Pages

Connect With Us!

Thursday, September 28, 2017

October 2017: Internships, Employment and Volunteering

Golden State Renewable Energy Project Development Internship: No Deadline 
GSRE seeks an Intern, Project Development, to conduct research on opportunities to site solar PV on brownfield sites such landfill and/or acreage contaminated by previous industrial use. For more information, please visit this link. Contact: mark@gsr.energy

Coastal Restoration Intern Groundswell Coastal Ecology: No Deadline
Groundswell Coastal Ecology seeks interns to work on our Coastal Enhancement Program in Santa Cruz County. Groundswell is a sponsored 501(c)(3) dedicated to enhancing coastal ecological resources by pairing science, education, and community with ecosystem restoration. For more information, please visit this link. Contact: bill.henry@groundswellecology.org Website: www.groundswellecology.org

IPM Intern at Santa Cruz Ranches: No Deadline
Santa Cruz Ranches are seeking an intern to help establish a GPS based pest scouting program for their farm. This project could start in January and could possibly continue into the summer months. Hours are very flexible and we would need to discuss the candidate’s goals and availability before setting a schedule. Most of the work would take place mid-morning to early afternoon. For more information, please visit this link. Contact: saul.alba@delcabo.com

Joshua Tree Mycorrhizal Fungi Research Intern: No Deadline
Intern(s) will assist in a project to determine what role mycorrhizal fungi play in helping Joshua trees adapt to climate change. Joshua trees are threatened by climate change in Joshua Tree National Park, and they have an unknown fungal community that could be important in helping their seedlings survive and/or establish in new areas. For more information, please visit this link. Contact: jharrower@ucsc.edu

Transportation Tracking & Gamification App Developer (Credit or Paid): No Deadline
Looking for a student to help build an app for a project with automation settings, gamification, and data collection related to transportation. For more information, please contact: igalmich@ucsc.edu or (530) 617-1343

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

October 2017: Classes, Training, 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: FeltonLive OakScotts 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.

UCSC Bike Cooperative
Stop by the UCSC Bike Coop to service your bike, gain more bike knowledge and meet new people. They are a fun place dedicated to promoting a sustainable mode of transportation.

Sustainability Minor
If you are interested in working in the sustainability field, pursuing green entrepreneurship, and becoming an agent of change to protect the environment, consider declaring the Sustainability Minor.

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.

October 2017: Contests and Funding

Association of California Water Agencies Awards
The ACWA awards two scholarships each year to students in a water-resources related field of study. Awards are based on a combination of scholastic achievement and a commitment on the part of the applicants to their chosen fields, best demonstrated by pursuing a degree related to or identified with engineering, agriculture or urban water supply, environmental studies and public administration associated with resources management.
Deadline: Feb 1, 2018
Find more information by clicking here.

Emily M. Hewitt Memorial Scholarship 
The Emily M. Hewitt Memorial Scholarship is for a upper division or graduate student who shows a commitment to communicate and interpret a love of nature and an understanding of the need to practice conservation. Students pursuing degrees in environmental protection, forestry, wildlife and fisheries, biology, parks and recreation, park management, environmental law and public policy, environmental art, and California history are encouraged to apply.
Deadline: April 15, 2018
Find more information by clicking here.

Folsom Garden Club Scholarship Program 
The Folsom Garden Club Scholarship Program is for both part-time and full-time students majoring in Horticulture, Floriculture, Landscape Design, Botany, Forestry, Agronomy, Conservation, Plant Pathology, Environmental Concerns and/or other related subjects.
Deadline: April 11, 2018
Find more information by clicking here.

WTS Leadership Legacy Scholarship for Graduates
The Leadership Legacy Scholarship provides a $3,500 award to a young woman pursuing a graduate degree in transportation or a related field and that demonstrates leadership skills and an active commitment to community service.  It includes candidates who have a specific interest in addressing the impact of transportation on sustainability, land use, environmental impact, security and quality of life issues affecting communities around the globe. 
Deadline: October 21, 2017
Find more information by clicking here.

Big Ideas, one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious social impact contests is accepting pre-proposal for this years competition. Pre-proposals are due by November 15, 2017.
Find more information by clicking here.

October 2017: Zero Waste Green Tip

  • Circulate the air. Wherever possible, crack windows open every now and then. If you install new carpeting or cabinets at home or in the office, open windows and turn on fans until the smells dissipate. Make sure that copying machines and other equipment are located in rooms that are properly ventilated.

Monday, September 18, 2017

September 2017: SunShares - Discount on Solar and Electric cars!


Getting Started for Home Owners
An evaluation committee, consisting of volunteers from SunShares Outreach Partner organizations, has pre-selected three solar providers to serve as vendors for the 2017 Bay Area SunShares program, following a competitive RFP process.
To get started, participants can sign up to receive a no-obligation quote for their home. You can learn more about your clean energy options at over 20 free workshops being held across the Bay Area. Check the SunShares website for details on scheduled educational workshops. SunShares will also be hosting six webinars this year, which will be the same exact format as the in-person workshops, including live Q&A with the selected providers. Education Webinars have been scheduled at Noon for: Aug 16, Aug 29, Sept 14, Sept 26, Oct 12, and Oct 17.
The selected solar installers for the 2017 Bay Area SunShares program are:
  • PetersenDean (a SunShares Provider in 2016): PetersenDean (PD) started as a roofing company in 1984 and branched into the solar industry in 1992. PD is a world-class roofing and solar company that is committed to operating in a profitable and ethical manner. PetersenDean is known for its dedication to be an all American made company.
  • Solar Technologies: SunPower by Solar Technologies provides the most advanced commercially available PV solar technology in terms of efficiency,  performance,  reliability and warranty coverage with their E‐Series and X‐Series modules.
  • SkyTech Solar (a SunShares Provider in 2016): Starting as a small San Francisco-based solar installer in 2008, Skytech Solar’s aim has always been to provide a safe consultation for those interested and also to provide great value for quality solar and an excellent installation backed by ongoing support. Initially, we had solely focused on San Francisco residents who were taking advantage of the GoSolarSF city-based rebate program and we were able to install hundreds of solar systems to those in the city who qualified, at no cost to them.
Participants have until November 10th to sign up for limited-time discounts and can sign a contract with one of the selected providers by December 31st to qualify for the group discount available through Bay Area SunShares. Installations will be completed the following Spring.
ZEV Discounts
UCSF is not participating in SunShares ZEV program because discounts offered to the UCSF community are a better deal. UCSF faculty, staff, and students considering the purchase of a new electric vehicle can take advantage of a special promotion being offered by Nissan. From now through September 30, 2017, Nissan’s special promotion, provides $10,000 off the MSRP ($30,680) of a new 2017 Nissan LEAF. This is in addition to the $7,500 federal and $2,500 state tax credits.
To obtain this special pricing be sure to bring your UCSF Staff or Student ID card and a copy of the official flyer with you to any dealership in the Bay Area region. Please contact your local Nissan dealer or Steven.Schneider@nissan-usa.com if you have questions.
Clean Energy Options for Renters
Obviously, renters are not going to install solar panels, but the Bay Area offers renters (and homeowners not ready to install solar) several clean energy options. There are several options available in the Bay Area for tapping into renewable energy without installing solar panels.
For San Francisco residents, CleanPowerSF, San Francisco’s Community Choice Aggregation program, offers cost-effective, cleaner energy alternatives for your home. Enrolling in CleanPowerSF’s 100% renewable SuperGreen energy is the number one action San Francisco residents can take to help the City reach its climate action goals.