Other Internship Opportunities

Corporate Climate Commitments and Carbon Credits

Calyx Global is a carbon credit ratings agency that helps organizations by carbon credits with confidence. Companies are increasingly making climate commitments. Some have decided to use carbon credits to help meet their goals. But carbon credits have variable quality -- both in terms of their GHG impact, as well as the "benefits beyond carbon" that they claim. We are interested in understanding how companies are selecting credits and with new regulations (e.g. California Assembly Bill 1305), many are now required to report on the credits they are using. This offers a new source of data that, combined with Calyx Global ratings, can provide information on the choices companies are making as well as whether they are improving their climate and "beyond carbon" impact through investigating their selection of carbon credits.

This summer internship position would also support our research team in conducting essential landscaping and background research to open a new project type under the supervision of our research staff. The intern will have the unique opportunity to initiate research for Calyx Global and explore lesser-known carbon project types, such as composting, enhanced rock weathering, improved irrigation management, clean drinking water, or others.

Project Location: Remote

Project Level: Entry Level

Fork to Farm Intern

The Carrboro Vermicomposting Project was initiated by a group of neighbors and funded by the town of Carrboro, to decrease methane released by kitchen scraps in our landfill. We promote vermicomposting and bokashi, and offer educational and training workshops. Our long-term goal is forming an organization that will keep the program improving and expanding after the grant period. This organization will provide introductory workshops, training, support, networking, continuing education, and on-line access to trusted resources.

Our Fork to Farm initiative extends our project by making composting kitchen scraps available to more people. We heard from many interested people who struggle to find the motivation and space to start vermicomposting. Therefore, we are adding the Bokashi method. Bokashi is a way to stabilize kitchen scraps in 5-gallon buckets for later use by fermenting. It can be used in the individual's garden or, donated to a friend, community garden or farmer. It requires even less labor and space, making it accessible to more people.

Tasks would include:

1. Improve and maintain our mailing list, design brochures, fliers and displays, website design and maintenance, help write publicity articles and grant proposals and post fliers
2. Tabling at the Carrboro Farmers Market, Carrboro Open Streets, Earth Day Events, Carrboro Music Festival, Carrboro in Motion and the UNC Climate Action Day and others. Will involve time spent on the weekends.
3. Continue outreach and program coordination efforts with student groups on the UNC campus including the Climate Crisis Committee, CompostMates, Edible Campus, Carolina Community Garden and Epsilon Eta.
4. Harvest vermicompost and maintain vermiculture bins. Assemble new vermicomposting bins and bokashi buckets

Project Location: Orange County, primarily Carrboro and Chapel Hill

Project Level: Entry Level

Ecoheal Home of voluntary simplicity Intern

The project consists of an ecological home, built out of engineered earthen technology with an earthen floor nested in the middle of a forest on a 68 acres farm. This 500 sf octagonal structure is designed it cools and dehumidifies itself with no moving parts. The shell of the building was completed  this summer. The second phase of this project consist in integrating natural approaches for insulation, gray water natural filtration and trim work using local materials and up cycling.

Project Location: 1183 John Allen Rd., Roxboro NC 27574

Project Level: Entry Level

Sustainable Tourism Education Campaign

ECPC Travel is looking for two interns who are passionate about sustainability and love travel.

ECPC Travel is a dual-sided platform that connects adventurous, eco-and-socially-conscious travelers to vetted options that support local communities and protect the environment. Interns working with us will gain experience in multiple forms of content-based marketing and firsthand experience with client relations. 

This includes: 

• Connecting with travel businesses on all 7 continents while conducting interviews and managing information and media collection. 

• Writing blogs, email campaigns, itinerary releases, and other marketing or informational written content that highlights our work as well as the work that our partners are doing to preserve the environment and enrich local communities. 

• Researching emerging trends, studies, and technologies relevant to the sustainable travel industry to create posts or blogs informing the public about these recent developments.

• Creating social media posts to inform the public about emerging sustainable travel projects, responsible traveler behavior, and how locally-led travel has a lower impact on the environment. Posts will be focused on educating travelers with limited sustainability knowledge to empower them to make more informed travel decisions.

Depending on the level of interest and project fit, the intern will have the opportunity to propose a side project exploring their creative interests or build skills like video editing.

Project Location: Chapel Hill

Project Level: Entry Level

Social Media & Marketing

Overview: Are you passionate about sustainability and looking to make a real impact through marketing and social media? Join Green Camps as our Social Media & Marketing Intern. You'll gain hands-on experience in outreach, branding, and social media content in sustainability. Throughout the internship, you’ll be mentored by Krayton Brox, the Membership & Outreach Advisory Board Chair.

Key Responsibilities:

Work with Green Camps staff to develop creative strategies to promote sustainability in camps and Green Camps itself. 

• Design and execute social media posts or campaigns utilizing preexisting content and generating new media
• Track social media engagement to identify high-performing ideas and campaigns for scalability
• Perform social media marketing research
• Respond to comments and DMs on social media platforms
• Brainstorm and research ideas for original content
• Create compelling graphics to share across social channels
• Write social media captions that speak to the company’s target audience
• Help create and edit short-form videos
• Ensure brand message is consistent

Project Location: Remote

Project Level: Advanced

Plastics Reduction Intern

The Haw River Assembly is a 501(c)(3) non-profit citizens’ group founded in 1982 to restore and protect the Haw River and Jordan Lake, and to build a watershed community that shares this vision. Our goals are to promote environmental education, conservation, and pollution prevention; we vow to speak as a voice for the river in the public arena and to put into peoples’ hands the tools and the knowledge they need to be effective guardians of the river.

The Haw River Assembly's Trash Trap program aims to give us information about the amount and types of trash found in our streams. We will have 8 trash traps located across the watershed, 1 in Chapel Hill, 1 in Carrboro, 2 in Durham, 1 in Pittsboro, 1 in Burlington, and 2 in Greensboro. Volunteers clean out trash traps monthly and categorize and count trash collected. Each of these traps have either a lead volunteer or a staff member/intern to help coordinate and collect data. This data will then be used to help inform future plastic pollution and litter work in our watershed. We also have an annual Clean-Up-A-Thon where individuals and groups across the watershed spend the day collecting trash alongside our roads and streams. 

The Plastics Reduction Intern will assist the Haw River Assembly with the Clean-Up-A-Thon, the Trash Trap program and other plastic reduction projects. This will include monthly trash trap clean outs and data collection, along with creating visualizations to be shared with the public based on the data. The intern would be responsible for checking on trash traps after storms for damage and assisting with maintenance when needed. Clean-Up-A-Thon planning assistance will include mapping and identifying spots acceptable for groups and individuals for the clean up. The intern will also work on literature reviews to compile information about how to reduce plastic pollution in our streams. 

Project Location: Haw River Watershed

Project Level: Entry Level

Developing an ultra-low energy process for clean fuel production from methane gas

Lukera Energy is addressing one of the world's critical climate challenges by transforming methane emissions into high-value methanol. This solution reduces greenhouse gas emissions while creating sustainable fuels and chemicals. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas often leaked or flared during industrial activities, contributes significantly to global warming.

Lukera Energy offers a unique opportunity for an undergraduate intern to contribute to optimizing a cutting-edge methane-to-methanol conversion process. This project aims to replicate the microbubble-assisted electrocatalysis experiments while improving methanol production rates, selectivity, and energy efficiency. The intern will be responsible for setting up and operating the experimental system based on established protocols and monitoring and recording key data such as production rates, current density, and energy usage.

In addition to replicating experiments, the intern will systematically test different parameters, such as methane concentration, voltage, and electrode surface area, to determine their impact on methanol yield and selectivity. They will analyze the data, identify trends, and recommend modifications to optimize the process. Weekly meetings will review progress, troubleshoot issues, and refine experimental strategies.

This role will provide the intern hands-on experience in electrochemical and catalytic systems, experimental design, and data analysis. By participating, the intern will directly contribute to advancing a transformative clean energy solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and produce sustainable fuels. This project offers an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the field of climate technology while developing valuable technical skills.

Project Location: Carrboro

Project Level: Entry Level

Multifamily Recycling Internship

The “Multifamily Reusable Bag Program” with Orange County Solid Waste Management is a project aimed at reducing contamination in multifamily recycling carts. Through continuous education efforts, residents living in multifamily housing receive information and resources that help them understand county recycling guidelines and how to recycle right. Educational resources include reusable, washable tote bags fitted with county guidelines, informational flyers, and signage at their recycling sites.

The main goal of the program is to educate residents about recycling and improve the quality of recyclables collected from multifamily around the county. Contamination is a common and challenging issue at multifamily recycling sites, especially due to plastic bags. The reusable tote bags are a convenient and effective way for residents to collect and transport their recyclables to the carts.

Interns go out to various sites to update cart decals, evaluate the recycling carts, collect data, deliver tote bags, assist with communications to property managers, and help make sure the program runs smoothly.

Communications and data management will be key as interns will be responsible for interacting with residents and property managers and updating and organizing program documents.

Project Location: Chapel Hill and Remote

Project Level: Entry Level

Recycling Stars Internship

The “Recycling Stars” Program with Orange County Solid Waste Management has been ongoing since May of 2022. The main goal of the program is to educate residents about recycling and improve the overall quality and quantity of recyclables collected from households around the County. Residents recycling properly are rewarded through star stickers. Residents not recycling properly receive ‘oops’ tags, personalized contamination letters, and other educational materials.

Teams of inspectors go out to evaluate the recycling carts, collect data, assist with communications to residents, and help make sure the program runs smoothly.

The program involves a hands-on educational approach to educate residents on what can/can’t be recycled in Orange County curbside carts along with creating awareness around the harmful impacts of contamination.

An intern will be a part time inspector and part time data analyst, gaining both experience in the field and data management. They would help with the collection, input and analysis of data from the cart evaluations.

Project Location: Chapel Hill and some remote

Project Level: Entry Level

Waste Reduction and Management Internship

Orange County Solid Waste Management operates single-stream recycling, food waste diversion, and other material recycling programs for residents, businesses, and institutions in Orange County. The intern will work with the Education and Outreach Team to assist with the County’s Zero-Waste goal. The intern will have the opportunity to learn about and work on a variety of programs, understand the role of local government in waste management and reduction, and experience the relationship between the public and private sector.

The intern will be assigned to work on specific education and outreach programs, including the Multi-Family Apartment Bag program, commercial recycling education, and composting education. Possible duties and responsibilities include data management and program analysis, the creation and distribution of educational materials, and assisting Solid Waste staff at community events.

Project Location: Chapel Hill and Remote

Project Level: Entry Level