Get paid to fight climate change!

The UCSC Sustainability Office is looking for two passionate, knowledgeable and organized Carbon Neutrality Student Fellows to coordinate climate action engagement and planning this academic year! If you’re a UCSC student interested in climate change, creative problem solving, and student organizing and empowerment, then this is an experience you want to have!

Climate change threatens to destroy our communities and destabilise our economy with higher temperatures, extreme weather, and rising seas. At its core, climate change is an injustice hoisted onto future generations and people who have done little to create the problem, affecting first and worst the global poor. But the world is changing in more than just climatic systems, and tackling climate change promises to host co-benefits for humans and non-human beings alike. 

Be part of the transition.

The Carbon Neutrality Initiative Fellowship program, now in its second year, gives students the opportunity to engage in the rapid decarbonization of the university’s energy system through a yearlong paid internship. The Student Fellows will have the opportunity to build their knowledge of climate change science, policy and economics, social movements, campus sustainability, UC bureaucracy, renewable energy systems, climate justice, and other topics related to carbon neutrality and climate leadership.

Fellows will help coordinate a carbon reduction pledge campaign through social media, host events to garner student feedback and priorities in climate action planning, as well as gain leadership skills and explore intersectional sustainability issues through a revolutionary inter-fellowship retreat with students involved in the Global Food Initiative. The Fellows will also lead efforts to plan and execute visioning sessions and charrettes to engage the campus community in climate action planning.The Fellowship will require creative construction of programs, activities and/or campaigns to promote climate action and reduce emissions on campus and beyond.

Apply here for ER#7842, and submit a cover letter and resume that highlights your direct skills, knowledge and abilities supporting the position. Send to Chrissy Thomure, Climate Action Manager, at cthomure@ucsc.edu. Feel free to contact Alden Phinney, the outgoing Carbon Neutrality Fellow, with any questions regarding student experience in the fellowship program at aphinney@ucsc.edu. Applications are open until filled.

This Fellowship is open to undergrad and grad students at UCSC, though applications may be open at other UC campuses as well; check with your campus Sustainability Office for more details.

Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because they represent ideas that UCSC could potentially implement in some form, or in some cases, already has begun to. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office susted [at] ucsc [dot] edu and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

U Saskatchewan Student Helps Deal With Costly Research Byproduct 
A Sustainability Living Lab project, a biological engineering student is investigating a system to process manure from the campus' Dairy Research and Teaching Farm into a product that can be kept on campus or one that is cheaper to have discarded. Currently the university spends $65,000 annually for the manure to be hauled away. Here at UCSC, we have many places on campus that serve to create a living laboratory where students can become involved in hands-on work like this.

Colorado Mountain College Holds Art Exhibit
In an effort to raise awareness for sustainability, an inaugural college-wide art exhibit at Colorado Mountain College showcased work that was either created with sustainable materials or with content reflecting the theme of sustainability. How can the UCSC Art and Environmental Studies Departments collaborate on projects like this here?

Southern Oregon U Partners to Reduce Student Mileage
Part of a statewide "Drive Less. Save More." campaign, the university is working with the Oregon Department of Transportation and a district authority to reduce the number of miles driven by university students by providing information to students about the benefits of traveling by foot, bike, skateboard, bus and shared car. The program's goals are to to reduce traffic, increase parking availability on campus, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Wesleyan U Students to Build Living Wall 
The university’s Wild Walls student group recently announced its plans to build a vertical plant wall on campus this semester focusing on redesigning conventional campus landscaping while promoting self-sustaining ecosystems.

Stanford Recycle-Mania Tournament
Students at Stanford University created a parody video of All About the Bass called All About No Waste as part of a nationwide Recycle Mania Tournament. It's catchy and educational about zero waste efforts!

Supporting Carbon Neutrality By 2025!

I’m Ariel Lee, and I’m a 4^th year Environmental Studies major. Near the end of my 2^nd year at UCSC, I realized that I hadn’t taken advantage of the opportunities on campus to get involved. I knew I wanted to make a difference, but I couldn’t pinpoint just one specific environmental issue that I was passionate about. I joined the Student Environmental Center, a student-run sustainability organization where learned more outreach and leadership skills than I knew what to do with! This year, I am the Carbon Fund outreach coordinator at the Sustainability Office. I became inspired to dabble in outreach when I began to notice that some of my closest friends weren’t wary of local and global environmental issues. I wanted to spread awareness. My family requested a smaller trash can from the city (Sacramento) years ago. We’ve always recycled. We reuse. We have a bin in the kitchen sink that catches extra water and use it to water plants. My dad even makes sure our water heater is on low to keep our hot showers short. I’m out of there ASAP! I don’t remember a time in my life when my family didn’t instill these simple habits in the house. With that said, I’m enjoying my time with the Carbon Fund, and I can’t wait to see all the greenhouse gas-reducing projects that we fund this year!

If you’re interesting in applying for a grant, come to our info session in the College Eight Red Room from 4-6 pm on Thursday, October 23. Here’s to an inspiring year! 

View our website here.

Carbon Fund Receives Highest Number of Applicants Yet, Funds Over 20 Projects

The UC Santa Cruz Carbon Fund has had a successful and record-breaking funding round this year. In the fall quarter, the Carbon Fund Committee was pleased to receive a total of 40 project applications, the most the Committee has ever received in its four years of existence. The Carbon Fund, which is funded through student fee measure 44, is a valuable resource for students, staff, and faculty to receive funding for their projects that work to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions either on campus or in the Santa Cruz community.

This school year, the Carbon Fund has allocated over $200,000 in funds to over 20 new projects that work for reduce the carbon footprint both on campus and in the Santa Cruz community. Here are just three of the projects that received funding for the 2013-14 funding round:

Green Labs Certification Program
Allocated Funds: $1,500.00
The Green Labs Program strives to reduce energy use and waste from laboratories at UC Santa Cruz. They will be monitoring the energy use in labs and laboratory buildings that are part of their certification program in order to assess the efficacy of the energy conservation efforts they are encouraging. By monitoring, analyzing, and acting upon the electricity usage data gathered, they will be able to share actual energy consumption of the labs with personnel and improve their strategies for reducing energy consumption. Such efforts toward energy conservation will directly decrease the amounts of greenhouse gasses emitted at UC Santa Cruz.

UCSC Transit System Electric Vehicle Conversation Feasibility Study
Allocated Funds: $3,600.00
This project will conduct a feasibility study of a phased conversion of the current campus shuttle and vanpool system from gasoline and diesel to electric vehicles recharged by a campus solar PV system. Because the fleet vehicles must be replaced at the end of their useful lifetimes, an analysis of the costs, benefits and possibilities of purchasing smaller EV or hybrid vehicles--20 person vehicles and 6-8 person commuter vans--could show significant emission reductions. In combination with (a) a destination-demand system and (b) autonomous vehicles, the fuel use and operating costs of the system might also be significantly reduced. The present carbon footprint of UCSC's existing transportation shuttle system (buses and vans) is considerable. If properly designed and incentivized, a solar-powered EV shuttle and carpool system would offer an alternative to the current transportation fleet. The success of this new transit plan will cut down on independent car emissions as well as road congestion.

Compost Heated Water System

Allocated Funds: $5,000.00
The purpose of this project, taking place through the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems at UCSC, is to investigate the possibility of energy production and waste mitigation through compost, as repurposing waste is crucial to fulfilling campus commitments to goals of zero waste by 2020. This project explores the possibility of composting woody biomass and other plant debris or “green-waste” in aerobic conditions at high heat, which is then used to heat water for cleaning and washing. The hot water produced by the composting process will reduce the campus carbon footprint by offsetting fuel or energy traditionally used to heat water. In addition to energy use reductions, this project will support other campus goals. The production of compost will improve the water-retention properties of soil, thereby reducing the demand for irrigation and helping the campus towards its goal of water-neutrality. The compost will be applied to PICA garden beds, increasing yield of the PICA garden beds by boosting soil fertility. This will help the campus achieve its 40 percent “Real Food” by 2020 goal.

To see a full list of the 2013-14 Carbon Fund Awards, visit project descriptions page on the Carbon Fund website.

Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because they represent ideas that UCSC could potentially implement in some form, or in some cases, already has begun to. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office at, sustain.education [at] ucsc [dot] edu and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

U Maryland Uses Houseplants to Aid Indoor Air Quality
Helping staff and faculty members achieve silver status for its green office program, students from the University of Maryland's Institute of Applied Agriculture assist in the production of potting and maintaining plants for distribution. The program is even used as a teaching opportunity and they have a plant science class where students pot the plants and grow until distribution day. We also have Green Office Certification Program that works to empower our campus offices to implement sustainable practices in their everyday operations, but what if we too had a class that grew plants to distribute to offices?

U Maryland Celebrates 'Park(ing) Day'

Students from the University of Maryland's chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Arboretum and Botanical Garden recently converted two parking spaces into a public park in an effort to raise awareness of the importance of green spaces in urban areas. In celebration of the international environmental movement “PARK(ing) Day,” this university’s chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects and the UMD Arboretum and Botanical Garden converted two parking spaces in front of Cole Field House into a public park. Re-imagine East Remote Parking lot with a celebration of different uses for that space!

Griffith U Creates Climate Change App

A university in Australia has newly released Coastal Ecosystems Response to Climate Change Synthesis Report app, which provides critical information for anticipating how climate change may impact on coastal Australia, will help the public navigate through science and make decisions about the growing climate change threat. With our proximity to the coast here at UCSC, it would be useful to have an app like this here to warn us of future climate change issues.

Western Washington U Students Pilot Rentable Mug Program
Each time a student enjoys a latte, tea or other hot beverage on campus, they are confronted with a choice: to use a single-use disposable cup or a reusable mug. In an effort to reduce waste and money spent on handling that waste, students from a Campus Sustainability Planning Studio class at Western Washington University initiated Project MUG this fall using grant funding from the university's green fee. Project MUG enables students to rent a reusable mug for beverages. Here, UCSC Dining has implemented a system that utilizes a FREE mobile phone application to track drink purchases with reusable mugs at Perk Coffee Bars. It is called GVING and it's really simple to use.

UC Santa Cruz Carbon Fund: Come and Receive Funding for your Project Ideas

The Carbon Fund is an organization on campus that allocates funds to projects. Our goal is to reduce the carbon footprint both on campus and throughout the Santa Cruz community. The Carbon Fund provides grants for students, staff, and faculty projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conduct relevant research, or carry out education and behavioral change programs. This year we have $250,000 to give away in grants. If your interested in applying, there will be an information session on Tuesday, October 15^th in the College 8 Red Room from 4-6pm and abstracts are due November 15th at 11:59pm online. If you have more questions, please feel free to visit our website: http://tinyurl.com/carbonfunducsc or email us at: carbonfund.ucsc@gmail.edu

New! Green Labs Program

Beginning in early Fall 2012, a small group of students and staff gathered in the College 8 Cafe to discuss the idea of creating a program to make UCSC labs more sustainable. Who knew that in the next months to come - a team of 7 members could initiate and design a Green Labs Pilot Program and accomplish their goals!

The group comprised of three students from the Sustainability Office: Rielle Indya Green from the Climate
Action Team, Elizabeth Lin from the  Zero Waste Team, and Casey Wing from the Green Office Certification Team; two students from PowerSave Green Campus: Delia Bense-Kang and Nick Nigro; and two members of Environmental Health and Safety: Justin Delemus and April Anstey.

Program Creation:

Vision: The Green Labs Program seeks to improve energy efficiency and increase green purchasing and waste reduction through behavior change, physical improvements, and education.

Goals: To create a program that comprises of different determinants of sustainability and to pilot the program in 2 labs. The Green Labs Team completed the pilots of 2 labs Spring 2013.  Partch and Saltikov labs were the first to undergo the Green Labs Certification element.  This process included a comprehensive assessment and the labs were scored based on the result.  The Green Labs Team graded the labs on how well they tested in each of the 3 program goals (energy efficiency, waste reduction, and green purchasing).  

So what were the results? This year the Green Labs Team established a framework to evaluate and improve UCSC labs. Part of the program involved the certification of 2 pilot labs - this goal was completed with great enthusiasm and results! The Green labs team followed up with labs on recommendations that lead to positive behavior change.

More than that, through the other aspects of the program - Green Labs Team implemented reminders and found ways to save energy on campus! UCSC lab buildings use 46.7% of campus energy - so places where we could reduce this were essential! Lab equipment is high in energy usage - but there are so many areas where simple behavior modifications can save energy (thus campus $$ and GHGs).  One of these areas are fume hoods, these are ventilation devices that are used to limit the amount of toxins and chemicals people are exposed to.  Unfortunately these devices keep a constant flow of air and use the amount of energy per year equal to 3 to 5 houses.  One way the Green Labs Team helped to reduce this energy consumption was to place stickers on all fume hoods on campus to remind the labs to keep them shut when not in use.  This way the airflow is greatly reduced.

UCSC Green Labs is a successful and growing program that will continue into future years!

UCSC Receives Sustainability Best Practice Awards

UCSC will be recognized with two Best Practice Awards at the statewide Higher Education Sustainability Conference this summer in the categories of Monitoring-Based Commissioning and Sustainability Innovations.

The Monitoring-Based Commissioning award goes to the Earth & Marine Sciences Building project, which significantly reduced the carbon impact of the Earth and Marine Sciences Building through a process known as MBCx (commissioning). This project was made possible by the diligent efforts of campus facilities staff, including (below): Dan Miceli (HVAC supervisor), Dave Ciolino (Project Management), Gabe Sandoval (bldg tech) and Patrick Testoni (Energy Manager).

The Sustainability Innovations award goes to the UCSC College Dorm Bi-Level Stairwell Lighting Retrofit and Green Revolving Loan Fund. Together, these projects are sustainably innovative because our campus was able to reduce energy consumption and utilize associated cost savings to fund future energy efficiency projects. The revolving aspect of the loan is an innovative solution to funding sustainability projects on campus that can generate quantifiable monetary savings and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. The Green Revolving Loan and Bi-level Stairwell Retrofit were made possible through the collaborative efforts of representatives from the UCSC Carbon Fund, Physical Plant and Facilities, Planning and Budget Department, the Sustainability Office, Alliance to Save Energy PowerSave Green Campus Program, and College Housing and Educational Services.

Read the list of best practice awards state-wide here, and find out more about the conference on the website.

Green Revolving Loan Fund Established

A Green Revolving Loan Fund is being established at UCSC following the completion of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Sustainability Office and Colleges, Housing, and Educational Services (CHES) for the provision of an interest-free loan for the College 9/10 Bi-level Stairway Lighting Retrofit Project.

This project was used as the pilot project as an initial step in establishing the Green Revolving Loan Fund. It involves the replacement of 244 existìng interior stairwell light fixtures in the six Colleges 9/10 residential halls. Occupancy sensors will control the new light fixtures for maximum energy savings.

As part of the agreement, CHES will use the funds for this project and also agrees to pay 100% the loan back by June 2013, which will allow for these funds to be used to support future carbon reduction projects. For more information, please contact Lacey Raak.

Monterey Bay Carbon Fund

The UC Santa Cruz Carbon Fund has inspired a carbon fund for the Monterey Bay region. The Monterey Bay Carbon Fund's vision is "to raise money to facilitate the implementation of meaningful greenhouse gas reduction initiatives in the Monterey Bay community, while providing educational and employment opportunities for local students and professionals, and creating economic and environmental benefits to the entire region."

Community members wishing to offset their own carbon footprint can purchase offsets through donations to the Monterey Bay Carbon Fund, which funds projects in the region that will reduce carbon emissions.

An example of one project is "to make a solar PV system possible for the Bonny Doon Elementary School in Santa Cruz. The Bonny Doon Elementary site will be the very first beneficiary of the MBCF program, and an overall site evaluation and solar suitability survey are already underway. School officials are excited to participate in the MBCF program and eager to see solar panels on campus buildings." Read more here.

Like the Monterey Bay Carbon Fund, the UC Santa Cruz Carbon Fund "works towards recreating UCSC as an operationally carbon neutral campus while providing faculty with an opportunity for research and students with the tools they need to move towards a more sustainable future." The UCSC Carbon Fund is funded through student fee measure 44. To learn about the history of the UCSC Carbon Fund, click here.

Have you heard of the Climate Action Plan (CAP)?

The CAP is  governing document on the UCSC campus established by the Climate Action Working Group, that provides three goals to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions/footprint.

Goals:

1. 2000 levels by the year 2014
2. 1990 levels by 2020
3. 80% below 1990 levels by 2050

These levels are the levels of greenhouse gas emissions that our whole campus emits, thats including student, staff and faculty activities. Not only are these goals, but they were put in place because of CA State mandates under AB32 that require big emitters (such as UCSC) to reduce. Failure to do so is not just harming ourselves and our planet - but will also have serious financial repercussions for our campus.

So what can you do to help the UCSC community to reduce GHG emissions?

Remember that little daily actions can go a long way and help our campus meet these goals. Some simple suggestions are:

1) Are you a single-occupancy driver?  Instead take public transportation to reduce emissions, or ride your bike to not use any GHGs. For bike shuttle times click here.

2) Reduce your shower time and make sure you are turning off the water when brushing your teeth.

3) Did you know if you use 5 plastic bags when shopping - you are emitting approx. 2.5 lbs of CO2

It just makes sense to bring a reusable bag.

There are tons of easy things you can do each day to cut back on those carbon emissions - be aware and implement new behavior changes into your daily life and the lives of those around you!

Climate Action Team: Rielle Indya Green & Camille Carrillo

Provost’s Sustainability Internship Program

Are you a student looking to make a difference on campus while gaining professional experience? Are you a staff member who would like assistance on your sustainability-related project? If so, consider applying for the Provost’s Sustainability Internship Program!

The year-long program pairs students with staff mentors to work together on sustainability related projects on campus, year-round. The program introduces students to sustainability policies and practices through internship work experience, professional skills trainings, guest lectures, class discussions, and peer-to-peer advising. Students receive academic credit quarterly, and a $1,500 scholarship at the end of the year for their service.

Student Intern applications and Staff Mentor applications are available online and are due March 15, 2013.

Past Internships

Sustainable Purchasing

• Life Cycle Cost analysis tool for purchased products (2012-13)
• Greenwashing education program for campus buyers (2011-12)

2011-2012 Purchasing Intern Melina Meseroll and her Staff Mentor Kate Cunningham

Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

• Developing a green revolving loan fund for emissions reductions projects (2012-13)

Campus Waste

• Reusable Dishware pilot project for campus events (2012-13)
• Waste reduction at College 9, 10, and Crown Colleges (2012-13)
• Paper towel removal pilot project at Stevenson College (2011-12)
• Compost education program at Family Student Housing (2011-12)

Stevenson students with their personal hand towels to replace the wasteful use of paper towels in the dorms. This project was a collaboration with Path to a Greener Stevenson (PTAGS). 

Green Buildings

• LEED accreditation and documentation for campus building projects (2011-12)
• Green demonstration apartment at College 8 (2010-11)
• Cowell Health Center Green building exhibit (2010-11)

Land, Habitat and Watershed

• Stewardship of campus trails through education and outreach (2012-13)
• Invasive species mapping (2011-12)

Water

• Ending the sale of plastic water bottles on campus (2010-11)

Food

• Sustainable seafood guide and increasing sustainable seafood in dining (2012-13)
• Developing Real Food Calculator to reach 40% Real Food Commitment by 2020 (2012-13)
• College Gardens Assessment (2012-13)
• Stevenson College Garden Internship Program development (2012-13)

UCSC Cap and Trade, a Student Perspective

by Ariel Wexler, second year Environmental Studies major

A couple weekends ago, Lacey Raak, Director of Sustainability, led a workshop at this year's Sustainability Inter Organizational Retreat called "GHG Emission and Cap and Trade at UCSC." Her presentation provided students with a summary of greenhouse gases and how they are being regulated in California and at UC Santa Cruz.

I found the presentation interesting, and it prompted me to learn more. As a member of the Education and Outreach Team in the Sustainability Office, I thought this information might be of interest to our newsletter readers. Here's what I've come to learn.

There are three different scopes of greenhouse gases, the first being sources that are owned or controlled by a business, meaning direct gases. On our campus this includes our cogeneration plant, which creates both energy and heat. California's Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) commits California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, the cap is set for 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide.

After looking at projections on graphs of UCSC's scope 1, our gas emissions are supposed to go over this cap by 2014. This is largely due to a new cogeneration plant that the University has purchased in order to replace the old one which will soon be out of commission. If we go over these projections, the University will have to pay until they go below the threshold for a three year compliance period which could cost the University over $2 million. That's pretty shocking information.

A University committee will decide sometime by the end of the academic year what to do to prevent going over our cap. One of the options the University is considering is to explore both short term and long term biogas purchases, but no decisions have been made. Biogas, although more expensive then other types of gas, is less harmful to the environment.

Students are encouraged to get involved and share their thoughts with key decision makers.

For more questions or concerns about this feel free to contact Camille Carrillo at clcarril@ucsc.edu, the Climate Action CSI and student representative on the Chancellor's Executive Committee.

What are your thoughts on this? Share in the comments!

Money Available For Your Project Ideas!

Imagine a carbon neutral campus  (a campus that removes as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it puts in). Solar panels and wind turbines on every roof. Bikes and pedestrians fill the streets. What else comes to mind when you think of a more sustainable campus? Did you know that there is tons of money available to help UCSC reduce its carbon footprint? 

UCSC's Carbon Fund was founded in 2010 through Measure 44, a $3-per-quarter student fee. The Carbon Fund provides grants to projects that reduce local greenhouse gas emissions on campus and in the surrounding Santa Cruz area. The UCSC Carbon Fund is dedicated to giving students, staff, and faculty members like you the power to make a change! We're looking to fund projects that reduce waste, energy, water, and gas consumption in innovative ways.

Past projects include the installation of a wind turbine on the Santa Cruz municipal wharf that helped to make the historic Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf energy more self-sufficient. 

For more examples of more past projects click here.

Project abstracts are due Friday, November 16th online. Access the abstract submission form here. We hope you take advantage of this great opportunity to help our community move towards a sustainable future! Apply for the Carbon Fund today!

Green Tip #7: Ride-sharing and Public Transportation

November is here--do you know how you are getting home for Thanksgiving? Ride-sharing is a great way to get home without using a personal car, saving you money and reducing your pollution. Zimride is a website that posts rides for UCSC students, and all you have to do is pitch in for gas! If you have a car you can post your ride and Zimride can help you get people to pitch in for gas. It's a great way for travelers to reduce their carbon footprint. Zimride is available throughout the year so it can be helpful when going home for a weekend. During the month of November, Zimride is raffling off a new iPad to those who add a ride as either a passenger or a driver. For more information click here.

Are you trying to get to Los Angeles/Orange County for Thanksgiving and or Winter Break? The UCSC Recreation Department is offering a LA Turkey Express bus for Thanksgiving that leaves Wednesday, November 21 at noon and returns to Santa Cruz on Sunday, November 25. There is also a LA Polar Express that leaves on Thursday, December 13 at noon and returns Sunday, January 6. For more information click here.

Another great resource for heading up to San Jose (where there's a train station and airport that can take you elsewhere) is the 17 Express. This bus leaves from the local metro station in Santa Cruz. For only 5 dollars you can ride to San Jose. For a full bus schedule click here.

While we are talking about transportation here are some other great resources:

• Rent a car with friends and use Zipcar
• Bike library click here.
• Bike shuttle click here.

How do you travel? What's your favorite form of public transit? Post in the comments!

October 2012: Contests & Funding

Campus RainWorks Challenge Registration Closes October 5

The U.S. EPA’s Office of Water is pleased to announce the Campus RainWorks Challenge for undergraduate and graduate students. Student teams are invited to create an innovative green infrastructure design for a site on their campus showing how managing stormwater at its source can benefit the campus community and the environment. Winning teams will earn a cash prize, as well as research funds for their faculty advisor to conduct research on green infrastructure. Find out more here.

Carbon Fund’s New & Improved Application Process

The UC Santa Cruz Carbon Fund is dedicated to reducing UCSC’s greenhouse gas emissions by awarding grants to student, staff, and faculty led GHG reduction projects. This year, the grant application process has been simplified and includes opportunities for applicants to receive feedback and support from the Carbon Fund staff and committee. Make sure to attend the first Carbon Fund workshop in the fall to get details about how to participate! Visit the website and sign up for our mailing list to receive updates about workshop dates and locations, application deadlines, and more!

Measure 43 Speaker Funding Available - Deadline October 10

UCSC undergraduate students are invited to apply for Measure 43 funds to support visiting speakers whose topic is related to food, health and wellness, and who will engage UCSC students. Application deadlines are October 10th, 2012 for Fall or Winter Requests; January 20, 2013 for Winter or Spring Quarter Requests; and April 20, 2013 for Spring Quarter awards. Your request(s) will be reviewed promptly and awarded applicants will be notified one week following each quarter's application deadline. For more information about Measure 43 click here, and click here to apply.

"So Practical, It’s Radical” Video Contest Deadline October 28
The Rainforest Alliance want to know what students are doing on campus that is “So Practical, It’s Radical."  Have you started a recycling program or a community garden?  Have you encouraged your dining halls to source sustainably? Grab your videocameras, iphones, or other filming devices and submit a short video (no more than 2 minutes) about what you’re doing to make your campus more sustainable!  Prizes include a beautiful Renovo bicycle made from lumber that was grown, harvested and milled in the Appalachian region of the US, tickets to the Broadway show Wicked, a Grow Anthology Special Edition Longboard made from Forest Stewardship Council certified paper, Patagonia goodies and Rainforest Alliance gift bags!  Winning videos will also be featured on the Rainforest Alliance website. If you have any questions regarding the contest or would like to help out, please send an e-mail to campus@ra.org.

Project Green Challenge Video Contest Deadline October 30 
Project Green Challenge is a 30-day eco-lifestyle challenge happening world-wide, and UCSC is participating! Find out more about the challenge here. There is a video contest associated with the challenge to tell the back story of how the challenge is unfolding on our campus. If you are interested in participating in the challenge and you have video-making skills, we would love to get in touch with you. You would shoot and edit the video and deliver it on October 30, and you could work with us to get in contact with students who are participating. The film would need to include interviews, footage of challenges, engagement with the campus, and truly tell the story! If the film is judged “best” by the non-profit who is hosting Project Green Challenge, the filmmaker would get the Adobe Creative Suite and an awesome graphic design and editing package valued at $2500. The winning video will premiere at the Opening Dinner of Green University in San Francisco! If you're interested in documenting this challenge at UC Santa Cruz, please contact Melissa as soon as possible.

Third International E-Waste Design Competition - Deadline November 1
Electronic waste, or "e-waste," generated by computers, TVs, cameras, printers, and cell phones, is a growing global issue. Through the Third International E-Waste Design Competition, participants are asked to explore solutions to both remediate the existing e-waste problem and prevent e-waste generation in the future. Registration is now open! Submit your ideas by November 1 for a chance to win cash prizes. Click here to learn more.


Measure 43 Education & Research Funding Available - Deadline December 15
UCSC undergraduate students are invited to apply for Measure 43 funds to support education and research projects whose topic is related to food, health and wellness, and who will engage UCSC students. The application deadline is December 15, 2012. Awarded applicants will be notified the week of January 14, 2013. For more information about Measure 43 click here, and click here to apply.

Heard about other sustainability related contests or funding opportunities around Santa Cruz or the campus? Post in the comments or send us an email!

IDEASS Sustainability Program Spaces Still Available - Apply Now!

Are you interested in...

• Learning how to build and install a rainwater catchment system?
• Sequestering energy for the grid from algae?
• Creating a digital media platform to change Boardwalk consumer habits?
• Installing an electric vehicle charging station on the Wharf?
• Filming and editing a documentary about local sustainability initiatives?
• Working with local businesses to reduce their carbon footprint?

Or maybe you have your own idea for a sustainable design project with potential to make a real community impact, but you aren’t sure how to make it a reality? If you answered yes to any of these questions and want to learn what it takes to work as a sustainability change agent, then you should apply to IDEASS!

Impact Designs: Engineering and Sustainability through Student Service is a new team-based internship program on campus designed to create opportunities for students to work on local (primarily off-campus) sustainability challenges with community partners or industry sponsors. 

Apply Now by Clicking Here! Applications to be considered for enrollment in Fall 2012 will be accepted until the program is full!

IDEASS offers a unique college experience. Students spend minimal time in the classroom, putting the majority of their effort into realizing project deliverables in the field. This is an opportunity for undergraduates approaching graduation to transition into the emerging green-technology workforce. Multiple IDEASS students graduating in 2012 are entertaining or have already accepted job offers resulting from their achievements working on an IDEASS project.

Santa Cruz Wharf Wind Turbine Project

Visit the Project Clearinghouse and search for IDEASS to view examples of completed and active IDEASS projects. Click here to read a student testimonial about an IDEASS project taking place in Porter College!

To find out more about IDEASS, please visit the website or contact IDEASS with any questions or concerns. IDEASS needs your talent, so apply today!

September 2012: Contests & Funding

Carbon Fund’s New & Improved Application Process

The UC Santa Cruz Carbon Fund is dedicated to reducing UCSC’s greenhouse gas emissions by awarding grants to student, staff, and faculty led GHG reduction projects. This year, the grant application process has been simplified and includes opportunities for applicants to receive feedback and support from the Carbon Fund staff and committee. Make sure to attend the first Carbon Fund workshop in the fall to get details about how to participate! Visit our website and sign up for our mailing list to receive updates about workshop dates and locations, application deadlines, and more!

Measure 43 Speaker Funding Available Deadline October 10

UCSC undergraduate students are invited to apply for Measure 43 funds to support visiting speakers whose topic is related to food, health and wellness, and who will engage UCSC students. Application deadlines are October 10th, 2012 for Fall or Winter Requests; January 20, 2013 for Winter or Spring Quarter Requests; and April 20, 2013 for Spring Quarter awards. Your request(s) will be reviewed promptly and awarded applicants will be notified one week following each quarter's application deadline. For more information about Measure 43 click here, and click here to apply.

"So Practical, It’s Radical” Video Contest Deadline October 28
The Rainforest Alliance want to know what students are doing on campus that is “So Practical, It’s Radical."  Have you started a recycling program or a community garden?  Have you encouraged your dining halls to source sustainably? Grab your videocameras, iphones, or other filming devices and submit a short video (no more than 2 minutes) about what you’re doing to make your campus more sustainable!  Prizes include a beautiful Renovo bicycle made from lumber that was grown, harvested and milled in the Appalachian region of the US, tickets to the Broadway show Wicked, a Grow Anthology Special Edition Longboard made from Forest Stewardship Council certified paper, Patagonia goodies and Rainforest Alliance gift bags!  Winning videos will also be featured on the Rainforest Alliance website. If you have any questions regarding the contest or would like to help out, please send an e-mail to campus@ra.org.

Measure 43 Education & Research Funding Available Deadline December 15
UCSC undergraduate students are invited to apply for Measure 43 funds to support education and research projects whose topic is related to food, health and wellness, and who will engage UCSC students. The application deadline is December 15, 2012. Awarded applicants will be notified the week of January 14, 2013. For more information about Measure 43 click here, and click here to apply.

Fight Climate Change with a Thought

Article by Tan Ha, Climate Action CUIP

I struggle with the idea of greenhouse gas emissions. It is not like I do not understand how much damage it causes to the environment. As the UCSC Sustainability Office’s Climate Action Intern, I can tell you about state-wide reduction goals and exactly how many metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) emissions our campus needs to reduce. However, what does it really mean when I tell you that we are trying to reduce 27,000 MTCO2e by year 2020?

I reflect on this as I calculate emission factors for the next Climate Action Plan. I realize that fighting against the trends of global warming will take more than measuring GHG inventories or drafting plans for administers and planners alike. But official planning documents do not inspire the larger demographic such as students and community members to live a carbon neutral lifestyle.

Even with prior knowledge of the lofty goal of reducing 27,000 MTCO2e, I need to remind myself that it is equivalent to stopping 3 million gallons of gasoline from burning annually after 2020. I imagine the scorching gasoline near where I live. I smell the viscous fumes robbing the fresh air released from the vibrant Santa Cruz trees. Then I remember that I am privileged to not see this in front of me. I recognize that this “fire” caused by the UCSC community is unbounded and threatens the global environment. However, developing countries are in the heat of the fire. They are at greater risk as they have fewer resources to protect themselves from these increased “natural disasters.” Every person, institution, region, nation, and global entity is a stakeholder of the problems and solutions associated with climate change. I want to take this opportunity not to ramble about how bad it is but invite my readers to look into this problem as an opportunity. It is our chance as young, curious individuals to ask how my lifestyle can affect the world. I like to entertain the idea that although the problem may be beyond one person’s work, it should be within the means of our collective effort. So let us take baby steps in our life. Before we know it, we may easily put out a fire of 3 million gallons of gasoline. It is our ambition, concerns, and belief systems that drive us to consciously shape the world so that future generations can know how passionately we fought for life on earth. What does it mean to turn off the lights, ride your bike, or shop locally? I don’t fully understand but I challenge you to find this answer with me.

Image courtesy of  scotthaefner.com

February 2012 Sustainability Profile: East Field House Gym Lighting Retrofit​

Next time you’re exercising on the east side of campus, check out the new lighting in the East Field House Gym—it was retrofitted over winter break with lights that will reduce energy consumption in the gym by 43% and cut down on maintenance and electricity bill costs. The project was funded last spring by the UCSC Carbon Fund, a funding body that was founded in 2010 and which uses Measure 44 money to fund projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conduct relevant research, or carry out education and behavioral change programs.UCSC Green Campus interns conducted the research and oversaw the project with the help of the UCSC Physical Plant. The idea for the retrofit came from the Sustainability Inter-Org Retreat last winter. Green Campus performed a similar retrofit at the West Field House, so the Green Campus team identified the East Field House Gym as a site in need of an upgrade to energy efficiency. Green Campus interns Abbas Mohamed, a fourth year, and Erin Linney, a third year, were assigned the project. 

The brand new, energy-efficient lighting in the East Field House Gym

“It was my first day on the job. When I started, I didn’t know anything about sustainability or lighting,” Abbas, who was the Project Coordinator and has since been promoted to Team Manager, said during an interview at the East Field House in January. “Now, I’m passionate about lighting."

East Field House Gym Retrofitting Project Coordinator, Abbas Mohamed

Abbas and Erin conducted research during winter quarter last year and drew models of the gym using software to download details and predict lighting levels and energy usage with different types of lamps. After coming up with all the figures regarding cost, carbon emission reductions and more, they submitted their proposal and were awarded funds to install new induction lamps in the gym.

Their Carbon Fund proposal states that “An important part of the project is to provide a more welcoming atmosphere and better light quality for sports events…By tackling lighting efficiency in a sports gym, we will reach out to a diverse group of students.” In addition to the social benefits, their estimated annual green house gas savings for the project are 3.41 tons CO²e, which over the course of the induction lamps’ life (25 years) will come out to 85.35 tons CO²e. In terms of money, they estimate $95,782 savings over the course of the lamps’ life, taking into account the fact that these new lamps require little to no maintenance, especially compared with the lamps that were in place before the retrofit.

The project is near completion. “We are still waiting for the company to send the wire guards which will be placed on the lamps to protect them from an airborne ball,” Erin, who now holds the position of Facilities Project Coordinator for Green Campus, wrote in a recent email. “Also, we will be receiving a large PG&E incentive check for the estimated saving of 14,860 kWh per year. The PG&E incentive money will be returned to the UCSC Carbon Fund to finance more projects which reduce our campus greenhouse gas emissions.”

If you have an environmental project that you need funding for, consider applying for the Carbon Fund. More information about the Carbon Fund’s mission and application process can be found on their website.

The Green Campus team. (Erin Linney, who worked on the East Field House Gym Lighting Retrofit project, is pictured on the far left in the front row. Project Coordinator is on the far left in the second row.)

To learn more about Green Campus and other projects they are working on, please visit their Facebook page.