Local environmental start-up looking for an app developer to join their team, contact igalmich@ucsc.edu for details.
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
June 2017: Classes, Trainings, and Community
Santa Cruz Farmer's Markets
Downtown Santa Cruz Farmer's Market on Wednesdays, 1:30 to 6:30 pm in Spring & Summer (1:30 to 5:30 pm in Fall & Winter) at Cedar St. and Lincoln St.
Westside Farmer's Market on Saturdays, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm year-round at Mission St. Ext. and Western Dr.
Or drive to one of the other Farmer's Markets in the area including: Felton, Live Oak, Scotts Valley.
Santa Cruz Hub for Sustainable Living
Check out the cool various programs within the Santa Cruz Hub for Sustainable Living. There's lots of ways to get involved with them.
Sustainability Classes for Fall 2017
ANTH 110: Cultures of Sustainability and Social Justice (5 units)
With Professor David Shaw, ANTH 110 brings together diverse forms of cultural knowledge and complexities of everyday life to illuminate longstanding concerns of sustainability and justice. Investigates multiple theories of sustainable development as well as tools, techniques, and contexts for ecological integrity, economic security, empowerment, responsibility and social well-being characteristic of sustainable communities. Case studies are drawn from around the world highlighting the work of Right Livelihood Award Laureates in tandem with UC faculty.
EE 80S: Sustainability Engineering and Practice (5 units)
EE 80S offers a topical introduction to principles and practices of sustainability engineering and ecological design with emphasis on implementation in society. It also provides an understanding of basic scientific, engineering, and social principles in the design, deployment, and operation of resource-based human systems, and how they can be maintained for this and future generations. No specialized background in engineering, science, or social sciences is assumed.
CRSN 56-1: Media Internships for Sustainability (5 units)
In the CRSN 56 internship with Professor Ronny Lipschutz, students develop and work on media projects related to the college theme of "Environment and Society" in film, on television, in print, and on the Internet. Students work in groups with specific instructors and project leaders. Enrollment by application and instructor consent. May be repeated for credit.
ENVS 80B-01: The Ecological Forecast of Global Warming (5 units)
If you aren't an Environmental Studies Major but are interested in our changing climate, you might be interested in ENVS 80B taught by Professor Loik Boycoff. It covers a broad overview of the impacts of human activities on the global climate system. Topics include how climate affects the distribution of ecosystems, the influence of global climate change on biodiversity, ecosystem function, and consequences for the human enterprise.
June 2017: Green Move-Out
It's hard to believe that we are entering the end of another school year. For many of us, that means it is time to begin moving out of our school-time residences. Move out at UCSC can be a hectic and wasteful time. Here are some tips for how to make your move-out experience as sustainable as possible!
- Plan ahead: Instead of recycling cardboard boxes and discarding supplies, keep them available for when you are packing up your room during move-out
- Participate in the Santa Cruz Citywide Garage Sale on June 3rd & 4th. Register for the Garage Sale.
- Sell or Donate unwanted possessions: Create sell and give away boxes while packing. Use Freestyle Santa Cruz, Craigslist Santa Cruz and other online resources. Drop off bigger give away items (ie refrigerators, couches, chairs) at the Mission Street Goodwill Drop-off location or at other donation locations.
- Use Social Media outlets: Post your selling and give away items on the UCSC Free & For Sale Facebook page, NextDoor Santa Cruz and others like it.
- Know your waste: Educate yourself on what goes in the recycling, compost, and landfill containers on campus to avoid contaminating waste streams
- Get involved in Move-Out Programs: Sign up for the UCSC off Campus Move Out for those who live off campus
- Check out City of Santa Cruz Guidelines for a smooth Move-Out
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
UCSC Taps: Electric Vehicles Incentives
Driving an electric vehicle reduces California Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions by as much as 80% per mile traveled. The UC Office of the President Sustainable Practices Policy strives for 4.5% of all commuter vehicles be zero-emission vehicles by 2025, and encourages commuters who drive to consider electric for their next vehicle purchase. In a short video, hear what local EV drivers have to say about their EV experience.
The offers and rebates shown below are for information purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of any of the listed products, services or programs.
EV Dealership OffersUCSC TAPS has negotiated the following limited duration special promotion(s) for UC Staff, faculty and students for the purchase or lease of an electric vehicle.
Through June 30, 2017 Nissan is offering UCSC faculty, staff and students discounted rates on the purchase of a Nissan LEAF. See the promotional flyer or contact a local Nissan dealer for more information.
Through July 5, 2017 Ford is offering UCSC faculty, staff and students $500 off the purchase of an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, or special lease pricing. See the promotional flyer or contact a local Ford dealer for more information.
Be sure to bring the related promotion flyer, and your UCSC ID with you when visiting participating dealerships, and ask about the availability of Federal ($7,500) and State ($2,500) rebates to help lower the cost of your lease or purchase.
EV RebatesMonterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD) is offering Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito County residents Clean Vehicle Rebates of $500 to $2,000 (until funds are exhausted) on purchases of qualified new and certified used EVs. More information and applications are available at http://mbard.org/rebates/.
PG&E is offering a $500 Clean Fuel Rebate to EV users within the PG&E Service Area. More information is available on their Clean Fuel Rebate for EV Fueling page.
Home charging equipment rebates and vehicle insurance discounts are sometimes available through the California Air Resources Board. Check their website for more information.
The offers and rebates shown below are for information purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of any of the listed products, services or programs.
EV Dealership OffersUCSC TAPS has negotiated the following limited duration special promotion(s) for UC Staff, faculty and students for the purchase or lease of an electric vehicle.
Through June 30, 2017 Nissan is offering UCSC faculty, staff and students discounted rates on the purchase of a Nissan LEAF. See the promotional flyer or contact a local Nissan dealer for more information.
Through July 5, 2017 Ford is offering UCSC faculty, staff and students $500 off the purchase of an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, or special lease pricing. See the promotional flyer or contact a local Ford dealer for more information.
Be sure to bring the related promotion flyer, and your UCSC ID with you when visiting participating dealerships, and ask about the availability of Federal ($7,500) and State ($2,500) rebates to help lower the cost of your lease or purchase.
EV RebatesMonterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD) is offering Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito County residents Clean Vehicle Rebates of $500 to $2,000 (until funds are exhausted) on purchases of qualified new and certified used EVs. More information and applications are available at http://mbard.org/rebates/.
PG&E is offering a $500 Clean Fuel Rebate to EV users within the PG&E Service Area. More information is available on their Clean Fuel Rebate for EV Fueling page.
Home charging equipment rebates and vehicle insurance discounts are sometimes available through the California Air Resources Board. Check their website for more information.
3rd Annual Campus Cleanup Day: The Trashy Details
My name is Malina Long and my largest project this year with the Zero Waste Team was to plan the 3rd Annual UCSC Campus Cleanup. Even though this event took place in the spring, my committee and I began planning this event all the way back in winter quarter! We’ve gone through so, so, SO many different unexpected challenges throughout these past few months, but we made it over them and had a successful event. At the end of the day, volunteers collected 224.4lbs pounds of litter! We collected 82.8lbs of trash, 81lbs of recycling, 33.2lbs of compost, 25.2lbs of electronic/hazardous waste, and 2.2lbs of cigarettes!
Many people might not know this, but planning an event of this scale takes a tremendous amount of work. From an outsider perspective, it may not look like much—food, t-shirts, buckets, bags, signs—it’s just getting things from A to B...right? Well, not exactly. This is true for our three smaller cleanups that we held during fall quarter, but definitely not true for the 3rd Annual Campus Cleanup, an event that brings in over 150 people each year. There are many hoops we have to jump through in order to ensure that we are doing things correctly! SEVERAL permits, forms, emails, and meetings are required to make every little thing you see possible.
For example, take for instance getting the food for our volunteers. In order to get food, we had to reach out to not one, not two, not three, but even more people! Getting food was not just about finding out where to get it from, but figuring out how we would pay for it. We had to make a budget, put in several funding requests, and present to student senates all around campus! We also had to figure out who would get the permits for the food and tables, who would pick up the food, who would store the food, who would serve the food, et cetera... As you can see, a lot of steps go into making just ONE aspect of our event happen! Multiply this process by all the other things we need for the event, and it gets really complicated, really quick!
So why do we do so much work for one day? Why do we take our time to create an event that is focused on TRASH? Because it is our job, as students, campus users, and beings on this Earth to take responsibility for the products we choose to create, use, and dispose of on this planet. This trash will be here forever and will continue to impact beings, human and non-human, forever. We must do all that we can to lessen this negative impact by working towards creating a positive impact. We have a lot of power as humans on this planet. We have the power to make small choices NOW and we must remember that OUR choices WILL have a large impact later. This day serves as a reminder to always be conscious of our actions, our environment, and to care for our planet. It is, after all, our home.
For more info on the Zero Waste Team and Campus Cleanup Day go to goo.gl/x6OfwX
2017-2018 Blueprint for a Sustainable Campus
On behalf of the Student Environmental Center (SEC), the Student Environmental Center Blueprint Team is pleased to announce the release of the 2017-2018 Blueprint for a Sustainable Campus. This document serves as a resource guide and a different way of thinking about sustainability around 10 topics ranging from food to water to purchasing. Part of this process involved documenting student’s visions and actions of what they want sustainability to look like on campus and beyond. In addition, this year’s topic descriptions include intersections with environmental justice and other fields. They encourage you to read it and think about how your own personal or organizational missions relate to environmental justice. They've tried to broaden the scope of sustainability to include issues directly affecting students such as food insecurity and housing accessibility.
SEC encourages staff, faculty and students to use this year's Blueprint.
They also recommend that student organizers apply for funding through the Campus Sustainability Council next winter (csc.enviroslug.org) for sustainability related projects or events.
They also recommend that student organizers apply for funding through the Campus Sustainability Council next winter (csc.enviroslug.org) for sustainability related projects or events.
June 2017: Internships, Employment and Volunteering
Internships:
Sustainability Office: Deadlines vary
The Sustainability Office is currently accepting applications for the academic 2017-2018 year. Internship positions focus on various topics related to sustainability such as: education, buildings, energy, food, land and habitat, procurement, transportation, waste reduction, water, and drought information. While interns help promote sustainability campus-wide through various projects, events, outreach, etc., students will gain hands-on experience, develop and improve leadership skills, communication, facilitation, and so much more. For more details around the different internship positions and to learn more about the Sustainability Office, click here.
Arboretum: Deadline Varies
The Arboretum at UCSC is open to the community both off and on campus. Check out their website, which provides information on their garden, gift shop, gallery, etc. The Arboretum is located on High St. between the east and west campus entrance. Volunteer positions are non-paid and open to students and the public. Work-study internships are paid. Academic credit offered for UCSC Environmental Studies, Biology, Plant Science, Science Illustration and Science Writing students - offered through the departments. Students can fulfill the "internship or independent research" requirement of the new Plant Science major through the Arboretum.
Application Process: Contact Brett Hall, brett@ucsc.edu at (831) 502-2304
Environmental Studies Internship/Field Program: Deadline Varies
The UCSC Environmental Studies internship program, has locally, nationally, and internationally placed students in public and private organizations. From here they have become involved in research, education, and policy formation projects while gaining first-hand experience. Students have contributed to many organizations by completing useful and well-researched projects, leading to mutually beneficial experiences for agencies and students. Students have been placed in a variety of organizations, locally and abroad. To check out the placements click here. The Environmental Studies Internship Office is committed to providing the necessary resources for finding the best placement for each student. Interested? Stop by the Environmental Studies office and start the process to set up an internship for credit! http://envs.ucsc.edu/internships/Contact: Chris Krohn Title: Internship Coordinator Phone: (831) 459-2104 Fax: (831) 459-4015
Student Volunteer Center: Deadline Varies
The Student Volunteer Center offers an internship program for motivated UCSC students seeking service-learning opportunities. Interns support SVC events and programs while working with various campus and community organizations to develop professional, communication, and event planning skills. The internship program is ideal for students wishing to gain leadership experience through volunteerism, or for students seeking nonprofit management experience. Three credits will be offered for each quarter of interning with SVC during the school year. Interns work ten hours per week based on personal schedule. Work hours include group event organization, publicity, volunteer organization visits, and weekly staff meetings. A project binder, which includes weekly journal reflections and one final reflective paper, will be due before the end of the quarter. For more information about the application process click here. See the Student Volunteer Center home page for more volunteer opportunities.
Employment:
Sustainability Coordinator at Endicott College
Endicott College is seeking for a full-time Sustainability Coordinator. Some but not all of the responsibilities include: assist the Associate Director of Sustainability, coordinate necessary equipment (vehicles, bins, dumpsters etc.) and staffing in coordination with Physical Plant. Hire, train, and manage student workers in the collection of recycled material. Assist with Move In and Move Out procedures in coordination with Community Service Office, Res Life, Physical Plant and Student workers/volunteers. To learn more about the position description and qualifications, please click here. To apply for a position, please send a letter of application, resume and names and phone numbers of three references to:Endicott College Human Resources 376 Hale Street, Beverly, MA 01915 Fax: (978) 927-0084. E-mail: humanresources@endicott.eduAA/EOE
Global Sustainability Manager
The Global Sustainability Manager is responsible for recommending best practices and implementing client’s sustainability and energy objectives. This person will work to ensure that client has the best information and recommendations with which to make sustainability and energy management decisions. The Global Sustainability Manager will work closely with Client sustainability and operational employees and the Cushman & Wakefield Client account team, including facilities managers, chief building engineers, building operating engineers, and vendors to ensure a seamless delivery of sustainability services focused on energy efficiency, renewable energy, water efficiency and waste reduction to achieve Client sustainability operational objectives. To learn more about the job description/qualifications and how to apply, please click here.
Volunteering:
Volunteer at the Homeless Garden Project Farm
The Santa Cruz Homeless Garden Project helps men and women gain skills and confidence to enter wider communities. They provide training and transitional employment within a community-supported organic garden. Volunteers have many opportunities to learn about and help in the garden, in the kitchen, and with special events. To learn more about the Homeless Garden Project Farm click here. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the Homeless Garden Project office to schedule: (831) 426-3609.
Special Event Superstars Needed
Do you like to get out and help at community events? How about contributing your energy and talents to short term volunteer projects? The Volunteer Center gets requests every month for reliable volunteers to lend a helping hand. Every event is different, but they all support local nonprofits and worthy causes. You can volunteer once a year, or once a week, depending on your availability and interests. Join the team and you get special perks, like quick registration, quarterly recognition events and first choice for volunteer jobs. To register as a volunteer click here. For more information contact Christina Thurston at 831.427.5070 or at connect@scvolunteercente.org
Client Navigator / Advocate for Project Homeless Connect
Project Homeless Connect is a one-day community wide event that provides housing support and quality of life resources to individuals experiencing homelessness in our community. Volunteers assist homeless clients in navigating the services available and help them identify what servcies they'd like to receive. There is flexibility around shifts. For more information and to register to volunteer please click here.
Sustainability Office: Deadlines vary
The Sustainability Office is currently accepting applications for the academic 2017-2018 year. Internship positions focus on various topics related to sustainability such as: education, buildings, energy, food, land and habitat, procurement, transportation, waste reduction, water, and drought information. While interns help promote sustainability campus-wide through various projects, events, outreach, etc., students will gain hands-on experience, develop and improve leadership skills, communication, facilitation, and so much more. For more details around the different internship positions and to learn more about the Sustainability Office, click here.
Arboretum: Deadline Varies
The Arboretum at UCSC is open to the community both off and on campus. Check out their website, which provides information on their garden, gift shop, gallery, etc. The Arboretum is located on High St. between the east and west campus entrance. Volunteer positions are non-paid and open to students and the public. Work-study internships are paid. Academic credit offered for UCSC Environmental Studies, Biology, Plant Science, Science Illustration and Science Writing students - offered through the departments. Students can fulfill the "internship or independent research" requirement of the new Plant Science major through the Arboretum.
Application Process: Contact Brett Hall, brett@ucsc.edu at (831) 502-2304
Environmental Studies Internship/Field Program: Deadline Varies
The UCSC Environmental Studies internship program, has locally, nationally, and internationally placed students in public and private organizations. From here they have become involved in research, education, and policy formation projects while gaining first-hand experience. Students have contributed to many organizations by completing useful and well-researched projects, leading to mutually beneficial experiences for agencies and students. Students have been placed in a variety of organizations, locally and abroad. To check out the placements click here. The Environmental Studies Internship Office is committed to providing the necessary resources for finding the best placement for each student. Interested? Stop by the Environmental Studies office and start the process to set up an internship for credit! http://envs.ucsc.edu/internships/Contact: Chris Krohn Title: Internship Coordinator Phone: (831) 459-2104 Fax: (831) 459-4015
Student Volunteer Center: Deadline Varies
The Student Volunteer Center offers an internship program for motivated UCSC students seeking service-learning opportunities. Interns support SVC events and programs while working with various campus and community organizations to develop professional, communication, and event planning skills. The internship program is ideal for students wishing to gain leadership experience through volunteerism, or for students seeking nonprofit management experience. Three credits will be offered for each quarter of interning with SVC during the school year. Interns work ten hours per week based on personal schedule. Work hours include group event organization, publicity, volunteer organization visits, and weekly staff meetings. A project binder, which includes weekly journal reflections and one final reflective paper, will be due before the end of the quarter. For more information about the application process click here. See the Student Volunteer Center home page for more volunteer opportunities.
Employment:
Sustainability Coordinator at Endicott College
Endicott College is seeking for a full-time Sustainability Coordinator. Some but not all of the responsibilities include: assist the Associate Director of Sustainability, coordinate necessary equipment (vehicles, bins, dumpsters etc.) and staffing in coordination with Physical Plant. Hire, train, and manage student workers in the collection of recycled material. Assist with Move In and Move Out procedures in coordination with Community Service Office, Res Life, Physical Plant and Student workers/volunteers. To learn more about the position description and qualifications, please click here. To apply for a position, please send a letter of application, resume and names and phone numbers of three references to:Endicott College Human Resources 376 Hale Street, Beverly, MA 01915 Fax: (978) 927-0084. E-mail: humanresources@endicott.eduAA/EOE
Global Sustainability Manager
The Global Sustainability Manager is responsible for recommending best practices and implementing client’s sustainability and energy objectives. This person will work to ensure that client has the best information and recommendations with which to make sustainability and energy management decisions. The Global Sustainability Manager will work closely with Client sustainability and operational employees and the Cushman & Wakefield Client account team, including facilities managers, chief building engineers, building operating engineers, and vendors to ensure a seamless delivery of sustainability services focused on energy efficiency, renewable energy, water efficiency and waste reduction to achieve Client sustainability operational objectives. To learn more about the job description/qualifications and how to apply, please click here.
Volunteering:
Volunteer at the Homeless Garden Project Farm
The Santa Cruz Homeless Garden Project helps men and women gain skills and confidence to enter wider communities. They provide training and transitional employment within a community-supported organic garden. Volunteers have many opportunities to learn about and help in the garden, in the kitchen, and with special events. To learn more about the Homeless Garden Project Farm click here. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the Homeless Garden Project office to schedule: (831) 426-3609.
Special Event Superstars Needed
Do you like to get out and help at community events? How about contributing your energy and talents to short term volunteer projects? The Volunteer Center gets requests every month for reliable volunteers to lend a helping hand. Every event is different, but they all support local nonprofits and worthy causes. You can volunteer once a year, or once a week, depending on your availability and interests. Join the team and you get special perks, like quick registration, quarterly recognition events and first choice for volunteer jobs. To register as a volunteer click here. For more information contact Christina Thurston at 831.427.5070 or at connect@scvolunteercente.org
Client Navigator / Advocate for Project Homeless Connect
Project Homeless Connect is a one-day community wide event that provides housing support and quality of life resources to individuals experiencing homelessness in our community. Volunteers assist homeless clients in navigating the services available and help them identify what servcies they'd like to receive. There is flexibility around shifts. For more information and to register to volunteer please click here.
June 2017 Contest and Funding
EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship Program
The EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship Program provides scholarships for two years of undergraduate study to rising junior undergraduate students majoring in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields that directly support NOAA's mission. Participants conduct research at a NOAA facility during two paid summer internships. Since 2001, over 186 students have completed the program and over 75% go on to graduate school. Find more information by clicking here.
Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship
The Hollings Scholarship Program provides successful undergraduate applicants with awards that include academic assistance (up to $9,500 per year) for two years of full-time study and a 10-week, full-time paid ($700/week) internship at a NOAA facility during the summer. Find more information by clicking here.
Association for the Advancement Of Sustainability In Higher Education Awards
The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) grants awards to honor students from AASHE-member institutions who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in promoting campus sustainability at their community college, four-year university, and graduate institution levels. In addition to an application essay, students or teams are encouraged to submit photos, videos, or other media coverage of their green activities. To find more information about this, contact:
The EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship Program provides scholarships for two years of undergraduate study to rising junior undergraduate students majoring in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields that directly support NOAA's mission. Participants conduct research at a NOAA facility during two paid summer internships. Since 2001, over 186 students have completed the program and over 75% go on to graduate school. Find more information by clicking here.
Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship
The Hollings Scholarship Program provides successful undergraduate applicants with awards that include academic assistance (up to $9,500 per year) for two years of full-time study and a 10-week, full-time paid ($700/week) internship at a NOAA facility during the summer. Find more information by clicking here.
Association for the Advancement Of Sustainability In Higher Education Awards
The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) grants awards to honor students from AASHE-member institutions who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in promoting campus sustainability at their community college, four-year university, and graduate institution levels. In addition to an application essay, students or teams are encouraged to submit photos, videos, or other media coverage of their green activities. To find more information about this, contact:
- Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Awards
- 1536 Wynkoop St. Suite 100
- Denver, CO 80202
- (303) 395-1331
- awards@aashe.org
Monday, May 29, 2017
June 2017: Sustainability Profile: Melissa Ott
Name:
Melissa Ott
Name, title, name of organization:
I'm a first year apprentice in the Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture at the UCSC Farm & Gardens.
Describe your work environment and roles?
From April through October, I'm living, learning, and working with 38 other first year apprentices in three sites: the Farm Garden, a hand-cultivated garden on the main farm; the Field, a tractor-cultivated series of fields on the main farm; and the Chadwick Garden or Up Garden, a hand-cultivated garden that is the site of the first garden at UCSC, founded 50 years ago by Alan Chadwick (learn more here: http://casfs.ucsc.edu/about/50th/index.html). The Chadwick Garden is where I'm currently learning and working, and I'll be rotating through the other sites throughout the program. Because most of us live onsite in the tent cabins on the Farm, I also partake in various chores and help cook meals once a month. Once a week, we also have class, which often includes a lecture, a demonstration, and then an opportunity for experiential learning. This process is referred to as, "I do, we do, you do" by our instructors.
What major projects are you working on?
I'm focused on learning and practicing a wide range of techniques right now, including flower harvesting; single digging (preparing beds for planting); fruit tree thinning and pruning; organic fertilizer application for roses, trees, and vegetables; and finding time to reflect and catch up on my readings for class! We learn a little bit about a lot of different things throughout each week in our work sites, as well as have 1-2 focused classes per week that introduce new techniques or concepts that we continue to practice and learn more about throughout the program. The sum of these activities constitutes my one major project of becoming a skilled and educated gardener, which I've been trying to document as often as I can on my blog and Instagram: greenbeangal.blogspot.com and @greenbeangal
How does your current work relate to sustainability?
We learn and practice organic farming and gardening in this program, which is a more sustainable way of growing food and flowers than "conventional" farming, which uses pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and other chemicals that pollute groundwater and threaten the health and safety of ecosystems and people. We in the apprenticeship are each becoming skilled in how to effectively grow vegetables, fruit, and flowers in ways that are not only less harmful but can actually be regenerative for the land, ecosystems, and communities around us. Many of us are also interested in becoming garden and farming educators, or at least creating opportunities for those who interact with our food and flowers to learn about the value of agroecology and organic agriculture.
What inspired you to apply for the Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture?
I had heard about the apprenticeship when I was a student at UCSC, and through my work with the UCSC Sustainability Office from 2011-2017, I became familiar with some of the agroecology, Real Food, and Global Food Initiative work happening on campus. When I decided I was ready to move on to something new, I reflected on my desire to be more hands-on with sustainability work and spend more time outdoors. Around that time, I visited my cousin who participated in the apprenticeship last year, and I shared with him that I was thinking of applying. His enthusiasm for the program and his encouragement to apply led me to start working on the application. As I began writing my responses to the application, I re-discovered more and more memories of gardening as a child, learning about plants and ethnobotany, and healing with the help of herbal plant-based medicine. I began to reflect on the profound joy and wonder I experience while growing plants from seed, creating new dishes in the kitchen, and experimenting with fermented foods. I realized as I spoke about the program with family and friends and worked on the application that many threads in my life were leading me to apply to this program focused on sustainable gardening and food. I'm so glad I did!
Share three things you’ve learned since you’ve begun your program:
I've learned a lot so far, but below are three specific things I've learned. You can learn, too, by visiting the CASFS website and downloading PDFs of many useful gardening and farming publications: http://casfs.ucsc.edu/about/publications/index.html
Melissa Ott
Name, title, name of organization: I'm a first year apprentice in the Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture at the UCSC Farm & Gardens.
Describe your work environment and roles?
From April through October, I'm living, learning, and working with 38 other first year apprentices in three sites: the Farm Garden, a hand-cultivated garden on the main farm; the Field, a tractor-cultivated series of fields on the main farm; and the Chadwick Garden or Up Garden, a hand-cultivated garden that is the site of the first garden at UCSC, founded 50 years ago by Alan Chadwick (learn more here: http://casfs.ucsc.edu/about/50th/index.html). The Chadwick Garden is where I'm currently learning and working, and I'll be rotating through the other sites throughout the program. Because most of us live onsite in the tent cabins on the Farm, I also partake in various chores and help cook meals once a month. Once a week, we also have class, which often includes a lecture, a demonstration, and then an opportunity for experiential learning. This process is referred to as, "I do, we do, you do" by our instructors.
What major projects are you working on?
I'm focused on learning and practicing a wide range of techniques right now, including flower harvesting; single digging (preparing beds for planting); fruit tree thinning and pruning; organic fertilizer application for roses, trees, and vegetables; and finding time to reflect and catch up on my readings for class! We learn a little bit about a lot of different things throughout each week in our work sites, as well as have 1-2 focused classes per week that introduce new techniques or concepts that we continue to practice and learn more about throughout the program. The sum of these activities constitutes my one major project of becoming a skilled and educated gardener, which I've been trying to document as often as I can on my blog and Instagram: greenbeangal.blogspot.com and @greenbeangal
How does your current work relate to sustainability?
We learn and practice organic farming and gardening in this program, which is a more sustainable way of growing food and flowers than "conventional" farming, which uses pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and other chemicals that pollute groundwater and threaten the health and safety of ecosystems and people. We in the apprenticeship are each becoming skilled in how to effectively grow vegetables, fruit, and flowers in ways that are not only less harmful but can actually be regenerative for the land, ecosystems, and communities around us. Many of us are also interested in becoming garden and farming educators, or at least creating opportunities for those who interact with our food and flowers to learn about the value of agroecology and organic agriculture.
What inspired you to apply for the Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture?
I had heard about the apprenticeship when I was a student at UCSC, and through my work with the UCSC Sustainability Office from 2011-2017, I became familiar with some of the agroecology, Real Food, and Global Food Initiative work happening on campus. When I decided I was ready to move on to something new, I reflected on my desire to be more hands-on with sustainability work and spend more time outdoors. Around that time, I visited my cousin who participated in the apprenticeship last year, and I shared with him that I was thinking of applying. His enthusiasm for the program and his encouragement to apply led me to start working on the application. As I began writing my responses to the application, I re-discovered more and more memories of gardening as a child, learning about plants and ethnobotany, and healing with the help of herbal plant-based medicine. I began to reflect on the profound joy and wonder I experience while growing plants from seed, creating new dishes in the kitchen, and experimenting with fermented foods. I realized as I spoke about the program with family and friends and worked on the application that many threads in my life were leading me to apply to this program focused on sustainable gardening and food. I'm so glad I did!
Share three things you’ve learned since you’ve begun your program:
I've learned a lot so far, but below are three specific things I've learned. You can learn, too, by visiting the CASFS website and downloading PDFs of many useful gardening and farming publications: http://casfs.ucsc.edu/about/publications/index.html
- I've learned that new potatoes, or those little potatoes you can buy at the market, are literally newer potatoes than the larger ones--they are harvested earlier and that's why their skins are thinner and they have more sugar and less starch! I also learned how to plant potatoes in hilled rows, which you can go observe in the Chadwick Garden on the lower main slope. The potatoes are just starting to poke their green leaves out of the soil, and once they've grown a bit, we'll cover them up with the soil that's hilled next to each row.
- I've learned how to thin plums, peaches, and apples from tree branches, which encourages the remaining fruit to grow larger and juicier. Each fruit has different requirements for how far apart to thin each fruit. In learning this, I've also spent some time on orchard ladders, which is fun but also requires knowledge of how to safely position them in an orchard.
- I've learned to identify many flowers, such as Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily), Agrostemma (Corn Cockle), Erigeron (Fleabane), and Stachys lanata (Lamb's Ear). Look them up so you can learn them, too!
Monday, May 1, 2017
May 2017: Rooted in History: AAPI Resilience and Sustainability
Rooted in History: AAPI Resilience and Sustainability
Curious about how identity, environmentalism, and history intersect? In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the People of Color Sustainability Collective (POCSC) and the Asian American Pacific Islander Resource Center (AAPIRC) will hold a workshop exploring examples of Asian American contributions to environmental justice issues, traditional plant knowledge, and connections that strengthen solidarity between different communities.
>>Learn more about the event here
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