October 2015 Sustainability Profile: Jamison Czarnecki and Jordi Vasquez

Jamison Czarnecki and Jordi Vaquez are the new Carbon Neutrality Initiative Fellows for UC Santa Cruz. The CNI Fellows support the University of California's Carbon Neutrality Initiative, which commits UC to emitting net zero greenhouse gasses from its buildings and vehicle fleet by 2025, something no other major university system has done. As part of a network of CNI Fellows throughout the UC system, Jamison and Jordi are responsible for helping to promote and engage the campus through the Cool Campus Challenge, an online competition to reduce our carbon emissions through behavior change. We decided to learn more about our new fellows.

Jamison Czarnecki (left) Jordi Vasquez (right)

What is your major and college affiliation? 

• Jamison: Environmental Studies BA/Sustainability Studies Minor. Kresge College.
• Jordi: Earth Science, B.S. College Nine.

What's your favorite green tip? 

• Jamison: Don't take the bus on campus, walk! Especially around fall and winter when our mascot is out in full force from the rain and everything smells fresh and renewed. Also, drink sustainably! Order brews from the tap instead of the bottle and local brews over national brands. It's a smaller impact and usually better taste.
• Jordi: Be water wise! Every drop counts whether it’s a wet or dry year, recognize the importance of water. Full loads of laundry, turning off the tap when brushing your teeth, or using reusable water containers all promote water efficiency. 

What does "sustainability" mean to you? 

• Jamison: Focusing on the triple bottom line: People, Planet, Profit. Our increasingly complex global society is showing us that environmental and social issues are inter-connected. To truly solve them, we have to incorporate all disciplines and backgrounds to approach this important nexus. 
• Jordi: For me, sustainability means to remember that our Earth, that one speck of life in a vast universe, only has a finite amount of resources. Therefore, we all have a responsibility to sustain what matters for today and tomorrow. 

How do you practice sustainability in your daily life? 

• Jamison: I try to be conscious about my everyday actions and making good habits of those. For example, keeping my shower time under 5 minutes, unplugging my coffee pot when I'm done, or composting my food scraps. They're easy steps with BIG impacts! 
• Jordi: Besides being water wise I also do simple tasks such as recycling, unplugging unused appliances, and by walking or busing around. 

How does sustainability relate to your role at UCSC? 

• Jamison: As a Carbon Neutrality Fellow and a conscious student, I am always trying to research, learn, and share new ideas that we can become as sustainable as possible. We've made a lot of progress, but we can do so much more! 
• Jordi: As a Carbon Neutrality Fellow, sustainability is our main focus, promoting a carbon-neutral campus by the year 2025. Knowing the dedication of UCSC staff, students, and faculty, I’m sure we can achieve such an ambitious goal! 

Have you had a favorite sustainability moment at UCSC? 

• Jamison: Attending the workshops with the Student Environmental Center and the Winter Inter-Organizational Retreat. They really taught me how to become more conscious and aware in an inspiring way. They're also great ways to get to know like-minded students! 
• Jordi: As a fresh-eyed freshman, the strive for sustainability was eye-opening! The first few days it was amazing to realize that if a university could push for energy, food, and waste sustainability, then certainly I or any individual could achieve the same. 

Can you tell us about what it means to be a Carbon Neutrality Fellow? 

• Jamison: It's truly an honor to be selected. The UC system has pushed itself to achieve the tremendous feat of being carbon neutral by 2025. This will show that if we as a huge entity can do it, then other educational systems and businesses can become carbon neutral as well. Being a fellow this year will not only give me great professional skills to advance my career, it will allow me help other people see the importance of this goal and how they can be a part of this movement too! 
• Jordi: Being a Fellow means much more than the title portrays. The work on the 2025 Carbon Neutrality goal goes far beyond our campus and UC System; here we have the chance to promote sustainability as an everyday aspect of life. I’m excited and honored to get started!

Learn more about the Carbon Neutrality Initiative here. 

Sign up for the Cool Campus Challenge today!