Applications due Feb. 18, 2022
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Oregon Sea Grant are excited to announce the opportunity for Oregon businesses to host a paid, 10-week, full-time sustainability intern for the summer through the Oregon Applied Sustainability Experience Internship program.
This is a voluntary, non-regulatory program that supports environmental workforce development, waste reduction, environmental protection and economic savings. This year, the program is especially interested in working with coastal businesses, B-Corps, the metal finishing industry, small businesses and the food and beverage sector.
“We aim to prevent the use of toxic chemicals, increase economic savings and cultivate the next generation of sustainability professionals by supporting Oregon businesses in reaching their pollution prevention goals,” says Lisa Cox, DEQ toxics reduction analyst and OASE program coordinator.
DEQ and Oregon Sea Grant administer the internship program with funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s pollution prevention program. The internship program launched six years ago. It has guided over 30 internships and created a variety of successful projects that include:
Providence Healthcare reduced use of linens, saved $120,000 and prevented 47 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. In addition, the intern completed a chemical inventory and identified toxic chemicals that could be replaced with safer alternatives.
Pacific Seafood is on track to save $26,000 annually, reducing 6,750 pounds of plastic waste and 32,850 gallons of water by installing a simple wedge on their plastic drums and a foot pedal on a sink that had previously been motion activated.
Deadline to apply is Feb. 18, 2022. For assistance with project ideas or the application, please contact oaseinternship@gmail.com.
Resources:
More OASE success stories.
–Oregon Applied Sustainability Experience Internship Program Team
