Member Groups
Here is a list of the sustainability-related groups that are members of the SSI. While we will try to keep this information up to date, we might not be aware of some changes that are going on. If you see any inaccuracies, please email us!
If you are affiliated with a student org that is not listed here and would like to be added, please email the SSI Board.
Official SSI Member Groups *new*
Official student groups are those that attend our roundtables at least twice a semester. Only official student groups are eligible to apply for small scale grant awards.
List of Member Groups
Better Living Using Engineering Laboratory (BLUElab)
BLUElab at the University of Michigan is a student-run organization that works toward sustainable solutions to development problems at home and abroad. Toward our goal, BLUElab coordinates project teams that develop environmentally, culturally, and economically sustainable technologies. BLUElab also organizes educational events to raise awareness of development issues and the critical role engineers play in tackling these technical problems in a socially responsible way. BLUElab's diverse membership consists of over one hundred undergraduate and graduate students spanning all College of Engineering departments, as well as students studying disciplines outside of engineering. In addition to its members, BLUElab collaborates with other student-run organizations, faculty, professionals, and nonprofits.
Climate Savers Computing Initiative Project (CSCI)
The Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCI) is a nonprofit group of eco-conscious consumers, businesses and conservation organizations. The goal is to promote green computing practices and specifically the development, deployment and adoption of smart technologies that can both improve the efficiency of a computer's power delivery and reduce the energy consumed when the computer is in an inactive state.
CSCI @ U-M also addresses IT environmental issues such as individual computing practices and data/server impacts, with the goal to influence other universities and the IT industry. Our goal is to make green computing practices the norm on campus so the great work accomplished by the project will carry on well beyond the scheduled completion date, January 2010.
Cultivating Community
Cultivating Community's mission is to empower and educate University of Michigan students to become leaders in the area of community food systems through hands-on organic gardening, community outreach, and volunteer activities. At our demonstration gardens, students can practice small-scale organic growing methods such as composting, crop rotation, and ecological pest control. Through field trips and community service, Cultivating Community introduces student volunteers to a variety of local food system organizations and businesses, such as local farms, community gardens, and urban agriculture projects. In addition, Cultivating Community offers workshops for students about preparing and preserving food, container gardening, and other topics of interest.
Earth Week
Earth Week is a group of students who plan and organize our annual Earth Week event. Earth Week has been growing and evolving and can always use more passionate team members!
Environmental Action (EnAct)
EnAct is a fun group of students focused on environmental outreach and education. We strive to ecological literacy within the student population by organizing events and opportunities for students to learn about ways they can improve the environment. We also teach environmental lessons to children in the community.
Environmental Issues Commission (EIC)
EIC is a commission of the Michigan Student Assembly. EIC strives to make University of Michigan more sustainable through working with the administration and other student groups as well as outreach to students through events such as our Annual Sustainability fair.
Environmental Law Society (ELS)
� Contact: Gus Winkes
ELS serves foremost as a forum for students energized by environmental issues and concerned about how the law may or may not adequately address those issues. To that end, we organize speakers, facilitate networking, and strive to provide firsthand opportunities to students who see environmental law in their futures.
Green Greeks
Kill-A-Watt
Kill-A-Watt is a residence hall energy saving competition on the campus of U-M.
Literature Science and Arts Student Government (LSA SG)
Our mission is to improve and enhance the undergraduate experience for the College of LSA and we believe that creating a sustainable campus is central to that mission. In the past, we have cosponsored the Fall 2008 Energy Futures theme semester, held recycling competitions, and distributed Green Books near exam time, and are interested in continuing our environmental outreach in the future.
Medical School Green Team
Contact: Bob Love
The Green Team is a newly formed group of medical students under the umbrella of the American Medical Student Association. We are dedicated to cleaning up the wasteful habits around the medical school and hospital campus and promoting the greening of health care facilities and products. We are also interested in incorporating the importance of environmental health as a critical component to overall human health into our curriculum and school values.
Michigan Economics Society
Founded in 1973, we are the only the undergraduate economics club at the University of Michigan. Having a membership of 500 and counting, we are the largest pre-professional organization on campus and are focused on the practical application of economics. We hold a myriad of useful academic, social, and career-related events throughout the year, averaging 1-2 events per week.
Michigan Students Advocating Recycling (MSTAR)
Michigan Student Athletes for Sustainability (M-SAS)
Slogan: We play on PlanetBlue!
Michigan Sustainable Foods Initiative (MSFI)
Contact:
The Michigan Sustainable Foods Initative is dedicated to increasing the amount of local and sustainably produced food on the University of Michigan campus. MSFI is also committed to educating students and the University of Michigan community about the importance of sustainable food practices.
MPowered
Mpowered is a student-run organization that aims to foster an entrepreneurial culture on campus by supporting student ventures and exposing students to entrepreneurship through competitions, speaker events, and educational programs.
Net Impact
Net Impact Undergrad
The University of Michigan Net Impact Undergrad's mission is to grow and strengthen a community of young and innovative leaders to use their careers to improve the world. To do this, we provide our members with career resources, educational events, and community involvement opportunities to inspire and empower students interested in using the power of social, environmental, and economic activities to lead in thoughtful action.
Program in the Environment Student Advisory Committee (PitE SAC)
Residence Halls for the Environment
Residence Halls for the Environment's primary mission/philosophy is to enrich students of the University of Michigan with more information and news about the environment. By holding weekly meetings, monthly facilitated seminars, and constructing environment boards in the Michigan Residence Halls, they hope that students will learn more about the environment and appreciate it even more.
RIPE
RIPE is an organization based on biomimicry, sustainability, product design, and the idea of working as a new business model. Biomimicry is an ancient concept that has returned to scientific thought. The discipline examines nature, its models, systems, processes, and elements as it emulates or takes inspiration from them to solve human problems in a sustainable manner. RIPE's goal is not only to create its own product, but also help inventors, designers, and other creative minds establish and market their ideas.
RIPE is comprised of students from the College of Literature, Science, & Arts, the School of Art & Design, the School of Engineering, the School of Organizational Studies, and the Ross School of Business.
School of Natural Resources Student Government (SNRE SG)
SNRE Student Government organizes social and community service activities for SNRE students, provides funding for student initiatives, and is the voice for student concerns. Currently, we are working to improve SNRE's curriculum and national reputation, and also reaching out to other schools and organizations on campus interested in environmental sustainability.
SERVE
SERVE is a student-run program at the University of Michigan that works to provide students with opportunities to address serious social issues through community service, leadership training, social justice education, and social action. Student leadership teams and committees work together to plan and implement all of our programs as well as to determine our directions and priorities.
Solar Car
Strategies for Ecology Education and Development (SEEDS)
� Contact: Zach Brym (Zach Brym and Maria Minich-Castro
Strategies for Ecology Education and Development is dedicated to increasing the diversity in the field of ecology. We seek to make availalable knowledge of environmental sustainability to groups of people detached from making choices about the quality of their local ecosystems. The Michigan chapter of SEEDS primary project is running the National Collegiate BioBlitz in the spring.
Sustainability Actions and Reactions (SAR) - TEDxNicholsArboretum Organizer
Sustainabl