What is SAGE?

Group

SAGE brings together school district representatives, waste haulers, and community partners to strengthen environmental education and waste reduction programs throughout Alameda County. As a community of practice, SAGE focuses on advocacy for schools, green workforce development, sharing best practices, and environmental and climate literacy.

Current Focus

  1. Reusable food ware programs — Fremont USD is leading the way with six elementary schools serving meals on reusables, diverting over 40,000 pounds from landfill
  2. Milk dispenser pilots — Replacing single-use milk cartons with bulk dispensers at elementary schools
  3. Compostable plastics transition — Evaluating sustainable alternatives to single-use items
  4. SB 1383 compliance — Supporting districts with food waste recovery requirements and annual reporting
  5. Climate literacy — Implementing environmental and climate literacy across Alameda County K-12 schools
  6. Custodial training — Supporting waste reduction at the operational level

15 Districts

School districts participating in SAGE county-wide.

4 Haulers

Waste management companies collaborating with schools.

Since 2017

Building on the earlier Think Take Warriors initiative.

Who Participates

School Districts

  • Alameda Unified
  • Albany Unified
  • Berkeley Unified
  • Dublin Unified
  • Emery Unified
  • Fremont Unified
  • Hayward Unified
  • Livermore Valley Joint Unified
  • New Haven Unified
  • Newark Unified
  • Oakland Unified
  • Piedmont Unified
  • Pleasanton Unified
  • San Leandro Unified
  • San Lorenzo Unified

Partners

  • Waste haulers: Waste Management, Republic Services, Amador Valley Industries, Pleasanton Garbage Service
  • Community partners: Go Green Initiative, Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda (CASA), Altamont Education Advisory Board, Piedmont Connect,
  • Sanitary districts: Oro Loma Sanitary District
  • City sustainability coordinators
  • StopWaste staff

History

SAGE was formalized in 2017, building on the earlier Think Take Warriors initiative. The group was created to give schools a voice in county-wide sustainability conversations. Schools are often the largest landowners, employers, and food service providers in their communities, making their input critical to waste reduction decisions across the county.