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.

Food Waste Buffet

Ever wonder how much food is wasted at the Dining Halls? A team of students, including UCSC Dining student employee Jessica Campos, Student Sustainability Advisors in the colleges, and the Student Environmental Center, have been hosting “Waste Buffets” across the campus Dining Halls to find out.

With the help of other dining hall workers and volunteers, the team collects all of the food that students leave on their plate and do not eat.  Instead of sending that food to be composted right away, they measure how much is wasted and assembles full plates of food for display. This “Waste Buffet” is effective in showing people the potential that their wasted food has in being meals in hopes of discouraging food waste.


According to their results from last quarter, Crown/Merrill wasted 2.91 oz of food per person per day; Cowell/Stevenson wasted 3.66 oz of food per person per day; College 8/Oakes wasted 2.9 oz of food per person per day; and Porter wasted 2.14 oz of food per person per day. If you multiple those per-person amounts by the number of students who visit the dining halls each day throughout the year, it adds up to a whole lot of food waste!

We spoke with Jessica Campos to learn more about she became involved with this project. She has an active role in the sustainability movement and plans on incorporating that experience into her goals for future waste buffets. As an Environmental Studies and Biology major, Jessica began working at Mesa Verde gardens where she connected with the Live Oak community through helping with drip irrigation, dry composting, gardening, and translating for Spanish speakers.  She then moved onto work with Sprout Up, a non-profit where volunteers visit elementary schools for free environmental education. With Sprout Up, she was an education liaison which entailed teaching to specific communities. For example, organic food is the ideal choice for the environment and our health but it is not always financially feasible for everyone.  Jessica says that “you can’t just tell low income students to go organic,” but there are still ways to be more connected to the food systems without spending money.

To demonstrate the interconnectedness of our food systems, Jessica wants to collaborate more with the farm to have more produce pop-ups at the Waste Buffets.  She wants to show students that “the Dining Halls are the kitchen and the farms are OUR farms.” This will connect our relationship to our food with food waste. She is also planning on working on a large poster to compare food waste at Dining versus food waste nationwide.

Some tips on reducing food waste:

• Try a sample
• Eat smaller portions, then come back for seconds
• Any feedback for making our dining halls more sustainable? Write it on comment cards for the Dining Hall​.
• Take what you like; Eat what you take

Want to see more Waste Buffets on campus?  Email Jessica at jercampo [at] ucsc [dot] edu

UCSC Farm featured in the New York Times

Mark Bittman, the New York Times lead food columnist, visited the farm at the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems at the University of California, Santa Cruz and interviewed Daniel Press, the center’s executive director and Tim Galarneau, a coordinator with Food Systems Working Group. The interview highlighted the apprenticeship program that has been active since 1967. Check out the article accompanied with a video, here.

Cultivating a Daily Revolution: Film Series

 

Hello everyone,  I am Adriana Murguia , I am part of the FoCAN leadership team and this quarter I will be leading the “Cultivating a Daily Revolution” gatherings. I look forward to sharing my interests and familiarity with you all for the next ten weeks! 

This spring,  Friends of the Community Agroecology Network (FoCAN) will be re-establish its weekly gatherings and will be bringing a weekly film series. This quarter, our Cultivating a Daily Revolution (CDR) will consist of a series of movies and documentaries relating to themes and topics of: agroecology, food security, sustainability and globalization. The films will be in no particular order and will depend on what people are interested in learning about.  The gatherings will consist of free dinner and discussion. 

We will be meeting: Wednesday Nights 7-9pm at the Ethnic Resource Center  (ERC) Lounge above the Baytree bookstore. Stairs and elevators are located to the right of the express store. Our first meeting will be April 15th.  

List of Films:

MST: Brazil's Landless Worker Movement. Understanding the formation of international, agricultural social movements and how they incorporate Agroecology.

Tambien la Lluvia( Even the Rain)- Water Wars:  Hasta la lluvia is a film that  about water privatization in Peru. Learn about multilateral development agencies and what alternatives grassroots movements have provided in the face of liberalism. Water Wars is a documentary on water issues in India reflecting on the monopolization of water and the erosion of communities.

Our land, Our future: Documentary made by Three Americas,a Santa Cruz based solidarity organization with the people of Latin America. This documentary underlines indigenous land rights and environmental issues in Nicaragua. Let’s have a discussion about the Nicaraguan Canal.

When the Mountains Tremble: Film on the war between the Guatemalan military and indigenous communities.

Cocalero- Mary full of Grace: Understanding global commodities and will then implement its framework in understanding the commodification of cocaine in Latin America.

Seeds of Freedom: Explore diverse farming systems around the word and how seeds have become monopolized by the global food system.

A film about Coffee- Hot Coffee: follow the production of coffee from farm to consumption. The film opens a door to understanding specialty coffee.

 

Sponsored by: El Centro Chicano Resource center  

5th Annual Intercambio this Feburary

by Adriana Murguia

                  After participating in Intercambio (Spanish for exchange) last spring in Veracruz, MX, I was really moved by the stories of many of the cooperative leaders and youth. I personally connected with all the individual stories because I grew up with immigrant parents and a migrant community many who were previously peasant farmers. While driving down from the community of Piedra Parada, our bus driver with his young family on board spoke about the one time he visited Monterrey, CA while he worked in the lettuce fields of the central coast. Many of the youth from Mexico spoke about having family in the U.S. and their fragmented relationships. Additionally, the youth from Nicaragua, shared with me their experience of being one of the first generation after the Sandinista revolution. For them, the revolution didn't follow up with all its promises, yet they are still revolutionaries at heart.

Intercambio 2014, Veracruz Mexico 

When I learned that Intercambio would be rotated to Santa Cruz, I was more than enthusiastic to be involved with the planning process because it would mean that I would get to see them again.  Intercambio is a platform to bring the voices of youth who are developing on the ground agricultural solutions by incorporating local knowledge, with agroecological training. Many of the youth hold ideals and visions of sustainability for their community and country that do not come across to larger decision making entities. For UCSC students interested in sustainability, learning from the youth network should bring to mind­ that the primary actors carrying out sustainable actions are always not called upon as decision makers. 

Intercambio Award Ceremony 

Intercambio Events for the Public: 

Join FoCAN as they welcome youth leaders from Mexico and Nicaragua to experience sustainable food systems in Santa Cruz! 

for more information email us at: focan [at] ucsc [dot] edu

Youth Empowerment for Transformative Food Systems

by Adriana Murguia

Food insecurity, chronic poverty, and outmigration plague coffee growing communities in Latin America. Rural youth find farming livelihoods as unviable and search for a wage elsewhere. In response to these problems, the Community Agroecology Network (CAN) facilitates agroecology-based food security projects in its "AgroEco" coffee sites to create viable economic opportunities to reverse the trend of youth leaving their communities to find work elsewhere. An opportunity to connect with young people from these communities is taking place in February, and volunteers are needed to make the Intercambio (Exchange) a success.

In 2011, the Youth Network for Food Security and Food Sovereignty (Jovenes SSAN) formed to promote youth leadership opportunities in order to involve younger generations in creating transformative food systems. The youth network has expanded from its coffee sites in Nicaragua and Mexico and has included university students from Veracruz and Quintana Roo. Connecting and training youth leaders across multiple project initiatives deepens knowledge and capacity, creating beneficial exchange and innovation within each of the associated communities. The youth network comes together annually as an 8 day conference known as Intercambio (Exchange), which has become a platform for knowledge exchange on strategies and models for achieving food sovereignty. A similar food security initiative is being developed in Santa Cruz. Last spring (2014) FoCAN held a local intercambio, “Beyond Organic,” in which they brought multiple workers in the food systems into one panel. This year's Intercambio will take place February 13-20, 2015.

Impacts 

The Youth Network has had four annual exchanges and two regional exchanges. After participating in the Intercambio, youth leaders have expressed a strong desire to continue expanding the youth network, receive more training in agroecology, and build stronger national and international ties. 

Interested in volunteering during their stay in Santa Cruz? 

Volunteers will be needed to prepare meals, shop for food, set up and clean up events, and provide translations during Intercambio, which will take place February 13-20, 2015. To sign up to volunteer this year, please follow this link.

Questions? Email focan [at] ucsc [dot] edu

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Adriana Murguia is the Intercambio Coordinator for Friends of Community Agroecology Network. Last year, she was a Provost's Sustainability Intern for the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems Real Food Project.

The Food Movement: How to Eat Your Way to a Sustainable Future

The Student Environmental Center Presents:

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The Food Movement: How to Eat Your Way to a Sustainable Future

Wednesday, November 5th • 5:30-7:30 • College Eight Red Room

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Join the Student Environmental Center, Students for Organic Solutions (SOS), the Food Systems Working Group (FSWG), Program in Community and Agriculture (PICA), and Community Agroecology Network/AgroEco Coffee (CAN) in a discussion about our campus and community-wide food systems and opportunities to make them more sustainable.

Including Presentations from:

• Students for Organic Solutions: Students for Organic Solutions (SOS) is a group of students committed to raising awareness on the impacts of our current food system, as well as increasing participation and engagement in sustainable food practices. We work to bring about environmental change through on-campus food systems.
• The Food Systems Working Group: The College Food Systems initiative at UC Santa Cruz links the Center’s Farm on the UCSC campus with other local organic farms and with UCSC campus organizations to bring organic produce to the campus dining halls and restaurants, while bringing students to CASFS for sustainable food systems education and engagement.
• Program in Community and Agroecology: PICA's primary academic mission is to engage students with sustainability through practical experience and the sharing of community based knowledge. Through seminars, practical training in agroecology and organic gardening, student involvement in campus and community gardens, and the development of local composting projects, PICA students are able to integrate classroom instruction with hands-on learning.
• Community Agroecology Network/AgroEco Coffee: CAN/FoCAN is an international organization actively working in eight regions of Mexico and Central America. We confront social, economic, and environmental injustice through research, education, and action. CAN partners with community-based organizations, farmers’ cooperatives, nonprofits, and universities to generate local approaches to sustainable development.

November 2014: Internships, Employment, & Volunteering

INTERNSHIPS

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!

Want to Teach a Class in Sustainability?

The Education for Sustainable Living Program (ESLP) is looking for outgoing, organized and intelligent students who want to create, innovate and teach their own class in sustainability in Winter Training Seminar in 2015. Students will create their own syllabus, lesson plans, learn to lead and facilitate a class, and prepare to teach their own class in Spring 2015. Interested students can email ESLP [at] ucsc [dot] edu or visit their website.

Santa Cruz Sierra Club Seeking Interns & Volunteers
The mission of the Sierra Club is to explore, enjoy, and protect natural places. It is one of the oldest and largest environmental organization in the country, founded by John Muir in the late 1800s. In Santa Cruz, the Sierra Club focuses on issues such as forestry protection, water quality at our local beaches, sustainable transportation, and other topics that affect our air, water, local habitats, and community. They are seeking interns and volunteers to support outreach efforts, plan events, and conduct research. If you are interested in learning how environmental activism works at the local level, planning fun events and hikes to engage people with our local environment, and supporting the local environment please email melissa.ott [at] sierraclub [dot] org. Visit the website, Facebook, and MeetUp page for more information.

myActions on Campus is Seeking Smart, Savvy Student Leaders
myActions on Campus has recognized UC Santa Cruz's commitment to develop next generation leaders and wants to invite our students to for two paid internships! Last year 75 campuses across the nation participated, driving over 100,000 sustainable projects and actions in a plethora of communities. These internship roles include Sustainability Campus Intern and Community Service Campus Intern. Don't wait, create change now. For more information visit myActions on Campus page.

Not Busy Enough? Learn with SDSN!
22 units and 3 organizations aren't enough for you? Consider taking FREE classes on Climate Change and Sustainable Development online. Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), is a free online education platform created to advance the field of sustainable development in all regions of the world. Questions? Email edu [at] unsdsn [dot] org or visit their website.

EMPLOYMENT

Seeking an Administrative Assistant! - Deadline November 7
The Santa Cruz Country Regional Transportation Commission (RTC), headquartered in downtown Santa Cruz, is seeking an Administrative Assistant responsible for providing advanced office support to planners, managers and the Executive Director; the administrative assistant performs independent, responsible, confidential, and complex administrative, technical and clerical work, independent information gathering, information preparation, and other related work as required. Application packet must be received by Friday, November 7, 2014. For more information, visit the RTC's website here.

Now Hiring! Project Bike Trip Director and Bike Tech Program Director
Project Bike Trip is hiring! Interested in working for Project Bike Trip? This is an excellent opportunity to practice sustainability, by engaging in a program that offers environmentally friendly and fun means of alternative transportation! In order to manage the growing demand for our Bike Tech Program, we're looking for two professional, self-motivated, highly organized, enthusiastic, innovative, energetic, hard-working individuals to join our team. The Bike Tech Program Director will be responsible for the day-to-day operations for the Bike Tech at School Program. Responsibilities include: coordinating with Bike Tech instructors, working with CTE (Career Technical Education) agencies, curriculum development, networking with sponsoring bike shops and manufacturers, developing an apprenticeship program, collaborating on promotional opportunities, etc. For complete job descriptions and information on how to apply, click here.

CCOF Seeking a Programs Assistant!

California Certified Organic Farmers is an organic certifier, trade association and educational foundation supporting the growth of organic food and agriculture. It seeks to certify, educate, advocate and promote organic food. The Program Assistant (PA) supports the CCOF Policy Department and the CCOF Foundation. For the Policy Director, the PA provides administrative support and coordinates communications and grassroots advocacy support. The PA reports to the Policy Director (20 hours a week) and Foundation Development Manager (20 hours a week). Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Applicants should submit the following: Cover letter summarizing interest in CCOF and the position, qualifications and compensation requirements, current resume, list of three professional references, and a writing sample (800 word maximum). 

Global Student Embassy seeking International Trip Leaders

Global Student Embassy (GSE) is seeking International Trip Leaders to help facilitate service-learning exchange programs in Ecuador. GSE conducts action education programs to cultivate growth in young leaders in California, Ecuador and Nicaragua. International Trip Leaders will facilitate groups of university and high school students, while strengthening partnerships with GSE staff, partner schools, local organizations and surrounding communities. Build your resume and further develop your skills in managing international exchange programs. Applicants must be proficient in Spanish (you will be working at a high level in Spanish and English on a daily basis - part of the interview process will be conducted in conversational Spanish). Exchange programs run December 2014 – June 2015 (3-7 month commitment). During this entire period you will be located in Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuador. Qualified applicants should email a cover letter, resume, and list of 3 current references to (Annah Young at admin@globalstudentembassy.org. For more information, click here. 

VOLUNTEERING

Apply to Volunteer with Sprout Up

Sprout Up provides free, youth-led environmental education programs to 1st and 2nd grade classrooms in Santa Cruz. Their college student-instructors teach children vital concepts in environmental science and sustainability during the earliest stages of their educational development, cultivating the next generation of passionate caretakers of the earth. Through activities, experiments, and discussions, they get kids thinking in new ways about the world that surrounds them, inspiring them to bring the message of environmental stewardship home to their families and friends. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact them at directorsc [at] sprout up [dot] org, and feel free to visit their website at www.SproutUp.org.

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.

Volunteer at a PICA Garden Workday

Want to get your hands dirty and enjoy this sunny weather? Volunteer for the first PICA garden workday of the quarter on Saturday, October 18 from 10 AM - 2 PM. Everyone is invited and a free garden grown lunch will be served. They will be planting veggie starts, digging garden beds, making compost and harvesting from the garden. Come learn about where your food comes from! Meet at the entrance to the A-quad by the Village at UCSC. Check out this website for more information.

Arboretum Volunteer Gardening Opportunities
The Arboretum also has volunteer gardening hours throughout the week! Visit their website for details.

Volunteer for Sea Slugs!
Sea Slugs is a UCSC student-based organization built around environmental activism and community evolvement. The organization has ties with many local organizations including the Save the Waves Coalition and the Surfrider Foundation. For information about meeting times or any other oceanic shenanigans, contact Sea Slugs at seaslug.ucsc [at] gmail [dot] com or visit their website.

Local Bike Clubs Seeking UCSC Volunteers

Want to join Green Ways to School as a volunteer for local middle school Bike Club rides? They are seeking dedicated interns who are available Wednesdays from 1 - 3 PM. Below are some of their upcoming activities:

• Mountain Bike at DeLaveaga or Emma McCrary trails
• Visit HUB/Bike Church
• Cyclocross Ride
• Intro to Bike Polo
• and more to be determined!

If you're interested in volunteering, please email Tawn at cyclerevolution [at] gmail [dot] com.

Volunteer at a Stevenson Garden Workday

Come by the beautiful Stevenson Garden from 1-2 PM on Fridays to help plant seeds, harvest, and have fun in the sun!

Find or Upload Projects to Sustainability Project Clearinghouse
Interested in getting involved in a campus sustainability project, but don't know how? Are you looking for partners for your current project? Have you completed a project that you would like others to learn from? Visit the Sustainability Project Clearinghouse, a centralized database of UCSC sustainability projects, today! You can view published projects or upload your own projects and ideas. For training on how to upload a project, please contact Shauna Casey at scasey [at] ucsc [dot] edu.

Congratulations Steve Gliessman, Named to Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems

Steve Gliessman Named to Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems
CAN's co-founder and chair of the Board of Directors, Dr. Stephen Gliessman, (Professor Emeritus of Agroecology, University of California, Santa Cruz) has been appointed to an international panel of experts on sustainable food systems. The panel is co-chaired by Dr. Olivia Yambi, nutritionist and former UNICEF representative to Kenya, and Prof. Olivier De Schutter, who recently completed his term as U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food.

The Daniel and Nina Carasso Foundation established the IPES-Food initiative, which addresses one of the three areas of action targeted by the International Scientific Committee of the Foundation: evidence-based advocacy on sustainable food systems and diets. The aim is to provide "...policy makers, the private sector and the public at large with the evidence to guide a transition towards sustainable food systems and diets." Learn more by clicking here. Congratulations Dr. Steve Gliessman!

October 2014: Classes, Training, & Community

Bike Drive Ends October 10
Have a bike you no longer need? Green Ways to School has launched the second session of the Watsonville Earn-A-Bike program, which gets bikes into the hands of needy kids and teaches bike skills, repair and safety. They are in need of bike donations for youth through October 10. If you have a bike you'd like to donate, contact director Tawn Kennedy.

Bike Library Safety Classes 10/16, 10/19

Are you interested in learning about bike safety? TAPS sponsors a  free Bicycle Street Skills class every quarter! The fall class will be held Thursday, October 16 from 12:30 - 2:30 PM and Sunday, October 19 from 12:00 - 2:00 PM. RSVP to receive the location by filling out this reservation form. Learn more about the Bike Library here.

Common Ground Center Launches New Online Community
Kresge's Common Ground Center has launched an online community on the social media platform NING to cultivate relationships near and far. Join them by signing up here and contribute to cutting edge conversation and relationship building. They will also be utilizing this e-village space to keep a pulse on up-and-coming events.

Natural History Class: Wednesdays

Jack Mazza, UCSC senior, will be leading a 2-unit class called the Natural History of the UCSC Campus Field Group. He writes, "Our campus is a beautiful place for exploration and there are an abundance of ecosystems to learn about. By practicing natural history, the direct observation and awareness of a place, you can immerse yourself into the wonders of the habitats on campus." The class will meet Wednesdays from 9 - 11:30 AM. Attend the first meeting on October 8 to receive an enrollment code for the field group. Email Jack for meeting location and any questions, and if you're interested in natural history in general, visit the UCSC Natural History Club Facebook group.

Carbon Fund Info Session October 23

Have an idea for a project that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions on or off campus? The Carbon Fund is a student-passed fee measure that raises $3 per student per quarter totaling up to ~$100,000 per year to allocate to students, faculty, and staff for their project ideas! If you have ideas that will reduce the carbon footprint of UCSC, from energy and water conversation to more efficient composting and zero waste techniques, the Carbon Fund has money for your project. They will be hosting an info session on October 23 from 4-6 PM in the College 8 Red Room to review how to apply and what makes a strong application--pizza will be served! It is recommended that you attend the info session or email the Carbon Fund in advance to ask questions and receive feedback before applying. Abstracts are due November 14 for the 2014-15 funding cycle. Learn more on the website.

Food Systems Leaning Journeys (Free - $8): Sign up October 6

"Want to learn more about the food system and how some of your favorite foods are produced? Join a Food Systems Learning Journey to explore issues at various levels of the food system, from seed to table! Sign up for an FSLJ starting Tuesday, October 6 online--the trips fill up fast! This fall the Food Systems Working Group is offering the following FSLJs at little to no cost (free - $8) through the OPERS Recreation Department:

• From Farmers Market to Farm Fresh Cooking with Joseph Shultz of India Joze - a true farmers' market to table meal!
• Growing Gardens at UCSC
• Seed Saving Workshop
• Viticulture (winemaking) and Regional Terrior