University.

Here are the events:

Monday, November 16

Tuesday, November 17 - Sustainable Food Day

10:00 am to 2:00 pm

7th Street BBQ Pits (next to Central Classroom Building), SJSU

Featuring SJSU Smart Cart and various other campus entities, this day will give people an opportunity to learn how to eat healthy and more sustainably.

Wednesday, November 18 - SJSU Recycles Day

10:00 am to 2:00 pm

First Floor (Not Basement), Student Union, SJSU

Features several on and off campus entities dedicated to sustainability as well as an opportunity to meet ERC groups and learn about their semester projects.

Thursday, November 19 - Bike (Ride) to School Day

10:00 am to 2:00 pm

7th Street BBQ Pits (next to Central Classroom Building), SJSU

Everyone wants to save money and improve their commute. This Thursday, do just that by riding your bike or another Human-Powered-Vehicle to San Jose State! Free lunch for people who bring their vehicles to the event. Other organizations will be tabling and offering information about their services. AS Transportation Solutions will also be exchanging rope and chain bike locks for U-locks.

GPZ Flier

Just when you thought it was safe to continue driving to school when you could be taking public transit or riding a bike…

and just when you thought it was okay to buy bottled water every day because tap water tastes funny…

and just when you thought it was perfectly fine to keep mowing your lawn…

ERC RETURNS!

This semester, Environmental Resource Center groups will be focused on a variety of tasks. The organization itself has been dedicated for nearly 40 years to helping SJSU maintain a role in environmentalism. As you may already know, the ERC puts on SJSU’s Earth Day every Spring, which is our main–but not only–event.

Transportation Development

This semester, students will be guiding a project that will help bicycles and other Human Powered Vehicles (HPVs) a lot. The team will be spreading the word about the benefits of using HPVs, such as affordability, sustainability, health, and just plain fun. They will be holding a monthly Bike to School Day, with one already planned for October 15.

Waste Management

No, they are not trash collectors. Instead, this team will be assisting 33,000 SJSU students and faculty learn new ways to be more sustainable in their every day lives. First, they will be working with the new Sustainability Coordinator of SJSU, Katherine Kushing, to have people take a new Carbon Footprint quiz that will have prizes for people who participate. Additionally, they will be helping set up for SJSU Recycles Day.

Resource Conservation

Water is a huge issue on campus. Not only does our school use a lot of water, but it wastes plenty of it as well. Additionally, water is expensive, and when SJSU is fighting to keep it’s head financially above water, we need to start saving some money. Resource Conservation will be developing a pitch to our administration and groundskeepers that it is time we use more native plants instead of grassy fields. The benefits are very simple: less water used, more natural beauty. Furthermore, Resource Conservation will be assisting in documenting the Peregrine Falcon, a native bird to this area that has recently nested above City Hall.

If you would like to learn more, please email erc@email.sjsu.edu, visit the ERC at 115 Washington Square Hall, call us at 1(408)924-5467, or join our class in the Spring (ENVS 181) for 1, 2, or 3 units!

Wednesday April 22, 2009, 10 am to 3 pm–Earth Day will rock San José State this year with around 50 vendors and organizations that all want to promote their contributions towards sustainability in San Jose, Santa Clara County, California, the United States, and the World.

The Environmental Resource Center, an student-run organization at SJSU, is dedicated to bringing these organizations to the school to help educate students on the issue of sustainability. Sustainability is defined as using our resources wisely today so that future generations have the same opportunity to succeed. Earth Day is all about promoting this cause.

Do not miss all the fun and games, Aztec dancers, and tons of exciting vendors and organizations.

Join us Wednesday, April 22nd for Earth Day 2009!

Sustainability Week 2009 was a great success!

With an average of 30-40 students attending each event, we were able to achieve our potential and show students the efforts of professionals in their work towards sustainability. The ERC would like to thank our guests and speakers, the SJSU students and faculty who attended our events, our sponsors, and our own hardworking ENVS 181 students who helped make this wonderful event happen.

Despite our success, we would also like to apologize for the cancellation and rescheduling of some of our events. We realize that some students were unaware of the cancellation or rescheduling of these events. We are truly sorry for any inconveniences.

We are now looking forward to Earth Day, April 22. It will be held at 7th Street Plaza on SJSU’s campus from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. We invite you all for fun and games, Aztec dancers, and tons of exciting vendors and organizations.

SJSU Sustainability Week 

In the last few weeks, we have been gathering our “resources” together to get prepared for Sustainability Week.

This year will mark the fifth annual celebration of Sustainability Week. We define this week as an opportunity for students, faculty, local organizations and businesses, and non-profit organizations to come together, teaching and learning from one another. With four full days of lectures, panels, tours, and events we believe that Sustainability Week is an opportunity for everyone to learn about our planet and humanity and how we can improve the livelihood of all people.

Sustainability week has four themes Monday through Friday. Monday is Food and Agriculture, Tuesday is Energy and Transportation, Wednesday is Waste Management, and Thursday is Resource Conservation and Biodiversity. Friday we will be hosting an E-Waste event at Lot 4 next to the business tower on 10th street. 

Here the flier for all Sustainability Week events is shown below, click the image for a bigger picture.

Please make an attempt to attend one of these events. They are free, fun, and an extra chance to learn about your school and community!