If you have ever thought of learning more about sustainability on campus, now is the time. The Empower Poly Coalition is Cal Poly’s largest sustainability group on campus, comprised of 27 sustainability clubs working collectively to embody and empower students. You may remember the organization for its major efforts in putting on Focus The Nation, the largest student teach-in in Cal Poly’s history that underscored the importance of political leaders taking action on climate change policy. Since that time, Empower Poly has been dedicated to several key initiatives, events and outreach campaigns to further develop sustainability on campus. Here is a list of Empower Poly’s current programs.
Focus SLO Earth Week 2010
During the week of April 20-25th, Empower Poly will be hosting an event called Focus SLO: Earth Week 2010. We will be developing a website to showcase all of the events happening in San Luis Obispo on and around Earth day, April 22nd. If you or your organization is planning an event for Earth Day, please contact the Empower Poly Coalition to find our how you can be a part of Focus SLO 2010.
ESLP (Education For Sustainable Living Program)
Empower Poly is currently talking about working on a program called the Education For Sustainable Living Program (ESLP). The program will include the development of a sustainable living class that will be taught by renowned guest lecturers. The program will be one unit, and we are currently looking into offering the class in the Fall of 2010. We are looking for teachers and students who are interested in helping establish the Education for Sustainable Living Program.
TGIF (The Green Initiative Fund)
Empower Poly is spearheading a project called The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) that will serve as a grant-making fund. When enacted, it will attribute funds for student-led sustainability projects at Cal Poly. The proposed $5 increase in tuition fees will go to the funding of projects such as renewable energy, small-scale energy efficiency building retrofits, water conservation measures, sustainable transportation, expanding recycling/composting and sustainability internships. With the proposed $5 increase in tuition fees, approximately $300,000 would be made available for the funding of these projects every year. Students, faculty and staff are eligible to submit project proposals. Check out www.tgifcalpoly.com for more information.
Take Back The Tap Campaign
The Empower Poly Coalition is teaming up with members of the Take Back The Tap Campaign on campus to develop policies banning plastic bottles and bags on campus. Students, faculty and staff are working together to take back the tap. Concerned students are developing relationships with campus dining to understand the methods for reducing the amount of plastic waste that Cal Poly generates.
Real Food Challenge
The Real Food Challenge is a campaign that seeks to increase the procurement of real food on campus to 20% real food by 2020. Cal Poly’s organic farm has the potential to far exceed the goals set forth by this campaign, and we could be a pilot campus for how to grow sustainable and organic foods at a university! The Real Food Challenge serves as both a campaign at Cal Poly, and a network of hundreds of universities across the nation. In order to better understand if we can meet this goal, Empower Poly has been researching the percentage of food sold on campus based on what is considered “real food.”
Campus Composting
The Cal Poly Zero Waste Program aims at reducing the solid waste our campus sends to the landfill by enhancing the composting and recycling program. The program’s goal is to educate students on campus about the importance of recycling/composting and how they can practice waste reduction at home.
Drop by an Empower Poly Coalition meeting to learn more about sustainability on campus, or send an email to empowerpolycoaltion@gmail.com. Weekly meetings are Tuesdays at 6 p.m. in Engineering IV building, room 192.