UCSC Recognized for Higher Ed Sustainability Achievements

If there were a class in sustainability higher education, UCSC would be getting an A+. In the last few months, UC Santa Cruz received recognition from three institutions that rate universities and colleges for their higher education sustainability efforts.

In June, we earned a gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking and Rating System (STARS)--up from a silver rating in 2015--for our commitment to sustainability. STARS is designed by AASHE to be a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. Learn more about our Gold STARS rating here.

Then, just last month, the Sierra Club's Sierra magazine released its 10th annual “Cool Schools” ranking of America’s greenest colleges and universities. More than 200 schools participated in Sierra’s extensive survey about sustainability practices on their campus, and UC Santa Cruz is one of three UCs to be in the top 20! Coming in at #18, the ranking underscored UC Santa Cruz’s strong commitment to protecting the environment, addressing climate change, and encouraging sustainability. Read why Sierra says we're #18 in the nation here.

Finally, we are also on the Princeton Review's Green Colleges Honor Roll again this year, coming in at #32. The listing cites UC Santa Cruz for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, ‘greening’ design and construction projects on campus, and integrating sustainability at every level. Read the full story here.

Metro Service to Safeway

The Route 20 Metro bus (UCSC via Westside) now serves the Almar Shopping Center, which includes Safeway, Panda Ex-press, Ace Hardware, Almar Cleaners, Great Clips, a UPS store, and the Westside Coffee Company. Five weekday trips starting at 6:15pm and five weekend trips starting at 4:20pm will serve these businesses, located on Mission Street at Almar Avenue. Look for Route 20 schedule information here. http://scmtd.com.

Welcome to Fall Quarter

Dear UCSC Sustainability Newsletter Reader,

UC Santa Cruz has a big year of sustainability ahead. We are in a four-year countdown to the year 2020, which is the goal year for a number of University of California systemwide sustainability measures, like Zero Waste and Real Food. We've got four more years to achieve our goals, and it's up to all of us to join in these efforts.

This year, our campus is also developing an updated Campus Sustainability Plan (CSP) for 2017-2022. The CSP provides a comprehensive framework for advancing sustainability in four interconnected topic areas on campus, and it will identify goals, strategies, and actions to guide and track our campus progress. Read previous years' CSPs on our website here, and stay tuned for opportunities to share your input on the new CSP.

We're also excited to announce that Kristen Lee has joined our office as the new Sustainability Programs Manager. She will be focusing on zero waste, water conservation, and grant writing for sustainability. To learn more about Kristen, read her interview here.

Over the summer, many UCSC students and staff attended the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference at CSU Fullerton. Some memorable quotes from students who attended include:

• "This was an inspiring conference. I met hardworking and dedicated people. Learning about all of these case studies reignited my passion for sustainability." - Rebecca Sale, former Education & Outreach Team Coordinator
• "The conference had a great array of workshops that resonated with what I do at the Sustainability Office. I learned about new water distillation processes and equipment, new forms of purchasing guidelines, the importance of student voices, as well as ways to reduce energy in research labs." - Waleed Salemi, Green Labs Coordinator
• "The purpose of our panel was to exchange ideas and build networks and partnerships around the shared goal of increased sustainability in campus labs, including topics such as researcher engagement, student roles, funding and financing, and prolific laboratory waste streams. As the student voice for the UCSC Green Labs team, I highlighted our “Equipment Retrofit Fund” of $30,000 from Carbon Fund grants that we offer labs as an incentive to get certified and support purchasing energy-efficient equipment. The CHESC panel drew a large crowd of mostly staff and administrators, and we hosted a successful Q&A session that addressed many facets of different green lab initiatives." - Lily Urmann, former Green Labs Coordinator

You can also read about Will Watson's procurement sustainability project, which he presented about at the conference.

In addition to these updates, we also want to review for those who are new to our newsletter list what you can expect from our newsletters this year. The purpose of these monthly newsletters is to promote campus and community sustainability news, events, and opportunities to get involved. We do our best to include all of the opportunities and stories we learn about. If you have a story or update you want us to share, please email sustain.education@ucsc.edu by the 15th of the month for inclusion in the next month's newsletter.

Here's what to expect from our newsletters each month of the school year: On the left column, we feature a few major news stories and a sustainability profile, which highlights an individual or group who are demonstrating sustainability in action through their work or studies. On the right column, we include links to other news, campus achievements & awards; easy and useful green tips to practice sustainability in our everyday lives; sustainability research stories; contests & funding opportunities; internship, job & volunteer opportunities; and the classes, training & community section, which includes courses, workshops, and opportunities to support sustainable communities. To read past newsletter publications, visit our archive.

Have questions, suggestions, or ideas for our newsletter? Want to be featured for the work you're doing on campus? Email us at sustain.education@ucsc.edu.

Thank you for being a dedicated member of our Sustainability Newsletter list, and we hope you have a great year, sustainabilibuddies!

Sincerely,
The UCSC Sustainability Office Education & Outreach Team

Kristen Lee: Sustainability Profile

by Dylan Huntzinger, Sustainability Office Education & Outreach Team Associate

The new academic year brings with it new classes, new opportunities, and for the Sustainability Office, a new staff person! Upon hearing about the Sustainability Programs Manager position at UCSC, Kristen Lee, a Los Angeles native living in Florida, enthusiastically applied. After many interviews with different candidates over the summer, our Office hired her for the position, which supports water conservation, zero waste, and grant writing for sustainability.

Kristen was inspired to pursue a career in sustainability by the natural beauty of California and the influence of an AP Environmental Science teacher, Mrs. Redman. Kristen is a volleyball fanatic and loves coaching, which she has done at all levels.  She is also an avid backpacker who has left footprints in the Sierras and Siskyous. Prior to her role at UCSC, Kristen worked in the Sustainability Office at Florida State University. 

Kristen lives sustainably by eating a low-meat diet and cycling as much as possible. While passionate, she is no righteous zealot when it comes to living sustainably. “No one is going to win the sustainability Olympics.  It’s less about being overzealous and more about introducing sustainable practices into everyday life.”

A useful green tip that she wanted to share with newsletter readers is that “dehydrating foods is one of the most energy-intensive [food processing] processes." According to R. Paul Singh, a food science professor at UC Davis, freeze-drying foods uses 1.7 times more energy than freezing. Who knew?

As Sustainability Programs Manager, Lee will be focusing on zero-waste and water conservation efforts, as well as supporting grant writing for sustainability projects on campus.  She will also support the Campus Sustainability Plan planning process that launches this quarter. 

When asked what sustainability means to her, she shared about the process of leading a more sustainable life: “I see sustainability as a learning process, understanding that your actions can have an impact and you will make an impact. There’s often a disconnect between knowing something to be true and taking action, following through, and that’s a learning process that takes time.”

The Sustainability Office staff welcomes Kristen Lee and looks forward to working with her! If you want to connect with Kristen, you can email her at klee122[at]ucsc[dot]edu.

Zero Waste & Sustainability Outreach Efforts in Action at OPERS Fest

UCSC's numerous sustainability organizations were well represented at OPERS Fest this year on September 20, with students tabling about topics such as sustainable food systems, water conservation, native plant restoration, natural history, seed saving, waste reduction, sustainable engineering, and more. 

Behind the scenes, our very own Zero Waste Team and OPERS student staff were hard at work ensuring that waste from the event was disposed of properly. The Zero Waste Team projected before the event that as much as 98% of waste from OPERS Fest could be diverted from landfills. The survey conducted after the event revealed that actual waste diversion was near that goal, with 97% of waste diverted into compost or recycling instead of the landfill!

These UCSC students took a sustainability pledge to reduce their plastic waste by always using a reusable water bottle. The purpose of the sustainability pledge is to get people thinking about ways they can further incorporate sustainability into their daily lives. It's a pledge to make one small change, which can inspire others so that collectively, we're changing the world. You can check out more pledges and pictures from OPERS Fest on Facebook.

Active zero waste efforts like the monitored 4-part waste station at OPERS Fest are instrumental in driving UCSC towards its goal of campuswide zero waste by 2020. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Sustainability Tent, composted their food scraps, and helped host this fantastic, annual zero waste event!

October 2016: Internships, Employment, & Volunteering

Internships

Global Food Initiative Internships
The UCSC Global Food Initiative team is currently recruiting for two internships. The positions available are the Food Workshop Coordinator and the Food Distribution/Pantry Coordinator, which address student food access and security, as well as overall well-being on campus. For more details, please contact Tim Galarneau, Staff Advisor at tgalarne[at]ucsc[dot]edu, or Diane Villalba, Student Intern at dvillalb[at]ucsc[dot]edu, for more details!

Produce Pop-Up Stand Internship
The Food Systems Working Group is looking for two driven individuals to assist with the weekly organic Produce Pop-Up in Quarry Plaza. Responsibilities will include outreach and collaboration efforts, budget and finance planning, and overall assistance in weekly preparation and operation of the Produce Pop-Up stand. To learn more information about the Food Systems Working Group and the Produce Pop-Up, please visit Facebook and Instagram, or email project coordinator James Lande at jamlande[at]ucsc[dot]edu. This is a 2-quarter commitment, 2 units per quarter.

Save The Waves Development Research Assistant
The Davenport-based organization Save The Waves has an opening for an intern to serve as the team’s development research assistant for 15-20 hours/week. The intern will support institutional fundraising, donor research, data management, maintaining and improving database functionality, and data integrity to create systems to support fundraising growth and innovation.  Job description available here. To apply, email a resume and cover letter to intern[at]savethewaves[dot]org.

Leedscape Planning and Design Co.
Leedscape Planning, a landscape architecture firm based out of Beijing, is looking for interns with experience in ecological restoration to help improve China's green infrastructure.  Leedscape is open to two forms of paid collaboration. Either an onsite internship that allows hands-on opportunities (interns may have the opportunity to travel across China for ecological assessment), or an internet collaboration that allows a more flexible schedule.  Full details on PDF.  Please send your questions, cover letter, and resume to alina[at]leedscape[dot]com[dot]cn.

Employment

Action Education Coordinator for Friends of Community Agroecology Network
Friends of the Community Agroecology Network (FoCan) is hiring an educator to design and implement a 5-unit, peer-led course involving seminar section and service learning.  Applicants should have experience with agroecology and food/social justice issues, but no prior teaching experience is necessary.   Fall and Winter quarters.  $10 per hour, 10 hours per week Fall quarter, 15 hours per week Winter quarter.  A full description is avaliable on the website here.  Please send your resume and a brief description of why you are interested in the position to focan[at]ucsc[dot]edu.

FoCAN Media & Documentation Coordinator
Friends of the Community Agroecology Network is hire a media coordinator to manage their website, social media accounts, and photo archives.  Fall quarter, possible extension to Winter and Spring.  $10 per hour, 10 hours / week.  A full description is avaliable on the website here.  Please send your resume and a brief description of why you are interested in the position to focan[at]ucsc[dot]edu.

City of Chico Urban Forest Manager: Deadline October 13
The City of Chico is recruiting for the full-time position of Urban Forest Manager.  Responsibilities include implementing an urban forest management program in City parks and public spaces and coordinating with public and private agencies.  Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor's degree, five years of arboricultural experience, and experience in public relations.  Full description and application here.  Please direct questions to Amanda Strand at amanda[dot]strand[at]chicoca[dot]gov  Recruitment closing date of Thursday, October 13, 2016, at 5:00 p.m.

Volunteering

Open Streets Santa Cruz: October 9
Open Strets Santa Cruz is in need of 50 enthusiastic volunteers to turn West Cliff Drive into a car-free pop-up park!  The event is on Sunday, October 9th, from 9am to 2pm.  Volunteers are asked to sign up for a 2-hour shift and will be rewarded with pizza and a stylish T-shirt.  Sign up here and be sure to attend the orientation meeting (pizza provided) on Tuesday, October 4, 2016, 6:00 - 7:30 pm at Louden Nelson Community Center (301 Center St.).  Please direct questions to Maura Connolly at maura.c.connolly[at]alumni[dot]wfu[dot]edu.

Fall Bike To Work / School Day: October 6

The Sustainability Office is hosting the Main Entrance to UCSC site for Fall Bike to Work/School Day this Thursday. We are looking for more volunteers to hand out free breakfast to bicyclists and talk about bicycle advocacy from 6:30 - 9:30 AM--you can sign up for one hour or more.  More information is on the website here. To volunteer at the UCSC site, contact Melissa at mott[at]ucsc[dot]edu.

Green Builder Internship
Long Way Home is seeking interns to learn and apply green construction methods in San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala.  Interns will experience various alternative construction methods, depending on the time of their visit including pounding tires with rammed earth, using bottles stuffed with trash to form fences, creating and placing glass bottle bricks, or harvesting cactus pads for a natural sealant.  Applications are accepted year-round.  Internships may be as short as one week to as long as three months.  No qualifications needed, but experience in construction, education, and Spanish will be valuable.  Cost is $75 per week.  To volunteer, contact Ariel Wexler at Volunteer[at]lwhome[dot]org or apply at the website here.

Long Way Home NGO Internship in Guatemala
Long Way Home is offering an internship in San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala to anyone interested in managing a grassroots organization.  Responsibilities include fundraising, marketing, bookkeeping, reporting, and managing resources. Experience can be tailored to your specific area of interest. Applications are accepted year-round.  Minimum 2-month commitment.  No qualifications needed, but non-profit experience and Spanish language skills will be valuable.  Cost is $75 per week.  To volunteer, contact Ariel Wexler at Volunteer[at]lwhome[dot]org or apply at the website here.

New Santa Cruz Environteers Website
For more even more environmentally-themed volunteering opportunities in Santa Cruz County, be sure to check out environteers.org! Environteers is a new website dedicated to providing easy access to the many rewarding environmental volunteer opportunities in our community, and to promote the diverse and dedicated environmental organizations serving Santa Cruz County.

Nine Campus Labs Receive Green Labs Certification

The UCSC Sustainability Office's Green Labs Program is pleased to announce new certifications for nine on-campus research laboratories. A Green Labs certification verifies a lab's commitment to energy efficiency, waste reduction, and green procurement of lab materials. With the addition of these labs, there are now 18 UCSC labs that have gone through the certification program.

The newly certified labs and their ranking within the certification program are Kellog Lab, receiving a copper certification; Gifford and Lockey Labs, receiving a silver certification; Boeger, Braslau, Habicht, Zihlman, and Galloway Labs receiving gold certifications; and the Strome Lab--a sustainability superstar--receiving the highest honors with a platinum certification.  Congratulations to all of our Green Labs certified labs on campus!

To learn more about the Green Labs Program, including how to get your research lab certified or become a member of the team, please visit the Green Labs website here.

October 2016: Classes, Training, Community

Get Involved with a UCSC Sustainability Organization
Wondering what organizations exist on campus that work on sustainability projects? The Sustainability Office has a list of organizations here. Are we missing any groups who should be on this list? Email us at sustain.education[at]ucsc[dot]edu. 

Bike to Work Day: October 6

For nearly 30 years, Ecology Action has been organizing the Bike To Work program in Santa Cruz County. The program happens every May and October and now represents the largest sustainable transportation event in the region and serves a combined total of over 13,000 residents every year. This year, the Sustainability Office will be hosting the UCSC Main Entrance breakfast site, and there will also be a site at Family Student Housing. Check out the Breakfast Site page for info on all your favorite stops across the County! For questions, contact Emily Gomez at bike2work[at]ecoact[dot]org. 

Smart Cycling Classes: October 6 & 7

A two hour intensive class that covers how to do a basic bike check, braking basics, gear shifting, proper helmet fitting, locking bikes, commuting tips, and sharing the road. Thursday, Oct. 6, 5:00–7:30pm, or Friday, Oct. 7, 5:30–8pm Cowell College Room 132. Pre-registration is required at (831) 459-5146 or timellis[at]ucsc[dot]edu.

UCSC Farm Produce Pop-up 
Come and enjoy the UCSC Farm Produce Pop-up on Thursdays from 10am to 3pm at the Quarry Plaza! FSWG will have a variety of vegetables and flowers from the UCSC CASFS Farm and select fruit from the Downtown Farmer's Market. They are now accepting EBT/CalFresh so please come by and use your benefits! The purpose of  the pop-up is to bring the Farmer's market to UCSC for students and to increase access to healthy and affordable food for all. If you have any questions, please contact Alyssa Billys at abillys[at]ucsc[dot]edu.

Cultivating a Daily Revolution Weekly Gatherings 

Cultivating a Daily Revolution weekly gatherings provides a space for students to engage in topics of social justice, community, beyond fair trade, and agroecological approaches. This quarter CDR is offered as a 2-unit internship, but every class is open to the public! They meet Wednesdays from 6-8 PM at A2 in the Sustainability Living Center at the Village. Visit their website for more info.

Workshops through PLAN

The Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN) cultivates, educates, and inspires the student-led zero waste movement. They inform students about the waste crisis and equip them with the necessary skills and resources to implement solutions to waste in their campus communities. PLAN empowers our generation to be changemakers. PLAN's Campus Coordinators offer expertise in leadership development and program-specific best-practices to equip students with the tools they need to reach Zero Waste on their campus. Check out the certification trainings and workshops here.

Santa Cruz Fruit Tree Project Working to Expand Community Orchard

Santa Cruz Fruit Tree Project is in negotiations with the City of Santa Cruz about expanding our first-ever community orchard. In early 2015 they planted 12 fruit trees in Riverside Gardens Park, and have a agreement on a plan to add about 25 more trees, across the street, in Mike Fox Park this winter. 

Startup Weekend Santa Cruz: Sustainability & Social Impact: November 18-20

Startup Weekend Santa Cruz is a grassroots event, organized by volunteers who currently live and/or work in Santa Cruz. This is a unique opportunity for developers, designers, social justice advocates, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, students, engaged citizens, marketers, product managers, changemakers, nonprofit leaders, startup enthusiasts and many others come together to team up and build several new social enterprise startups in just 54 hours! Pitch your idea, build your business, and get feedback from coaches and judges throughout the weekend. Learn more and get your ticket on the website or visit the Facebook page. Discounted tickets are available; email santacruz[at]startupweekend.org for more information.

Sustainability Studies Minor

The minor incorporates courses offered by College Eight and departments across campus, student-initiated classes through the Education for Sustainable Living Program, and an interdisciplinary capstone. The minor is open to all UCSC students. For more information, click here.

October 2016: Contests and Funding

Bioneers Conference Scholarship: Deadline October 7
In an effort to make the Bioneers Conference accessible to a wider and more diverse group of people, the Kresge Common Ground Center at UC Santa Cruz has partnered with Bioneers to bring students, faculty, staff, and recent alumni to the conference at a reduced rate of $45 per person per day (or $125 for the entire 3-day conference). You will not find more affordable tickets for Bioneers than this! Regular price is $420 for 3-days. Click here to learn more and apply!

Carbon Fund Info Session October 26
Do you need funding for a green project? The UCSC Carbon Fund is a granting body that funds students, staff, and community sustainability projects. If you have a project geared towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions on campus or in the community, consider applying for a Carbon Fund grant! The application info session is on Wednesday, October 26th. Check their website as the date approaches for the time and location.

Air Expressions-Grants for Clean Air Projects: Deadline October 28
The Air District invites students and teachers in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties to apply for grants that use creativity and imagination, to help the District improve air quality and build a better future with informed and motivated young people. College and university students are eligible up for to $5,000. To apply for funding, each applicant must submit a completed application to the District. Click here for more information.

Project Green Challenge 
Project Green Challenge is a 30-day contest, from October 1-30, for high school and college students who are interested in health, wellness, the environment and eco-conscious living. Join folks from around the U.S. who are competing for prizes. Sign up here.

October 2017: Green Tips: Back to School/Halloween

Sometimes, the most sustainable option is also the most enjoyable, and this is certainly the case for the new school year approaching and Halloween. With the new season and one of the most festive holidays approaching, keep these tips in mind to make the most of your weekend and can save you money, and help the environment!

Safe and Sustainable Routes to School 
Instead of driving alone, start a carpool, bike train, or group walk! You'll each save time, energy, and fuel.

Healthy Meals 
Sometimes with our busy work or school schedule, we don't give ourselves enough time to prepare meals. This may lead to purchasing food to-go, which involves packaging waste. Before you spend your money and contribute to adding more garbage to our landfills, take some time to get up earlier than usual to prepare your meals for the day. Use reusable containers to pack and store your meals. Having breakfast, lunch and dinner are essential meals you need in order to maintain your body with enough energy for the day.

Buy Smart or Reuse Your Supplies!
School supplies can be expensive. Check out a local thrift store or dollar store to buy some neat school supplies. Thrift stores often have awesome and unused school supplies for really, really cheap. If you happen to have supplies from previous years, try to reuse those supplies. This can save you tons of money and reduce your waste.

Celebrate Halloween, go green! 
Did you know that many costumes sold in stores contain toxic chemicals like PVC and phthalates? Gross! Instead, be creative by making your own costumes out of repurpose clothes, or fashion costumes from recycled materials. Another tip is thrift shopping for costumes, or asking a friend to let you borrow an unused costume they might have.

Give Out Healthy Treats
Instead of giving out sugary candy, consider giving out healthier treats on October 31, such as oranges, trail mix, granola bars, and stickers.

Decorations
Use recycled paper to create your crafty cut-outs of bats, pumpkins, and other spooky characters to decorate your windows. Decorating your home with locally grown pumpkins will help reduce your carbon footprint and waste. Be sure to harvest the pumpkin seeds for roasting and compost any parts of the pumpkin you don't eat!

Have a low waste party
Instead of purchasing decorative disposable plates, cups, and utensils, use silverware and compostable utensils. Check out your local thrift store to purchase your items. Have your guests toss their used utensils in a bin to be rewashed and reused. Don't forget to recycle cans and compost leftovers!

Inspired by: http://www.earthshare.org/2011/10/celebrate-halloween-with-earthshare-members.html

October 2016 Sustainability Profile: Ariel Wexler

Each month, our newsletter features a person or group on campus that is working toward a more sustainable world. This month we are featuring Ariel Wexler, a UCSC alumna and currently the volunteer coordinator for Long Way Home. 

Name: Ariel Wexler

Major, College, Graduation Year: Environmental Studies, Stevenson College, Class of 2015

Currently: The Volunteer Coordinator at Long Way Home

How were you involved with sustainability at UCSC?
My first year living in Stevenson College I got involved with PTAGS (Path to a Greener Stevenson) and the Stevenson Garden which allowed me to attend Inter-Org Retreat. Soon after, I was on the planning committee for the following retreats. For a year and a half I was an assistant on the Education and Outreach team at the Sustainability Office. I was also very involved with PICA (Program in Community and Agroecology). I was a PICA resident for three years and a Program Assistant for one year. One of my most rewarding experiences was getting the opportunity to co-facilitate an ESLP (Education for Sustainable Living Program) course called “Decolonize your Food System.”

How did your experiences at UCSC prepare you for life after college? 
As an Environmental Studies major I was taught the skills to think critically about the complexities of environmental problems/solutions. Oftentimes when there seems like a clear or right solution to a problem it is always so much more complex. It has helped me think more holistically about what “sustainability” really means. Really, my time at UCSC was most beneficial because it gave me a network of wonderful, passionate, and inspiring individuals that also want to make real solutions in the world.

What are you currently up to? 
Currently, I am living in San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala as a Volunteer Coordinator for Long Way Home (LWH), a non-profit organization that has been building a school using green building techniques. Currently, the school has 118 students, grades K-8. Thus far LWH has used over 400 tons of trash and 14,000 tires in their construction. I love working for a project that has been able to turn sustainability from theory to practice. My main focus is to make sure that our volunteers have a great experience while working with us! Check out Long Way Home’s website.

Do you have any advice for current students? 
Don't stress too much about life post-college. Try to enjoy where you are at in this moment in time. I know it is easier said than done. Last year I definitely found myself all consumed with questions about what type of career or job I was supposed to/should be doing. I’ve learned that every experience good or bad may lead you on a completely different path. I think it’s best to take it experience/job at a time and learn about the things you enjoy and don’t enjoy and then move on from there.

Internships: City of Santa Cruz Climate Action Program

The City of Santa Cruz’s award winning Climate Action Program is part of the City Manager’s office. Since its inception in 2007, the program is tasked with the implementation of the City’s Climate Action Plan and meeting its 12 climate action milestones. Working collaboratively across all City departments and within the community, program priorities for 2016 include efforts aimed at reducing community and municipal energy and transportation emissions through projects, policy and programming. More information about the program can be viewed at its website.

The City of Santa Cruz Climate Action Program is seeking two Climate Action interns for fall quarter to support the program in implementation of the City’s Climate Action Plan. These fall quarter positions are unpaid, for credit internships with a preferred availability of 6 to 12 hours per week to be worked at City Hall during business hours between Tuesday and Friday each week. Applicants must demonstrate a positive attitude, the willingness to learn and attention to detail. Candidates must be junior or seniors with demonstrable experience and/or coursework relevant to the position to which you are applying.

Climate Action Intern Position 1 – Outreach and Communications
As the outreach intern, you will assist the Sustainability and Climate Action manager in laying out and drafting a new quarterly internal newsletter, planning the social media calendar and posts, make revisions to and create new collateral materials, conduct outreach to the public on the program and support other communications within the program.

This intern will receive professional mentorship in outreach and communications skill development, learn policy and processes of civic government, and gain exposure to a fast-paced, goal oriented work environment.

Climate Action Intern Position 2 – Energy and Climate Analytics
As the energy and climate analytics intern, you will assist the Sustainability and Climate Action manager in two short term projects. First, you will prepare a comparison of efficacy of the City’s existing solar marketplace to new, improved state tools recently launched. Second you will analyze the 2015 City employee commute data, preparing summary statistics and graphics to be used in the City’s Municipal greenhouse gas inventory and program collateral. There is the potential to support other data analytic needs of the program as well, depending on the completion pace of the two primary projects.

This intern will receive professional mentorship in data collection and analysis, learn policy and processes of civic government, and gain exposure to a fast-paced, goal oriented work environment.

If you are interested, please send an introductory email indicating which position to which you are applying and include a resume or CV to the Sustainability and Climate Action Coordinator, Tiffany Wise-West at twise-west@cityofsantacruz.com.