Do you support the continued funding of $2.69 per ASUCSB membership for fall,
winter, spring, and summer quarters to support the AS Department of Public Worms (of
the $2.69 collected, $0.67 is for return-to-aid, $0.13 is for a 7% administrative
assessment, $0.02 is for the 1% AS recharge fee, and $1.897 will go to the AS
Department of Public Worms)? If reaffirmed, the fee would be subject to reaffirmation
every two years as mandated by the A.S. Constitution.
Pro Statements
This fee will support and sustain the Associated Students Department of Public Worms (DPW) composting program, which began in 2004 and partners with A.S. Recycling on UCSB waste management. DPW focuses on on-site composting of UCSB’s food waste and using the beneficial compost in the campus and community to further encourage sustainable food production. The organization conducts regular workshops about composting and teaches attendees how to reduce food waste in their homes and backyards. Thanks largely to student efforts, UCSB is already a leader in the UC system for composting, but continued stable funding is needed to sustain the program while working on new projects such as the Edible Campus Project.
DPW is excited to be taking on new responsibilities with the Edible Campus Project, co-led by the DPW, AS Food Bank, and UCSB Sustainability, which aims to address local food insecurity by repurposing underutilized spaces for food production, turning waste into food, and engaging students as growers and producers. DPW is an essential player in the food production on campus and implementation of the sustainable closed loop food cycle. DPW’s compost is used in growing food that is donated to the Associated Students Food Bank. This project provides educational opportunities for students and addresses a major student issue on campus.
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