UCSC Academic Senate to Discuss Divestment from Fossil Fuels

The UCSC Academic Senate is slated to discuss divestment from fossil fuels at their May 29th meeting. The Environmental Studies faculty is submitting a resolution urging the Regents to divest the UC's investment portfolio from the top 200 fossil fuel companies ranked by carbon reserves exploitable.

Fossil Free UC has compiled a short document outlining rationale for divestment. They invite your comments and questions on the document here. If you are an interested party wishing to discuss the divestment initiative with The Fossil Free UC campaign, please contact ffuc-santa-cruz-group [at] ucsc [dot] edu to set up a meeting time.

To sign the petition addressing the UC Regents and President Janet Napolitano, please click here.

*Story and information provided by Alden Phinney, Chancellor Undergraduate Intern for Climate Action and contact for FFUC UCSC

Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Recognizes UCSC

The Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) works to create a culture of sustainability by providing opportunities to advance sustainability in high education. AASHE just released their annual analysis of sustainability in higher education establishments for 2014. According to their findings, there was a significant increase in sustainability planning and drought response.

UC Santa Cruz was named one of the highlighted institutions, specifically for the UC-system wide goal to reduce water use by 20 percent in 2014, (page 11). In order to meet this goal, the UCSC Sustainability Office created the Drought Response Team. At the time of the article, the team had audited water fixtures in 64 of 104 campus buildings, which resulted in 91 repaired leaks. The team also works to create didactic signage to help educate the campus about the importance of water conservation.

Congratulations to all campuses recognized for their excellent work in sustainability. To read the entire publication, click here.

Fossil Free UC Santa Cruz Wedding

On Global Divestment Day, Fossil Free UC Santa Cruz hosted a wedding to commemorate the special relationship between the University of California and the Fossil Fuel Industry.

This piece of protest theatre was intended to engage students, faculty and staff in critical examination of the myriad ties betwixt the university and extractive industries. In lieu of gifts, the hosts of the wedding ask you to sign this divestment petition, organize with Fossil Free UCSC and consider pledging to the Donors for Divestment campaign. Congratulations to both parties!

To view the wedding video, click here.

UCSC's 2nd Annual Walk to Class Challenge Day!

UCSC's 2nd Annual Walk to Class Challenge Day will take place on April 28, 2015! Registration now open until April 27--join the challenge soon because the first 60 students to register will receive a free event t-shirt!

The challenge is a student-led effort to promote walking as a viable and sustainable transportation mode for cross-campus travel, reduce UCSC’s carbon footprint and help students make more sustainable choices for themselves and the environment.

Register on TAPS website here. There is no cost to participate. Upon completion of the event and final survey, participants will be entered to win a $50 Visa gift card! Help spread the word! Challenge your friends! Like the Facebeook page, follow them on Instagram, and post pictures of the awesome short cuts you take to travel across campus for a chance to win more prizes!

For more information visit TAPS or contact Laura Gracia at lgracia [at] ucsc [dot] edu.

Santa Cruz and Ecology Action create Complete Streets Master Plan for Santa Cruz

The City of Santa Cruz and Ecology Action have just finished creating a Complete Streets Master Plan for Santa Cruz. Complete Streets are streets for everyone; they are designed with citizens in mind and operated to enable safe access for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Communities seem to reap incredible benefits from participating in Complete Streets.

In a recent study of 37 projects, Smart Growth for America found that Complete Streets project increased biking and walking and provided an inexpensive way to achieve transportation goals. For a more complete analysis of the cost and benefits, please read here.

According to the Executive Summary, Complete Streets addresses congestion, climate change and oil dependence. These streets are designed and managed to allow for safe areas for pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders. Complete Streets seeks to serve everyone equally, so that all individuals can feel safe when using the streets. The project was created through the partnership of The City of Santa Cruz Public Works Department and non-profit Ecology Action. The plan was funded in February 2013, by Caltrans.

An example of a program being implemented is the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Movement. It is a national movement to create a safe and even fun opportunity for children to get to school by means other than automobiles. SRTS encourages children to bike, skip, skate, scooter and walk to school! Of course, there are vast benefits when students walk, bike and take public transportation to school. Greenhouse gas emissions reduce drastically, for every vehicle mile that is replaced with non-emitting substitute, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by 1 pound on average. Student health is promoted, congestion and traffic is reduced, and there is increased safety for student cyclists and pedestrians.

The most crucial part of this plan has been the community engagement and participation. The forums focused on engaging with parents, school staff, students and public to gather input with the goal of increasing safe student sustainable transport. Two forums were held, October 23rd and 24th in 2013. The first forum was held at Santa Cruz High School, and the second was held at Harbor High School. School site walking and biking audits took place, as well as parental surveys, Student Travel Mode Surveys, Online Outreach and Input, and PTA and school meetings. Some UC Santa Cruz students involved in the Impact Designs: Engineering and Sustainability (IDEASS) through Student Services program last year attended some of these bike/walk audits and forums as part of their Bicycle Transit Planning internship. Students at the local schools gave input during bike/walk audits along with their parents, City & Ecology Action staff, and other community members.

Some of the recommendations identified that the City and Ecology Action recommend include implementing speed feedback signs around schools; repainting worn-out crosswalks, stop bars, centerlines, and pavement markings as needed. The City will continue the practice of requiring homeowners to cut back intruding vegetation and repair damaged sidewalks, conducting bicycle safety education, and to create crossing guard training to better meet the challenging work the guards perform every day.

To read the final report provided by the City of Santa Cruz, please click here.

Want to live at PICA next year?

The Program in Community and Agroecology, or PICA, is a sustainability-themed housing option at the Village. Located on the picturesque UC Santa Cruz campus, in the Village, PICA features amazing community programs like Garden Workdays, Community Meals and Sustainability Workshops. You also get your own single room, which is a huge perk!

To apply to live at PICA, please visit studenthousing.ucsc.edu during the Priority Housing Application Period from April 13th-20th. On the application, mark that you "Strongly Prefer" involvement in PICA and say why in the additional comments section.

For more information, click here or contact Mira Michelle at mmichel1 [at] ucsc [dot] edu.

*Photos courtesy of PICA 

UC creates President's Sustainability Student Fellowship Program

On January 14th, The University of California announced the creation of the President's Sustainability Student Fellowship/Internship Program to support UC's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2025. The UC Office of the President (UCOP) will provide $7,500 to each of the UC's 10 campuses. At each campus, one award will be designated to support student engagement and communications for the Carbon Neutrality Initiative and the President's Global Climate Leadership Council. For more information, read the complete article here.

UC Santa Cruz Leads Climate Change Research Efforts

Researchers at UCSC have developed an innovative plan to incorporate the UC Natural Reserve System in the detection and forecast of California's climate change impact. The proposal to establish a UC-wide Institute for the Study of Ecological and Evolutionary Climate Impacts (ISEECI) received $1.9 million in funding. UCSC Biologist, Barry Sinervo will lead the institute which incorporates all 9 UC undergraduate campuses. For more information, read the full article here.

Congratulations, Jessica Fiske Bailey!

Jessica Fiske Bailey, Assistant Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at UC Santa Cruz, has been named the Executive Director of the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum. Ms. Bailey has extensive experience in nonprofit administration, organizational development, and fundraising. She has worked at UCSC for nine years, with five years as Assistant Vice Provost of Undergraduate.

In her new role, Ms. Bailey will be focusing on the sustainability of the collections, fundraising and financial stability, and enhancing the visitor experience. A primary goal is to raise awareness in the community of the Arboretum's outstanding collections and important contributions to plant conservation and endangered species management. Congratulations!