March 2017 Sustainability Profile: Angela Duong

Name:
Angela Duong

Title:
Zero Waste Team Coordinator

College Affiliation:
Crown

Major:
Environmental Studies with a double minor in Legal and Sustainability Studies

What does "sustainability" mean to you?
Sustainability means the world to me! Although there are official definitions for sustainability, I believe sustainability has many definitions. It can mean using a reusable water bottle or saving plastic containers for knick knack storage and snacks. Sustainability is a diverse term that can span across different spectrums of of culture, perspective and daily actions. By committing myself to sustainability, I have learned so much about reducing, reusing, refusing and conserving my actions and choices to more limited and sustainable choices. I believe sustainability can be more than economic choices; it can be simple behavioral changes or understanding the impact of our choices on the environment!

What projects are you working on?
Currently, I am working on creating more awareness for zero waste on our campus. As the Zero Waste Team Coordinator, I manage a team of five dedicated individuals towards the “Zero Waste by 2020” goal. I work with campus stakeholders to effectively communicate our commitment towards zero waste by supporting Zero Waste Events on and off campus, coordinating with student organizations or staff/faculty about making their organizations and departments more zero waste and creating material for the campus on becoming more zero waste. I would consider myself to be a great student resource for zero waste and am always willing to chat or answer any questions related to waste.

How does sustainability relate to your role at UCSC?
Sustainability relates to my role at UC Santa Cruz in my day to day life. I made the decision to major in Environmental Studies with a double minor in Legal and Sustainability Studies due to my passion for environmental policy and its importance in setting the stage for environmental regulations and legislations in our political world. My greater passion is within waste management and resource reclaim. I believe more focus needs to be on the where and how derived materials are extracted for the products we use rather than the eventual recyclability. 

How do you practice sustainability in your daily life?
I always carry around my love for reusables! My backpack holds my reusable water bottle, reusable coffee cup and sleeve, reusable cloth napkin, a glass straw, my spoon fork knife, reusable sandwich bags and tupperware for snacks. I am conscious of my economic choices and what I consume.  

Have you had a favorite sustainability moment at UCSC?
Inter-org is the best time ever. Inter-org is a place where sustainabilities are made! I love Inter-org because I met my best friends there and I have never been to a retreat where I had opened my perspectives so much than Inter-org!

Favorite Green Tip?
BYOE- Bring your own everything!

Each month, our newsletter features a person or group on campus that is working toward a more sustainable world. If you know of a person or group on campus that you think we should profile, or if you would like to be profiled, please send us an email.

February 2017: Classes, Trainings, and Community

Climate Change and Carbon Survey

Conifr is a team of students in Santa Cruz and Brisbane working together to develop an app that tracks individual carbon emissions from transportation. Their idea won them first place at Startup Weekend Santa Cruz in November. Their goal is to facilitate tracking of CO2 emissions and offer transparent ways to offset, or counteract, those emissions. Please fill out this survey so that they can better understand their market and know how to make the app as useful to you as possible! You can use this survey link or use the QR code above.

SEC Blueprint Breakouts throughout Winter Quarter: February 1, 8, 15
You're invited to the Student Environmental Center's (SEC) annual creation of the Blueprint for a Sustainable Campus! Connect with students, staff, and faculty and share ideas on campus sustainability. Free vegetarian dinner will be provided each week. The events are on Wednesdays 5:30-7:30 PM. The dates and themes for each event are as follows: February 1: Waste Prevention and Land, Habitat & Watershed at Rachel Carson College Red Room. February 8: Green Building & Social and Environmental Justice at the Colleges 9&10 Namaste Lounge. February 15: Water & Green Purchasing at Rachel Carson College Red Room. For questions, please email seclead-group@ucsc.edu.

Zero Waste Campus Cleanups: February 4 & 26
The Sustainability Office's Zero Waste Team is hosting campus cleanups that are open for all to attend. Snacks and supplies are provided! The cleanups are happenings from 11 AM to 12 PM. Oakes & Rachel Carson Colleges' cleanup is on February 4, and Cowell & Stevenson Colleges' cleanup is on February 26. Each cleanup will meet in front of the respective dining halls. For questions or DRC accommodations, please email the Zero Waste Team at zerowasteucsc@gmail.com.

Labor Mobility & Precarity on a Global Scale Symposium: February 7
You are invited to attend this symposium on how global labor mobility and rising precarity affect and connect the experiences of citizens and non-citizens. Precarity, the experience of insecurity and constant risk of exclusion, is central to the experience of many labor migrants and citizen-workers in our time. Today’s labor migrants are new denizens—residents or inhabitants who are not quite full members of society. They are incorporated into societies that desire their labor, but reject their very presence. The event is on February 7, from 12-5:30 PM in the Stevenson Event Center. It is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to register before event.

Common Ground Center World Cafes: February 7 & 21
Kresge Common Ground Center is hosting World Cafes this Quarter at the Kresge Seminar Room 159. February 7th's discussion is called Arts and Activism and February 21st is on Media, News, and Influence. For more information, check out their website or Facebook page. Can’t wait to hear what actions emerge from these conversations!

Film Screening & Conversation with Ron Finley: February 8
Ron Finley is the renowned "guerrilla gardener of South Central L.A." and an advocate for urban gardens as a way to address poverty, alleviate food insecurity, and promote community cohesion. With the help of activists and community members, he was able to legalize curbside gardening in the city of L.A. for community use. Ron will give a short talk before the film, and participate in a Q&A session after the showing. The event is happening at 7 PM on Wednesday, February 8 at the Colleges 9&10 Multipurpose Room. Admission is free and seating may be limited. For information or accommodations, contact coco@ucsc.edu.

Democratizing the Green City Conference at UCSC: February 17-18
This conference examines a paradox: urban sustainability initiatives that are so vital in countering climate change can, through their improvements, contribute to driving up rents and driving out residents, and in the process, exacerbate sprawl, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change itself. Our speakers examine this growing link between environmental improvement and social displacement and ask: How is it possible to break this link? What would it mean to include affordable housing and equity within sustainability efforts? And what are the consequences—socially and ecologically—if we don't? This conference is free and open to the public. Please register and find out more at their website.

Climate Science & Policy Conference - Changing Climate: Acting Now to Secure a Sustainable Future: February 24-25
The Divisions of Physical & Biological Sciences and Social Sciences are proud to announce the 4th Annual UC Santa Cruz Climate Science & Policy Conference. It will feature a keynote presentation by Veerbhadran Ramanathan on "Climate Change Morphing into an Existential Threat: Need for a New Approach," as well as panel discussions on Saturday covering a variety of topics. The closing panel Fred Keeley Lecture on Environmental Policy is titled, "Climate Change Science and Policy in a President Trump Administration." Learn more and register online here.

Campus Fun-Run with OPERS and Financial Aid on April 29 during Alumni Weekend
Fun run on campus in support of student scholarships! UCSC is hosting a challenging 5k on campus that covers all of our colleges and major nostalgic, picturesque areas on UC Santa Cruz. They’ll have water stations, photos stations, shuttle service just in case and lockers and refreshments at OPERS on the East Field. Register early for the family-friendly fun in the sun this Spring! Find out more at Alumni Weekend website.

Santa Cruz Fruit Tree Project: February 4
The Santa Cruz Fruit Tree Project, in collaboration with the City of Santa Cruz Parks Department, will be breaking ground on a community orchard, bringing dozens of volunteers to amend the soil and plant about 20 fruit trees. The event will be on Saturday, February 4th at Mike Fox Park, alongside the river levee by the Riverside Ave Bridge. Check out their website for more information.

Sustainability and Community at Stevenson

by Blake Redding, Coordinator for Residential Education, Stevenson College

For the past four years, Stevenson College community members have worked as team to promote sustainable living, community, beauty, and good food -- by composting! This partnership evolved with the help of the Student Environmental Center who brought together numerous stakeholders in 2013 to discuss mutual goals.

We've ended up with an in-house composting program that takes in food scraps from the Stevenson Coffee House and from residential apartments and residence halls from Stevenson, Cowell, Crown and Merrill, brought to us by the East Waste Reduction crew at Campus Facilities. The food scraps then get mixed with straw, leaves, garden waste, manure, and water and formed into perfect compost piles by the Stevenson Garden crew. Millions of micro-organisms then break down the waste, with the help of the Stevenson Garden crew who turn the piles to provide air for those little creatures.

After a few weeks, the waste is unrecognizable, mellow, and ready to be sifted into a beautiful garden mulch/fertilizer that we refer to as "Black Gold". We take the finished compost and work it into the garden soil with every new planting, helping to regenerate the soil and closing the loop on this sustainable system. Community members also participate by providing their food scraps, by attending garden workdays to turn the compost and work the soil, and by harvesting food and flowers that come from the rich soil. It all starts with the soil.

Come out to the Stevenson Garden on Friday afternoons for the community work-day, or check our bulletin board and Facebook page for additional volunteer opportunities and events.

Free trainings & workshops with PLAN

The Post Landfill Action Network (PLAN) cultivates and educates the student-led zero waste movement and informs students about the waste crisis, equipping them with the necessary skills and resources to implement solutions about waste into their campus communities. UC Santa Cruz is a PLAN member school, which gives us free access to resources and support from PLAN.

PLAN will be hosting monthly trainings and workshops to enrich students from across the country in a collaborative, online learning program. Their Campus Coordinators offer expertise on leadership development and best-practices to help with tools we need to reach Zero Waste on campus!

As a member school, the UCSC community is able to participate in the monthly trainings and workshops for free! The Certification trainings are 90 minute sessions, based on skill development and organizing roles for student leaders and they occur every month. The Program-Specific workshops delve into a deeper understanding of a specific Zero Waste program or initiative. Different topics will be showcased each month, so get ready to get hands on about Zero Waste!

For more information, please email the Zero Waste Team Coordinator, Angela Duong.

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

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!

Move-out program, garage-sale weekend – Earn FREE pizza from Woodstock’s

As you know, it has been a tradition at UC Santa Cruz to reduce our impact on the environment.

For students living off campus, there is barely enough time at the end of the academic year to let out a sigh of relief from finals before tackling your summer living situation. Many of us will be moving out of our current residence, and the less there is to pack-up and move, the better. So it seems like a win-win situation to lighten your load by discarding that old couch or creaky mattress on the curbside for someone else to deal with, right?

Besides the illegality of curbside dumping - for which tenants can be heavily fined by the city - the unfortunate reality is that many abandoned items end up in the surrounding forest and waterways, degrading the natural habitat of Santa Cruz. Fortunately, University Relations in partnership with the Sustainability Office is preventing forest litter by offering a stress-free summer move out services and FREE pizza!

 To minimize our impact we ask that you do the following 2-3 weeks before you move:

• Take it home early: If you’re going home over the weekend, start taking some of your items home with you.

• Join the citywide garage sale: Participate in the citywide garage-sale weekend, June 4-5. The event will be publicized to city residents by both the City of Santa Cruz and UCSC’s Community Relations office. Register your garage sale at http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/garagesales. If you register your garage sale online, you will receive a coupon for a free large pizza from Woodstock’s pizza.

• Swap or sell online: To offer your unwanted items for free or sale, list them on: 
• Freecycle at https://groups.freecycle.org/group/SantaCruzCountyFreecycle/posts/all
• Craig’s List at http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/
• Next Door Santa Cruz at https://nextdoor.com/find-neighborhood/ca/santa-cruz/

• Donate your items to a local charity: Only do this if your items are in good condition. Many charities are unable to take items that are ripped, stained, broken, bent, frayed or worn looking. This is especially true for bulky items such as couches, mattresses, desks, dining room tables and other large items. For more information check Goodwill’s site at http://www.ccgoodwill.org/ or Hope Services at http://www.hopeservices.org

• As an absolute last resort, for bulky items that can no longer be reused, you can schedule a pick-up with the city of Santa Cruz in June.  These pick-ups are only for large bulky items that will be taken to the landfill. This includes mattresses, box springs, couches, and living room chairs. To arrange a bulky item pick-up, please register at http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/ucscmoveout. If you register for a bulky item pick-up, you will receive a coupon for a free large pizza from Woodstock’s pizza.

Thank you for your help and cooperation in keeping our environment and landfill free of items that can be reused.

Volunteer as "Trash-Talker" at Commencement 2016

Want to support efforts to make Commencement 2016 a zero-waste event? Join us as a volunteer the weekend of June 10-12!

The Sustainability Office Zero Waste Team is coordinating a team of "trash talkers" for Commencement weekend. These "trash talkers" will interact with families and friends of graduates to educate them about how to properly dispose of waste in correct bins--compost, recycling, and landfill.

Volunteers will sign up for 4-hour shifts and training will be provided in advance. All volunteers will receive a free sustainability t-shirt.

To sign up, please email Alexis at anroney[at]ucsc[dot]edu.

New Director of Sustainability: Elida Erickson

Elida Erickson has been working in the Sustainability Office since 2011 as a Sustainability Programs Manager. She was recently hired as our new Sustainability Director, so we've interviewed her to learn more about what she envisions for the future of campus sustainability. Congratulations Elida!

1. How do you envision the future of sustainability on campus?
I envision sustainability on campus as the ability to develop a collaborative vision amongst students, faculty and staff that celebrates the innovative progress and research that is already happening, while pushing the envelope on the challenges ahead. There will always be new challenges presented as we work towards ambitious operational goals such as Zero Waste by 2020 and Carbon Neutrality by 2025. UCSC can successfully overcome challenges and become more sustainable by keeping our institution’s core mission of teaching and research at the center of what we do. By involving students in campus sustainability initiatives, we are training the leaders of tomorrow with the skills to make positive change in the world and help other global institutions and organizations become more sustainable. Sustainability is a global challenge and Banana Slugs are very lucky to have the opportunity, resources and brainpower to work together to create innovative, collaborative, and inclusive solutions for the campus, and for the world.

2. What got you interested in sustainability?
When I first arrived at UCSC in 2005, I worked at Stevenson College in residential life. Student engagement and empowerment has always been a passion of mine, and after several students came to me concerned about a lack of support for recycling by some of their peers, I helped the students start a peer-to-peer educational group called PTAGS (Path to a Greener Stevenson). One of the first things we did was organize a field trip to the Santa Cruz Resource Recovery Facility (sometimes called "the landfill"). It was after that trip that I was “hooked”! Watching plastic bags flying around in the wind with the beautiful ocean in the background, watching trucks dump an immense amount of one-time use items into the landfill that will almost never biodegrade, watching thousands of seagulls poking around on the trash mountain for wasted food scraps…I knew there was a lot of work to be done for our students and for the world to overcome the mentality that landed us here, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.

3. What were some of the things you did before becoming the sustainability director?
I have had the privilege of working with many campus staff, faculty and students to improve our campus waste collection infrastructure to reach our Zero Waste by 2020 goal, as well as conserve water usage. I’m excited that most campus eateries on campus have both recycling and composting available. That was not the case a mere 5 years ago! I have also supervised the student Zero Waste Team through the Sustainability Office, as well as the student Drought Response Team. I’m proud to say that our campus’ response to the drought emergency with strict water conservation measures in 2014-5 earned the campus several local and national awards!

4. Are there any sustainability practices you have picked up while being involved with sustainability on campus?
One of my favorite practices has become somewhat of a daily “ritual” for me, and I recommend it to anyone who is open to taking just a few seconds of their day to make a BIG difference: every day, whether working on campus, or walking my dog in my neighborhood in Live Oak, I make it a point to pick up one piece of recycling or trash and toss it into the proper receptacle (…and I definitely wash my hands afterwards!). Located right on the coast, Santa Cruz residents are in a unique position to directly impact the amount of trash that pollutes the ocean by preventing litter from going into storm drains in the streets. I firmly believe that if every person on campus picked up one piece of litter every day, we could virtually eliminate the litter problem in our community.


Congratulations again to Elida Erickson!

UCSC Annual Sustainability Report 2015

We are excited to announce the release of UC Santa Cruz's 2015 Annual Sustainability Report (view here). This report demonstrates our progress toward the 2013-16 Campus Sustainability Plan and UC Office of the President systemwide goals.

We have made progress across all topic areas and have achieved many of the goals established in the 2013-16 Sustainability Plan.

We are diversifying traditional notions of sustainability by engaging more community members than we ever have before. Our campus has launched a new Sustainability minor program, and we are utilizing more renewable energy sources to support campus operations.

We continue to build on the achievements made. Committed to progress and bound by the responsibility we have to our campus environment, the people who live and work here and the world we all share.

Our Campus Sustainability Plan will be updated in 2016 with goals that push us to steadily and energetically create a more sustainable campus.

We have accomplished so much as a campus in our last 50 years, pioneering the way for sustainability through our organic farming, water conservation, transportation, and many other innovative approaches. We honor and carry with us the achievements of those who came before us as we look forward to the next 50 years of sustainability at UC Santa Cruz.

Read the complete annual report here.

Home Recycling: Personal Ways to Make Your Home Zero Waste

This post was written by Angela Duong, a member of the Zero Waste team within the Sustainability Office.

When it comes to recycling, most people commonly believe they know all the wonders of recycling correctly. Since I started working on the Zero Waste Team this year, I have gained a substantial amount of knowledge influencing my own waste decisions at home and on the go. A great way to begin this process of diverting your waste is to start at home!

 In one of my apartment’s pantry closets, I implemented a “home recycling center” with clear signage and extra bins to sort out clean containers, clean paper, trash, compost and cardboard recycling.

With this system, my housemates and whoever comes into my apartment discover the various items they believed were either recycling or trash to be opposite. When on the go, I always have my reusable water bottle and hand towels on hand. Incorporating a busy college Zero Waste lifestyle is not as hard as everyone makes it. Reusable water bottles, coffee cups, hand towels, utensils, straws are a few examples of items of items that go to waste easily. Living a Zero Waste lifestyle by decreasing the amount of waste we produce individually, we can significantly work towards zero waste.

March 2016: Classes, Training, Community

ESLP Spring Action Research Teams 2015-2016
This Spring quarter, ESLP is offering 5-unit Action Research Teams, all covering a wide variety of topics. These topics include: The Healthy Beauty Reform, DIY and DIY Culture, Mycology at UCSC, Poetic Visibility, Sustainable Health: Ayurveda, and Eating, Ethics and Environmentalism. Within ESLP, smaller Action Research Teams explore a specific topic within sustainability, facilitated by students in consultation with our faculty sponsors. To enroll in this ESLP class, follow the instructions here.

Garden Cruz: Organic Matters Workshop: Deadline March 1
Learn the art and craft of organic, French-intensive food and flower gardening in this 3-Saturday series. The workshops take place at the Alan Chadwick Garden and UCSC Farm from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, March 5, 12, 19th. This lecture and hands-on workshop series is designed to provide a “toolkit” of the knowledge and skills you need to create a thriving organic garden and optimize water use in your garden and landscape. Pre-registration is required by March 1. Register here. If you’re interested in registering for individual workshops, please call 831.459-3240 or email casfs [at] ucsc [dot] edu for details.

UCSC Activist Training Workshop with Green Corps: March 7
Green Corps is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that teaches recent college graduates how to run and win environmental campaigns. The activist training will take place at the College 8 Red Room on Monday, March 7th from 5:00-6:30 PM. It will teach students invaluable skills that would improve any group that is trying to achieve a goal and grow stronger, such as how to raise group visibility and membership (including working with the media), how to strategically plan campaigns (from fundraising, to advocacy, to grassroots campaigns), and how to develop leadership. Email ucscgreencorps[at]gmail[dot]com for more information, or visit the Facebook event page here.

CURC Webinar: Moving Toward Zero Waste in Office Settings: March 10
A growing number of campuses have found success diverting waste by reorganizing how materials are collected from staff and faculty office locations. This webinar will feature case study presentations from schools that have implemented mini-bin programs and other changes to reduce custodial labor and the use of bag liners, while at the same time improving recycling rates and reducing contamination. In addition to describing operational details, presenters will share steps they took to educate and build support with office workers and other stakeholders. To register, click here.

Lecture Series: Climate Justice Now!: March 28-May 23
As climate change threats grow more severe in the absence of government leadership, artists and activists are inventing creative strategies of consciousness-raising, mass mobilization, and ecologically sustainable thinking and living. This course will feature a diverse array of guest speakers, all leaders in the area of climate justice and cultural politics, and will explore current imperatives for making a just transition to a post-carbon future. Curated by professor T.J. Demos. Learn more here.

Kelp Forest Ecology Summer Course: Deadline April 15
This course is aimed at upper division undergraduates or beginning graduate students interested in benthic ecology & kelp forests. SCUBA certification (Advanced/Open Water II) & all personal diving gear is required (AAUS scientific certification is not required, but desirable). Summer tuition ($5080) will be covered; class size is limited. The application form is available here. Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, CA Jun 20-Jul 22, 2016 (5-weeks), M-F, 5-units

LEED Green Associate (GA) Training: April 21
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program acts as a method of evaluating buildings based on energy-efficient and sustainable design. The LEED Green Associate (GA) credential is the only entry level sustainability designation and shows that those certified are knowledgeable in the green building industry. A new LEED rating system (v4) was introduced recently and this training course is one of the few that has been updated to teach the current rating system. This training will take place on the UCSC campus on April 21 from 6-10 PM. For more information including cost and how to register, see here.

Women of Wind and Energy WINDPOWER Fellowship: May 23-26
The Rudd Mayer Memorial Fellowships support women to participate in WINDPOWER, attending seminars on current wind energy issues, viewing state-of-the-art technology, meeting others in the renewable energy field, and connecting with employers about potential internships or permanent positions. WINDPOWER 2016 will be held from May 23-26 in New Orleans, LA. The Fellowship covers the cost of travel to and from the WINDPOWER conference site, conference registration (and included meals), and lodging. Find out more on the website here.

U Massachusetts Amherst to Open Online Food & Farming Degree: September 2016
The Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is now offering a fully online associate of science degree in sustainable food and farming. The degree will cover basic knowledge of plant and soil science, and train students in agricultural techniques, community development, public policy and education. If interested in receiving online credit, click here.

Portland State U Launches Food Systems Certificate Program
Portland State University has launched a new program that prepares students to work on contemporary food systems issues in a variety of sectors and industries. The Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Food Systems will educate students on topics ranging from business and urban planning to policy and public health, providing a multi-dimensional understanding of the social, environmental, and economic impacts of the food sector.

The SISE Program
The Summer Institute on Sustainability and Energy (SISE) is a two-week intensive workshop and lecture series for students and professionals at the University of Illinois at Chicago. From August 4-16, a diverse body of participants will engage a broad spectrum of energy and sustainability-related topics through daily presentations, collaborative projects, mentoring activities, site visits, and networking opportunities with leading research institutions and companies in the digital technology and energy sectors. They will accept applications through July 1st. Application information, program information, and more can be found at their website. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Thomas Aláan uic.sise.admissions[at]gmail[dot]com, SISE Program Coordinator.

Permaculture Film Series
Common Ground Center is offering a permaculture film and discussion series on Tuesdays from 6:00-7:30 PM during winter quarter. The series is free & open to the public, and students enrolled in Kresge-161: Permaculture & Whole Systems Design are encouraged to attend the series to see examples of thriving, resilient and sustainable communities worldwide. For more information, contact commonground [at] ucsc [dot] edu.

Education for Sustainable Living Program Team (ESLP)
ESLP is looking for engaged students who wish to be a part of the organizing team for the next year. Ideally, students will shadow current positions this winter quarter to gain skills and training to carry on into the 2016-2017 year.

Open positions include:

• Collaboration and networking sphere organizers: organizers work together to design and create colorful advertisement flyers for the organization. Regular maintenance of the ESLP website, Facebook page, and registering for on-campus events are other collaboration and networking sphere duties. The goal for this sphere is to increase awareness of ESLP, outreach for student facilitators, and Spring Speaker Series students.

• Academic Sphere organizers: organizers meet every 11-12:10am MWF for the Winter Training Seminar (WTS) to facilitate a group of students in preparation for their spring Action Research Teams. This group of organizers works closely with admin to build relationships and harbor the skills necessary for leading a successful action project.

• Heart Sphere organizers: Heart sphere organizers work closely with ESLP's staff advisor, Angela Harris, to manage our budget and personnel responsibilities. These organizers work all of Winter quarter contacting and booking guest speakers for the Spring Speaker Series. 

Students interested in working with ESLP who would like to shadow these positions can contact ESLP at eslp[at]ucsc[dot]edu.

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.

Cultivating a Daily Revolution: What's in Your Melting Pot?
Histories of Food in the USA: Wednesdays, 6-8 PM This 2 unit seminar and internship series discusses the social, economic and political conditions that give rise to the food cultures seen in the United States today. Working at the intersection of social justice and environmental justice, discussions (following a free weekly meal) aim to locate histories of food, ethnobotany and oppositionality in today's neoliberal socio-economic climate. For more information, email focan [at] ucsc [dot] edu.

Produce Pop-Up Stand in the Quarry Plaza
Students from the Food Systems Working Group (FSWG) and the Global Food Initiative (GFI) are hosting a produce stand on Wednesdays from 2:30-5:00 PM in the Quarry Plaza! Come by to get fresh leafy greens from the campus farm and fresh fruit from the local farmers market! If you would like more information please contact Alyssa at abillys[at]ucsc[dot]edu or ucscfswg[at]gmail[dot] com.

Volunteer with Take Back The Tap
Take Back The Tap UCSC is on the lookout for new organizers and a candidate for the 2016-2017 campaign coordinator. Students interested in learning valuable skills like grant-writing, social media outreach, campaign organization tactics, meeting with decision makers, or team-building should contact Take Back The Tap at tbttucsc-group [at] ucsc [dot] edu, and/or come to meetings on Mondays from 12:15-1:45 PM in the Kresge Common Ground Center, near STARS. Check out the group's Facebook page, Take Back The Tap UCSC, to learn more.

Demeter Seed Library
The Demeter Seed Library will be hosting office hours this quarter in Oakes 307. Come by to borrow or donate seeds and learn more about seed saving and campus gardening efforts. Office hours are Mondays 2:00-3:00 and Tuesdays 3:30-4:30 or by appointment.

The World Cafe: Food, Tea, Conversations That Matter
Mondays 5-7pm in the Kresge Seminar Room 159 The World Cafe is a weekly potluck of both food and ideas. It aims to bring a diversity of people together to explore whatever topics matter to them. Each night is focused on a different theme, often proposed by a student club or passionate individual wanting to develop their conversational leadership. Attendees savor the inquiry as they savor the food and tea, connect deeply with one another, form friendships, move projects forward, and create actionable knowledge. The World Cafe is a process used around the globe to surface the collective intelligence of groups of all sizes.

Divestment Student Network People Of Color Caucus
The People of Color Caucus is a place for organizers of color in the divestment movement to meet, collaborate on shared projects, and support each other to build the Climate Justice movement the world needs. Check out their Purpose, Principles and how to get involved here. Divestors of color who are interested in learning more can fill out this quick  membership form to be shared on their listserve, membership contact page, and Facebook group.

Campus Clean Up 2016

What do you do at 11 AM on a Sunday?  Volunteers helped to clean up our campus on TWO Sundays this quarter.

On February 7, the Campus Cleanup Committee had its first 2016 Clean-up Hour at Colleges 9/10 and on February 21, students cleaned up College 8 and Oakes. Both were successful events during which students collected more than six buckets of trash at each event! With 19 people cleaning up at 9/10 and 12 people at 8/Oakes, the clean up crew was able to accomplish a lot in only an hour of time. It doesn't take much to make a big difference when picking up litter around campus.

At the end of the hour vonunteers enjoyed fresh farmers market oranges and Costco churros provided by the Campus Cleanup Committee. These events are a lead up to the larger Campus-Wide Cleanup event happening on May 1st. They will be looking for volunteers and facilitators for cleanup zones in the coming weeks. If you want to get involved with the May cleanup, email Bella at bmontez [at] ucsc [dot] edu.

Like the facebook page Annual UCSC Campus Clean Up and follow us them Instagram at #cleanupucsc

4th Annual Zero Waste Youth Convergence on March 26, 2016!

Join Zero Waste Youth for the 4th Annual Zero Waste Youth Convergence

Saturday, March 26, 2016, City College of San Francisco, Ocean Campus, Multi-Use Building

Hear from inspiring speakers on hot zero waste topics from young professionals and community leaders.Topics and hands-on workshops include food waste reduction, composting & soil health, reducing & reusing, and student-led projects. 

*Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are provided!*

Please BYOE--Bring Your Own Essentials: reusable cup, plate/bowl, utensils, and handkerchief. The goal is to have a true Zero Waste event!

Register now at www.zerowasteyouthusa.org or click here!

Please share this event with your network! Join their Thunderclap campaign to help spread !the word! (http://thndr.me/viVERv)

Connect with Zero Waste Youth! Like them on Facebook. Email them at info@zerowasteyouthusa.org

February 2016: Nicki Doan

What is your title, affiliation, and year?
Hi! My name is Nicki Doan, and I am an SSA, which stands for Student Sustainability Adviser, for the sister colleges of Porter and Kresge. I am a 2nd year Kresge affiliate.

What does “sustainability” mean to you?
When I imagine the term “sustainability,” I think of a ying-yang circle. The concept of ying and yang is that one side balances the other, in a uniformed manner. No side is sharper or more intricate than the other, hence the circular shape and the simplistic color schemes of black and white. I believe that sustainability has the same concept; it’s about taking only what you need, but also knowing that what you take comes with a price, and returning the favor. Like the symbol, sustaining means balancing, and when we take something from the environment, such as trees and paper, we must give it back, just as in recycling.

What made you interested in sustainability?
I think that being sustainable has always been a part of me as I was growing up. For example, my family always rewashed containers to use as portable food holders, and they have always kept gift bags and tissue papers to reuse next Christmas. My religion also plays a big role in my interest in sustainability. I was taught to treat every living thing with compassion, and to always give more than to take. I think these influences are very similar to the practice of sustainability.

Tell us about the Hydration Games, a campuswide competition in the colleges to reduce water.
The Hydration Games was a really fun project to do since I have never done anything campus wide! It also took a lot of time and outreach to make it work, and I think that is where my team and I lacked. The 7 of us were unable to spread awareness about water conservation as well as we had hoped. Other factors that didn’t give us the results that we had wanted could also have been due to the Carbon Neutrality project UC-wide that also sprang up during our Hydration Games.

Any similar events you're looking forward to this year?
Yes! We are promoting Zero Waste this quarter! To do so, we are going to be tabling during college nights and sending emails and a survey that we are working on to get a good idea of how aware our residents are about their waste contribution.

What’s your favorite thing about being an SSA?
My favorite thing about being an SSA is the experience. I have learned so much more about the “real world” than I do in a chemistry and biology class. We have guest speakers who are chemists and biologists working in the fields of sustainability. They express their passion for what they do, and it amazes me every time I listen. I am inspired by what they do and how they do what they do every time. Kinda makes me unsure about my future, but I mean, I do know now that I hope to find a career that I am extremely passionate about like them.

Have you had a favorite sustainability moment at UCSC?
You know, I think UCSC itself is a sustainability moment. Ever since coming here, I have adapted to the lifestyle of this campus, such as recycling pretty much everything, bringing reusable bags to the stores, and bringing my own reusable water bottle. Coming from a place where sustainability is a choice (SoCal) to a place where sustainability is a lifestyle (Santa Cruz), it’s quite amazing!

February 2016: Contests and Funding

Write to Change the World: Deadline to Apply February 1
The “Write to Change the World” program is an opportunity for UC faculty that will build capacity to translate their research for the public and to engage in debate at a national level based on their areas of
 expertise. Invitational priorities for applicants include: 1) sustainability and the environment 2) social justice and inequality 3) big data and digital humanities 4) public health and medical humanities 5) arts and public life. After the 1-day workshop, fellows will have access to a yearlong mentorship with media mentors through the OpEd Project. This program provides extraordinary resources, access and support, including cutting edge game-based, research-driven programming, and access to a prestigious network of fellows at peer institutions nationwide. Learn more here.

Campus Sustainability Council Funding Applications: Deadline February 12
Apply for funding through the Campus Sustainability Council (CSC)! Proposals adhering to the criteria for student organizations and relevance to the Blueprint for a Sustainable Campus are eligible for funding. Review the Request for Proposal, which outlines all requirements and mandatory steps to apply for funding from CSC. For more information, visit the CSC website.

Grad Slam: Deadline March 4
Grad Slam is a competition that challenges graduate students to present years' worth of academic research in a concise, compelling, three-minute talk to a non-expert audience. Doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy and are enrolled in winter and spring 2016 are eligible to compete in Grad Slam. The contest begins with a video round of competition, during which 10 finalists will be selected for our campus live event to be held on Wednesday, April 6. The winner from that event will take home $3,000 and go on to compete in the UC-wide Grad Slam in San Francisco on April 22. UCSC's runner-up receives $1,500, and the people's choice winner receives $750. Check out the online instructions for all the details.

Zero Waste Youth USA Convergence: Deadline February 1
Organized by youth, for youth, the Zero Waste Youth USA Convergence will include a full day of visioning, organizing and celebrating zero waste and will empower youth to bring the zero waste message back to their schools and communities. The day will feature a keynote address, hands-on activities, and presentations on exciting zero waste topics both from the youth as well as from exceptional leaders from the community. If you are interested in speaking or performing at the event on March 26, 2016 at the Ocean Campus of City College of San Francisco, please fill out this form.

8th Annual International Sustainable Campus Network Award: Deadline February 1
The International Sustainable Campus Excellence Awards recognize sustainable campus projects that demonstrate leadership, creativity, effectiveness and outstanding performance. The award categories have been modified this year to reflect the evolution of campus sustainability. Campus projects can be submitted for one of the following categories: Buildings and Innovative Infrastructure, Campus Planning and Management Systems, Innovative Collaboration, or Student Leadership. Click here to apply.

Get Loud (About Climate Change) Challenge
ACE and NextGen Climate America just launched a new initiative, the Get Loud Challenge, an innovative climate competition that will engage young people across the country to turn up the volume on climate change. The Get Loud Challenge will motivate young people (ages 13-24) in all 50 states to take highly visible, online and offline actions to catapult climate change into the spotlight. Earn points for a range of climate actions — from having a conversation about climate with a family member to calling on our leaders to embrace clean energy policies in their communities. Go to GetLoudChallenge.org to learn more.

Students with Drive
Each month, Zipcar awards $27,000 in transportation grants to student organizations across the country so groups like yours can drive for free to volunteer opportunities, academic conferences, concerts, games or wherever you need to go.Ready to enter? Visit the Students With Drive page to enter your organization today. Each month, 15 finalists will get a chance to win big. Apply here!

Students & Staff Share Takeaways from Fall Conferences

There were many sustainability conferences all over the country this quarter! Students and staff in the Sustainability Office were able to attend many of them and wanted to share what they learned. Here are some key takeaways and stories from the conferences they attended this fall. If you ever attend a sustainability related conference and want to share a report-back in a future newsletter, please email sustain.education@ucsc.edu. 

South by Southwest Eco Conference
"Biomimicry, the idea of innovation inspired by nature, is a relatively new field of science focusing what we can learn from nature rather than what we can extract from nature. After facilitating an Education for Sustainable Living Program class on the topic of Biomimicry last quarter, I have been constantly curious about the world around me. When I heard about this conference, I saw it as a way to learn more about the field and meet the people with big ideas for Biomimicry..." Click here to continue reading this report from Lily Urmann, Green Labs Facilitator.

The Post-Landfill Action Network's Zero Waste Youth Conference 
"This conference was a great experience. We met a ton of hardworking and dedicated students from all across the country who were making positive impacts at their respective campuses. The conference theme was zero waste and we learned how to overcome challenges to get a zero waste program started, how to build a strong initiative, and how to network to leverage your goals. We were also inspired by some amazing speakers! To top it off, we had beautiful farm to table food and all of it was a 100% zero waste event!" - Jamison Czarnecki, Carbon Neutrality Fellow

National Bioneers Conference 
"Bioneers, for me, brought the many threads of 'sustainability' - environment, people, ecology, biodiversity, diversity, justice, equity, celebration of difference, purpose, conservation, conversation, art, climate, water, community, etc. - into a beautifully, vibrantly, amazingly woven cloth that held all of the attendees in its embrace for a weekend, bringing us in contact with new ideas and new people, encouraging us to sink into the realities of our world in their fullness..." Click here to continue reading this report from Melissa Ott, Office Manager/Events Coordinator.

Why I Love Bioneers 
"Even though this was my third time attending Bioneers, I was constantly blown away by the influx of new experiences and inspirations. I was grateful this year to be part of the Youth Leadership program, where I was surrounded by motivated young adults out to change the world. The dire state of our planet is often scary and overwhelming to think about, but the capacity of humans and our ability to collaborate on solutions keeps me hopeful. That is why I love Bioneers..." Click here to continue reading this report from Lily Urmann, Green Labs Facilitator.

Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education 
"I had the honor of representing our campus at the national annual conference of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Sustainability professionals from all around the world converged on Minneapolis, MN for the occasion. The session that struck me the most was an all-day workshop focused on incorporating sustainability and diversity issues..." Click here to continue reading this report from Elida Erickson, Interim Sustainability Director.

UC Carbon Neutrality Summit - Bending the Curve
"It's not often that UC President Napolitano, Governor Jerry Brown, 50+ faculty and researchers, Nobel laureates, and business leaders get together in one place to focus on a topic.  But on October 26 & 27, these movers and shakers got together at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at UC San Diego to focus on one of the most critical issues facing society; climate change..." Click here to continue reading this report from Chrissy Thomure, Climate Action Manager.

UC Office of the President (UCOP) Fellowship Orientation
"On Saturday, November 14th, the UC Santa Cruz Carbon Neutrality Initiative Fellows and Global Food Initiative Fellows attended the UC Office of the President’s fellowship orientation.  During this daylong event, the UCSC fellows were able to meet all of the other UC-wide fellows and get to know which exciting projects they were working on.  The UCSC fellows were able to share our efforts with the Cool Campus Challenge and which projects they will be undertaking as the academic year continues.  They also learned about new strategies from different workshops on how to maximize student, staff and faculty engagement.  Completing this orientation provided the UCSC fellows with a network of like-minded UC fellows and new strategies that will help UCSC complete the UCOP sustainability initiatives.  The fellows look forward to the future projects and opportunities that will secure UCSC’s carbon neutrality and food security goals." - Jordi Vasquez, Carbon Neutrality Fellow

June 2015: Internships, Employment & Volunteering

EMPLOYMENT

University of Southern California Seeking Sustainability Coordinator
USC Auxiliary Services is seeking a Sustainability Coordinator to join its USC Housing Team. This individual would be responsible for creating sustainable activities geared towards achieving buy-in and habit transformation, coordinate program services and activities, and assist the Director of Housing in defining goals, performance metrics and long range plans for sustainability, to name a few. Applicant must have a Bachelor's degree, 1 year combined education/experience, and experience with administrative support services. For more information, please click here.

UC Riverside Hiring Energy & Sustainability Manager
This is a full-time position located in Riverside, CA. The Energy & Sustainability Manager works to decrease energy cost, examines mechanical, electrical, water and gas systems to make sure they are functioning at the highest level possible. For more information about position requirements, and to apply, click here.

Conservation Corps Seeking College Students and Recent Graduates
Conservation Corps North Bay currently has three open positions: 1) Community Education and Event Associate (20-30 hours/week, flexible schedule, $11/hour). 2) Community Recycling Crew Staff Driver (M-F, 7:00am-3:30pm, scheduled weekend dates, $13/hour). 3) Natural Resource Crew Seasonal Corpsmember (M-F, 7:00-3:30pm, $10/hour). To see the full descriptions and to apply, click here.

Bike Santa Cruz is Seeking Part-time Bookkeeper/Membership Coordinator
Bike Santa Cruz is looking for an awesome, enthusiastic individual to work 5 hours/week tracking Bike Santa Cruz finances, handling member correspondence, and maintaining their membership database. Please read posting for more information.

Seeking Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center Program Assistant
This individual will open and close the center, troubleshoot computer equipment, greet and receive visitors, assist in tours, assist Volunteer Coordinator, data entry and management, and much more. Please send a cover letter, resume and three professional references to explorationcenter [at] noaa [dot] gov and indicate SEC Program Assistant Job in subject line.

Alliance to Save Energy Seeking Programs Associate
The Alliance to Save Energy is seeking a full-time Program Associate to assist with implementing PowerSave Campus. Applicant must have a Bachelor's degree in environmental studies, energy, education and 1-2 years of work experience is preferred. For more information, click here.

University of Utah Hiring Sustainability Communication and Outreach Coordinator
The Sustainability Office at U of Utah is seeking a Communication and Outreach Coordinator. This individual will support the campus mission by acting as a resource to faculty and staff within the Sustainability Office and coordinating internal and external communications with other public outreach efforts. For more information and to apply, click here.

INTERNSHIPS

IDEASS Internship Program Accepting Applications for 2015-16

Impact Designs Engineering and Sustainability through Student Service is a 9-month upper division service-learning class that fulfills the ENVS (and other majors) senior exit/thesis requirement by allowing entrepreneurial students to work on experimental sustainable designs and keep on the cusp of innovation. The potential projects span a cornucopia of topics, including: energy, water, food, transportation, and waste. IDEASS encourages students of all disciplines to apply. Applications are now being accepted for the 2015-2016 year. To apply, visit the application page here. 

Food Systems Internships Available

The Food Systems Working Group has an exciting new cadre of student leaders working across their partnerships with Dining, the Farm, and Garden efforts. Are you looking for an internship to join them? Email ucscfswg [at] gmail [dot] com if you'd like to find out more!

CASFS Farm Seeking Interns for Summer
If you're interested in working on the farm this summer, and supporting ongoing student engagement efforts in agroecology and ecological horticulture please email Damian Parr at dmparr [at] ucsc [dot] edu for more details. 

FSWG Leadership and Recruitment Seeking Interns 
Are you a continuing student who is passionate about food and farming systems? Look no further than an intership with FSWG (Food Systems Working Group). Please email Crystal and Alyssa at ucscfswg [at] gmail [dot] com to find out more. Or, join in during a weekly meeting, which takes place on Fridays from 11am-12pm in Oakes Room 220. 

Summer Bike Advocacy Internships Available
Bike Santa Cruz County is looking for summer interns to help with bicycle advocacy, event planning, and outreach. Bike Santa Cruz County advocates for better bicycling around the county, plans fun bike events, and participates in local planning for bike projects and policies. For more information, contact Amelia Conlen at director [at] bikesantacruzcounty [dot] org.

Writers & Social Media Interns Wanted for Hilltromper
Hilltromper, the one-stop outdoor recreation web resource for Santa Cruz County, is looking for an intern to help run the calendar, write about recreation and the environment and contribute to social media. Tromping strongly encouraged! If interested, please email Traci [at] hilltromper [dot] com.

Coastal Watershed Council Internships Available
The Coastal Watershed Council (CWC) has many great internship opportunities to learn about local watersheds, build your resume, and contribute to cleaner, healthier watersheds in Santa Cruz. They're looking for motivated college and high school students. For more information, call (831) 464-9200 and view a full list of internship opportunities here.

VOLUNTEERING

Volunteer at a Campus Garden

Want to get your hands dirty and nurture the plants in our campus gardens? Visit the calendar to find out when garden work days are happening here.

Green Building Student Alliance

Have you ever wondered what goes into making a building energy, water, and waste efficient? How can UCSC support sustainability in building designs and retrofits? Tatiana Gefter (Green Building Campaign Coordinator for the Student Environmental Center), Grant Waldron (Provost's Sustainability Intern for Climate Action), and other students are collaborating to create a Green Building Student Alliance. This group will serve as a student advising resource to campus architects and project managers with a goal of increasing student participation in campus infrastructure design to keep the environment in mind. Email Tatiana at tgefter[at]ucsc[dot]edu for more information and to join!

Get Involved with UC Global Food Initiative

The UC Global Food Initiative aims to address global issues in the food system. All 10 UCs are working collectively towards this effort to support sustainable agriculture, healthy eating, and food security. UCSC is playing a critical role in this effort with the support of the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. Join a subcommittee and get involved by contacting ucscfswg [at] ucsc [dot] edu.

Get Involved with Integrated Climate & Energy Study

Interested in climate and energy sustainability? Want to get hands-on experience exploring these topics in relation to our campus? Chrissy Thomure, Climate Action Manager in the Sustainability Office, is coordinating an Integrated Climate & Energy Study with key stakeholders and a consultant. The study launches this year, and students are encouraged to participate! Email Chrissy at cthomure [at] ucsc [dot] edu to find out more information.

Volunteer at the Homeless Garden Project Downtown Store
Volunteer in the store, on the register, for merchandising, and providing customer service. New volunteers receive orientation during their first shift. Click here to see the schedule, then contact Jes at jesw [at] homelessgardenproject [dot] org to sign-up. 

Call for Students! Conduct Free Local Business Energy Audits

Interested in greening offices and energy conservation? The Green Impact Campaign is a national student-powered movement working to raise awareness of energy consumption. Become part of the movement today and join Green Impact Campaign, here.

Global Student Embassy Seeking Garden Leader
Global Student Embassy (GSE) Santa Cruz initiates and runs several high school garden projects here in Santa Cruz county. GSE is seeking a Garden Leader who will commit to meeting one to two times/month, plan community workdays, lead after school workdays, and facilitate discussion-based workshops. Contact Wyeth Wunderlich at wyeth [at] globalstudent embassy [dot] org to participate in this awesome program.

Sprout Up Environmental Education Opportunity

Sprout Up Santa Cruz is seeking college student-instructors instructors to deliver free environmental education to 1st and 2nd graders in the Santa Cruz community, cultivating the next generation of passionate caretakers of the earth. Commitment is maximum 3 hours/week for 8 weeks, by UCSC academic quarter. For more information, please contact directorsc[at]sproutup[dot]org, and visit their website at www.SproutUp.org.

The Bike Church Community Repair Shop Seeking Volunteers
Have a knack for cycling, biking and learning to maintain bikes? Interested in learning to divert bike parts from the waste stream? Then this is the opportunity for you! Click here for more information. 

Community Engagement with San Lorenzo River Alliance
Help the San Lorenzo River Alliance have more positive attention on and more positive engagement with the San Lorenzo River by signing up to be a community engagement volunteer. To learn more or volunteer, email Laurie Egan at legan [at] coastal-watershed [dot] org. Also, check out their website here.

Teach K-12 Watershed Conservation Lessons
Coastal Watershed Council presents lessons to K-12 grade students at public schools throughout the county. Volunteer to present lessons on the link between watersheds and our water supply, recycling and composting, water pollution prevention, how to pack a trash free lunch, wise energy use, and many other topics related to climate change and wise resource use. To learn more and sign up, email Stew Jenkins at sjenkins [at] coastal-watershed [dot] org or call him at (831) 464-9200. Learn more here.

Carneros Creek Winter Monitoring
Want to gain field experience in beautiful wetland areas? Volunteer with the Carneros Creek Water Quality Monitoring Program to help monitor seasonal Carneros Creek, a primary freshwater tributary to Elkhorn Slough. You'll be professionally trained to test for field measurements and flow, including how to collect water samples that will be analyzed at a certified lab for bacteria, nutrients, total suspended solids, and pesticides. Contact Debie Chirco-Macdonald at djchirco [at] coastal-watershed [dot] org or (831) 464-9200 to get involved. Learn more here.