education

Ways to celebrate Earth Day

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 20:48:58 +0000

Ways to celebrate Earth Day Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 12/14/2023 - 13:48

Earth Day began in 1970 as more people in the United States and across the globe became aware of the environmental impact caused by humans. Before the 1970’s, many people considered air and water pollution a normal and expected part of life. Celebrating Earth Day each year is vital because it recognizes the harm caused to the environment while showing support across the globe for protecting the Earth. You can take steps this Earth Day to support sustainability through your own collective and individual actions.

How to contribute to Earth Day every day

You can be a part of Earth Day by coming together with the CU Boulder community to protect our planet. Whether you are on campus or not, you can get involved and make a difference in numerous ways. Here are some of the ways you can participate in Earth Day today and every day.

Participate in advocacy: One of the best ways to make a difference is through advocacy. You can sign petitions and participate in Earth Day events on campus and in your community. You can also write to your local, state and national officials. Ask them to support legislation that protects our planet.
Sustainable fashion: Fast fashion negatively impacts the environment by increasing clothing waste and pollution from textile production. Donate or sell your unwanted clothing instead of throwing items away to reduce waste and give your clothes a new life. You can also make an impact by shopping at thrift stores, buying fewer new clothing items and supporting brands that intentionally support sustainability in their production processes.
Take part in a community or global cleanup: The Environmental Center hosts events to support sustainability locally, like their Boulder Creek cleanup and the annual Campus Sustainability Summit. If you're not in Boulder, you can search for cleanup opportunities in your area or connect with a local organization to offer your support.
Make your next meal plant-based: Choosing more plant-based meals can help lower carbon emissions and reduce the impact of food production on the environment. Transition your breakfast, lunch or dinner to plant-based options and look for plant-based meals at the dining halls on campus. While you can opt for a fully vegan diet, choosing one plant-based meal a day can still have an impact.
Get inspired: Explore ways to take action and make a difference throughout the year. A few standout ideas include picking up trash while you run (hello, plogging), switching to reusable bags, meal prepping and growing a container garden on your patio.
Join the CU community via the AWorld App: The AWorld app supports the United Nations ActNow campaign, encouraging individual action on climate change. Once you download the app, you can join the CU community to track your sustainable actions. Actions include daily tasks like meditating, eating a vegetarian or vegan meal, carpooling or taking public transportation.

Remember, every small action adds up to make a significant impact. Let's work together to create a sustainable future for generations to come. These are just a few examples of how you can make a difference.

The impacts of Earth Day

Since its inception, Earth Day has continued to grow and increase awareness of environmental issues and the actions people can take to support sustainability.

Just one year after the first Earth Day, 25% of Americans believed protecting the environment was important.
In the years that followed, many national environmental policies passed, including:
The Clean Air Act
The Water Quality Improvement Act
The Endangered Species Act
The Toxic Substances Control Act
The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
The Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1970, following the first Earth Day marches.
Earth Day celebrations every April 22 continue to make an impact across the globe.

The importance of Earth Day

Earth Day is an annual reminder that climate change has a major impact on our planet, our lives and our future. It can also increase awareness and drives change. Earth Day continues to evolve and add value to sustainability movements across the globe.

Earth Day provides a day to focus on education about environmental issues affecting our planet.
Demonstrations on Earth Day help signal to government representatives the importance of environmental issues to their constituents.
Earth Day sets aside a day each year to reflect on the significance of the planet's health and what we can all do to positively impact our environment.
Earth Day has influenced major national policy in the past and will continue to do so.

The history of Earth Day

Author Rachel Caron released her book Silent Spring in 1962. The book brought attention to how the use of harmful chemicals, such as DDT, caused everlasting damage to wildlife, nature and people, and it called for humans to act responsibly as stewards of the living earth.

Caron’s book motivated Junior Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin to create Earth Day. He selected April 22 because it fell perfectly between spring break and final exams and would allow space for college students to get involved.

On April 22, 1970, an estimated 20 million people gathered at schools, universities and community centers across the U.S. to host inaugural events that brought awareness to the need for more environmental laws. These events also brought attention to a wide variety of environmental issues.

Denis Hayes, who helped organize the first Earth Day with Gaylord Nelson, went on to found the Earth Day Network, which spread Earth Day internationally, helping organize events in over 141 countries.

Earth Day Monumental Moments:

1970: First Earth Day celebrated.
1990: Twentieth anniversary, an estimated 200 million people in over 141 countries celebrate.
2010: Fortieth anniversary, an estimated 1 billion people worldwide gathered to celebrate.
2020: Fiftieth anniversary of Earth Day, in-person events were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but people globally celebrated via social media.

Want to learn more? Check out the official Earth Day website for more information on the history of Earth Day, different projects you can participate in and simple ways to change the planet. You can also connect with the Environmental Center to learn ways to get involved.

April 22 is only one day each year, but you can treat every day like Earth Day!

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Composting at CU – a student perspective

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 20:45:43 +0000

Composting at CU – a student perspective Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 12/14/2023 - 13:45

Kayla Vasarhelyi

I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, but a passion for sustainability drew me halfway across the country to CU Boulder. When I arrived here, I thought I had it all figured out. I recycled all my papers and plastics, used reusable containers and thrifted most of my clothes. However, shortly into my time on campus, I realized there was much more to being zero waste than I had ever expected. Composting was the sharpest learning curve.

Prior to moving to Boulder, I thought composting was just something that could be done on an individual scale to make soil using food scraps and yard waste.

There were a lot of things I didn’t realize about compost:

Composting creates a nutrient-rich soil to be used instead of toxic fertilizers.
Compost helps to reduce climate change.
Compostables in landfills will create methane, a much stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
Landfills are often located in someone’s backyard, and that someone is often part of a low-income community that can’t escape from the smells, noise and runoff from landfill operations.
Keeping material out of landfills will reduce the need to build landfills.

In spring 2023, Colorado’s composting guidelines changed. Previously, CU Boulder offered compost bins all over campus and accepted compostable paper towels and plastics along with food scraps and yard waste. With the changes, CU Boulder continues to compost food scraps and yard waste from campus operations. These were the majority of the items composted from our campus before the change. In 2022, CU Boulder composted approximately 23 tons per month of yard waste and 40 tons per month of food scraps.

If you live off-campus in Boulder, you can talk to your landlord about providing landfill, recycling and compost bins to help you manage your household waste sustainably. It is essential to know that compostable plastic and paper are not recyclable. If you have a number seven plastic and composting is unavailable, throw it in the landfill bin. Compostable plastics are common contaminants in recycling, and too many can make recycling unusable.

We are lucky to attend a school that prioritizes composting to dispose of waste. I hope this article helps build your understanding of composting and kickstarts your journey to being a compost lover!

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Shaping sustainability in CU’s Greek community: Green Greeks meeting highlights

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 20:36:54 +0000

Shaping sustainability in CU’s Greek community: Green Greeks meeting highlights Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 12/12/2023 - 13:36

Are you a member of CU’s Greek community, passionate about making a positive impact on the environment? Look no further than Green Greeks! Whether you're interested in reducing carbon footprints, promoting waste diversion or educating others on sustainability, Green Greeks offers a platform to make a real difference.

On Sept. 27, 2023, members of Green Greeks gathered for an impactful meeting at the University Memorial Center (UMC) to discuss their mission, upcoming events and the role of Green Greeks Representatives. This meeting shed light on the exciting opportunities and impactful initiatives that await you. Here’s a summary of the key takeaways:

Green Greeks aims to inspire sustainability leadership within CU’s Greek community by promoting eco-friendly practices.
The club collaborates with various programs including Greek Week, ECO-Visits, Zero Waste Green Team, SKI Bus and the Basic Needs Center, offering numerous opportunities for members to positively contribute.
They’re hiring Fraternity Sustainability Coordinators! Reach out via email at greengreeks@colorado.edu to express your interest and learn more about this fantastic opportunity.

Why Join Green Greeks?

Make tangible changes in your community and translate your actions into meaningful change.
Develop valuable leadership skills in sustainable practices.
Foster change within your Greek chapter and connect with like-minded individuals who share your passion for sustainability.
Gain knowledge about sustainability, waste diversion and energy efficiency while actively reducing carbon footprints in your community.

The Sept. 27 Green Greeks Representative meeting was a resounding success, serving as a reminder of the passion and dedication within the Greek community to promote sustainability and environmental responsibility. As we move forward into the fall semester, Green Greeks continues to pave the way towards a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future for all Greek houses at CU.

Ready to get involved?

To learn more, you can visit the Green Greeks website or reach out via email at greengreeks@colorado.edu.

Are you a member of CU’s Greek community, passionate about making a positive impact on the environment? Look no further than Green Greeks!

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Q&A with Environmental Center's recycling operations center lead

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 20:20:39 +0000

Q&A with Environmental Center's recycling operations center lead Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 12/12/2023 - 13:20

Megan Adam

John LaBar (he/him/his), originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, is a dedicated student at CU Boulder. He’s currently majoring in EBIO (ecology and evolutionary biology) and minoring in philosophy. Over the past year and a half, John has been actively involved with the CU Boulder Environmental Center, where he serves as the recycling operations center (ROC) lead. Beyond his academic and environmental interests, John enjoys music and hiking. However, his true passion lies in ecology - he’s fascinated by the study of nature, biology and ecosystems. With a strong commitment to sustainability and waste reduction, John is dedicated to making a meaningful impact, both on campus and within his community.

What are some of the key tasks or projects John has been involved in as a student staff member at the Environmental Center?

As a student staff member at the Environmental Center, John’s main focus is at the GROC (Grounds & Recycling Operations Center), but he also takes on additional responsibilities. He explains, “I also work events and am a certified driver on campus for Zero Waste.” However, one of his favorite tasks is training and getting to know new team members.

What is a typical day like for John?

A typical day for John starts early, but he admits, “I wake up early, but rot in bed until I have to rush to bike to class.” During the afternoon, you’ll find John dedicating his time to the ROC (Recycling Operations Center). After wrapping up his work there, he heads back home to tackle his academic commitments. In the evening, John takes some time to relax and enjoy some downtime with his roommates. He explains, “I often make some food and wind down the night playing games with the roommates or watching a show.”

What plans and goals does John have for after graduation?

As for his plans after graduation in December 2023, John acknowledges, “I’m definitely still figuring that out.” However, he has a clear aspiration in mind, stating, “I am hoping to go to grad school and study more ecology.”

What does John’s ideal vision of sustainability look like?

In sharing his ideal vision of sustainability, John emphasizes the importance of thoughtful product design, stating, “Products need to be designed with their end state in mind.” He highlights the detrimental impact of products designed for disposability, saying “The millions of products that are manufactured every day whose purpose is essentially to be thrown away are costing us more and more over time.” Furthermore, his vision extends to fostering a sense of personal responsibility towards the natural world. Overall, for John, sustainability encompasses both conscious product design and a widespread commitment to responsible living for the benefit of the environment.

What advice does John have for students who want to live more sustainable lifestyles but aren’t sure where to start?

John believes that, “It all starts with having a mindset of reducing your own waste, which takes effort and awareness.” He suggests several practical steps, starting with mindful choices in eating and shopping. He notes, “There are always ways to lower your impact, starting with how you eat and how you shop.” While acknowledging that going vegan is an optimal choice, he also recommends a simpler approach, stating, “just buying the local/in-season produce or fish rather than meat is a good place to start.”

Additionally, John encourages students to reconsider their reliance on convenient but wasteful options like Amazon and UberEats. He points out the benefits of in-person shopping, explaining, “going to a real store and picking things up yourself can only reduce the amount of waste required to do the same task.” John’s advice centers on the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra, emphasizing that meaningful change starts with a conscious effort to reduce waste and promote reuse.

John LaBar (he/him/his), originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, is a dedicated student at CU Boulder. He’s currently majoring in EBIO (ecology and evolutionary biology) and minoring in philosophy.

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Q&A with Environmental Center's zero waste events lead

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 20:11:44 +0000

Q&A with Environmental Center's zero waste events lead Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 12/12/2023 - 13:11

Megan Adam

Meet Moe Collins (they/them), a passionate and dedicated student from Broomfield, Colorado, pursuing a major in environmental studies with a minor in political science. For the past four years, Moe has been an integral part of the CU Boulder Environmental Center, where they currently serve as the Zero Waste Events Lead. Beyond their environmental work, Moe has a diverse range of interests including drag, art and promoting queer identities. Their dedication to environmental justice and advocacy for fair treatment underscores their commitment to making a positive impact in the world.

What sparked Moe’s interest in environmental and sustainability issues?

Initially undecided during their freshman year, Moe’s interest in environmental and sustainability issues unexpectedly started when they took an introductory class on the environment. This class became a catalyst, inspiring them to dedicate their life to such issues. Their passion grew when they started working at the Environmental Center and saw how committed and passionate their colleagues were. In Moe’s words, these colleagues were “dedicated and passionate individuals doing the most that they could,” compelling Moe to become an advocate for environmental and sustainability initiatives.

What are some of the key tasks or projects Moe’s been involved in as a student staff member at the Environmental Center?

As a student staff member at the Environmental Center, Moe says, “I divert waste from landfills and make sure recycling is done properly on campus.” Additionally, Moe is involved in the setup and dismantlement of waste stations, followed by the sorting of materials, which you can read more about here.

What makes CU and the Boulder community unique in terms of sustainability?

Moe observes that the people they collaborate with at their workplace are deeply committed to their tasks, stating, “Everyone I work with and for is extremely passionate about what they do.”

How does Moe think their work and the work of the Environmental Center has impacted campus and the broader community?

For Moe, the most impactful moments in their work occur when it’s acknowledged. They note that many people on campus are unaware of their role, but when they learn about it, their perspectives shift. Moe highlights the importance of making environmental issues visible to the community as the most effective way to garner interest and concern, stating, “People don’t really care until they see it for themselves.”

Want to live a more sustainable lifestyle but aren’t sure where to start? Here’s Moe’s advice!

Moe’s advice to students aspiring to adopt more sustainable lifestyles is straightforward: “Just do it.” They underscore the ease and personal rewards of sustainability efforts, emphasizing the importance of individual action.

Meet Moe Collins (they/them), a passionate and dedicated student from Broomfield, Colorado.

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The hidden curriculum

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 06:00:00 +0000

The hidden curriculum Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 04/04/2023 - 00:00

Adam Spicer

Are you “in the know” or “on the out?” Well, many college students don’t even know where they stand thanks to our friend, the hidden curriculum. The hidden curriculum refers to the set of norms and rules within a formal education context that are considered to be universal, but often are obscured for many typically first-generation and lower-income students. These unspoken rules can manifest in a number of ways that impact students' abilities to learn within an academic setting.

One example of how the hidden curriculum may manifest in a college environment is through the use of academic language, culture and structure. Students who come from backgrounds where academic language and academic culture might not be emphasized may struggle to understand and navigate the expectations of their professors, such as in the structuring of academic papers or interpreting complex academic language. This may lead to feelings of inadequacy, frustration and isolation amplified by “imposter syndrome,” particularly for first-generation, low-income students or international students.

A common example of institutionalized academic culture that may be misinterpreted comes from professors' office hours announcements. Many first-generation students report interpreting professors announcing their office hours as times in the professor's schedule where they wish to be left alone in their office, instead of times professors set aside specifically for assisting their students. One effort to combat this potential confusion is to refer to office hours instead as “student hours'' which more directly communicates the function of that allotted time.

Another example of the hidden curriculum in a college environment is the expectation of participating in extracurricular activities. Students who are aware of this norm may join clubs and organizations, attend networking events and engage in volunteer work to boost their resumes and make connections with potential employers. However, for students who are unaware of this expectation, they may miss out on valuable opportunities to develop their skills and networks, potentially impacting their career prospects.

Overall, the hidden curriculum in college can have a significant impact on students' experiences and outcomes, particularly for those who are not familiar with the norms and expectations of academia. It is important for educators to be aware of the hidden curriculum and work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable learning environment for all students.

Unspoken norms or rules within formal education can impact students' ability to learn and be successful.

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CU Boulder: a sustainable leader and the place for you to discover your sustainable interests

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 07:00:00 +0000

CU Boulder: a sustainable leader and the place for you to discover your sustainable interests Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 02/10/2023 - 00:00

Sustainability and CU go hand-in-hand and have a long history together. CU has been a leader in climate research and sustainability practices on and off campus. Sustainability is a building block of both campus and the university system itself. CU has a number of sustainable accomplishments:

First U.S university to:

Create a student-led environmental center
Build an NCAA Division I zero waste stadium and athletics program
Be Sierra Club’s #1 greenest school
Launch a student-led campus recycling program

This is just the beginning. CU has many more accomplishments and is continuing to pave the way for more sustainable research, innovation and leadership. CU is committed to pushing the limits of sustainable development, enabling sustainable leaders and positively impacting the local Boulder community and the planet.

CU’s location provides students access to numerous top-notch research facilities, where students and faculty collaborate with some of the most recognized individuals in their research field. A few of the facilities located right here in Boulder include:

National Center for Atmospheric Research
National Ecological Observatory Network
NOAA Earth System Research Lab

Want to get involved? CU Boulder students can:

Volunteer with the Environmental Center
Join the Climate Justice Leadership Program
Participate in the upcoming President’s Sustainable Solutions Challenge
Send sustainable ideas to campus leadership

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If the Environmental Center had a competitor

Anonymous — Tue, 10 May 2022 06:00:00 +0000

If the Environmental Center had a competitor Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 05/10/2022 - 00:00

Dave Newport

If the Environmental Center were a private business operating in a market and another business called “Mission Zero” came along that had the same mission, more flexibility and greater resources, we would have to consider them a challenging competitor.

Fortunately, we serve CU students and operate within CU Student Government—and the fledgling startup Mission Zero organization seeks only to help us amplify our mission, not supplant it.

Mission Zero (MZ) was founded by a donation from Scott King and his family in 2020 in response to the urgency of protecting democracy and fighting the climate crisis. Scott says MZ was founded, “to improve society’s resilience to climate change and, more importantly, to champion carbon zero living. I hope to see it grow into a movement. In order to solve a problem as big as climate change, we need as many people working on it as possible.”

I cannot disagree with any part of Scott’s statement. Happily, that’s a major Environmental Center focus as well and has been so for 52 years.

Therefore, partnering with Mission Zero was an instant yes. And that alliance has grown, become more impactful and paid off for all concerned. They have supported many of the things we do with new ideas, funding and personnel. Likewise, via their unique status as a CU “activist donor,” MZ has successfully engaged and allied with campus leadership, faculty and staff in a way that has empowered a more forward and coordinated effort to deliver on our mutual goals.

In just MZ’s first year, they have helped ideate, support or fund numerous joint programs and efforts campus wide such as:

Engineering climate capstone projects
- Grid vs. Evil: funding was allocated to the Grid vs. Evil project from the Mission Zero Fund for design and creation of the electric vehicle ecosystem.
CU Solar Decathlon: Mission Zero is matching the $10,000 donations to the CU Solar Decathlon program.
Climate Summits
- Solutions Showcase 2022: co-hosted with CU’s Environmental Center on April 21 where students and faculty presented climate action-related startup projects in the form of posters, videos/slideshows or live demonstrations.
  - Watch CGTN overview of Solutions Showcase 2022
  - Right Here Right Now UN Summit (coming Dec 2022): the summit will bring together thought leaders from the public, private, civic and academic communities to advance education about climate change as a human rights crisis, discuss the responsibilities of various entities to address the crisis and identify actionable solutions.
Hindsight "Changing Skies" Magazine: funding from Mission Zero made possible the creation and execution of Changing Skies, plus three climate change student-writing contests with prize money.
Creative climate communication and behavior change: creative communication specifically bridges the gap from the common “doom and gloom” outlook, to reframe it in a more personal and relatable way. So far, C3BC has brought together four initiatives on campus that already have a track record in creating meaningful and transformative experiences.
Climate curriculum development
- Program for Writing and Rhetoric faculty training: faculty attended seminars and were able to take their learning into the classroom. With over 6,000 CU students taking nearly 350 PWR classes each year, this program can impact a broad set of students enrolled in all CU Boulder colleges.
  - Climate Across the Curriculum workshop: Mission Zero earmarked funding for the “Climate Across the Curriculum” faculty workshop that will guide instructors and professors on how to incorporate climate into their existing curriculum.
  - New course development: Confronting Environmental Racism class: this course is designed to enable students to learn skills that will be impactful in climate action, while also ensuring that climate action is anti-racist, equitable and just, by making them aware of racist situations within the environmental and climate sector.
CU’s Climate Action and Climate Justice Plan: support from the Environmental Center, Mission Zero and additional university resources help ensure that diverse faculty, students and staff are engaged in the process.
Climate justice speaker event: funding to compensate those involved in environmental justice efforts for their time in educating students.
New venture challenge - climate track
- Agraaze: environmental entrepreneurship is a vital tool for addressing climate change. CU is one of the leaders in entrepreneurship, and Mission Zero and donors are helping these budding entrepreneurs focus their energy on solving our climate crisis.
College of Media, Communication, and Information (CMCI): support for climate change programs was distributed during the spring 2022 semester.
Student climate project funding: Mission Zero allocated funding in order to provide over 50 student climate projects with either $500 per individual or $2,000 per team.
Student-athletes for climate action (NIL): one of the best ways to reach and engage students with climate action at any university is through cooperation with student-athletes who are also passionate about climate. These student-athletes will impact the level of engagement Mission Zero and the Environmental Center has with the student body at CU through social media outreach and awareness of climate action programs.
Mission Zero student internships: Environmental Center and MZ Interns and volunteers are also the lifeblood of both organizations’ connection to the student body.

Bottom line: we are excited about Mission Zero’s partnership with the EC and the campus. We have allied to each bring what we do best to every one of our endeavors, and that means much stronger impacts across the board. MZ’s impacts span several major spheres of campus and are unprecedented in terms of scope. We are all learning how to align and coordinate our respective actions. But that is a good problem to have. And in the face of climate change, we need some good problems if we are to be effective in mitigating the many not so favorable challenges we face.

After a successful first year, now we must focus on long term sustainability and growth of Mission Zero. Donor driven, MZ and the campus have now set out to bring in more supportive and resourceful donors to help raise our respective games.

With MZ’s support and our strong partnerships, we can transform CU into Climate University. The first year of the MZ/EC partnership put that goal on the launchpad. Now the countdown must begin toward lift off. Donors and supporters can help light that fire—and illuminate a better future for CU and the planet. That is a future vision we all want to see.

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Bring on the green chemistry education, please!

Anonymous — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Bring on the green chemistry education, please! Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 04/10/2022 - 00:00

Surveying shows that CU Boulder students want access to green chemistry education as part of their chemistry coursework. To begin to fill that void, a pilot to integrate green chemistry into the introductory chemistry course, CHEM 1021, has been underway since the beginning of the spring 2022 semester. This pilot is being led by two student assistants, Brinn Mcdowell and Jan Hu, and is a collaborative effort between the CU Green Labs Program and the Director of Chemistry Instruction and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Academic Affairs, Matthew Wise, PhD.

So, what is green chemistry? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, green chemistry is defined as "the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the generation of hazardous substances."

According to a survey of students in chemistry courses in the fall of 2021, 86% of CU Boulder undergraduates expressed interest in learning about green chemistry and 81% wanted to see more green chemistry topics covered in their chemistry curriculum. 58% of students said they would be interested in taking an additional chemistry course specifically on green chemistry and even more students, 69%, indicated that they would select current chemistry courses offered with a green chemistry emphasis over the courses in their present form. In total, three surveys have been conducted in 2018, 2019, and 2021. See a breakdown of more results here.

The CU Boulder Chemistry Department has already made strides to green many of its chemistry teaching experiments and labs. Modifications to lab experiments have been implemented to cut back on overall waste and the use of toxic chemicals. However, the chemistry lecture classes have yet to be altered which is the focus of the pilot. Thus far, the pilot has successfully demonstrated that student teaching assistants, with education in chemistry, can research and incorporate engaging content on green chemistry into classes. Importantly, this approach minimizes the time commitment required by faculty to work on this integration and provides chemistry student assistants with an outstanding professional development opportunity to apply their skills and knowledge.

If you are interested in learning more about the pilot, attend the 29th Annual Campus Sustainability Summit- Solutions Showcase 2022 where you can learn more about the results of the surveys conducted, the pilot program itself and the impact the program would have on campus if it secures proper funding. With funding for expansion, the pilot program would have the ability to hire student teaching assistants for introductory, general and organic chemistry classes to focus specifically on incorporating and improving the integration of green chemistry into these core chemistry courses. These courses collectively are taken by thousands of CU Boulder students every year from many different majors.

Pilot expansion would have a wide-reaching impact on students while they are getting their education at CU Boulder, but also on what these students choose to do once they graduate, as they would leave CU with the knowledge of green chemistry practices and have the ability to enact change that could have a lasting impact on our future.

Surveying shows that CU Boulder students want access to green chemistry education as part of their chemistry coursework.

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Green chemistry scholarship builds resumes

Anonymous — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Green chemistry scholarship builds resumes Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/14/2021 - 00:00

In today’s highly competitive job market, students look for ways to make their resume stand out. Students can elevate their resume by participating in the online green chemistry certificate program offered by the University of Washington (UW). The certificate courses give graduates the tools to make a difference and find success by learning to design safer chemicals and industrial processes. This program is a partnership of CU Green Labs and CHEMunity. The CU Boulder Chemistry Department, Environmental Health and Safety, the Graduate School, and Sustainable CU have funded scholarships for CU Boulder students participating in the program.

Zack Krajnak, a CU Boulder junior majoring in chemistry, received the Green Chemistry Scholarship. When asked why he applied for the scholarship, he stated, "I'm very excited to learn more about green chemistry and how to lessen the impact of all the chemistry we as a society perform on our environment. I think this kind of environmental consciousness is very important for all STEM students and something that should interest every chemistry student here at CU.” Zack is not alone in his excitement for green chemistry. CU Green Labs, in collaboration with members of the Chemistry Department, surveyed students to gauge interest. More than 85% of surveyed students were interested in green chemistry on CU Boulder’s campus. With businesses and governing bodies facing increasing market and regulatory pressures to use fewer toxic chemicals in their manufacturing processes and products, it should be no surprise that courses like green chemistry are in demand. Up-and-coming professionals with the skills to provide innovative solutions and more sustainable substitutes are needed. 67% of global executives agree that sustainability strategies are necessary to be competitive.

Providing courses specialized in green chemistry or integrating green chemistry into existing courses would also align with the University’s commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. Teaching the next generation of scientists to be mindful of the environmental impact of their work can help prevent future generations from exposure to harmful conditions. Green chemistry is about finding improved alternatives. With an integrated approach, policymakers, engineers and other professionals will have the knowledge and tools to make educated and equitable decisions on sustainability. The CU Boulder chemistry teaching labs have been modifying and swapping teaching experiments performed by students with those aligned with green chemistry principles, thus reducing hazardous chemical use and waste generation.

A possible future for CU Boulder’s green chemistry education opportunities could include a green chemistry course and integration into existing chemistry courses. For example, introductory chemistry classes reach many CU Boulder students in different majors. Many students could benefit from green chemistry education offerings, especially with entry-level chemistry classes comprised mainly of non-chemistry majors.

Check out this video to find out more about green chemistry at CU Boulder. Learn more about the scholarship program and application process for CU Boulder students. If you have questions, email the CU Boulder Green Chemistry Certificate Scholarship Committee at gccs.scho larship@gmail.com.

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