Volunteer, Internship, and Independent Study

 

How can you make a difference, learn more and educate others about sustainability issues, change campus policy and operations to make CU more environmentally friendly, and gain valuable experience and networks that will help you find a job when you graduate?  Become active with the nation’s largest student-run Environmental Center!  

The Environmental Center has volunteer opportunities that range from teaching environmental education in local schools to working on changing campus policies on issues relating to energy, alternative transportation, and more. We have highlighted our largest volunteer programs in this section.

There are several ways to get involved: email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or fill out our online volunteer application form.  You can call if you would like, but the first two options are preferred.  Sarah Dawn Haynes can be reached at 303.492.7360. 

 

 


Volunteer Opportunities

Eco Leaders                                                                                                                                     volunteer

We sponsor the "Eco Leader" program for students living in residence halls and Greek houses.  Eco Leaders are trained about recycling, sustainable transportation, energy efficiency, water usage and other environmental topics and then do programs that make lasting improvements in their halls and help other residents to be more environmentally aware and engaged. Stipends and credit available!

 

Assembly on Sustainability and Equity

CU students founded ASE to address the health, pollution, and fiscal inequities faced by low-income communities.  Environmental Justice (EJ) finds ways to change the impacts of the most polluted and least-affluent communities in Colorado, the US and around the world. We work to build partnerships with allied groups and individuals to address inequities that challenge social uplift.

With ASE you could help research and write grants to support community organizations; work with Earth Education to include EJ into curriculum and deliver it to classrooms; support the Bioneers Conference; help bring EJ speakers to campus; build EJ discourse within CU research; or help with an Alternative Breaks (AB)  project.  If you are passionate and educated on EJ issues, you are strongly encouraged to apply as a leader for AB.

See more here on EJ and learn more about the Elephant in the Room!

 

Earth Education

Earth Education is a program that gives volunteers the opportunity to create environmental curriculum and teach in local schools. We focus on people’s connection to the earth and help children build a greater awaremess of this relationship.  Curriculum can be on any environmental topic and usually involve many hands-on activities and projects. Volunteers can work with all age groups, from preschool to high school.  There is no expereince necessary. 

"Earth Ed has been a great way for me to teach classes, and run them how I want to. I have been interested in teaching and environmental science for some time now, and because of this program I can combine the two, apply them, and confirm that this is a possible career path I want to take."

—Earth Ed volunteer Liz Falk, CU Senior

Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information and see more here. 

Events and Promotions

Volunteers make the many events put on by the E-Center successful. Check the events calendar regularly at http://ecenter.colorado.edu/events.

Help with promotions, registration, Zero Waste Ambassadors, freshman move-in and move-out and much more are needed.

Recycling

 

There are many ways to get involved with the nations largest and strongest recycling program! With your help we can boost participation to increase landfill diversion and capture valuable resources.

Green Teams

The Green Teams are students who share environmental information with students who live on the hill or in the Goss/ Grove area. Mainly, the Green Teams help give curbside recycling information to residents of off-campus households. We need your help to distribute information on what, when, where and how to properly recycle. Additionally, the Green Teams will be sharing other ‘green’ info—such as composting, energy and water conservation, and waste reduction—to student households.

 

Intermediate Processing Facility

Help out at the Intermediate Processing Facility (IPF).  Located behind the stadium, students help with sorting, weighing, and shipping recyclables that have been collected from all over campus.  Please bring your schedule into the office (UMC 355) to schedule your shifts.  M-F 10am-5pm.  A minimum of 10 hours is required (not all at once, but a total of 10 hours for making it worth the training). 

 

Green Stampede (football season only)

Green Stampede is the name of our nationally acclaimed zero-waste football games!  You could be on the cutting edge of educating the public and campus fans about zero-waste, have a free ticket to the game, a Green Stampede hat and shirt, and have a ton of fun!  It is about a five hour commitment and you get to watch the fourth quarter of the game.

Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to sign up for a game!

 

CU Student Government (CUSG) Environmental Board

A board of seven students, two non-students, and an unlimited number of ex-officio members oversees the Environmental Center.  Help set policy, govern the organization and budget, and make decisions about how to educate the campus and surrounding community on environmental issues.  Learn more and apply online.

Live Green

The Live Green Campaign is here to provide information and to help people make decisions that will make a positive impact on the planet.  Help students, faculty and staff to Live Green by taking pledges; help design incentives, displays, and marketing campaigns.  We have pledges signed at events like free Planet Earth at the Fiske, free coffee to those with their own mugs, etc.  And the bonus is that the administration will match us by $5 for every pledge we receive to put towards campus sustainability projects.

Have you pledged to Live Green?

 

Make a difference with your degree!


Make a difference with your degree like Julie Hayes did with her Puksta Scholarship!  Choose to do a class paper, senior thesis, oral presentation, internship, or independent study with The Environmental Center.  Bring your class syllabus to our office and we’ll find a project that will meet your class requirements and benefits sustainability.

 

We hire students in the fall, applications are sent through our website, and several treasured volunteers have become rock star employees !