2013-14 Climate Corps Fellowship Opportunities – Alameda County General Services Agency

What is Climate Corps Bay Area?

Climate Corps Bay Area is a 10-month fellowship program that provides professional development opportunities for emerging climate protection leaders through implementation of climate change resiliency projects with local governments, non-profits, businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area. Why participate in Climate Corps? CCBA Fellows receive unparalleled experiential learning opportunities through placements with regional climate protection leaders; see first-hand how to address climate change by implementing assessment, education, and mitigation projects that have measurable benefits; and build critical real-world project management skills as they measure, track, and report outcomes to community partners. Fellows participate in a comprehensive training program that gives an overview of climate change issues, strategies for tackling climate change, and approaches to building community resiliency in California.

What is happening with climate action at Alameda County?

Alameda County is located in the San Francisco Bay Area’s East Bay and is home to more than 1.5 million people. Alameda County recognizes the need to take action to protect our climate in order to protect the quality of life in our communities. As an organization of approximately 9,000 employees occupying over 150 facilities, the County government itself generates a significant carbon footprint. The County is taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and has been recognized for climate leadership. In 2010, Alameda County adopted a target of reducing GHG reductions 15% by 2020 and a Climate Action Plan for Government Services and Operations. We are also aiming to create healthier communities by implementing a Climate Plan for unincorporated communities. From 2010 to 2013 Climate Corps volunteers supported the implementation of initiatives from the Climate Action Plan and promoted community energy efficiency and renewable energy generation. (Read about past Member experiences at www.acsustain.org/who/careers/climatecorps.htm.)

What will Fellows at Alameda County General Services Agency do in 2013-14?

The Climate Corps Fellows will build their resumes with on-the-ground experience as they play a key role in launching several of the major projects recommended in the Climate Action Plan and expand ground-breaking regional sustainability efforts. Detailed descriptions of the opportunities can be found below. (The specifics of the roles are subject to change as programs evolve.) What are we looking for?

Each opportunity requires different skills. Generally speaking, ideal candidates will have:

A college degree;

Experience in some aspect of environmental sustainability and green operations;

Excellent research, writing, analytical, and communications skills;

Demonstrated ability to plan projects and to keep multiple projects moving forward;

Experience drafting print and web-based outreach and marketing collateral (proficiency in Microsoft Publisher, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, photography, or video a plus);

Ability to work independently as well as with diverse, multi-stakeholder groups;

Ability to make personal connections when promoting outreach goals and initiatives;

Passion for environmental conservation and making a difference in their community. What are the details?

This is a 10-month full-time placement starting late September 2013 and ending in late July 2014. Fellows receive a living allowance stipend of approximately $1000 per month (before taxes), assistance with putting applicable student loans into forbearance if desired, health insurance subsidy if needed, and extensive professional and personal development training with a potential for college credits for specific training received. How can I learn more and apply?

Visit www.acsustain.org to learn more about County sustainability initiatives. See below or www.acsustain.org/who/careers/climatecorps.htm for descriptions of opportunities with Alameda County General Services Agency. Learn more about Climate Corps and apply for these opportunities at www.climatecorps-bayarea.org

1) Climate Associate (2 openings) Alameda County General Services Agency, Sustainability Program, Oakland, CA Alameda County is working with its 20 agencies to implement the 80 greenhouse gas reduction measures in our Climate Action Plan for Government Services and Operations. The Fellows serving as Climate Associate, under the guidance of a Sustainability Project Manager, will support one or more of Alameda County cross-agency climate action teams’ as they research, develop and roll out new policies and programs to reduce the climate impacts of various areas of the County operations. Specific topics will be selected in September, when the next round of initiatives is selected. Past initiatives have dealt with a range of topics including waste, commute and business travel, and IT. The Fellows’ focus will be working with these cross-agency teams to continue, expand, and deepen the County’s implementation of their climate protection initiatives. To do this, the Fellows will assist the teams in scoping complex projects, conducting research, designing program proposals, developing programs once approved, implementing programs and rolling them out to agencies, developing reporting metrics, and tracking success. The Fellows may also assist short-term project teams to complete discrete tasks such as addressing a key questions and eliminating barriers. In addition, the Fellows will support other key work areas of climate plan implementation, depending on their strengths and interests. These areas include employee and community engagement, regional sharing of the cross-agency team model, progress assessment and recognition, and agency & employee implementation. Major responsibilities will include the following areas:

Support long-term cross-agency project team(s) staffed by County employees o Research best practices in project area and summarize findings for team o Assist team in developing and analyzing surveys, focus groups, or other research

tools o Assist team in drafting program materials such as guidelines and roll-out plans o Assist team lead in preparing reports on team progress to Executive Committee o Develop web, video, or other multimedia communications and training materials if

project requires employee engagement o Assist teams to schedule team meetings and meetings with subject matter experts

Support short-term project team(s) staffed by County employees o Partner with stakeholders to address specific questions and challenges posed by

Climate Executive Committee that need to be answered for other projects to advance

Support other aspects of climate plan implementation (focus areas depending on skills, interest, and program needs)

o Build metrics, gather data, and develop dashboard for progress tracking o Design outreach campaigns o Plan trainings for Green Ambassadors grassroots employee network of volunteer

peer educators o Prepare presentations and case studies to share cross-functional team model with

other cities and companies in Bay Area

Support Project Managers on other sustainability projects as requested o Staffing events, researching and writing, preparing meeting materials and

presentations, and other items as assigned The position will provide significant opportunities to develop professionally, including:

Gaining understanding of how to launch project implementation in a complex context with multiple organizational divisions involved;

Applying best practices for creating behavior change to support climate-friendly policies;

Navigating change management in a large organization;

Keeping a team moving forward; and

Receiving high-visibility exposure to executives.

2) Compost and Recycling Associate Alameda County General Services Agency, Sustainability Program, Oakland, CA The Fellow serving as Alameda County’s Compost and Recycling Associate will work closely with staff in the General Services Agency’s Sustainability Program to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from waste disposed of by County employees. The County has an active recycling program; however, there are opportunities to expand and increase the effectiveness of this program. This position will focus on two major project areas. The first area involves continuing the roll-out of the County’s new composting and mixed container recycling program to owned and leased facilities. Launching this enhanced recycling program at new sites will involve completing site assessments, coordinating with janitors and waste haulers, and developing/implementing site specific roll-out plans. It will also include targeted outreach to employees to ensure the program in use correctly. The second entails expanding and increasing the effectiveness of the County’s existing internal waste diversion initiatives through developing/leading educational and outreach campaigns. The success of the County’s recycling programs is dependent on our 9,000 employees understanding and using the waste diversion systems. Encouraging employees to make the correct waste disposal choices is increasingly important with new state and local mandatory commercial recycling policies coming into effect. This project will include designing and delivering employee outreach campaigns based on community based social marketing principles. Each of these project areas includes analysis and operational elements and will involve activities such as conducting waste and bill audits, assisting in the delivery of services (i.e., placing bins and signs, coordinating service delivery, researching and purchasing waste/recycling systems), and working with internal and external partners to troubleshoot issues with waste and recycling services.

Major responsibilities will include the following areas:

Continue the roll-out of the County’s compost and expanded recycling program o Roll out composting and expanded recycling in additional County facilities o Monitor and adjust the program at facilities where it has been launched

Launch composting and expanded recycling program at leased facilities o Develop plan for enhancing recycling/composting at leased facilities o Work with landlords to implement plan

Analyze and refresh the County’s existing recycling program o Assist with management of the County’s waste and recycling accounts o Identify opportunities to reduce waste costs and increase program efficiency o Refresh County’s recycling programs at selected facilities

Increase employee participation in recycling to meet state and local mandates o Develop and deliver an effective employee engagement campaign to increase

recycling rates o Monitor program effectiveness and identify buildings that need assistance to

improve recycling rates o Work with employees to ensure County facilities meet state/regional Mandatory

Commercial Recycling requirements The position will provide significant opportunities to develop professionally, including:

Project management experience, including project scoping, developing work plans & timelines, and project implementation,

Experience implementing projects that rely on the cooperation of diverse stakeholder groups,

Opportunities to guide projects through (often complex) government structures,

Firsthand experience working in the waste and recycling field,

Practice creating and delivering target outreach campaigns, and

Experience gathering and analyzing quantitative data & field date and using it to assess project effectiveness and to inform program decisions.

3) Green Purchasing Associate Alameda County General Services Agency, Sustainability Program, Oakland, CA The Fellow serving as Alameda County’s Green Purchasing Associate will work closely with staff in the General Services Agency’s Sustainability Program to reduce the County’s climate impact through green purchasing, green building, waste reduction, and other green office choices. The Fellow will support the development and integration of green purchasing into the operational practices of our partner departments that build, maintain and lease space for County operations. The Fellow will also conduct a consumption based greenhouse gas emissions inventory for the County, assist with development and promotion of the County’s green purchasing handbook, and engage County employees in specific waste reduction initiatives. Depending on the Fellow’s skills, the position may include more extensive sustainability outreach, training, and employee engagement components. Major responsibilities will include the following areas:

Develop and integrate green purchasing standards into County purchasing, contracting and leasing practices

o Conduct technical and market research in order to draft County green purchasing standards

o Integrate standards into the County’s Green Buying Guide, as well as construction and lease specifications

o Develop web, video, or other multimedia communications and training materials to educate and promote use of standards

Conduct an consumption based greenhouse gas emissions inventory o Research best practices and design process for conducting a consumption based

greenhouse gas emissions inventory o Partner with stakeholders to collect and analyze data for use in inventory o Present results in detailed report and high-level presentation for multiple uses

Assist with green purchasing, green building and waste reduction efforts o Compile data and draft an annual report of the County’s green purchasing efforts o Design and deliver employee trainings to encourage adoption of green purchasing

practices o Partner with stakeholders to develop and implement a green building self-

certification reporting format o Work with vendors to implement contract requirements related to sustainability,

such as duplex settings on copiers

Support Project Managers on other sustainability projects as requested o Staffing events, researching and writing, preparing meeting materials and

presentations, and other items as assigned

The position will provide significant opportunities to develop professionally, including:

Drafting technical specifications for multiple target audiences related to green purchasing research;

Using life cycle analysis (LCA) tools;

Presenting technical results to meet the needs of multiple audiences;

Managing projects, such as scoping and developing work products; and

Working independently towards outcomes that are developed as a team.

4) Greening Alameda County Preschools Coordinator Alameda County General Services Agency, Child Care Department, Oakland, CA The Fellow’s projects will continue, expand, and deepen Alameda County Child Care Planning Council/GSA Child Care recycling and waste reduction work with hundreds of preschool teachers and programs throughout the County to divert waste from the landfill this year and build the field’s ongoing capacity to support Reducing, Reusing, Recycling, and Rotting (RRRR).The Greening Preschools Coordinator will conduct outreach to teachers, directors, and janitors across the entire field, and work with child care support organizations to build their awareness of and capacity to implement RRRR and new recycling laws. The Coordinator will develop training materials that solidify the case for preschool RRRR, train groups, support individuals, develop a cadre of green preschool advocates and implementers, and identify new fiscal and technical assistance resources. The Coordinator’s secondary task will also be to provide support for preschool gardens. The Fellow will be the primary Child Care Planning Council staff person working as the Greening Preschools Coordinator. Through group and individual trainings, social media, and other outreach, the Fellow will implement a child care campaign which will reach 30 preschools and divert at least 100 tons of waste through tasks including:

Refine training materials, including preschool RRRR curriculum, and develop training outreach plan

o Review, evaluate, and solidify existing materials on rationale for child care RRRR

Directly support RRRR implementation through group trainings and in depth technical assistance

o Conduct outreach and deliver trainings on RRRR with information on green cleaning and integrated pest management

o Help 30 preschools implement RRRR curriculum o Research and analyze local and state laws affecting preschool recycling o Conduct on-site technical assistance with parents, children, and teachers on RRRR

practices and curricula

Build RRRR capacity of five regional child care agencies o Train and support agencies on technical assistance and support strategies

Encourage the child care field to continually improve its RRRR and green child care efforts

o Communicate regularly with preschools using periodic newsletters and social media

o Expand and update database of preschool teachers to Develop compelling content such as RRRR successes, related grants, and resources

o Analyze qualitative and quantitative data on impact and strategies of Greening Preschools Project

Encourage full-spectrum organics education o Maintain past garden programs and provide garden education by offering ongoing

support o Offer helpful information to existing garden projects at preschool sites (i.e.

planting, harvesting, maintenance tips) o Work with partner organizations in constructing new garden projects at low-

income preschool sites Organize Climate Corps volunteer events to help with garden-bed

construction and/or garden work/planting days Obtain donated materials for garden-bed construction Help organize on-site parent volunteers to maintain garden beds Network/partner with other agencies offering similar garden support for

schools o Tie in organics program by showing children/teachers how compost/food scraps

can be used to grow food at their site The position will provide significant opportunities to develop professionally, including:

Developing a strong foundation in environmental education about Reducing, Reusing, Recycling and Rotting;

Practicing developing environmental programs, policies, and curricula in environmental areas, including gardening, for the child care field; and

Gaining skills delivering environmental education to adults and children.

5) Sustainable Transportation Associate Alameda County General Services Agency, Transportation Services, Oakland, CA The Fellow will support the Sustainability Specialist at Alameda County’s Transportation Services in the goal of reducing the County’s climate impact through cleaner commuting and the use of zero-emissions vehicles in the County fleet. Bicycle commuting within Alameda County has increased over 20% in the past few years and is likely to increase further. The Fellow’s main project will be to organize and implement employee and public engagement strategies (e.g. crowd-sourcing) to create a bicycle infrastructure assessment for County facilities and, with this information, develop/oversee a plan to add additional bicycle parking facilities at several locations. Other concurrent projects may involve green fleets, reducing vehicle miles travelled for County operations, promoting clean commuting, etc. and will be collaboratively decided during the service year. Major responsibilities will include the following areas:

Upgrade the County’s bicycle infrastructure o Develop a crowd-sourcing or other engagement strategy to gather information on

the status of bicycle parking facilities across the County. With partners (e.g. East Bay Bicycle Coalition), utilize public engagement for publically accessible locations.

o Develop a plan, with priority levels, to install or upgrade bicycle parking across County locations.

o Organize and oversee recommended upgrades o Promote bicycle commuting to County employees via workshops, events, Bike to

Work Day, etc.

Provide educational outreach to County employees on clean commuting options o Develop interactive online site and multimedia materials o Deliver trainings and presentations to employees o Draft and design County Announcements and other outreach materials o Create other innovative techniques to successfully engage County employees

regarding alternative commuting strategies and existing programs o Staff the County sustainability booth at selected employee and public outreach

events (may require flexibility to work outside of normal business hours)

Assist in expansion of advanced-fuel and zero-emissions vehicles o Attend events on advanced fuels and advanced-fuel vehicles o Draft briefings on specific advanced-fuel vehicles, fuels, and advanced-fuel vehicle

infrastructure (e.g. electric vehicle charging stations) o Gather and analyze baseline data from County pilot testing

Other projects to reduce vehicles miles travelled from operations and providing County services (e.g. promoting web conferencing or tele-commuting, improving operational efficiencies, etc.)

The position will provide significant opportunities to develop professionally, including:

Running sustainability projects from planning to completion;

Developing new media skills such as crowdsourcing applications;

Preparing budgets and financial planning/tracking;

Acquiring contacts within the non-profit and bicycle advocacy community; and

Gaining familiarity with bicycle parking infrastructure options.