As of Spring 2020, Students Organizing for Sustainability will have three committees: Fridays for Future, Eco-Warriors, and the GT Community Garden.

• Fridays for Future: Responsible for organizing the weekly Fridays for a Future actions outside on Skiles Walkway. This committee focuses on climate awareness, encouraging student climate action, and promoting more sustainable education on campus regardless of major(s).
• Eco-Warriors: The Eco-Warriors committee (Climate Action) meets weekly to discuss solutions to on-campus sustainability issues. We welcome students from all majors and backgrounds. Some of the current projects from this committee include expanding the residential composting program, educating students on energy-saving measures, and advocating for eco-friendly consumer choices.
• GT Community Garden: The Community Garden committee runs the Community Garden at Georgia Tech and volunteers with other Atlanta environmental organizations. You can find the community garden on the east wall of the Instructional Center! Some of the events we host/attend throughout the year include garden workdays (all levels welcome), Trees Atlanta volunteering, de-stress yoga, and sustainable DIY-events.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• February Monthly Meeting: The February SOS monthly meeting will occur on both Thursday, February 13 at 6pm, and Monday, February 17 at 5pm. A second date is listed for those who cannot attend the first one. The location of these meetings will be posted on the Facebook and Engage pages.
• Fridays for Future Weekly Tabling: The Fridays for Future committee will continue meeting on Fridays for 10:00-11:15am on Skiles Walkway.
• Eco-Warriors Weekly Meetings: The Eco-Warriors committee will continue meeting on Thursdays from 5:00-6:00pm generally in Kendeda 118.
• Community Garden Work Days: The Garden committee will meet from 10:00a-12:00pm on the following dates- February [9, 22], March [8, 28], April [12, 25].
• SOS Speaker Series 1: The first of our guest speaker events for the semester will be held on Thursday, March 5 at 11am in Kendeda 210 with Emma Brodzik, Campus Recycling Coordinator, to discuss Georgia Tech's recycling program and answer general recycling questions.
• SOS Speaker Series 2: The second of our guest speaker events will be held on March 25 from 1:15-2:05pm in Kendeda 210 and will feature a presentation on Georgia Tech Dining and Georgia Tech Housing's sustainability initiatives.
• Other SOS events which are not yet confirmed will be added later, and/or sent in the SOS newsletter through listserv.

PAST JANUARY EVENTS

• Monthly Meeting (1/9/20): Reviewed edited constitution, election of new officer roles, explanation of new SOS structure, and overview of upcoming events.
• Fridays for Future Weekly Tabling (1/10/20-): The Fridays for Future SOS committee meets weekly on Fridays to spread awareness on the climate and ecological crisis, and support student climate action. This month we started tabling with Citizens' Climate Lobby to promote quick student climate action.
• Garden Work Day (1/25/20): The Garden SOS committee met for the semester's first garden work day where members weeded, re-mulched certain areas, and participated in a DIY macrame event.
• First Eco-Warriors Meeting (1/30/20): The Eco-Warriors SOS committee met for the first time of the semester to discuss the Spring 2020 agenda, and which members will initiate which sustainability projects on campus.

As of the start of this spring semester, three committees have defined the SOS structure with each focusing on difference aspects of sustainability: Fridays for Future (climate awareness/education), Eco-Warriors (climate action/education), and the GT Community Garden (gardening).

• Fridays for Future: Continues hosting weekly tabling in Skiles Walkway to promote quick student action by messaging their representatives, and serve as a space for students to continue the conversation on Climate Change outside of the classroom setting (if present at all).
• Eco-Warriors: In addition to hosting weekly meetings at Kendeda 118 and focusing on-campus sustainability projects/initiatives, this group has recently added a focus on student education. This new focus aims to educate students on how to use existing sustainable infrastructure (such as recycling, composting) and how a student can take climate action everyday.
• GT Community Garden: The Community Garden still hosts garden work days throughout the semester with all the dates listed under the GT Community Garden page under "Committees." These dates are also available on our Facebook page. Additionally, this upcoming March, the work days will consist of our first planting days!
• If there is a sustainability work group you wish to see and does not focus on any of the above-mentioned committees, you are free to propose your own committee and, with enough people, we can make it happen :)

UPCOMING EVENTS

• March Monthly Meeting: On Thursday, March 26 6:00-7:00PM in the Kendeda Building Room 210, we will be hosting our monthly meeting for March. Please note this date is the Monday following Spring Break and will follow a similar agenda layout to the February meetings. The official meeting agendas will be posted on our Facebook page.
• April Elections Meeting: Following the introduction of office positions in our March monthly meeting, we will host elections for the SOS executive board for the 2020-21 academic year. In addition to elections, we will be discussing the plans for the summer semester and the future of SOS. This meeting will be hosted in Kendeda 210 on Thusday, April 2 6:00-7:00PM.
• Fridays for Future Weekly Tabling: The Fridays for Future committee will continue meeting on Fridays for 10:00-11:15am on Skiles Walkway.
• Eco-Warriors Weekly Meetings: The Eco-Warriors committee will continue meeting on Thursdays from 5:00-6:00pm generally in Kendeda 118.
• Community Garden Work Days: The Garden committee will meet from 10:00a-12:00pm on the following dates- March [8, 28], April [12, 25]. There will also be a special Earth Day-themed celebration at the garden on Wednesday, April 22nd! Stay tuned for more updates on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day!
• SOS Speaker Series: GT Recycling & Waste: Have you ever considered where your recycling goes on campus? How about how the entire recycling process actually works? Students Organizing for Sustainability presents our first speaker series event with Campus Recycling Coordinator, Emma Brodzik, to explain recycling at Georgia Tech. 
  • What is recycling?
  • How does Georgia Tech recycle?
  • How can I properly recycle?
  • What happens to trash once it's thrown away?
  • *FREE FOOD WILL BE PROVIDED*
  • Thursday, March 5 11:00-11:45AM at Kendeda 210
• SOS Speaker Series: GT Dining & Housing Sustainability: How is Georgia Tech Dining working to reduce food waste and the amount of unnecessary trash sent to the landfill? How about GT Housing’s current and future sustainability initiatives? Join us on March 25th to discuss these topics with GT Dining Sustainability Coordinator Jordan Barron, and GT Housing Sustainability Intern, Heeva Taghian.
  • What is composting?
  • How does Georgia Tech compost?
  • How can I properly compost?
  • How can we improve housing sustainability?
  • *FREE FOOD WILL BE PROVIDED*
  • Wednesday, March 25 1:15-2:05PM at Kendeda 210
• SOS Speaker Series: Making Clothes from Recyclables: A description for this event will be posted soon. This event is also part of Earth Week 2020.
  • Wednesday, April 15 12:30-1:20PM at Kendeda 210
• Civic Lunch: Clean Energy for All: Please join us for a discussion on clean energy for all at the GT Community Garden! This Civic Lunch will be potluck-style, so please bring your favorite dish to share!
  
  Compostable cutlery and plates will be provided. Please note that this lunch will take place outside of the GT Community Garden on the picnic tables.
  REGISTER using the link provided (limited space availability): https://www.civicdinners.com/cleanenergy/dinners/2054
• Earth Day Celebration: Mark your calendars for Georgia Tech's celebration of the international 50th Earth Day on Friday, April 17th from 10am-2pm!

EVENTS IN PLANNING

• Sustainable Movie Nights with German Club
• Spring 2020 Green Meeting
• Workshops/Partnerships with GT and local community groups
• Once confirmed, these events will be sent out on the SOS listserv in addition to posted on Facebook and Engage.

PAST FEBRUARY EVENTS

• February Monthly Meetings: SOS met twice this past February in order for students who could not make one of the dates, to have a "make-up" option. The main difference between the two meetings constituted the inclusion of a discussion on carbon offsets in the second meeting and an events-planning session in place of the committee breakout sessions. The agenda for the first monthly meeting date can be found here: 2/13/20.
• Fridays for Future Weekly Tabling (1/10/20-): The Fridays for Future SOS committee meets weekly on Fridays to spread awareness on the climate and ecological crisis, and support student climate action. We have continued tabling with Citizens' Climate Lobby to promote quick student climate action.
  • Valentine's for the Planet (2/14/20): In a special edition of Fridays for Future, we held a Valentine's-themed tabling in which walking students were given Valentine's cards (from reused scratch paper) to motivate action on climate.
• Garden Work Days (2/9/20, 2/22/20): The Garden SOS committee met for a few work days in February mostly focused on garden planning, weeding, and re-mulching.
• Eco-Warriors Meetings (2/6/20, 2/13/20, 2/20/20, 2/27/20): The Eco-Warriors SOS committee met weekly on Thursdays throughout February to plan their semester goals and projects.

As of the start of this spring semester, three committees have defined the SOS structure with each focusing on difference aspects of sustainability: Fridays for Future (climate awareness/education), Eco-Warriors (climate action/education), and the GT Community Garden (gardening).

• Fridays for Future: Due to COVID-19 concerns, this committee no longer meets in person, yet allows you to participate with our #digitalstrike series!
  • Take a photo of you (or with a group) holding a sign/flyer/poster on anything related to increasing climate awareness and/or climate action.
  • Send the photo to Fridays for Future Georgia Tech by:
    • Posting it on your Instagram or Facebook and tagging @fff.gatech
    • Sending it to our social media pages
    • Sending it to sosgeorgiatech@gmail.com
  • Share it with your friends and let them know how they can take action!
• Eco-Warriors: This group, in addition to participating in on-campus cliamte action, aims to educate students on how to use existing sustainable infrastructure (such as recycling, composting) and how a student can take climate action everyday. They will meet twice more for the semester virtually. The link will be posted in the "Eco-Warriors" GroupMe chat.
• GT Community Garden: Due to COVID-19 concerns, all remaining garden work days have been canceled for the semester and until further notice.
• If there is a sustainability work group you wish to see and does not focus on any of the above-mentioned committees, you are free to propose your own committee and, with enough people, we can make it happen :)

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Spring 2020 Virtual Green Meeting
  • Wednesday, April 8, 5:00-6:00pm
  • The objective is to enhance GT sustainable communication with partnerships, discussions, and more! If you are a member of a sustainability-related organization and/or want to find out more on current sustainability initiatives, this is the meeting for you!
    
    Please send us a message if you would like the BlueJeans link, or check the "Students Organizing for Sustainability" GroupMe.
    
    AGENDA:
    1. Overview of Meeting Outline
    2. Introductions from All Organizations Represented
    3. Themed Breakout Sessions
    -Climate Advocacy & Environmental Awareness
    -Recycling & Waste Diversion Efforts
    -Community Service Projects, Ideas, Events
    -General Sustainability Initiatives
    4. Final Wrap-Up & Setting Goals for Future Semesters
• SOS Virtual Meeting & Elections
  • Thursday, April 16, 11:00-11:50am
  • SOS will host our April monthly meeting with elections for the 2020-21 academic year. Fill out the following Google Form if you would like to apply for an officer position:
    https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScPGwjX9_IrN4y4g5m_gB0fKrHKzSeK2a1t5HHGisitwA3QNA/viewform
    
    Please send us a message for the link to the meeting, or review our latest listserv newsletter.

PAST MARCH EVENTS

• SOS Speaker Series: GT Recycling & Waste (3/5/20): Our first, and unfortunately the last [due to COVID-19], speaker series for the semester featured Emma Brodzik from the Office of Recycling & Solid Waste Management. With an estimated attendance of about 27 people and plenty of vegan donuts, we were glad to see students eager to learn about the recycling process on campus!
• Fridays for Future Weekly Tabling (3/6/20): Our last tabling for the semester featured more climate action! We partnered with Citizens' Climate Lobby to allow for students to take quick climate action by sending their representatives a message.
• Fridays for Future #DigitalStrike (3/20/20-): Due to COVID-19 concerns, we have moved to an online platform to allow for students (and faculty) to participate in an online series for demanding climate action. The simple steps to participate are listed above under the "Committees Update."
• Garden Work Day (3/8/20): The Garden commtitee met earlier in March to plant some seeds and maintain the Georgia Tech Community Garden!
• Eco-Warriors Meeting (3/5/20): The climate action committee meeting continued meeting to discuss future plans and possibilities for on-campus sustainability initiatives.

• Up with the White & Gold (4/20/20): We are very proud to accept Burdell's Best Collaborative Event for our Fall 2019 Green Meeting! Thank you to all on-campus sustainability organizations and leaders who participated, we look forward to many more partnerships and collaborations.
• 50th Anniversary of Earth Day (4/22/20):
  • To celebrate 50 years since the very first Earth Day celebration and demonstrate how you can live more sustainably everyday, a few Georgia Tech students, who are SOS members, created this video.
  • Check out this video on properly disposing of certain materials by Anna Gardner, President of Greek Sustainability. Happy Earth Day!
• A few SOS members have created a Summer Sustainability Book Club! If you are interested to learn more and/or participate, click here.

PAST APRIL EVENTS

• Fridays for Future #DigitalStrike (3/20/20-): Due to COVID-19 concerns, we have moved to an online platform to allow for students (and faculty) to participate in an online series for demanding climate action. The simple steps to participate are listed above under the "Committees Update."
• Spring 2020 Virtual Green Meeting (4/8/20): Our first, and unfortunately the last [due to COVID-19], speaker series for the semester featured Emma Brodzik from the Office of Recycling & Solid Waste Management. With an estimated attendance of about 27 people and plenty of vegan donuts, we were glad to see students eager to learn about the recycling process on campus!
• Eco-Warriors Meeting (4/9/20): The climate action committee continued meeting to discuss future plans and possibilities for on-campus sustainability initiatives and the future of the committee.
• SOS-Earth Week Series (4/13/20-4/18/20): To celebrate online Earth Week, we created a set of virtual Instagram stories to educate students on various topics on how to create more sustainable habits. You may view the stories on our Instagram story highlight "Earth Week."
  • Day 1: How does Diet impact the Environment?
  • Day 2: Refusing and Reducing Plastic Use
  • Day 3: Reuse and Recycle
  • Day 4: About Food Waste...
  • Day 5: Climate Action!
  • Weekend: De-Stress and Garden!
• SOS Virtual Elections (4/16/20): Our final event of the semester featured our virtual elections for the 2020-21 academic year. Below is the list of positions, filled and vacant.
  • President: Thiago Esslinger
  • VP of Community Outreach: Alison Ecker
  • VP of Student Projects: Miriam Campbell
  • VP of Graduate Student Affairs: Matthew Falcone 
    • Pilot position for the following semester
  • Garden Director: Camille Butkus
  • Secretary: VACANT
  • Treasurer: VACANT

We hope you have a great summer despite the unusual circumstances, and feel free to message us at sosgeorgiatech@gmail.com with any questions you have about sustainability on campus, or SOS in general!

For any questions and updates on the coronavirus in relation to Georgia Tech, please refer to https://health.gatech.edu/coronavirus.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• SOS Speaker Series: GT Dining & Housing Sustainability
  • Original Date: Wednesday, March 25
  • Postponed until Fall 2020
• March Monthly Meeting
  • Original Date: Thursday, March 26
  • Canceled
• MOVE Service Day Tabling
  • Original Date: Friday, March 27
  • Canceled
• Civic Lunch: Clean Energy for All
  • Original Date: Saturday, March 28
  • Canceled
• April Monthly Meeting & Elections
  • Original Date: Thursday, April 2
  • SOS Exec will consider moving this meeting to a virtual format.
• SOS Speaker Series: Making Clothes from Recyclables
  • Original Date: Wednesday, April 15
  • Postponed until Fall 2020
• Earth Day Festival Tabling
  • Original Date: Friday, April 17
  • Canceled

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

• GT Community Garden Work Days
  • Original Dates: March 28, April 12, 25
  • Canceled. Will be determined after March 29 announcement if Garden Gatherings will occur in place for students who are still on campus.
• Eco-Warriors Weekly Meetings
  • Original Dates: Every Thursday
  • Canceled. Announcement will be made if these meetings move to virtual.
• Fridays for Future Weekly Tabling
  • Original Dates: Every Friday
  • Canceled. Students can still participate weekly with digital strikes (send us pictures of you with a poster/post it on your own social media too if you want)

EVENTS IN PLANNING

• GT Community Garden Earth Day Celebration
  • Original Date: Wednesday, April 22
  • Canceled
• Sustainable Movie Nights
  • Partnership with Re/Make, German Club, Office of Campus Sustainability
  • Postponed until Summer 2020 and/or Fall 2020.
• Workshop with Community Partners
  • Postponed until Fall 2020
• Spring 2020 Green Meeting
  • In-person meeting canceled; SOS Exec will consider moving this meeting to a virtual format.

Our society has long suffered from racial injustice and inequity, a sentiment recently expressed in the Black Lives Matter protests across the country and the globe. Although we often associate sustainability primarily with the environment, addressing the systemic oppression of minority and low-income populations is also fundamental to the concept. We must listen to and amplify those same voices which are often unheard and ignored. 

Students Organizing for Sustainability at Georgia Tech would like to offer its support during these difficult times. We are here for you, we stand with you in the pursuit of justice, and we want all of you to feel comfortable reaching out if you ever need anything. For those of you who are looking for ways to help, we have included a list of resources below. Please feel free to send us any additional information and correct any misinformation. 

With love, SOS

BLM Resources

Remaining SOS Meeting Dates:    

        3/14: General Body Meeting @ 6pm in IC 117

Recap of the slideshow and important points is attached. Dr. Kim Cobb had an incredible presentation on climate change and her research on coral reefs and the current temperature changes due to increased El Niño activity.

A Trees Atlanta planting will be organized by Hannah Santillo and mentioned in the meeting last night, interest form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10dDHrCP8A6G8oix3G3qCzC0FeyE1mo85H2OifnIv8Ng/viewform?usp=send_form It would be on Saturday mornings in Decatur from 9-12ish, transportation will be provided.

From the Garden coordinator Camilla: Here is the google doc to sign up for watering the garden. Try to sign up with a buddy if you can. When you put your name down for a day of the week, you are responsible for watering that day every week! You can email or text me at cdartnell3@gatech.edu or 706-818-3975 to let me know you can't wait on your day if something comes up. Thanks! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nJLq7stR9Q8acesyW4wpLuz9WlYLgpwrmRVtATlgkHk/edit?usp=sharing

If any of you are interested in the Georgia Tech Solar Decathalon Team: Georgia Tech Solar Decathlon intends to compete in the Department of Energy’s biennial Solar Decathlon competition in 2017. Students and faculty from around the world work on finding the future of affordable, cutting-edge, sustainable houses on a highly interdisciplinary project in an exciting intersection of academic research and industry support. The current team is looking to get students, faculty, and student organizations to help in the proposal and development of our design. Solar Decathlon combines research, architecture, business, engineering, design, fundraising, and many more professional areas. If you know of anyone interested in joining the team, please contact Alex Poux (alex.poux@gatech.edu), and forward this along to anyone else you think could help spread the word.

-The Greenovation Case Competition to renovate the student center is holding presentations and an awards ceremony this Saturday, March 28th.  The presentations will be from 11-1:30.  The awards ceremony will be from 6-7:30.  The awards ceremony is invite only, I am trying to get SOS invites if anyone is interested please let Ishaan Patel know.