CSF Project Paintings

CSF ambassadors
03/13/2018

Rachel Carey, a senior communications major, joined the CSF's ambassador program in the fall quarter 2017. During her tenure as a CSF Ambassador, Rachel took a creative approach to telling the story of two CSF projects: the Life Science Building's Putting the Green in Greenhouse and the Campus Illumination sustainable lighting plan. She interviewed project leads and created interpretive paintings informed by the character of the project and the teams' anecdotes. Rachel has served as a leader and mentor with UW Leaders, interned at Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Activism (SARVA) and volunteered across a variety of student organizations. She describes painting as therapeutic and a way for her to help tell the story of causes, organizations, and everyday people. Her mission as an artist is to "provide her audience with new perspectives, inspired by everyday stories, to better mental health and encourage other's to share their stories with one another." For more on Rachel's work or to have her tell your organization's story, visit www.yourstorypainted.com

Awesome work Rachel! Do you have a creative idea for the CSF or are you interested in our Ambassador program? Contact our Outreach Coordinator Whisper St Christopher at uwcsf@uw.edu to discuss ways to get involved!

Rachel explans her paintings and the process behind them below:

“A guide to lighting the future” is inspired by the CSF project Campus Illumination and the incredible minds behind it. As we move towards a more sustainable future, this project acts as a roadmap to improving exterior campus lighting. After interviewing project leads Kelly Douglas and Christopher Meek, I really got a feel for their extraordinary campus-wide efforts, learning just how much careful thought was put into this project. It’s phenomenal that this road map takes into account the safety of people and minimizes wildlife migration interruptions, all while reducing the university’s electrical footprint through LED lighting. I was inspired to create this future of exterior lighting on a canvas by incorporating the interconnectivity of lights with the environment and also the people relying on those lights for guidance. I first found myself splattering stars, for it is the stars that naturally light the night, along with the moon. Along the skyline, you can see the university’s “W” and Seattle’s silhouette showing the origin of this project, a destination for others to turn to when they design exterior lighting efforts. The bright blues, oranges and yellows are Campus Illumination’s efforts implemented in the future. It’s their lighting that informs the way the silhouetted individual moves through time and space. Little does this individual know, there were great minds moving the sustainability effort along with retrofitted lights that ensure their safety while also working together with the respected environment. With such an innovative student-led project, I am so stoked to know that campus lighting will be protecting and informing us in the most sustainable way!

“The Future of Sustainability is Here” features two CSF projects being implemented into the future Life Sciences Building at UW Seattle, the solar and greenhouse projects, and is inspired by the amazing individuals behind them. After interviewing project leads Alexander Ratcliff and Robert Goff, with their respective teams including architecture firm Perkins+Will, I got a sense of the excitement and energy for the sustainability aspects of the Life Sciences Building. These individuals light up the room and I only felt it fit to start painting with bright colors to symbolize the brilliant minds involved in these projects. The color red in the top left corner symbolizes the abundant renewable solar energy being harnessed to power the Life Sciences Building. You can get a sense of where this energy is being harnessed from by the corresponding red in the painting, with rooftop photovoltaic solar panels and new state of the art integrated photovoltaic solar glass fins along the side of the office spaces. Something incredible to note is that any produced energy that is not needed to power the building will be sent to the city’s electrical grid! Moving on to the sustainable greenhouse implementations involves eliminating water waste. The Life Sciences Building redirects reverse osmosis/deionized (RO/DI) reject water from the building which would otherwise be sent to the sewer system and uses it to irrigate the greenhouse, which is represented by the blue water rooted on the lab section of the building and fills a large holding tank shown in the bottom right of the painting. This is revolutionary because usually this water would pass directly to the drain. As you move towards the bottom left of the painting, the water tank transitions to the many rare species of plants from all around the world that are housed in the greenhouse, thriving off of the reused water. With such innovative projects, the Life Sciences Building will be leading the way in sustainability efforts, bringing the future of building sustainably to the forefront. I’m so stoked to check out the Life Sciences Building when it’s finished with construction!


Population Health Student Project Ideas

11/21/2017

Next Steps: Letter of Intent for PHF Projects are due to CSF on November 30. Design team to summarize the most feasible/fitting projects for the CSF Project Webpage

Project Ideas:

Architecture

  • Interactive data, educational display to learn about PHI
  • Pizoelectric stairs (power generating stair treads)
  • Hydro/ Aquaponic (fish) installation
  • Hydroponic systems indoors, grow vegetables
  • Dynamic shades, Operable windows
  • Solar powered light display outside (from activity on stairs treads inside?)
  • Meditation Room: with art piece that uses rainwater. Dry when dry outside, with green/plants
  • Visual display of world data
  • Track data in building: energy use etc.
  • Showcase building features and systems in N/S wall of gallery space along 15th Order by systems scale: Occupant to global, Living Lab Showcasing LBC/WELL/LEED - showcase PHI
  • Anaerobic digester for compost
  • Sustainable and affordable sourcing
  • Urban Ag / Living Machine
  • Biomimetic bus shelter

Landscape

  • Greywater demonstration, study/research the treated water
  • Constructed Wetland
  • Rain shelters in landscape (not enough on campus)
  • Sustainable and educational landscapes
  • Display piping that collects rainwater – as an art installation – can this power lights?
  • LCA study of greywater systems
  • South end of building – sunny space, social space, with solar panels and/ green wall panels – artistic display

Population Health Design/LOI Workshop ft. Miller Hull Architects

11/13/2017

Students are invited to join us for a workshop developing awesome and innovative projects to be a part of UW's new Population Health Building!

Join the Campus Sustainability Fund and Miller Hull Architects in a design workshop exploring possible projects that will be implemented in this future building, which is aiming for LEED Gold certification (or better). This is a fantastic opportunity to not only work alongside professionals and other students on some truly impactful and forward-thinking projects, but also to network and get involved with sustainability resources on campus (and of course, share a slice of pizza with some fellow green-thinking Huskies!)

This event is focused on developing a handful of core projects, including a engineered grey/rain-water management and food-producing permaculture installation, rooftop gardens, a stack of super sustainable composting restrooms, indoor biophilic features, and a Biomimetic Pavilion bus stop / native plant exterior landscape. However, feel free to bring along any ideas you have for healthy, sustainable, and forward-thinking solutions you may have for this new build, we'd love to hear them and help translate them into reality!

After the design session with our Miller Hull Architecture representatives, the Campus Sustainability Fund staff will be available to discuss taking the next step and turning your ideas for the Population Health Project into project applications for our upcoming November 30th Letter of Intent deadline.

DETAILS:

Friday, November 17th, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM.

Gerberding Hall, B36. (Look for the UW Sustainability Offices.) 

Fill out this SHORT Google Sheet to RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/yb7gc4ab


CSF Hosts Annual Autumn Brainstorming Mixer, 2017

11/04/2017

Hello Huskies!

On Thursday, October 19th, 2017, the CSF hosted an event where members of the UW community were invited to meet the CSF team and brainstorm ideas to make the campus more sustainable. The Brainstorming Mixer kicked off with a poster exhibit featuring over a dozen projects the CSF has funded, including the Sustainable Learning Center, Solar Tables and Phone Charging Stations, and Gould Hall’s Green Wall. Attendees had the opportunity to mingle, converse with project representatives, and get a better sense of the type of projects the CSF funds, as well as learn about the other sustainable initiatives taking place on campus. During the Brainstorming Session, new project ideas were presented, including building an aeroponics system, PAVEGEN electric tiles, water wheels, and working with Housing and Food Services to pilot a reusable food container system -- such as a cafe cup swap system -- to reduce food container waste. 

The CSF also offers a diverse array of opportunities to get involved with specific projects or the CSF itself. The Kincaid Ravine Restoration Project, Yesler Swamp Bird Blind, and The UW Bicycle Library: Cycle Pack are all funded and approved projects that are in need of new leads and interns. If you’re looking to volunteer with the CSF itself, there are open positions for a Graphic Designer, and on the Outreach Ambassador team. Being new to the Outreach Ambassador team myself, I found the Brainstorming Mixer to be a nice introduction to what CSF does. In one sentence, the fund gives an opportunity to bring student ideas to life while supporting the idea of campus sustainability. By the wide variety of projects that were presented at the Mixer, there’s really not a limit to what you can do. If you weren’t able to make it to this event, I hope you can make it to our Mixer in Spring! 

Thank you,

Karen Chan

 

Photo Credit: Rachel Carey; Whisper St Christopher

Check out all the photos from the event on our Facebook Page! https://tinyurl.com/yc7nxd6a

 


Join the CSF Committee

10/10/2017

We are looking for an undergraduate and graduate students to serve on the CSF Committee for the rest of this academic year! Each year, the CSF Committee is charged with allocating over $300,000 of student funds to on-campus sustainability projects. As a CSF Committee Member, you will have influence over both the development of specific projects and our organizational strategy in pursuing a more sustainable UW. Serving on the CSF Committee involves a ~3 hour weekly commitment spent at our weekly meeting, reviewing grant applications and helping out with CSF outreach. All students are encouraged to apply regardless of academic background or class standing.

To Apply:

Graduate Students:

You may apply for the GPSS and ESC Representative positions:

GPSS: Please e-mail your resume and application form to GPSS President, Elloise Kim, at gpsspres@uw.edu. For information about liaisons’ term and expectation, please see M-11-16: Memorandum on GPSS Liaison Term.

Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC): Please e-mail your resume and application form (using the attached GPSS application form) to UW Sustainability Director Claudia Frere-Anderson at frerec@uw.edu. This position also serves as a representative to the ESC (meets once per quarter).

Undergraduate Students:

ASUW: Please complete the application form for “ASUW Representative to Campus Sustainability Fund.”

___

For questions regarding the application, email ASUW Director of Campus Partnerships Anna Johnson at asuwbdsp@uw.edu

For questions regarding the CSF in general, email CSF Outreach Coordinator Whisper St Christopher at uwcsf@uw.edu

Deadline to Apply:

Graduates: Thursday, October 12th, 11:45p

Undergraduates: Friday, October 20th, 11:45pm


CSF Bike Tour

09/22/2017
 
Thursday, September 28th, 12:00-2:00 PM
Meet at South End of Drumheller Fountan

 

Join us for a 4.5 mile tour of on-campus, sustainability projects funded by the CSF! We encourage you to bring your own bike and helmet or utilize a local bike-share program. If those options are unavailable, e-mail us at uwcsf@uw.edu and we will help out!

RSVP here: https://tinyurl.com/y756ze8l


The CSF Welcomes Two New Members to the Team!

08/11/2017

Hello Huskies!

As we head into the start of the 2017 - 2018 academic year, the CSF would like to introduce you to the two new faces you'll see in our Gerberding B-40 headquarters this coming year! Along with a new Outreach Coordinator, we've opened up a new position dedicated to helping projects reach their full potential during the early development phase, and throughout their implementation on campus.

Whisper St Christopher, Campus Sustainability Fund Outreach Coordinator

Hello, UW! I’m thrilled to begin my new position here with UW Sustainability's CSF and help connect our campus community with exciting new projects and opportunities!

I recently transferred from Bellevue College, where I held the position of Outreach Coordinator for the Office of Sustainability and the Student Environment and Sustainability Fund. I’m excited to bring my experience to this new setting where I’m sure I’ll be able to further grow my professional skills, while keeping with the core values of sustainability, which I’m dedicated to fostering in my personal life as well as in my educational endeavors. Academically, I’m double majoring in Dance and Community, Environment, and Planning (CEP), where I want to focus on the resulting dynamics of the interactions between people and the environments we build.

The sustainability of food systems also holds great interest for me; not only am I a food enthusiast, I’ve also been vegan since 2013, and am an avid and critical reader of nutrition labels, as well as a certified green-smoothie addict. While I love being in the kitchen, my absolute favorite activity is training my contemporary circus skills with my coach and circus friends. You’ll find me upside-downing around Green Lake, and performing when I get the chance.

I’m looking forward to a great few years with you all! Go Huskies!

Email Whisper: uwcsf@uw.edu

Ian Rose, Project Development Intern

From Vancouver, WA, Ian is currently a Junior in the Community Environment, and Planning (CEP) Major within the College of Built Environments. Here's what he has to say about his new role with CSF:

If you have an idea for a sustainable innovation, event, project, RSO, or anything else, I’m here to help you and your team bring your ideas to reality through the network of resources and fellow green-hearted Huskies here at UW. Feel free to email me to check-in or set up a meeting if you have a new idea, or are looking to explore getting involved with existing sustainability projects. Whatever your interests are, there is something you can do help improve, promote, and expand the University of Washington’s sustainability! I love all things sustainable, and am focusing my studies on holistic sustainability and green-tech integration in urban design and planning. Beyond my work at UW/CSF I enjoy running, reading, cooking, tinkering, and exploring the great outdoors!

Email Ian: csfproj@uw.edu


Campus Sustainability Fund Allocates $589,666 to 23 Projects

06/30/2017

The Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) has finalized its grant allocations for the 2016-2017 academic year, awarding five projects a total of $284,028 in its final funding round. In addition to grants from earlier funding cycles, the CSF awarded a total of $589,666 to 23 projects throughout the year.

That is the largest amount the CSF has allocated in any single year, including the largest single project in CSF history - $150,000 toward solar power installations on the new Life Sciences Building. The fund has also surpassed the $2 million mark in project funding, awarding more than $2.2 million to 107 projects since it was created in 2010.

The CSF is a student-funded and student-run grant organization supporting on-campus sustainability projects which lessen the University of Washington's environmental impact. The CSF has two funding rounds each year, along with a rolling application process for small project grant applications of less than $1,000. All funding decisions are made by the CSF student committee. If you are interested in getting involved with the CSF either by applying for funding, joining our committee or volunteering, please email Whisper St Christopher at uwcsf@uw.edu. The next opportunity to apply for funding will be in the middle of Fall Quarter 2017. Be on the lookout for confirmed application deadlines. Thank you again to the following project teams for their creativity and hard work:

Round 1: Funded March 9th, 2017
Nine projects totaling $298,253

Dual Flush Toilets at Women's Odegaard Restrooms, $14,000

Electric Bicycle Mail-Delivery, $88,319

Floating Wetlands Phase II, $12,050

Friday Harbor Labs Composting Facility, $52,700

Interactive Biogas Food Cart, $21,176

UW Campus Sustainability Challenge, $6,868

UW Sustainability Action Network, $52,000

Wind and Solar Powered Phone and Computer Campus Charging Stations, $14,840

Sustainable Learning Center (Updating), $36,300

Round 2: Funded May 26th, 2017
Five projects totaling $284,028

Biodegradable Pots – Replacing Agricultural and horticultural plastics on Campus - $70,000

EcoReps Solar Table - $21,931

Pairing UW Food Waste with Non-Profit Agencies in Need - $17,000

UW Bicycle Library: Cycle Pack - $25,000

UW-Solar Life Sciences Building Photovoltaic Implementation - $150,000

Mini Grants: Funded case-by-case
Nine projects totaling $7,385

Earth Day Band: Improvisational Music Project. $500

Keraton Going Green, $999

ReThink Resilance Summit 2017, $1,000

2017 TSA Night Market Recycling Program, $999

Apiary for the UW Farm, $337

Greek Community Energy Challenge, $1,000

Increasing Drought Tolerance of Campus Lawns with Endophytes, $1,000

Replacing Chemical Fertilizers with Compost, Compost Tea, and Biosolids, $1,000

Surviving Catastrophe: Public Health and Solidarity in an Era of Climate Change, $550


CSF Committee Allocates Over $260,000 to 14 Projects

04/09/2017

After an exciting first round of applications and committee deliberations, we are pleased to announce that $266,839 has been awarded to fourteen projects. Each project aligns with the CSF's mission to lessen the University's environmental impact and foster a more environmentally-conscious campus culture. This allocation includes 8 large projects totaling $261,953 as well as 6 small projects totaling $4,886. Our first round large project allocation is up 50% from last year with an increase of roughly $85,000. Our student committee is already in the process of reviewing our second round of applications, which have a combined total grant request of over $300,000. Check back at the end of the quarter to see the list of second round awardees. We are expecting to hit an all-time record high for total project funding this year! If you have a project idea, keep in mind that applications for small grants under $1,000 are still being accepted anytime between now and June. If you are interested in getting involved with the CSF either by applying for funding or volunteering, please email Veronica Guenther at uwcsf@uw.edu. Thank you again to the following project teams for their creativity and hard work:

Round 1: Funded March 9th, 2017
Eight projects totaling $261,953

Dual Flush Toilets at Women's Odegaard Restrooms, $14,000
Electric Bicycle Mail-Delivery, $88,319
Floating Wetlands Phase II, $12,050
Friday Harbor Labs Composting Facility, $52,700
Interactive Biogas Food Cart, $21,176
UW Campus Sustainability Challenge, $6,868
UW Sustainability Action Network, $52,000
Wind and Solar Powered Phone and Computer Campus Charging Stations, $14,840

Small Grants: Funded case-by-case
Six projects totaling $4,886

2017 TSA Night Market Recycling Program, $999
Apiary for the UW Farm, $337
Greek Community Energy Challenge, $1,000
Increasing Drought Tolerance of Campus Lawns with Endophytes, $1,000
Replacing Chemical Fertilizers with Compost, Compost Tea, and Biosolids, $1,000
Surviving Catastrophe: Public Health and Solidarity in an Era of Climate Change, $550


Hiring Campus Sustainability Fund Outreach Coordinator

03/28/2017

Now is your chance to become closely involved with both the daily operations and overall strategy of the Campus Sustainability Fund. We are looking for a student eager to commit substantial time and energy to empowering the UW community to engage with sustainability. The CSF has two administrative staff members, a graduate student and an undergraduate student, who share the responsibility of running the organizational processes necessary to financially support student sustainability projects across campus. The Outreach Coordinator is the designated part-time, undergraduate student position focused on the CSF's external relations. Working as the CSF Outreach Coordinator provides the unique opportunity to be simultaneously involved with many sustainability initiatives and play an environmental advocacy role on the UW campus.

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter via the Husky Jobs portal by Friday, April 7th. Job ID #: 112996

See below for the Husky Jobs position description:
The Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) operates within the UW Sustainability Office, a unit of Planning & Management. The CSF is a student-fee derived grant fund available to the UW Seattle community to implement sustainability projects on campus. The Outreach Coordinator will play a lead role in raising the profile of the CSF within the campus community. The CSF Outreach Coordinator will gain hands on experience in networking, communications, marketing, development of educational materials and small project development and management. 

Diversity Statement
At the University of Washington, diversity is integral to excellence. We value and honor diverse experiences and perspectives, strive to create welcoming and respectful learning environments, and promote access, opportunity and justice for all.

Responsibilities
•Promote/market CSF events, highlights, involvement opportunities, and funding cycle deadlines.
•Organize and carry out outreach events including mixers and tabling.
•Create involvement opportunities for volunteers.
•Assist CSF funded-projects with developing effective outreach strategies.
•Increase awareness of CSF to diverse groups on campus.
•Track outreach metrics to evaluate inclusivity and reach.

Desired Qualifications:
•Strong commitment and passion for the environment and campus sustainability. An advanced understanding of the campus culture and fabric is a plus. 
•Excellent communication and networking skills. 
•Comfortable speaking and presenting to large audiences. 
•Strong organizational skills and ability to manage competing deadlines and prioritize time accordingly. 
•Ability to work independently and follow through with assigned projects. 
•Experience or expertise with many of the following programs or platforms: Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Word, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, HTML, Drupal or similar website content management systems, Facebook, Twitter. 
•Previous experience working in an office environment or in an outreach position is a plus.

Supervision:
This position will report to the CSF Coordinator. 

Job Hours and Pay Rate:
Start Date: Early-April
Hours/Times: 15-19.5, hours per week, Days/Times Negotiable
Compensation: $15 per hour
Deadline to Apply: April 7, 2017 or until filled
Encouraged 1-2 year commitment for consistency
Class Level: Sophomore, Junior
Desired Major(s): All Majors
Work Authorization: Currently authorized to work in the US on a full-time basis for any employer without restriction
Level of Experience: No experience required, 1-2 years related work experience
Salary Level: $15

For any questions please e-mail csfcoord@uw.edu and cc: uwcsf@uw.edu
 


Winter Brainstorming Mixer

02/24/2017

As you may know, the Campus Sustainability Fund is a student run and funded grant organization that supports on-campus sustainability projects. Since 2010, we've proudly allocated over $1.7 million to 85 diverse project teams. Come by our Brainstorming Mixer to learn about active CSF projects and how to get involved yourself. The event will be Friday, March 3rd from 4-5pm in Odegaard Library ALC 136.

The first half of the event will be a "Mixer" in which featured CSF projects will have posters hung up and you can stroll around chatting with project leads to learn more about student sustainability work on campus. The second half of the event will be designated to a brainstorming activity in which project leads will help you develop ideas for how you can make an impact too! To check out the action from our Fall Brainstorming Mixer, flip through our Facebook photo albumn.

This is a great opportunity to get feedback before our application deadline on March 27th. This will be your last chance to apply for funds over $1,000 this academic year.

Email uwcsf@uw.edu with questions. RSVP via our Facebook Event.

 


CSF Funded Bulk Buying Store Looking for Pre-Launch Feedback

02/09/2017

Last spring the CSF awarded a grant to the ASUW Student Food Cooperative Bulk Buying Store and they are currently in their exciting pre-launch phase. The store will be located in the HUB and be stocked with a wide variety of locally sourced and affordable, non-perishable goods. They'd like student input regarding what goods to stock and hours to operate in order to serve the needs of every UW community member and make the bulk buying store an accessible space for the entire campus. Plus they're looking for volunteers! For more information on the ASUWSFC visit thier website or Facebook.

Please fill out their survey here.

 


Husky Green Awards 2017

02/02/2017
Nominations are now open for the Husky Green Awards! These annual awards recognize individuals and teams from all UW campuses who demonstrate initiative, leadership and dedication to sustainability. 
 
We need your help to identify these sustainability superstars. Award winners are identified through nominations from the UW community, so this is your chance to give students, faculty, and staff recognition for their sustainability efforts. 
 

All members of the UW community can submit a nomination on the UW Sustainability website by the March 1, 2017 deadline. Winners will be announced at the UW Earth Day celebrations in Red Square on April 21.


Meet the CSF: January Spotlight

01/31/2017

Nearly 300 students worked on CSF projects or with the CSF Office last year! In the interest of highlighting these committed students, each month we will be interviewing select CSF project leads, volunteers, alumni, staff and committee members.

Kayla Schick, Alumni

UW Graduation Year: 2015
Education: Master of Public Administration (MPA) with a Certificate in Environmental Management, B.A. Environmental Policy, B.A. Political Science
Favorite Outdoor Activity: Hiking and gardening
Former CSF Position: CSF Committee Chair

What inspired you to get involved with the CSF?
I wanted to be involved with the CSF because being around creative student ideas is one of the biggest learning opportunities you can have outside of your classes. You can learn so much about sustainability and the different projects and tools out there for addressing environmental problems and can begin to see how there is a sustainability component within everything.

I first learned about the CSF when I was an undergraduate at the University of Colorado; I had been very involved with the CU environmental center where students could help with sustainability planning, programs, and the Sustainable CU Grant Fund, which funded student projects with student money. As part of the Sustainable CU grant review committee, I worked on doing some benchmarking of other college sustainability funds throughout the country to see what we could be doing better; one of the programs I researched was the CSF and since I was starting grad school at the UW the next year—I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of.

As soon as I got to the UW to start my Masters, I was determined to track down the CSF and learn how I could get involved. I ended up talking with the CSF Outreach Coordinator and learned about being a part of the Committee. I became a representative for the Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) and spent an awesome two years as part of the CSF Committee!

How did the CSF help you get to where you are now?
My last job was with King County where I worked on the Rainwise Rebate program for rain gardens and cisterns. My involvement with the CSF had already given me an understating about what rain gardens were, because we had reviewed student proposals about bioswales, rain barrels, and water filtering, so this it was a helpful background to have when starting my new job.

Because of my experience from the CSF with managing and reviewing grant funds, I also started working on a couple grant programs that King County had. A big project popped up in our division, which required developing a new $1 million a year grant program and since I had a background working on grants, I was one of the people who was selected to lead the development of that program. Helping build this new program from the ground up was a huge career opportunity for me. We had to develop rules and criteria for it, create application materials, think about what questions to ask, and how the projects would be vetted. There were times where I would pull from CSF application materials, reflect on what was really valuable in reviewing CSF projects, and how we could incorporate those lessons into this new program. There was so much I learned from the CSF that gave me valuable examples of things that worked well and I was able to use that in developing the new program.

jo Blake, Project Lead

UW Graduation Year: 2017
Major: MFA Dance Program
Hometown: Everywhere and nowhere
CSF Project: Ballo Conservatio, meaning Dance Conservation.

What inspired you to get involved with the Campus Sustainability Fund?
I have worked with Steve Korn, the photographer, in the past and I thought the CSF would be a perfect opportunity for us to create a conversation about campus sustainability with the dancers from the dance program. The images that you see in our project deal with and offer ideas about our over-indulgence with natural resources.

What is something that you have learned going through this process?
With the help of a village dreams can become a reality.

Explain the ideas behind your images
We have overindulged with the plastic and the paper and cardboard boxes and compost. In the image titled “Debris,” you will see that the twins, Patrick and Kirby McDermot, our models, are contained within the debris. It shows that we are a piece of this, we have all added to it and the only way to get out of this is to put a hold on it. “Erosion” is this idea again, that because we have over-indulged in our water resources what we are left with is barren lands. Barren trees and soil that cannot take care of any vegetation that we need to survive. “Plastic” is us caught up in the plastic that we have created. This idea that we are trying to get out of our own mess and madness and what has happened is that the plastic is confining.

What message do you hope to convey in your work?
We were able to start this conversation with one another and really talk about what is sustainable. Why are we doing this? How can we keep this going? I think this is also a great way for this project to keep growing and growing and intensifying and seeing where Ball Conservatio can go. I’m really excited and proud and thankful for this project.

What is a challenge or reward you have experienced in implementing your project?
Time is ALWAYS a challenge, and time it ALWAYS the reward. NOW is that time to realize our difficult challenges and faults so that we can create change.

Raye Evrard, Project Lead

UW Graduation Year: 2017
Major: School of Marine & Environmental Affairs, Shellfish Aquaculture Specialty
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Favorite Outdoor Activity: Hiking!
Dream job: Own a Shellfish Business
CSF Project: Engaging Students and Public in Marine Conservation Through Sustainable Shellfish Aquaculture
 

What inspired you to get involved with the CSF?
Washington has a large shellfish industry. I really wanted to go to the University of Washington to further explore this industry. And the School of Marine & Environmental Affairs does a lot of regulatory education - there’s a lot of permitting. It’s a place to learn about people that are more involved in this industry.

How did you hear about the CSF? 
They are funding the project I’m currently in. Dan Guillen, he started the UW shellfish farm and applied for all the funding in order to hire me as their researcher. I have been a researcher for about a year and a half.

Piece of advice for students interested in CSF?
Get involved as soon as you can in CSF activities. Because that’s the best way to get your project out there and get students interested and involved and participate in a sustainable project! 

What has been the greatest challenge and reward in implementing your CSF project?
My greatest challenge has been physically figuring out where to get started on this project because we just started with an idea. Who to talk to? Where to go? How to get more people interested from the school in this project? It’s such a large scale. The greatest reward was when I participated in the UW Sustainability Fair this past fall and got to showcase the shellfish farm and see the amount of interest from undergraduate students. The amount of people interested was amazing and it was a great opportunity to teach people about aquaculture. Overall, it was very rewarding.

CSF Winter Pop-Up Info Sessions

01/26/2017

Want to get involved with sustainability work happening right on campus? Unsure of how to make an impact? Come by one of our CSF Pop-Up Information Sessions this quarter. We will be tabling outside the HUB and in the Odegaard lobby on Monday afternoons. Please come by to ask us questions and pick-up some CSF merch. We will be giving out water bottles and tote bags to students willing to put an idea on the brainstorming whiteboard.

Schedule:
Monday, January 20th, 2:30-3:30pm, HUB
Monday, February 6th, 2:30-3:30pm, Odegaard Lobby
Monday, February 13th, 4:00-5:00pm, HUB
Monday, February 27th, 2:30-3:30pm, Odegaard Lobby

Any questions? Email CSF Outreach Coordinator, Veronica Guenther, at uwcsf@uw.edu.


CSF Spring Letter of Intent Deadline

01/25/2017

Our Spring deadline is confirmed for Monday, March 27th, 11:59pm. To receive funding by late May, apply here. This is your last chance during this academic year to apply for a CSF grant larger than $1,000. Our three month application process includes two phases: a preliminary Letter of Intent (LOI) and a Full Proposal contingent on LOI approval. Your LOI is meant to illustrate the general narrative of your idea and how your project work ties into the CSF Project Criteria. In order to submit an LOI, you do not need to have every implementation and budget detail worked out yet (however that does make your project feasibility more convincing). Our application process is designed to help you fine-tune larger scale project ideas and you can expect to recieve constructive feedback before subsequently creating your Full Proposal. If you have any questions, email CSF Outreach Coordinator Veronica Guenther at uwcsf@uw.edu. As a CSF student staff member, she does not vote on budget allocation, and therefore, she can help you as much as possible in crafting your application. Please reach out!

We also allocate funds to grants under $1,000 through our Mini Grant rolling cycle. Unlike our large grants process, Mini Grant applications are accepted anytime throughout the year and we guarentee a two week approval turnaround. This process is ideal for small capital projects and time-sensitive educational events.


Join the CSF Committee!

01/05/2017

We are looking for an undergraduate student to serve on the CSF Committee for the rest of this academic year! Each year, the CSF Committee is charged with allocating over $300,000 of student funds to on-campus sustainability projects. As a CSF Committee Member, you will have influence over both the development of specific projects and our organizational strategy in pursuing a more sustainable UW. Serving on the CSF Committee involves a ~3 hour weekly commitment spent at our weekly meeting, reviewing grant applications and helping out with CSF outreach. All students are encouraged to apply regardless of academic background or class standing. This position is officially appointed by the ASUW Board of Directors, so please fill out their application form to be considered.
For questions regarding the application, email ASUW Director of Community Relations Osman Salahuddin at asuwbdcr@uw.edu.
For questions regarding the CSF in general, email CSF Outreach Coordinator Veronica Guenther at uwcsf@uw.edu.

Deadline to Apply: Wednesday, January 18th, 11:45pm


CSF Fall Letter of Intent Deadline

11/16/2016

Each year the student-run, student-funded UW Campus Sustainability Fund allocates over $300,000 to student, sustainability projects. Funds are allocated through two application processes: 1) our biannual large project cycle and 2) our under $1,000 "Mini Grant" rolling cycle.

Our biannual cycle accepts applications for grants between $1,000 and +$100,000 at the end of Fall and Winter quarter. Our Fall deadline is confirmed for Monday, November 28th at 11:59pm. To receive funding by March, apply here. If you're not prepared to submit this quarter, applications will be accepted a second and final time this academic year in March. Our biannual cycle's three month application process includes two phases: a preliminary Letter of Intent (LOI) and a Full Proposal contingent on LOI approval. Your LOI is meant to illustrate the general narrative of your idea and how your project work ties into the CSF Project Criteria. In order to submit an LOI, you do not need to have every implementation and budget detail worked out yet (however that does make your project feasibility more convincing). Our application process is designed to help you fine-tune larger scale project ideas and you can expect to recieve constructive feedback in subsequently creating your Full Proposal. If you have any questions, email CSF Outreach Coordinator Veronica Guenther at uwcsf@uw.edu. As a CSF student staff member, she does not sit on the CSF Committee and vote on budget allocation, and therefore, she can help you as much as possible in crafting your application. Please reach out!

We also allocate funds to grants under $1,000 through our Mini Grant rolling cycle. Unlike our large grants process, Mini Grant applications are accepted anytime throughout the year and we guarantee a two-week approval turnaround. This process is ideal for small capital projects and time-sensitive educational events.


Recruiting Fall Outreach Ambassadors

10/11/2016

Interested in getting more involved with the CSF? Become an Outreach Ambassador! As a volunteer with this program, you will work closely with the CSF Outreach Coordinator to expand the reach of the CSF across campus through outreach visits, tabling opportunities and other communication platforms. This position accommodates flexible schedules, is conveniently located on campus, and provides opportunities for both collaborative and individual work environments. Through this role you will greatly develop your environmental advocacy, public speaking, professional networking, communication and public relations skills. To be considered for this program, please fill out this survey AND send an email CSF Outreach Coordinator Veronica Guenther at uwcsf@uw.edu expressing your interest.

Qualifications:
Confidence with public speaking or professional writing
Competency in contacting faculty, staff and RSO leadership teams
Self-motivated work ethic
 
Duration: 1-3 hours a week per quarter
 
Due date: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis through the end of October.

CSF Brainstorming Mixer

10/11/2016
Join us in celebrating the SustainableUW Festival at our annual Brainstorming Mixer. Meet and talk with CSF project leads before joining in a CSF project brainstorming activity! This is a great opportunity to learn about current student-led sustainability work on campus and then develop ideas for how you can make an impact yourself. Light refreshments will be served. Email uwcsf@uw.edu with questions. Please also RSVP via our Facebook event.
 
Featured Projects (check our projects tab for details):
ASUW Student Food Cooperative Bulk Buying Storefront
Construction Materials Lab Rainwater Collection
Green Futures Lab Floating Wetland
Grounds Management's Campus Salvage Wood Program and Composting Facility
Integrated Design Lab Campus Illumination
Kincaid Ravine Restoration Project
Putting the Green in Greenhouse at the Life Sciences Building
Sustainable Shellfish Aquaculture
UW-Solar at the Life Sciences Building