Zero Waste Coalition

Garbage cans outside of student housing were overflowing as the semester came to a close, much like in previous years. With little time to pack after final exams and before move-out dates, students find themselves throwing away items in good condition because they do not have space in their car ride home or simply lack proper storage accommodations.

During this year’s move-out season, I have hope that we can collectively mobilize behind the Cooperative Reuse program to redistribute thousands of furniture items and leave Berkeley a more sustainable place.

Environmental organizations on campus have spent the COVID-19 pandemic spearheading several sustainability initiatives, including a focus on single-use plastics. 

UC Berkeley is ranked 13th in Sierra magazine’s 2020 “Cool Schools” ranking, alongside five other UC campuses that placed in the top 30 schools.

While public health is a top priority, it's still important to prevent literal tons of material from being dumped on the streets or ending up in landfills.