Wishing you good luck on the remainder of your semester! The ASCP has a variety of exciting programs and opportunities available to students, faculty, and staff. Keep scrolling to learn more!

Let Your Voice Be Heard!

 

 

 

 

Looking to donate? Drop donations in the bin outside Room 346. If you have a large item/several bags to donate, email scp_contact@ahec.edu.

Join us in our fight against hunger and food waste on campus by using the Share Meals app! Sign up to see which events around campus have food that will be available to community members. You can find free food nearby through Share Meals; see how much is available and how long it’s up for grabs. The app also has a list of centers across campus where students can find free food, personal care items, and other helpful resources. Sign up today by downloading the app on your phone or by using the web version!

 

Click here or the image above to navigate to our webpage for more information and to get started. 

By using your dishwasher instead of washing dishes by hand, you can save more than 2,000 gallons of water per year. We recommend only running your dishwasher when it's full. If you don't have a dishwasher, you can save water by soaking dishes instead of letting the faucet run, and using a high-quality sponge so you're not using an unnecessary amount of water. Learn more about how to save water, decrease energy usage, and reduce waste here. 

A student at Auraria asked, “What is the difference between biodegradable and compostable?”

 

In short, anything that is compostable is biodegradable, but not everything that is biodegradable is compostable (BPI World). A product must be third-party certified by BPI or CMA to be considered compostable. 

 

Products labeled as biodegradable but not BPI- or CMA-certified should not be composted. Rather, they should be recycled or thrown away, depending on your local recycling guidelines. To find out if a product is certified compostable, you can check BPI’s or CMA's certified products tools. 

 

To combat confusion between compostable and biodegradable products, the 2024 Compost Labeling Act requires food service products and plastic products labeled as compostablethat are sold or distributed in Colorado to be certified compostable and clearly marked as such. Plastic products can no longer contain words such as “natural”, “biodegradable”, “degradable”, and “decomposable” (CDPHE). These words are all forms of greenwashing.

 

Greenwashing means intentionally mislabeling products with words like “eco-friendly” or “green” which do not have standard definitions (UN). Companies may use green packaging or images of leaves to make you feel better about what you are buying, but unless a product is certified compostable by BPI or CMA, it will not break down in the compost.

 

Biodegradable does not mean compostable, so make sure the products that you buy are certified compostable by BPI or CMA. 

 

Our Sustainability Workshop Series is in full swing! The Sustainability Workshop Series offers a unique opportunity to learn core environmental sustainability concepts and discover how to turn knowledge into action.

 

This free five-course program covers essential sustainability topics, including water and energy consumption, waste management, and environmental justice. You will explore these issues through various lenses—global, national, local, and individual—and gain the tools to promote sustainable change in any career path.

 

The Sustainability Workshop Series is open to students, faculty, and staff from the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, University of Colorado Denver, and Auraria Campus. The program includes five two-hour courses, offered twice in both the Fall and Spring semesters.

 

CU Denver students can earn the Sustainability Through Service Certificate.

MSU Denver students can earn a Micro-Credential Badge.

 

March 4, 4-6 pm in Tivoli 329

March 6, 10 am-12 pm in Tivoli 542

 

March 11, 4- 6 pm in Tivoli 329

March 13, 10 am-12 pm in Tivoli 542

 

There is still time to sign up for courses this semester! Learn more about the workshop courses and how to register using the link below. We hope to see you there!

It's not too late to join our book club! We had our first two sessions on February 17 and March 3. See the chapter breakdown below for the remaining sessions. Sessions are scheduled for Tuesdays from 6:30-7:45 pm on the following dates/times: 

 

March 17: Chapters 13-18

March 31: Chapters 19-26

April 15-16: Nenquimo and Anderson visit at MSU Denver

 

Zoom link and password will be sent to all who complete this google form. 

 

Questions? Thoughts? Email Christina Foust (Professor of Communication Studies at MSU-Denver) at cfoust2@msudenver.edu.

Want to stay informed about the progression of sustainability efforts at CU Denver? Fill out this form to receive the newsletter to learn more about ways to get involved and facilitate connection and collaboration. 

 

Check out CU Denver's Sustainability page to learn more about sustainability  

efforts, focus areas, and ways to get involved. 

and follow our social media!

Interested in how we all help to reduce Auraria's ecological impact 

and dependence on fossil fuels? Check out our team page!