Global warming is, without a doubt, the most crucial issue we will face in our lifetimes. In Oakland, 28% of landfill waste is unwanted food, a leading cause of methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas.

For this reason, the Merritt College Sustainability Club decided to focus on teaching students how to compost and recycle waste and establishing the workforce and protocols to support these efforts. They have secured a $25,000 grant from Merritt College to implement an Ambassador Program, which hires students to monitor green bins during events and busy cafeteria hours and pays them $25 per hour in gift cards. So far, 15 ambassadors have been recruited since last spring, who have diverted approximately 675 pounds of compostable materials from the landfill while encouraging conversations about recycling with students and teachers.

Additionally, club president Kristy O'Brien has involved Phi Theta Kappa by making the Sustainable Merritt campaign their college project, which was approved by Merritt College President David M. Johnson and Vice President of Instruction Lisa Cook. As a part of this project, the Sustainability Club created a training video to be shared in classrooms and on social media, and has successfully encouraged the administration to adopt compostable plates and utensils for events.

"Our efforts to educate the college community will have an effect beyond the students, as they share what they’ve learned about composting and recycling with their families and friends," says O'Brien. "Together, we’re creating a culture of sustainability that extends beyond the campus!"