San José State University : Sustainability : Get Involved

Get Involved

The best way to stay up to date with SJSU's latest sustainability events and news is by signing up for our Sustainability email list, here.

Every month over the 2009/2010 academic year, in conjunction with the SJSU Ecological Footprint Challenge, our sustainability team presented our Sustainability Matters Series of workshops, academic and "real world" panels on a variety of sustainability issues, and how we interelate with each of them through our daily lives. Details of these past or upcoming events can be found on our Events page.

Telecommunting for classes by using such connection technologies, when available, is great way to attend while also reducing your footprint. See what a huge difference this can make in this facinating and informative overview, eLearning = Green Learning (PDF).

Sustainability Week 2010 was April 19 - 23 at various locations on campus, featuring speakers, workshops, a green careers panel, and interactive events pertaining to sustainable practices. Coordinated by the SJSU ERC and the SJSU Sustainability Initiative, more details can be found at sjsusustainabilityweek.org. Earth Day 2010 was celebrated on April 22, 10am-2pm, on the 7th & 9th Street Plazas. There was also a memorial celebration held this same day 9am-12pm, in front of Clark Hall, for beloved Environmental Studies professor Frank Schiavo, who passed away January 26, 2010. Stay tuned for the coming year's events, as they become available.

There are numerous ways for students to get involved in sustainability projects, just a few of which are listed here:

SJSU Environmental Resource Center - a student operated organization within the Environmental Studies Department. It is designed for students to get a hands on experience through ongoing projects that promotes sustainability on campus.
SJSU Center for the Development of Recycling - Find information here about recycling and waste management programs for each city in Santa Clara County. This site includes information about landfills, transfer stations, curbside recycling programs, and key contacts for each city. You can also find links to other Bay Area Counties.
Join the Veggielution! Founded by SJSU students, Veggielution is an urban farming project that empowers youth and adults from diverse backgrounds to create a sustainable food system in San Jose. Their urban farm engages the community by providing access to healthy and local food, creating youth leadership opportunities, and developing creative solutions to social and environmental justice issues.
SJSU Environmental Club - meets every Thursday in the Student Union (usually in the Ohlone room) at 5:30
Manage your E-waste! Anyone can drop off/scavenge any electronic equipment in this e-waste area, located in the Student Union #360 (Top Floor) 211 South 9th Street, San Jose. (408) 924-6976. Hours are: M-TH 8am-10pm, F-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 5-10pm
Eat greener (more greenly?) through Cool Cuisine, co-authored by Dr. Eugene Cordero, SJSU Associate Professor of Meteorology.
Got kids to teach, about living more lightly? Dr. Anne Marie Todd of SJSU's School of Communication Studies has authored a book aimed at 9-12 year olds, entitled Get Green!
UC, CSU, CCC Sustainability Conference - An annual event for sharing Innovative and Best Practices in Campus Sustainability for the University of California, California State University, and California Community College systems.
Silicon Valley Neat Ideas Fair - an annual forum to promote creativity and entrepreneurship at SJSU by generating and highlighting Neat Business Ideas.
The National Teach-In on Global Warming took place on February 5 2009 - at the beginning of the first 100 days of the Obama administration, the National Teach-In on Global Warming will engage over a million Americans in solutions-driven dialogue. As educators, students and citizens, we owe our nation a focused conversation about the critical decisions that will determine if our descendants will inherit a prosperous or an impoverished planet.

In December 2008, The Spartan Daily published an article entitled "One man's trash, another's treasure".

SJSU Associated Students has developed a Transportation Solutions site which has suggestions for minimizing your carbon footprint while getting to and from campus. With the AS Eco Pass and Tower Card (SJSU ID card), SJSU students, staff, and faculty can enjoy unlimited rides on all Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Buses and Light Rail for the duration of the AS Eco Pass sticker.

Veggielution hard at work