Anthropological Society members had their ideas come to life with the help of the Associated Students Sustainability Fund (SFAC). SFAC funds projects from Chico State students and AS staff members who have creative ideas to promote sustainability on campus, such as the most recent project, The CoolCat Closet.
The CoolCat Closet on Trinity Lawn was focused on providing a clothing swap for students. There was free clothing to take with a limitation of two items while serving as a donation center that accepted clothing and shoes. Students in the anthropology department - Beatrix Teaney and Alen Pinto brought up this project and received a grant through the SFAC.
“We want students to get the idea of swapping clothes rather than shopping, so students can get it for free,” Teaney said.
Teaney and Pinto brainstormed this project because of their passion for second-hand clothing and shopping. They know how much textile waste adds to the world’s carbon emissions and are striving to lower the number, so they landed on a sustainable and accessible pop-up closet on campus.
The organizers plan on hosting this pop-up event twice a month and hope to make this project a part of the Chico State Basic Needs Project and Green Campus so it can become a resource for all students. Teaney and Pinto encourage students to apply for the SFAC grant if they would like to turn their ideas into action to support campus sustainability, no matter the size of the project.
“Going to the SFAC workshops and securing the grant was very easy and straightforward,” Teaney said. “It was a really good experience.”
The Sustainability Fund was founded in 2006 to tackle two of the most pressing issues of our time: climate change and environmental justice. Each year, $75,000 is set aside for student projects. SFAC workshops happen each semester to help participants understand the purpose of the sustainability fund and how to submit proposals.
The SFAC accepts project proposals that are big or small; however, the bigger projects will need to communicate with AS Sustainability earlier, and the project must be approved. A smaller project that has impacted campus is the skateboard racks to encourage an alternate and sustainable mode of transportation. A larger project on campus is the OZZI boxes, which were made to save water, reduce waste, and are more cost-friendly.
Join AS Sustainability this spring to learn about getting your green ideas funded. The workshops will be held on various dates in February with the first being on Wednesday, February 5th from 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. in BMU 204. Proposals are due by February 28, 2025.
For more information, you can visit the Sustainability Fund website here or contact Sharleen Krater via email at skrater@csuchico.edu
To learn more about sustainability on campus, contact the Associated Students Commissioner of Sustainability Affairs, Adin White, via email at as-sustainabilityaffairs@csuchico.edu
