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!