Student Involvement
Similar to other universities, Pacific students, faculty, and staff have been busy expanding and instituting a wide variety of campus sustainability initiatives in recent years. Pacific students often provide critic leadership in sparking new initiatives through program involvements and service in support of natural resource protection and conservation.
The Mountains, Ocean, Valley Experience (MOVE) is a unique first year experience designed to welcome new students to the Pacific Community through participation in experiential learning and service projects in key locations throughout Northern California. The Program utilizes a collaboratively designed curriculum that incorporates the concepts of social and emotional competence, responsible leadership, and environmental sustainability to introduce students to the values of Pacific. In 2010 the MOVE program was expanded to include all entering freshman and transfer students.
The Tiger Bikes program was established by Student Life to make recycled bicycles available to other students for use around campus each semester. Each bike has an orange "Tiger Bikes" license plate.
Campus dining services at Pacific has been selected as one of eight institutions in the nation to participate at the leadership level of their Farm to Fork program, promoting seasonal foods purchased from local markets and using recycled materials for disposable serving ware. Students helped to develop a composting program to reduce food waste.
The Student Sustainability Coalition (SSC) provides the opportunity to unite organizations in various areas of the University to question, evaluate, organize, develop, and manage documented change whether through policy, programs, forums, or events which focus on the universities responsibility to sustainability. This coalition also strengthens the support for sustainable practices at Pacific and allows for a community who shares similar goals and objectives to maintain clear communication and in pursuit of more sustainable practices at the University.
The role of each SSC Representative would be to provide the Coalition with updates, information, and suggestions in which their individual organizations find to be of importance. The representative would in turn provide information to their respective organizations. Each representative would serve as a communication link between their organization and the Coalition. Within the Coalition, the representatives would also work together to organize and divide the work of the sustainability initiatives at hand.
Any student organization that has a passion for sustainability or bettering the environment can join the SSC. Currently the student organizations that sit on the Student Sustainability Coalition are: Associated Student Body Government (ASuop), Residence for Earth and Environmental Living and Learning (REELL), Students for Environmental Action (SEA), and Residence Hall Association (RHA).
Residence for Earth and Environmental Living and Learning (REELL) bring freshmen interested in the environment together in a residence hall for programming to learn about global environmental change and responsible oversight and use of natural resources. In 2009, the REELL community in partnership with the Geological and Environmental Sciences Department promoted a campus campaign entitled "Tap That." The purpose of the program was to educate and inform the campus community about disposable water bottles and their adverse effects on the environment, and as well as expose the human injustices associated with the privatization of water by bottling companies. In 2010, the REELL community started a reusable bag campaign on campus, where they now sell reusable bags at The Grove. Students can purchase these bags for $5 instead of paying $.25 for a plastic bag. 100% of the sales go back towards purchasing more bags.
Students for Environmental Action (SEA) is a group of students that want to make a difference on campus and within the community but also think globally by relating their actions to the bigger picture. SEA's purpose is to increase involvement, take action to improve sustainability, and to communicate environmental awareness. SEA participates in environmental cleanups and events, hiking trips, campus awareness and sustainability projects.
