Project Description
UC Berkeley used their Reuse Assistance Grant funds to establish a
materials exchange on campus that was
operated
by paid student interns. UC Berkeley already had a system to deal with large
furniture and inventoried items, but a system to deal with smaller equipment,
office supplies, and other reusables did not exist. The materials exchange provided an opportunity to promote reuse. In addition to diverted tonnages
and deferred disposal fees, this program promoted the ethic of reuse and
conservation within the campus student and staff population of over 40,000
people.
The steps required to accomplish their project are as follows:
Task 1: Hiring Two to Five Students to Assist in Staffing and Developing
the Program. (5/1/01 to 6/1/01)
Task 1 was 100 percent completed during the first reporting period: This task covered the hiring of the initial Re-USE employees in June 2001: Alexis
Petru to handle outreach and administration, Garth Schultz for shop maintenance,
and Rhoda Chang for staffing duties. Lisa Bauer also hired two additional
employees in October 2001: Dominique Nisperos for staffing responsibilities and
David Siddiqui for bike trailer pick-ups. Any changes made in this composition of the Re-USE staff now fall under Task
6.4 (see Task 6.4).
Task 2: Clean and Set Up Space for Materials Exchange. (6/1/01 to
7/16/01)
Task 2 was 100 percent completed during the first reporting period. Employees washed and painted the shop, and installed reclaimed items such as
shelves, a stereo, lights, a computer, and a fan.
Task 2.1: Maintenance and Supplies for Site. (7/1/01 to 5/1/03)
Task 2.1 was 100 percent completed during the first reporting period. Employees purchased a banner, a padlock, paint supplies, and bolts and
fasteners for the shop. They also completed final organization and cleaning of
the shop.
Task 3: Develop Program and Write Copy for Outreach Program. (7/1/01 to
8/31/01)
Task 3 was 100 percent completed during the first reporting period:
All basic Re-USE policies, forms, and outreach materials have been
developed. Any revisions in these policies and forms or new outreach materials
would fall under other tasks (such as Tasks 5.1 and 8).
Task 4.1.1: Baseline Staffing Students at Regular Hours of the Materials
Exchange. (8/27/01 to 5/1/03)
Re-USE maintained regular open hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
during the fall semester for a total of 11 hours a week (two of which were
volunteer hours). Re-USE closed in early December for winter break and
re-opened when instruction began in late January 2003. During the spring
semester, the shop had open hours every day, totaling 11.5 hours a week
(1.5 hours were volunteer hours). The six hours per week budgeted to
this task item contributed to these staffing hours (money under Task 4.1.2 goes
to another three to four hours).
During their shifts at the shop, employees record pick-ups and drop-offs
onto a computer database. In addition to serving and helping customers, they
sweep and tidy the shop. Task 4.1.1 was ongoing and is 100 percent complete with
the closure of the grant.
Task 4.1.2: Extra Staffing Students at Regular Hours of the Materials
Exchange, Including Extended Hours and Special Projects and Services. (9/10/01
to 5/1/03)
Three to four of these ten hours contributed to the operational hours of the
Re-USE shop during the fall and spring (see Task 4.1.1).
Another five to six hours a week are allotted to Re-USE's bike trailer pick-up route through campus.
Mr. Siddiqui rides the bike and bike trailer through
campus one day a week, picking up boxes of donations from campus
buildings. Prior to October 2002, Mr. Siddiqui made stops at six major campus
buildings, but in October 2002 he expanded the service to include all campus
buildings.
In September 2002, Mr. Siddiqui also began the collection of one-sided paper
from campus computing centers. Mr. Siddiqui put trays with signs in six campus
locations where people frequently discard paper that is printed on one side. He
collects the paper weekly and takes it to the shop, where customers can pick it
up to use as scratch paper.
Additionally, they use this money when they make special appointments with
community members to pick up or drop off items outside of Re-USE's regular hours. They also use money from this category when they spend extra time cleaning
the site or training new employees. They were able to utilize more funds under
this task during this reporting period as they had two new employees to
train, they spent more time cleaning the shop, and they received more
requests for the bike and trailer pick-up service. Task 4.1.2 was ongoing
and is 100 percent complete with the closure of the grant.
Task 4.1.3: Semimonthly Meetings. (6/11/01 to 5/1/03)
Employees meet every two weeks to coordinate projects, exchange
ideas and information, and discuss and specify policy or administration issues. Task 4.1.3
was ongoing and is 100 percent complete with the closure of the grant.
Task 4.2: Supervision of Project by Recycling Coordinator.
Ms. Bauer serves as the management review of Re-USE projects and services. She
spends time meeting with the student employees and liaisoning with the
University. She also fields e-mail and phone inquiries about the program,
referring the interested individuals to Re-USE's employees. Task 4.2 was ongoing
and is 100 percent complete with the closure of the grant.
Task 5.1: Design Advertising Materials. (6/1/01 to 9/1/01)
Employees updated and redesigned flyers and handbills to publicize
the shop, as well as activities such as Re-USE's end-of-the-semester collection.
Employees gave out handbills while tabling on campus and posted flyers on
campus. Task 5.1 was ongoing and is 100 percent complete with the closure of the
grant.
Task 5.2: Print Advertising Materials. (6/1/01 to 9/1/01)
This task covered the cost of printing handbills and flyers (see Task 5.1). Task 5.2
was ongoing and is 100 percent complete with the closure of the grant.
Task 6.1: Send out Campus Mailings Promoting the Materials Exchange to
Campus Employees. (8/1/01 to 9/1/01) , (1/1/02 to 2/1/02), (8/1/02 to 9/1/02),
and (1/1/03 to 2/1/03)
Two mailings were sent to 11,000 campus faculty and staff members—one in
late October 2002 and another in mid-March 2003—publicizing the shop, the bike trailer pick-up service, and their
collection of plastic film for recycling and packaging material for reuse. Task 6.1 is
100 percent complete.
Task 6.2: Purchase Ad Space in Satellite Magazine.
The Satellite, UC Berkeley's student-run literature
and arts magazine, printed a full-page ad for Re-USE in their January 2003
issue. Because internal organization problems may cause the magazine to fold,
they will not charge Re-USE for their ad, essentially giving Re-USE a $500
full-page ad for free. Task 6.2 could not be completed as planned, but this
extra money was used to buy more ads in the Daily Californian student newspaper
(see Task 9).
Task 6.3: Purchase Banners.
Employees purchased three new banners: one for the shop's second
entrance, one that requests "no dumping" outside the shop, and two
small signs for tabling on Sproul Plaza. Additional hours were used to design,
order, and pick up the banners. Task 6.3 was 100 percent complete during the
last reporting period.
Task 6.4: Hiring Outreach.
Task 6.4 was 100 percent complete during the last reporting period. Ms. Bauer
and Ms. Petru hired Julia Varshavsky to assist with Ms. Petru's outreach and
programmatic responsibilities. They also hired Di Liu to replace an employee that had to quit her staffing
responsibilities. Ms. Varshavsky and Ms. Liu started working for Re-USE in
October 2002.
Task 6.5: End-of-the-Semester Activities.
This task covers the logistics of and publicity for the collection of items that
are disposed of at the end of the semester, when students move out of their
apartments or dorms and employees clean out their offices. During the last weeks
of school, Mr. Siddiqui sets out bins on campus and in the dorms to
collect students' readers and make extra bike trailer pick-ups. He also
coordinates with the dorms' recycling coordinators, who publicize this
program to their residents. Some of the money under this task also
contributes to the extra sorting of these donations, especially for
readers, which must be alphabetized. Outreach to students and campus employees
is included in other tasks (such as the Daily Californian ad and employee mailing). Task 6.5 is
100 percent complete.
Task 6.6: Other Outreach Activities.
While some of this task's hours contribute to increase tabling on Sproul Plaza
to publicize Re-USE, most of these activities are geared towards teaching the
concept of reuse. Ms. Petru wrote an article for a new campus environmental
magazine regarding issues of reuse in general, as well as Re-USE
specifically. Employees held two student co-operative housing fairs. They
also held a workshop for the dorm's recycling coordinators, who in turn,
provided similar workshops for their residents. Re-USE also tabled at a
campus fair that provided information about office clean-outs. Employees
attended a forum through the student group Environmental Coalition (Eco)
to connect campus environmental organizations. Re-USE also hosted a tour
of their shop for students in a student-run UC Berkeley class about waste
management. Task 6.6 was ongoing and is 100 percent complete with the
closure of the grant.
Task 6.7: Production of Web Site.
Ms. Chang developed and maintained the program's site to include general
program information, ongoing projects and services, frequently asked questions (FAQs), their survey, bike trailer pick-up service information,
contact information, and links. The address is
www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~recycle/reuse/.
As Mr. Chang was a graduating senior, she also spent time training Mr. Liu
to maintain the Web site in the future. Task 6.7 was ongoing and is 100
percent complete with the closure of the grant.
Task 7.1: Participate in Calapalooza and Recycling Awareness Week
Activities, 2001. (8/15/01 to 9/30/01)
Task 7.1 was 100 percent complete during the first reporting period: Two employees staffed a booth at Calapalooza, UC Berkeley's freshman
orientation fair in August 2001. Re-USE had a grand opening during Cal's first annual Recycling Awareness Week
(the second week of September 2001).
Task 7.2: Participate in Calapalooza and Recycling Awareness Week
Activities, 2002. (8/15/02 to 9/30/02)
Task 7.2 was 100 percent complete during the last reporting period: Re-USE had a booth at Calapalooza in August 2002, giving out
handbills and free items to incoming students. Re-USE also tabled on Sproul Plaza, again, handing out handbills and free
items, during this fall's Recycling Awareness Week, September 16-20, 2002.
Task 8: Design Ad for the Daily Californian Newspaper. (8/1/01 to
8/15/01)
This money was spent on updating and re-designing ads for the student
newspaper, the Daily Californian, as well as the exorbitant amount
of time it took to coordinate with and pay the publication's advertising
agents. Task 8 was ongoing and is 100 percent complete with the closure of
the grant.
Task 9: Purchase Ad Space for the Daily Californian Newspaper. (8/15/01 to
9/30/01) and (8/15/02 to 9/30/02)
Multiple ads were placed in the Daily Californian during this
reporting period. In an effort to spend as much of the grant money as
possible, they utilized the funds originally designated for the Satellite
for more Daily Californian ads once they learned the Satellite
would not be charging them. Task 9 was ongoing and is 100 percent complete
with the closure of the grant.
Task 10: Develop Database of Interested Individuals. (8/30/01 to
10/30/01)
Forms in the Re-USE shop ask its visitors if they desire to be added to the
Re-USE e-mail contact list, which is updated monthly. Members receive information regarding changes in the shop's schedule and
special programs such as the bike tool lending library. They learn of employment and volunteer opportunities for Re-USE and featured
items at the shop. At the closure of the grant, about 290 people are subscribed
to this e-mail list. Task 10 was ongoing and is 100 percent complete with
the closure of the grant.
Task 11: Conduct Follow-Up Calls to Interested Individuals.
(9/15/01 to 11/15/01)
As Re-USE becomes more well-known throughout the campus community,
Re-USE employees spend an increasing amount of time answering e-mails,
making appointments, and arranging bike trailer pick-ups. Sending out
surveys about the Re-USE service to the contact list is also a major part
of this task. Task 11 was ongoing and is 100 percent complete with the
closure of the grant.
Task 12.1: Coordinate Creative Reuse Project. (10/15/01 to 11/30/01) and
(10/15/02 to 11/30/02)
After unsuccessful attempts to coordinate a creative reuse
contest, Re-USE—with approval of the CIWMB—decided to expend these
funds on other tasks.
Task 12.2: Prize for Participants in Creative Reuse Project. (11/30/01)
and (11/30/02)
See Task 12.1.
Task 13: E-mail and Flyer Promotion of the Program. (6/1/01 to
5/1/03)
Re-USE employees sent out e-mail announcements and flyers to
publicize end-of-the-semester activities and general shop information. Task 13
was ongoing and is 100 percent complete with the closure of the grant.
Task 14: Generation of the Quarterly Report. (10/8/01 to 11/1/01), (4/1/02
to 5/1/02), (10/8/02 to 11/1/02), and (4/1/03 to 5/1/03)
With the completion of this fourth report,
Task 14 is 100 percent complete.
Task 15: Buy Scale to Weigh Material Collected. (7/20/01 to 8/20/01)
Task 15 was 100 percent complete during the first reporting period
when a scale was donated by a community member. Since this money was not utilized, employees used it to buy other maintenance
supplies needed for the Re-USE shop, such as wires, tape, and nails.
Task 16: Buy Bike Trailer to Collect Materials. (7/13/01 to 7/30/01)
Task 16 was 100 percent complete during the first reporting period. They ordered and received a bike trailer in September 2001 and began making
campus pick-ups in October 2001.
Task 17.1: Planning for Reader/Notebook Drive. (8/20/01 to 8/24/01),
(1/15/02 to 1/20/02), (8/20/02 to 8/24/02), and (1/15/03 to 1/20/03)
The planning to table on Sproul Plaza with collected readers and
notebooks was subsumed under Task 6.5.
Task 17.2: Staffing for Reader/Notebook Drive. (8/27/01 to 8/31/01),
(1/21/02 to 1/28/02), (8/27/02 to 8/31/02), and (1/21/03 to 1/28/03)
Staffing for this event where Re-USE distributed donated readers and
notebooks on campus was subsumed under Task 6.5.
Task 18.1: Planning for Re-USE On Campus. (8/15/01 to 5/1/03)
All planning for extra tabling was subsumed under Task 6.6.
Task 18.2: Staffing for Re-USE On Campus. (9/1/01 to 5/1/03)
All extra tabling was subsumed under Task 6.6.
Task 19: Develop Procedures and Policies Manual. (9/3/01 to 12/1/01)
Ms. Petru revised a manual that will be given to all Re-USE
employees. It details Re-USE's policies and procedures and includes sections
such as Re-USE's history and background, its mission statement, acceptable and
unacceptable donations, its forms of outreach, its projects, and employee
responsibilities. Task 19 is 100 percent complete.
Task 20: Buy Toters for End-of-the-Semester Collection*
Re-USE ordered 30 toters to place in dorms and on campus to collect
students' unwanted readers at the end of each semester. These new toters
were imperative to the program's success, as they have been borrowing bins
from other departments for the last year and a half. The borrowed bins
were not fire-resistant, as the new toters are, and would not have been
usable soon due to fire regulations.
They budgeted $100 for each new toter, but in preparing the final
report, they discovered they had been charged $150 each and are then
over-budget in this category.
Task 21.1: Buy Heavy-Duty Staplers (for Notebook Making)*
In reexamining their current supplies, they decided the two heavy-duty
staplers they already had for notebook-making were sufficient. Also, since
they overspent in Task 20, they decided to save money in other tasks. Therefore,
Task 21.1 was not completed.
Task 21.2: Buy Saddle-Stapler (for Booklet Making)*
Re-USE was able to purchase two saddle-staplers with this money. These
special staplers will allow Re-USE customers to make booklets out of
reused materials and will complement Re-USE's collection of heavy-duty
staplers, which make regular reused notebooks. Task 21.2 is 100 percent
complete.
Task 21.3: Buy Scissors (for Notebook Making and General Shop
Purposes)*
Re-USE purchased three pairs of scissors for notebook-making workshops
(the paper-cutters that they use are reclaimed) and general shop purposes,
such as creating signs. Task 21.3 is 100 percent complete.
Task 22: Buy a Hand truck (for Tabling)*
Re-USE was able to purchase two hand trucks and hand truck supplies,
including bungee cord, with these funds. Re-USE employees had previously
been using a reclaimed cart to haul donated items to give away on campus,
but the cart's wheels broke and could not be repaired. Now employees can
make use of these two hand trucks for more convenient campus tabling. Task
22 is 100 percent complete.
Task 23.1: Buy Banners for End-of-the-Semester Collection
Matching funds covered half of the cost of the 25 banners designed to
promote Re-USE's end-of-the-semester collections in the dorms. These
two-by-six-feet banners encourage students to donate their readers and
unwanted dorm items to Re-USE when they move out, providing them with
Re-USE's contact information and the drop-off location in their dorm. Task
23.1 is 100 percent complete.
Task 23.2: Buy Banners for End-of-the-Semester Collection*
Grant funds are allotted for the second half of these 25 banners (see
Task 23.1). Task 23.1 is 100 percent complete.
*Denotes tasks funded by the CIWMB.
Permission was obtained from grant recipient to publish project profile.
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