Eco-Reps
UofL Eco-Reps Program
Interested in learning more?
Contact Eco-Reps Director, Brian Barnes at brian.barnes@louisville.edu or 502-338-1338 (call/text).
Eco-Reps program wins national award (UofL News, 9/17/14)
Do you care about sustainability and want to make a difference?
Welcome to the University of Louisville Eco-Reps program. The Sustainability Council launched this peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education program in 2012 for all students, faculty, and staff who give a damn! Eco-Reps is designed to move the campus community beyond talk to action for a more sustainable UofL. We provide basic training and resources, service opportunities, and leadership positions as a point-person and peer-to-peer advocate for sustainability.
- If you're interested in learning more or signing up to become an Eco-Reps, contact the Director, Brian Barnes at brian.barnes@louisville.edu or 502-338-1338 (call/text).
- Follow Eco-Reps on
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Work in a lab? Become a Green Lab Ambassador to help seek ways to minimize waste, disposables, and toxins!
Eco-Reps Workshops
Our monthly workshop series during the fall and spring semesters provides opportunities for getting together to learn more about specific topics in sustainability and to meet people actively working to advance sustainability in Louisville. Each workshop features a free vegetarian lunch and locals making a difference in sustainability!
Fall 2025 Eco-Reps Workshop Series
All are welcome to join us monthly at noon on last Fridays, in-person in the Center for Belonging, Access & Engagement (Belknap Village North room 176) or virtually via Microsoft Teams Meeting
Aug. 29 – Civic Engagement: Jean Christensen with Citizens’ Climate Lobby (watch recording)
Sept. 26 – Food Recovery: Meghan Kontic with Glean KY (watch recording)
Oct. 31 – Industrial Composting: Laura Veldman with Smith Creek
Nov. 21 - Addressing Climate Chaos: Sarah Lynn Cunningham with Louisville Climate Action Network
Explore our archive of past EcoReps Workshops.
Watch our EcoReps Workshops YouTube Playlist.
Online Training Series
At the core of the Eco-Reps program is an online training series focused on topics in sustainability, particularly as they apply at UofL. The series is not intended to be exhaustive concerning sustainability as a whole, nor any individual topic, but the intent is to empower and educate you about the different ways UofL is addressing sustainability and what we, the UofL community, must do to move forward.
Explore our Video Training Series Here.
Get your hands dirty with UofL's Community Composting Project!
Volunteer with the UofL Free Store!
Come grow with us in UofL's Gardens!
Fight food insecurity and climate change with the Food Recovery Network, and the Cardinal Cupboard!
Want to be a UofL Eco-Rep?
The UofL EcoReps Program is designed to give members of the UofL Community opportunities to engage in sustainability volunteerism and to learn by doing. The program offers service learning for volunteers weekly at the Cardinal Cupboard, the Free Store, the Garden Commons, and the Community Composting Project. UofL’s EcoReps program provides recognition for students and other members of UofL’s community who are willing to volunteer a few hours per year with our Sustainability initiatives, as well as for those wanting to educate others on sustainability topics. The schedule below shows how someone could advance in UofL’s EcoReps program over the course of four years, ending senior year with at least 84 total hours of applied service learning. Other paths are also possible — please contact us with your ideas, no matter what role you play at UofL! Interested students should contact Makenzie Clemons (502-777-1056).
Year One (Bronze EcoReps): Bronze EcoReps are interested in sustainability activities and will learn about sustainability while they help at our four major weekly sustainability volunteer activities.
18 hours
• Free Store: 4 hours Cardinal Cupboard: 4 hours Garden: 4 hours
• Composting: 4 hours
• Lunch & Learn: Attend 2 of our monthly EcoReps Workshops, online or in person.
Year Two (Silver EcoReps): Silver EcoReps will continue to support our major volunteer activities while deepening their learning about sustainability topics and activism.
18 hours
• Free Store: 4 hours Cardinal Cupboard: 4 hours Garden: 4 hours
• Composting: 4 hours
• Lunch & Learn: Attend 2 of our monthly EcoReps Workshops, online or in person.
Year Three (Gold EcoReps): Gold EcoReps are able to engage selectively in a smaller number of volunteer sites. Gold EcoReps may also gain hours for teaching and leading in sustainability contexts on campus and around town.
22 hours
• Lunch & Learn: Attend 2 of our monthly EcoReps Workshops, online or in person.
• Your choice: 20 hours
Year Four (Platinum EcoReps): Platinum EcoReps are able to engage selectively in a smaller number of volunteer sites. Platinum EcoReps are expected to gain hours for teaching and leading in sustainability contexts on campus and around town.
26 hours
• Lunch & Learn: Attend 2 of our monthly EcoReps Workshops, online or in person.
• Your choice: 24 hours
Diamond Tier! – Must reach 100 service hours (+12 more than required) and present at an EcoReps Lunch & Learn.
Faculty, Staff, and Community Members can also become Ecoreps!
Please contact EcoReps Director, Dr. Brian Barnes, at brian.barnes@louisville.edu for more information!
Different kinds of UofL EcoReps gear is available at different levels.
Service
As an Eco-Rep, you’ll be expected to serve as a resource person for sustainability in your sub-community at UofL, whether it’s your immediate peers and colleagues, your department, your building, your club, your residence hall, or any other realm where you live, work, study, or play. We encourage you to become conscious of the specific physical and social systems in your particular spaces. Help your peers understand the options and advantages of more sustainable solutions during planning meetings or when designing systems.
Eco-Reps stand for sustainable action, so we also encourage you to actively demonstrate your personal commitment in those places where you can have the most impact. Eco-Reps are not “green police.” Eco-Reps are educators and mentors. As an Eco-Rep, you should feel free to politely observe and make note of problem behaviors or unsustainable systems, but you should always be courteous, respectful and supportive rather than punitive. It’s important to remain sensitive to the university's policies and structure. Eco-Reps should also be a voice for sound practices regarding our campus environment, its inhabitants, and the planet at large. Eco-Reps should always strive to “practice what they preach” and to lead by example.
Interested in learning more?
Contact Eco-Reps Director, Brian Barnes at brian.barnes@louisville.edu or 502-338-1338 (call/text).
Follow us on . Subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
