Linking university students to a sustainable future for san jose

Background/Question/Methods

As part of the Sustainable Communities grant that the SEEDS chapter of San Jose State University received, a yearlong plan was laid out to use the funds effectively in order to promote sustainability.The members of the club collaborated with CommUniverCity to teach the community around San Jose State University about ways to make the city more aware of their environmental impact. The Fall 2011 semester was the planning stage when numerous events were devised and set up for the coming spring. The most notable event was our partnership with CommUniverCity on World Water Day, March 23^rd. This event taught young children between the ages 5-11 about resource partitioning through a fun and educational game.The Earth Day event at SJSU shared a similar goal (this was a separate event) At this event, we discussed sustainability with interested patrons and informed them about practical methods they could initiate in their own backyards and neighborhoods to change their lifestyles while reducing their negative effect on the environment. In addition to these events, our club members were involved in several enlightening ventures in the area. Our hikes, and museum excursions, while entertaining, were also learning experiences for the members who attended. These events challenged them to apply the knowledge they have obtained while(at)studying at San Jose State University to a real life setting among peers. 

Results/Conclusions

Our mission to educate others has been successful, yet there are further measures we will take to complete our goals. We intend to continue our work with CommUniverCity on their Garden to Table initiative in the fall of 2012 as well as holding a fundraiser to benefit a local charity. We are also planning on coordinating with the Science Education Department to allow students participating in community events similar to that which happened on World Water Day, to receive academic credit for having participated. This will allow students to gain teaching experience which will help them to be community educators now as well as inspire those of the future.