Director’s Message
Dear Friends,
With our Juniors in full swing working on their Sustainable Enterprise projects and the Business Leaders Mixer at the end of this month, it makes me more excited than ever to see the continued partnerships between our local business leaders and the school flourishing. It always amazes me how intricately involved our partners are throughout The SEL student experience and am proud of how our business leaders and community partners have embraced this aspect of The SEL, which is so imperative to the success of the program and our students’ education.
This year’s Vision Into Action award winner, Gwen Froh of Safe Routes to Schools, is an outstanding example of a community partner, assisting with LEAD Projects for many years now. Similarly, our 2016 Vision Into Action awardee, Deanne Clough of Clough Construction, is another astounding example of a partner dedicating their time to support student projects throughout the years, from hosting Senior Interns and organizing class field trips to sponsoring fundraising events and making introductions to new business partners in the community. Their dedication is remarkable and I am truly honored to have their support.
When I first envisioned The SEL, I knew there was a need for the community to play a big role to help us redefine public education. I am so heartened to see how much this community has stepped up into that role. So thank you partners for helping us provide the tools our students need to become the community leaders of tomorrow. I can’t wait to see you all at the Business Leaders Mixer.
Best regards,
Cyane
The Mildred Church Dandridge Tree Dedication: May 5th
By: Noel Olson
Athena, goddess of wisdom, stuck a spear into the ground at the break of civilization, and the spear turned into an olive tree. Known for her wisdom, logic, intellect, selflessness and joy, Mildred Church Dandridge plunged her energy into developing and launching The School of Environmental Leadership. Her belief that young people have the potential to change the world by taking on leadership roles and protecting the environment was the basis for her many years teaching kids how to be part of the climate solution.
Although Mildred left us last year, her legacy lives on through her lasting contribution to Strategic Energy Innovations and The School of Environmental Leadership. On May 5th, 2017 all are invited to the Marin School of Environmental Leadership Garden near the fruit trees at Terra Linda High School to take part in a potluck luncheon and olive tree planting ceremony and dedication to Mildred. We ask you to RSVP here.
Historically, olive trees are symbols of peace and fertility, producing food and oil while withstanding drought, poor soil, and fire. The olive tree is also very long-lived and stands as a witness and inspiration to passing generations. For these reasons, the we will be planting and dedicating an olive tree to honor Mildred’s legacy.
Parents, at noon, please bring a potluck dish to share with students during their lunchtime between 12:15-12:30pm. We will dedicate the tree and plant it between 12:30-1pm, and a plaque will be placed at the foot of the tree in Mildred’s honor.
New Shop Item
We have a new item in the MarinSEL shop, Patagonia sweaters! The Patagonia Better Sweater 1/4 Zip Fleeces are available in two color options for both women and men with the MarinSEL logo. Show your MarinSEL pride by sporting this warm and versatile sweater.
Partner Spotlight: Jackson Family Wines
By: Georgie Craig
MarinSEL is excited to welcome Jackson Family Wines’s (JFW) Director of Sustainability, Julien Gervreau, to be the keynote speaker at our Business Leaders Mixer on March 30th. Known for such wine brands as La Crema and Kendall-Jackson, JFW is a sustainability innovator and early adopter of healthy land management practices since its founding in 1982. JFW has worked with Tesla to reduce energy demand, has deployed solar arrays at their wineries, and led voluntary drought initiatives. The winery uses owls to control pests rather than pesticides, has built more than 100 reservoirs on its properties, and embraced data-driven farming where software monitors and directs watering systems. JFW is truly a wonderful addition to our group of business partners who work tirelessly at the intersection of business and sustainability.
Julien was drawn to share his deep knowledge of sustainable business practices with MarinSEL because “they are really inspiring young people and teaching them about the importance of sustainability, not just from an educational standpoint, but what it means for business as well. I think it is great to educate the next generation of young people about the opportunity that exists by finding synergies between sustainability and good business practices.”
Julien, with an MBA in Sustainable Management from the Presidio Graduate School, became interested in sustainability as “a byproduct of living in a beautiful corner of the world. Growing up in a house where food was front and center, it was all about taking advantage of the bounty the local area had to offer: sustainably sourced local ingredients. And that naturally expanded into my interest in the wine industry, [where I] was able to find a nexus between pursuing my interest in wine and my passion for sustainability.” He now oversees the day-to-day operations of JFW’s Sustainability Department where he’s passionate about designing, developing, and managing sustainable business systems. We’re excited to welcome him and Jackson Family Wines to our stable of experts.
If you haven’t already, get your Business Leaders Mixer ticket here.
An Interdisciplinary Approach
By: Braden Bouwman (9th Grade)
The traditional school system as we know it today tends to support the separation of subjects. They leave Math to the Math teacher, English to the English teacher, and so on. They teach the students strictly what they need to know, and often nothing more for some reason. Back in elementary school, I had the same teacher for every subject, whereas now I have different teachers for all my classes. One might think the elementary school teacher would have an easy time combining subjects, but this did not seem to be the case. While we were studying one subject in her class the teacher would make references to another, but rarely did we actually have a project or lesson that took place in a variety of subjects. This is where I think MarinSEL differs from the traditional school system. There are multiple teachers, so it proves to be more of a challenge, but that’s how people thrive in this program. And just as the students collaborate, the teachers do the same thing. They work together to provide a curriculum with one central idea and project, which has aspects that touch in every subject.
Recently, we have been studying watersheds as a central topic between classes. Every person in the class has chosen a body of water, and we were all told to research that particular body. Personally, I chose a watershed that was close by the school and my house, Las Gallinas Creek. However, since most of the water bodies were local, we had somewhat of a difficulty finding information. I could find almost no information about my source besides a few websites. So, we used critical thinking and emailed local organizations for more information, or looked into documents released by our local government. In Geography we were to make a pamphlet that reflected information about how the body of water affected its surroundings geographically. This meant we were to research the social, political, economic, environmental, and historical impacts this body of water had on its surrounding area. In Health, we researched the impacts the body of water had on ourselves. We learned what toxins were in our local watersheds and the arguments for and against them, and then wrote reflections on what we had learned. For English, we wrote a piece of literature that had something to do with our body of water. And, like English class usually does, it allowed us to invoke our creative side. Several people made poetry, while others wrote letters home about their imaginary stay there. Other people wrote made up adventures and other stories that took place there. I fell into this third category, where I wrote a mystery that took place in the body of water. I included the character’s reaction to how poorly parts of the water were treated, which I hope will encourage readers to take action for these issues. Lastly, in Science, I am looking forward to testing the water quality and making an interactive map of our watershed to report our discoveries. I think this will be a really fun activity and will teach us what it is like to acquire first-hand experience.
Other than the water project, the MarinSEL program has made an important effort to encompass all subjects. Seminar is a critical class to the program that really wraps all of the classes into one. In every single MarinSEL class we have had a presentation in some form or another, and Seminar is the class that teaches us how to present. That class is our time to work on our LEAD projects, so there are several aspects of those LEAD projects that breach the line between subjects. For example, we needed to research subtopics for our LEAD projects and write papers on them in order to create a successful paper. These papers are shared with our group members so we collectively create background for our topics and help us really understand what we need to accomplish. But, in order to do that we needed to learn how to write a robust thesis statement. Mrs. Frack taught us the basics of thesis statements, but then in English Ms. Leonhart taught us how to write one that was really effective, and worked on ways that we can implement it. We will use this knowledge to improve our theses in Seminar, and, through cause and effect, create a better paper.
Overall, having projects that involve many classes is a very valuable lesson that will definitely prepare us for the real world. As of right now, the traditional school system separates all subjects, which teaches us to only focus on one subject at once and creates a rather linear mindset. In the future, I hope the school system will evolve to combine subjects, as that would better prepare students for jobs in the real world. MarinSEL is great start to this, and I hope many other schools will follow their efforts. The thing I like the most about MarinSEL is that it teaches us what being an adult will actually be like, and what we need to learn in order to fulfill our obligations, and I think many would agree with my opinion.
To read more 9th grade student blog posts, go here.
Putting the LEAD in Environmental Leaders
By: Jocelyn Tsai (9th Grade)
In MarinSEL, five out of the seven classes the freshmen take their first year are MarinSEL based. There is MarinSEL English, Physical Education, Geography, Biology, and Seminar. Many people are often confused as to what Seminar exactly is. Seminar, or Environmental Leadership, is a class all MarinSEL students take to build on their 4 C’s: collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking. The most important aspect of Seminar, however, is the LEAD Project every MarinSEL student gets to work on every semester. LEAD, short for Leadership and Environmental Action Development, Projects require problem solving, teamwork, organization, and many more life skills one needs to be successful in life. There’s an assortment of LEAD Projects ranging from restoring gardens to promoting electric vehicles. The freshman fall semester LEAD Projects for 2016 are Green Building Policy, Electric Vehicles, Native Plants, Produce Garden, and Natural Pest Control.
Green Building Policy: (Raghav Chhabra, Isabella Farfan, Sofia Kakleas, Matteo Martinez, Sam Miller, Ruby Shemaria)
Converting a school to an eco-friendly building seems like a big challenge, but there’s no dilemma too big for this group. In December, this group is going to meet with the San Rafael School Board to propose their ideas, from switching to eco-friendly toilets to solar panels. Hopefully, the green building group will be successful and their sustainable green policies will be implemented.
Favorite part so far– Isabella says, “Being able to work with community partners and feeling like we’re doing meaningful work. I joined MarinSEL to make a difference and I sure feel like I am.”
Electric Vehicles: (Braden Bouwman, Eleanor Huang, Lucia Leporte, Leland Stilson, Anna Tackabery, Jocelyn Tsai)
With the problem of greenhouse gas levels increasing every day, more solutions, like electric vehicles, are created to help fight global warming. Even though electric vehicles reduce lifetime carbon emissions by 50%, many people are still driving gas cars because they aren’t educated about electric vehicles. This group was faced with the task of creating a video promoting electric vehicles in hopes it will convert people from gas cars to the more eco friendly electric vehicle.
Favorite part so far– Leland says that he likes “working with people who share similar interests and passions. I also love the social atmosphere that is created when I am in a group who I enjoy working with. This creates a fun, and usually productive, environment.”
Native Plants: (Zoe Hill, Molly Madden, Ethan James, Kai Nittenberg, Kailani Stuart, John Troller)
A huge problem in Marin’s ecosystems is that native plants are overwhelmed by non native plants, who are taking up all the available space. This problem can be found anywhere, even at Terra Linda. These six students are working hard to research and understand native and invasive plants. They’re even getting their hands dirty by working in the native garden at Terra Linda.
Favorite part so far– “I love how you are given the opportunity to work with people outside your class. Having community and parent partners are awesome for a different perspective on things,” Molly exclaims.
Produce Garden: (Axel Hsu, Charlotte Kamman, Jack O’Brien, Jessica Reznik, Quinn Wiley)
The Terra Linda Garden was in need of assistance from students who really cared about the environment and would treat it with love. Luckily for the garden, five MarinSEL students were up for the task. Every week, they work in the garden to sustain it, grow produce, and eventually sell it at local markets.
Favorite part so far– “Being able to work on something that’s not inside a classroom,” states Charlotte, “The garden is a great opportunity to get outside and spend time in nature.”
Natural Pest Control: (Jessica Brown, Ben Hodgson, Sami Kamman, Kunal Lohtia, Natalie Rodriguez, Nate Weir)
This group was tasked with finding natural pest control solutions for the Marin Sanitation Service. The main one they’re focusing on is dragonflies because they eat fifteen times their body weight in mosquitoes and other insects. The team plans to raise the dragonflies themselves and then release the dragonflies into the sanitation ponds and surrounding areas.
Favorite part so far– “I enjoy the complexity of the issue of solving the pest problem with natural solutions,” Ben says. “It keeps us on our toes and that’s the fun of it,” adds Nate.
As one can see from above, all of the LEAD Projects are a combination of a hard challenge and tons of fun. It’s a great way to work with adults from interesting companies and have a project-based education. I’ve spent countless years learning from behind a desk. It’s about time I stood up away from the desk and actually make a difference in the world I live in. MarinSEL students have an opportunity to make an impact. With all the hard work and perseverance being put into these projects, MarinSEL students definitely will.
Students Making a Difference: Sophomore LEAD Projects 2016
By: Andrea Taylor
Without a doubt one of the most exciting efforts that the students at MarinSEL make is for their LEAD projects, required for Freshman and Sophomores. Since the inception of MarinSEL there have been LEAD projects that have focused on the environmental concerns of Marin. The students work in groups and collaborate with a community partner and a MarinSEL parent to develop an understanding of the issue and an approach to solving it. Most of the projects are not solvable in the time frame they have, and indicate how big some of these problems are. The students are required to work and analyze how they did according to the 4C’s: collaboration, critical thinking, communication and creativity. This analysis is presented in two formats: a slide show describing the project and delivered by the students on stage, and a video or stage show dramatizing their creative expression of their project and collaboration.
This year the sophomore LEAD projects approached 5 different issues: garbage, transportation carbon sequestration, emissions reductions, and activism. Sexy, right?
The first project was titled Redwood Restoration, and focused on the value of planting redwoods as a method for drawing down carbon in the atmosphere. Partnering with Turtle Island Restoration, this team of MarinSEL students learned how to collect redwood seeds, grow them out in a plant nursery they made at school, and nurture them for the future when they will be distributed to designated planting teams. They planted 2000 seeds!! This team visited with local elementary schools and taught them about the value of growing these trees, and showed them that Redwoods were actually growing in their own schoolyards. LEAD students can be more effective at influencing the younger generation because the younger ones are often more receptive to teens, so it was an excellent strategy to offer their knowledge to elementary school classrooms. The Redwood Restoration Lead Project needs to continue year after year because it is a real solution to affecting climate change, and it is also a wonderful, restorative action that benefits ecosystems in nature and schools alike.
The second LEAD project was called Refuse Refuse, a clever pun on the tragic English language that insists on spelling a word the same way but giving it a different pronunciation and meaning. The facts were laid out: humans create a lot of trash and we do not capture and contain that trash usefully. One local organization, Marin Clean Highways partnered with these students to help foster the Tarp Your Load campaign, which focuses on ensuring that open-bed trucks, the highest producer of highways trash, follow the law and tarp their load. The students worked on a few angles with this project, approaching the City Council to increase civic involvement and support, studying the kind of litter in Gallinas Creek that showed up when they did a clean-up, and handing out free tarps for truck drivers at the dump. This is one simple but essential project that is underway and supported by the County, which will help reduce the garbage on the highways and in the waterways that flush to our ocean.
The third project was titled Rethink Your Commute, and focused on the amount of emissions created by cars that drive away from campus at lunch to purchase a better lunch somewhere else, and how to reduce those emissions by bringing in food trucks to supply the food purchased off campus. Did you know that at TL, an average of 121 cars leave campus for lunch every day, causing traffic issues and emitting 968 pounds of CO2 everyday? Students were interviewed about their lunchtime experiences, and they said that the parking lot traffic at lunch is terrible, that eating and running to class is an awful experience, that being late because of this problem is really stressful, and they just want better food! Food trucks at Terra Linda is a fun idea that of course was met by bureaucratic opposition that continues to plague public school lunches all over the country. Tying Federal funding of public schools to the lunch program is one issue that cannot be undone by one school, but if this LEAD project still has a voice next year, maybe there will be a Taco Truck one day on campus. Poco a poco we will overcome.
The fourth LEAD project was titled Transportation Disparity in Marin, and focused on the connection between public transportation and economic disparity. In their presentation the students made the sad but obvious connection: Economic disparity is hard to solve. This ambitious group worked on understanding how transportation problems undermine the economic success of certain groups in Marin. One way they studied this was by spending a morning using the public transportation system to mimic a likely route many people without cars in Marin would use, according to Douglas Mundo, their community partner from Canal Welcome Center in the Canal. A mother in the Canal District in San Rafael will take her child to school by bus to Santa Venezia, then take the bus to work in Belvedere. We might laugh at the terribleness of this journey because we all know it can take hours on the bus, waiting for the bus to arrive and stopping at other bus stops to pick up passengers, and in fact they showed us that if a person leaves the home at 6:45 am this route will get them to work at 9:00 am. The students took their findings to the County Advisory Board, advocating for a more accurate bus schedule and accurate, clear information at the bus stops in Spanish and English. By bringing attention to our public transportation system, LEAD is keeping our leaders on top of the pressing problems that affect the most vulnerable population in our community in Marin, and drawing attention to the need for more social and economic justice in Marin.
The last LEAD presentation was titled I MATTER (now), which comes from their partnership with a national organization of teenagers called iMATTER which is dedicated to ending the climate crisis. The MarinSEL students formed an iMATTER group locally and created a San Rafael Climate Report Card which assessed San Rafael’s sustainability rating to date. They then presented their finding to San Rafael City Council and proposed a Climate Inheritance Solution, which is “a commitment to reduce the community’s greenhouse gas level to net zero emissions by 2040, and to continue to involve youth on the city’s climate action planning.” Now that is an extremely big gauntlet they threw down, and it is incumbent on us all to help this plan succeed.
The iMATTER presentation to the City Council was reported on by the Independent Journal, and it noted that San Rafael was given a B on the environmental sustainability. “The report card is a science-based tool developed by youth organization iMatter that measures how well a city is doing at reducing greenhouse gas emissions to the levels needed to protect the youngest generation from the worst effects of the climate crisis.” With a solid B, Marin county will have to try harder to meet the goals of zero emissions by 2040, and MarinSEL and future LEAD projects will be there to lead the way.
MarinSEL LEAD projects are addressing adult problems using adult tools, and connecting the issues of waste and carbon emissions to solutions that are designed for and by the youth to use, tools like their youth voices for more public advocacy and youth educational actions that connect younger students with hands-on solutions like growing trees, and youth activism that draws adult attention to the connection between the environment and social justice. With their added pressure, many climate change solutions can be addressed more readily in Marin, and Marin will be stronger and more resilient in the face of changes because of their help. Thank you, MarinSEL Sophomores!
A Word from Certified College Admissions Counselors
By: Lorry Krone
On January 31, 2017, Anne and I had the pleasure of joining Randy Baker’s 11th grade zero period Environmental Leadership Seminar class. The focus of this second college preparation class this year was to help students start to build their college lists. The students learned how to create a college list and research their chances of being admitted by walking them through two college admissions sites, Big Future and Collegedata. We reviewed SAT/ACT testing dates and talked about time management and test planning. Mr. Baker had the kids generate a list of questions for us before we came in and we finished the class by answering those questions.
Junior year is biggie and can be very stressful. The kids seemed very engaged and energetic (even at 7am!) and we hope this review takes some of the mystery out of starting the application process. We will be back in the Fall to work with them again and we encourage them (or parents) to reach out to us through our website www.andersonandkrone.com with any questions.
“Anne and Lorry did a wonderful job helping MarinSEL juniors navigate their first steps into the college search by providing them with some expert advice and great online tools which will help them narrow their choices and figure out what major they may want to pursue.” -Randy Baker
Traveling Abroad with Paloma Siegel
By: Andrea Taylor
In the Fall of 2016, two juniors left MarinSEL in the spirit of high adventure to travel and learn in different countries, planning on returning and graduating in 2018. Paloma Siegel was one of these students who found a program through a pamphlet from the Gap Year Fair at Drake last year called MEI Academy. Paloma’s trip was 80 days, in 6 different countries, spanning mid-September to Dec 18, 2016. She went to China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, and Fiji with 21 other students.
I: What inspired you to consider taking a semester abroad for your junior year?
P: Timing was a key factor. Going away during the Fall semester is great because there is no pressure yet to look for colleges and no need to be here to do ACT/SAT exams.
I: How did you find MEI Academy?
P: I was given an inclusive booklet that advertised a few gap year programs, and I started to look at them online. Originally I was really looking for a community service opportunity in the summer. For example, I became interested in a Rustic Pathways program to do elephant rehabilitation in Thailand, but I was more attracted to the academic rigor of MEI. In addition, an opportunity to go to the Arctic with Students on Ice arose and my decision was made. That program was sponsored by Climate One, and I managed to obtain a full scholarship that I could not brush aside. The MEI program was academically focused and that appealed to me, and it involved being away, traveling and learning on location in Asia, and I found that idea to be really exciting.
I: Were you worried about Credits for Junior year?
P: Yes, so first I went and spoke with Mrs. Gatlin who really helped me see how I could do the program and not jeopardize my credit and course requirements for graduating. I had to take a summer class at College of Marin in history, which was very manageable. MEI Academy focuses on World Issues, English, Media and Business, so math and science are credits I have to fill in my last year as a Senior.
I: How was your trip different from being at Marin SEL?
P: MEI offered an integrated educational experience that connected me to “real” or everyday life while I was learning about history and culture. The way we learned about recent history was on location, applicable to where we were, and engaging. For example, in Vietnam or Cambodia, we learned about both the Vietnam War and Cambodian Genocide in a comprehensive manner that thoroughly deepened my understanding of the event. When I was on site in the location that these events took place (i.e. the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam or Killing Fields in Cambodia), history came to life.
You are always learning something at MEI and are often outside of your comfort zone. The teachers absolutely expected us to be able to navigate strange new cities and places on our own (in groups, but not with adults) and to find our way back on time. And we did fine after some adjusting! But to have that responsibility is intense, especially in metropolises such as Beijing, Hong Kong and Bangkok.
We also had to do our school work under high pressure because we had to finish an area of study before moving on to the next place. This led to very focused work on flights, late nights in hotel rooms, and long days in cafes. At first it was difficult, but we learned to focus and be determined to get papers done before we went out to explore. It was most rewarding to find a great location to work in, a cafe or museum or quiet park.
I: What was it like socially?
P: There were lots of personalities on the trip. I was one of two people from the US, everyone else was from Canada. We had to collaborate a lot, as we do here at MarinSEL, and of course the same problems arose as they do anywhere (frustrations, anxiety, personality quirks) but the pressure to get work done kept us moving forward.
When we debriefed after projects, we definitely found a need for apologies. We had built up grudges and resentments that made us dislike each other for periods of time. However, the way we got to know each other because we were living and traveling together was so deep we found we really loved and respected each other in the end.
I: Were you scared or homesick?
P: Yes, a few times. In Asia, I was so distracted by the unusual places that I did not think of home, but when we got to Sydney, which is a cross between Sausalito and San Rafael, I started to think of home and miss it. In Cairns (northern Australia), we were loaded with work in a city very similar to suburban American and on occasion the stress and home sickness made us upset.
I: Would you recommend this trip to your fellow students?
P: Yes! It opened my eyes to the world and myself within it, and it helped me focus on my studies, and it made me a great traveler. I would say this program gave me direction. It also gave me a huge social connection to people in Canada, which is priceless to me.
Alumni Corner: Inès Guéneau
Waste at Cal
“I’m from Palm Beach Florida, not the Bay Area, ok? We don’t really do recycling or composting there!” my roommate shrieks, as my other roommate and I solemnly stare at the misused recycling bin in our dorm room.
UC Berkeley has an ambitious goal of becoming zero waste by 2020, like many other universities in California. Since 1995, the campus has reduced its landfill tonnage by a third, and the landfill diversion rate has increased to 54%. Despite being located in the Bay Area, where large focuses and initiatives are put forward on environmental issues, waste at Cal remains a critical issue, especially in the dorm rooms. Each dorm has two large recycling bins, with one small glass recycling bin attached to one side and a small landfill trash bin attached to the other. The issue students here face is the insufficient space given for landfill trash, so they resort to simply combining everything and putting it all into one bin. International or out-of-state students, like my roommate, who live in countries or cities where environmental issues are not a huge concern, lack the understanding to properly dispose their trash, especially in dorm rooms where convenience is preferred. Nonetheless, posters are put up in bathrooms and the outside trash disposal bins are very clearly labeled to ease the process for students, but it may be more of a challenge to reach zero waste by 2020 in residence halls if that mentality persists.
Interestingly enough, what I’ve noticed is the work put in regarding food waste. All food in dining halls is composted and at least once a month, the Residence Hall Student Association organizes awareness events for students coming in and out of the dining area – stands with giant scales measuring how many pounds of food we’ve composted in one night, posters with statistics on how much we’re saving, trivia questions on environmentally-related topics with rewards for right answers, etc. It’s fun! And because it’s so fun, we’re all learning from it and it yields a very high rate of food waste awareness and correct food composting. Cal Dining, in fact, actively engages in reducing food waste by using the following food waste and solid waste hierarchies:
1. Source Reduction, reducing the volume of surplus food generated;
2. Feed Hungry People, donating surplus food to food banks, shelters and soup kitchens;
3. Feed Animals;
4. Industrial Uses, providing waste oil for rendering and fuel conversion and food scraps for digestion to recover energy (basically creating biofuels from used cooking oil);
5. Landfill/Incineration as a last resort.
Some other efforts put into place to minimize waste include bulk bins for snacks and reusable to-go containers. As a result, Cal Dining received a “Waste Reduction Excellence in Institutional Food Service” award from StopWaste!
MarinSEL has taught me to be aware and conscientious of my actions. Through MarinSEL, I’ve learned to value the efforts I see at Cal regarding a zero waste goal, and I help and participate in the student education of environmental issues rather than scoffing at the subject and rejecting it. Everywhere I go, I let people know how to dispose of their trash or food, and the program has taught me not only how to approach others regarding these topics, but also the power of educating. I believe that Cal, being in one of the best areas for environmental initiatives, will keep these critical issues front and center and one-day reach their goal of zero waste, becoming one of the first universities in the country to succeed in this goal.
Save the Date
The Green Fling Gala on April 28th, 2017 from 6-11pm at Bay Club StoneTree
