Get Involved
There are a number of ways you can get involved with sustainability at Mills either
on your own or as part of our collaborative efforts. This page will give you a list
of specific things you can do to support sustainability. We also encourage you to
check out our web pages on: ecology, energy, farm and food, transportation, waste
reduction, and water conservation ecology, to learn how you can reduce your personal
environmental footprint in each of these categories.
Students, Faculty & Staff
- Report needed fixes, like misdirected sprinkler heads, broken heater dials, and leaky
faucets. The quicker the fix, the fewer resources wasted! Fill out the quick online Work Order Form.
- Planning an event? Utilize our Green Event Guide.
- Participate in sustainability-related committees. In 2007, the Mills College Sustainability
Committee was created to synthesize the various environmental programs and efforts
across campus. Since its inception, various subcommittees have been formed, focusing
on topics including drought mitigation, energy management, waste reduction, and the
Mills Community Farm. These committees meet monthly. Most recently, the Green for
Green Committee was formed to review and provide recommendations regarding applications
to the Green for Green Fund, a grant for student sustainability projects.
- Sign up to volunteer at the Re-Use Depot by emailing reusedepot@mills.edu or volunteer at events such as Creek Care Days.
- Give us feedback.
- Get involved in any other way you'd like to! We welcome new ideas.
Students
- Apply for a Green for Green grant. Individual undergraduate students and groups of students containing at least
one undergraduate can receive funding for campus sustainability projects.
- Join a sustainability-related student group, such as EarthCORPS. Past EarthCORPS activities include field trips, sustainability conferences, a successful
trayless dining campaign, and organizing Earth Week events.
- Live in the campus Larsen Sustainability Co-Op. Larsen residents share house duties and decision making, and work to raise awareness
around environmental issues through campus-wide programs and events.
- Become the Associated Students of Mills College (ASMC) Sustainability Senator. Apply to be the voice in Mills student government
representing sustainability priorities for the campus and catalyze change.
- Become an Eco-Rep. Four Eco-Representative student work-study positions are available
annually for the academic year. These students, supervised by the Sustainability Coordinator,
take leadership roles in planning and implementing sustainability programs and events
on campus, such as Creek Care Days and RecycleMania.
Faculty
Faculty can develop courses that help fulfill the requirements of sustainability majors,
minors, or concentrations such as Environmental Studies and Environmental Science. Faculty can also partner with Mills sustainability initiatives to provide experiential
learning with tangible results, making the campus a “living laboratory.”
Examples of past and current collaborations include:
- A plant ecology course incorporating labs at the Mills Community Farm
- A business class project analyzing campus-wide energy data on Power Down Days (days
with targeted educational outreach in reduction) vs. other days that did not have
the targeted outreach
- A public policy report on Mills College transportation policies and how they relate
to reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Directed research involving water quality and soil testing conducted on campus in
Lake Aliso, which is Mills College’s source of irrigation water
- Various courses offering extra credit for service learning, including participation
in Creek Care Days and Farm Days
See an inventory of Mills Courses Incorporating Sustainability.
Staff
Green Department Certification is an opportunity for Mills College departments to
evaluate their current operational practices, receive assistance in adopting initiatives
that enhance their commitment to environmental stewardship, and receive recognition
for their efforts. To get started, take a look at the resources below and email us
if you would like an introductory presentation for your department. When a department
is ready to pursue certification, they will form a Green Team to spearhead the process.
The checklist includes a short list of required items, followed by a longer list of
optional items that have a point value. There is the opportunity to obtain a silver,
gold, or platinum level of certification, depending on how many points are earned.
Awarded Green Department Certifications:
- Office of the President
- MBA Program and Economics Department
- Public Policy Program
- Library
- Department of Public Safety
Green Department Certification Checklist
Green Department Certification Resource Guide
Alumnae
Mills is in the process of developing a network for alumnae interested in sustainability.
If interested, please email sustainability@mills.edu.