What We Did: Inter-Org 2015

On January 9th-11th, the Campus Sustainability Office planned and hosted their 5th annual weekend retreat for a variety of organizations. The beauty of the Inter-Organizational retreat is that attendees' primary focus does not have to be sustainability. Groups with a variety of interests and foci were in attendance. The unique point of view that every organization brought made for a far richer experience. The first night, Friday, took place on campus, while the remainder of the retreat took place in Boulder Creek, California at the YMCA Camp Campbell.

Friday night began in the Stevenson Event Center with a delicious dinner prepared by volunteers, and the Inter-Org Foods subcommittee. The planning team would like to thank PICA for letting them use their kitchen and supplies to cook the meal on Friday evening. The meal consisted of delicious, spicy vegan chili and tortilla chips. Dessert was a delicious gluten-free, dairy-free brownie. There was assigned seating so that attendees were forced out of their comfort zone by being required to meet new people and mix and mingle with other organizations and individuals. Thanks to Lily Urmann and Chris Kane, two UCSC student leaders, we were all able to silk screen our white t-shirts after dinner, with the weekend's motto: "Communi[ty]cation!"

Next, we were introduced to the Recreation Department's Experiential Leadership Program. It consisted of an awesome group of student leaders who taught us activities that allowed us to practice the skills necessary to working well in a group. One activity that stood out as particularly fun was the blind-fold maze. We were placed in groups of two, and one member wore a blindfold. The other member of the pair had to guide the blindfolded individual across the maze through their directions- no physical guidance was allowed! If you stepped on the cones, you were frozen! Communication and trust were absolutely integral to playing this game; just as communication and trust are an integral part of working together in an office and organization!

Friday night ended with fun skits! Each of the team building groups were given about 15 minutes to create their own original cheer, chant, rap or story that was representative of their evening at the Inter-Org kick off dinner. Shortly after, most went home to pack and get their camping gear in order for our early morning the following Saturday.

Saturday morning kicked off with a great seminar by Generation Waking Up, led by Mira Michelle of PICA, Tawn Kennedy of Green Ways to School/People Power/Sierra Club, and Maiya Evans of UCSF. Generation Waking Up is an open source curriculum that works to ignite the passion in young people to bring forth a more sustainable world.

After Generation Waking Up, attendees were treated to a variety of workshops presented by our fellow student organizations. Some workshops topics included Cultural Resilience, Biomimicry, and Compassion. The workshops left everyone feeling energized and full of new knowledge and understanding. After the student-led workshops, everyone shared a delicious dinner together and then gathered at the campfire for the annual talent show! It is amazing how much talent each and everyone individual who attended possesses!

The following morning, the retreat wound down with a delicious breakfast and break out sessions for individual organizations to gather and discuss ways to incorporate their newfound knowledge and inspiration into future projects. Inter-Org ended with a group circle where everyone shared a word that personally summed up their experience at the retreat.

Thanks to Lauren Korth for the photographs, and to everyone who made this retreat possible! If you are interested in getting involved in planning next year's retreat, please email Melina at mmeserol[at]ucsc[dot]edu.

May 2013: 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 and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

SUNY ESF Launches Bicycle Safety Committee
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) has formed a Bicycle Safety Committee to provide a focus on education and improved communication on best practices as well as increasing bike infrastructure on campus. Since its launch, the committee has coordinated the curb removal from campus pathways, obtained a bicycle accident report from the City of Syracuse Police Department and began collaborating with neighborhood groups and city officials about making cycling safer.

Univ. of Missouri Secures Funding for Green Roof
The Student Fee Capital Improvement Committee at the University of Missouri (Columbia, MO) has pledged $27,000 to fund the construction of a green roof atop the university’s Rollins Dining Hall. A 2,520-square-foot modular system will be installed by October 2013.

RISD Pilots Nature-Culture-Sustainability Studies
The Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, RI) has created a pilot program in Nature-Culture-Sustainability Studies (NCSS). This two-year program aims to ascertain levels of student interest in NCSS and create a pathway of study which would allow students to compliment and add focus to work explored in their major areas of study.

University of Minnesota Launches Virtual Warehouse
University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN) has launched a new online exchange to facilitate reuse and waste reduction. Similar to Craigslist or Freecycle, the virtual warehouse allows users to exchange university property without visiting the ReUse warehouse or moving items to a building's dock for pickup.

April 2013: 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 and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

UC Davis Police hand out free bike lights
UC Davis are teaming to hand out bike lights - instead of citations - to students riding their bikes in the dark. Through this, they hope to educate students about bicycle safety law, and promote responsible cycling habits.

Wake Tech Community College Unveils Rooftop Solar Array
More than 1,300 solar panels have been installed on the roof of Wake Tech's Public Safety Education Campus, based in Raleigh, NC. Progress Energy will purchase the energy produced at a fixed price over the next 20 years as part of its SunSense program. The project is expected to generate more than $300,000 over the next two decades for student scholarships through the Wake Tech Foundation.

Knox College Theatre Students Promote Sustainability
Theatre students at Knox College (in Galesburg, IL) have raised an emphasis on reducing waste and promoting sustainability for its latest stage production. All items were reused from past shows, purchased from second hand/vintage shops, or created with the intention of being used again. The students also created a Sustainability Crew which included initiatives like sewing tote bags from old t-shirts, posting student videos promoting sustainability on YouTube, and encouraging others to be more sustainable in their everyday lives.

UC Berkeley Student Government Votes to Divest from Fossil Fuels
The Associated Students of the University California (ASUC) Senate has approved a bill ordering the divestment of its funds from fossil fuel companies while encouraging other institutions of higher education to follow suit. The bill binds the ASUC to complete the withdrawal of any of its $3 million in total investments from fossil fuel companies

University of Maryland Greek Community Launches Composting Initiative
Eleven Greek fraternities and sororities at the University of Maryland (College Park, MD) have launched composting initiatives since 2010. Compost collected from each participating house is taken to a compactor at one of the dining halls. The university has seen a significant increase in composting across the campus since the initiatives launched. In 2012, the university composted 566.18 tons, up from 138 tons in 2010.

Global Village Cafe Receives Green Business Certification

Congratulations! Global Village Café located at the McHenry Library is the first contracted food vendor on campus to receive their Green Business Certification from the City of Santa Cruz. This intensive program focuses on pollution prevention, water and energy conservation, solid waste and recycling, equipment and facility upgrades as well as staff training are part of this comprehensive City of Santa Cruz Green Business Program.

With the assistance from campus dining (which currently have all 13 locations certified) this 6 month implementation process was achieved in early December. 

Victoria Salas, Adam Hoffman, and Clint Jeffries in the Global Village Cafe at McHenry Library

“I felt it was a major priority to become a certified Green Business. Given the transitional environmental/sustainability issues our generation is facing, I believe our certification will help lead the way for other independent food vendors to demonstrate their commitment to support local agriculture, food waste awareness, and energy efficiency. Going through this process of being certified has revealed several minor measures that all of us can take to make a major difference in the food industry. Thanks to all who helped along the way!" said Adam Hoffman, General Manager at Global Village Cafe. 

“Collaborating with campus vendors to achieve certification is one of the dining department goals from the current 3 year campus sustainability plan and Adam was enthusiastic and motivated from the first contact,” stated Clint Jeffries, Green Business Manager for UC Santa Cruz Dining. 

Assisting Adam in the detailed process was the Chancellor's Undergraduate Intern for Dining, Victoria Salas.  If you want to make change happen on this campus and get involved in UCSC as more than just a student, you should apply for the Chancellor's Undergraduate Internship Program, which is currently accepting submissions until February 13. Find out more about the campus-wide internship program here.

To learn more about the Green Business Certification of Global Village Cafe, please contact Candy Berlin.

ART 124 - Material Metaphors: Creating Meaning in Form (The Earth as Metaphor)

"The Hidden Life Within" - Giuseppe Penone

(Photo from My Modern Met)

Winter Quarter

MWF 3:30-6:00PM

Room H101 - Baskin Visual Arts

Instructed by E. Stephens

This course will explore the roles that metaphor and story-telling play in the process of creating environmental art.  Students will study examples of art works by ecologically engaged artists as well as scientists and activists, informing students' practice around their own the environmentally focused works.  

Works can be created collaboratively or they can be produced individually.  The work produced in this course will engage metaphors and/or issues of ecology/environmentalism and/or the Earth in some way.  

The course aims to give students an understanding of the who, what, where, how and why of environmental art.

Visiting artists and presenters will help to lend multiple perspectives to the concept of environmental art:

• Zeph Fish: Member of the Beehive Design Collective Work
• Helen & Newton Harrison: DANM Environmental Artists
• Jeffrey Bury: UCSC Environmental Studies Professor
• Nita Little: Dancer and Scholar
• Duskin Drum: Visual Artist and Activist
• John Zibel: Performance Artist and Actor

Interested in learning more? Email the instructor or check out the enrollment page.  

November 2012 Sustainability Profile: Professor Michael Isaacson

Each month, our newsletter features a person or group on campus that is working toward a more sustainable world. This month's profile features Professor Michael Isaacson, Narinder Singh Kapany professor of Electrical Engineering at UC Santa Cruz.

Professor Isaacson is the principle investigator of the Sustainable Engineering and Ecological Design (SEED) research program at UCSC, which recently received a five-year $4.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to fund clean energy research and educational programs.

Professor Michael Isaacson and fellow researchers were recently awarded a five-year $4.5 million grant to fund clean energy research and educational programs. 

We asked Professor Isaacson a series of questions to get a better sense of his perspectives on sustainability and understand better how sustainability relates to his role at UCSC.

Name: Michael Isaacson
Title: Narinder Singh Kapany professor of Electrical Engineering
Education: B.S. Eng. Physics from University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, 1961-66 and MS, PhD. Physics from University of Chicago, 1966-71
Favorite Green Tips: Think about how much additional energy you use when you send a text message, or email as opposed to talking face to face.
What does "sustainability" mean to you? Developing local renewable energy power plants for community scale heating and cooling thus reducing the need for the inefficiencies and expensive infrastructure needed to transmit energy over long distances.
How does sustainability relate to your role at UCSC? We (the faculty that are part of the SEED program [Sustainable Engineering and Ecological Design]) are trying to put sustainability on a quantitative scale, so that measures of sustainability are not based upon opinion or anecdote, but on real scientifically based fact.
How do you practice sustainability in your daily life? Turning off the lights when leaving a room. Unplugging appliances that aren't being used.

To read more about the research grant and the work of Professor Isaacson and the SEED program, please read this article from the Santa Cruz Sentinel. If you want to learn more about Professor Isaacson's work or contact him, please visit his page on the Jack Baskin School of Engineering website here.

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 Sustainability Profile: Beth Terry & Kicking the Plastic Habit

Blogger extraordinaire and recently published writer Beth Terry used to be just like everyone else. She "lived the plastic lifestyle," and the convenience and familiarity of all things plastic and the ubiquity of it in her life obscured any of the side effects that relying on plastic has on the planet and our health. Most of us, even those of us who are aware of the consequences of plastic and try to listen to our environmental consciences, still use plastic more than we might realize.

Source: OnEarth.org

In 2007, the plastic-happy train Beth had been traveling along, which sped through life collecting plastic products and using up disposable food containers, came to a screeching halt. She saw a photo that changed her life completely. Beth describes the photo in her new book Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too:

"The picture showed the decomposed carcass of a Laysan albatross, an ungainly-looking seabird that nests on Midway Island, which is halfway between California and Japan surrounded  by thousands of miles of Pacific Ocean. The flesh of this particular bird--a chick!--had fallen away to reveal a rib cage filled with plastic bottle caps, disposable cigarette lighters, even a toothbrush--small pieces of plastic that had no business out there in the middle of nowhere. Pieces of plastic like those I myself used and tossed away every day. 

Frozen in my desk chair, I started at the awful image. For several seconds, I literally could not breathe." (p. 3)
 

The photo that Beth Terry came across in 2007 that worked as a catalyst for her journey to a plastic-free life.

 After seeing the image, Beth was in shock. Shock turned to grief, which soon turned to anger. Something had to change.

As she began researching the issue more, she found out the many reasons why plastic is so bad--not only does it cause the death of seabirds and other marine life, but plastic in animals moves up the food chain and into the foods we eat, and the "chemicals from plastics could leach into our food and drinks" (p. 4). Suddenly, the repecurssions of a plastic-dependent lifestyle came a lot closer to home, and she realized that our actions not only affect animals, but they also affect us. "We're pumping this stuff into the environment so fast that it's coming back to us on our dinner plates," she writes (p. 4).

The things she learned and realized that first day, all a result of that catalystic image on her computer screen, were just the beginning of her journey to understanding the many issues surrounding plastic. With understanding and her investment in wanting to stop the damage from plastic that was a direct result of her actions, Beth began collecting the plastic in her life in order to identify where she needed the most improvement and decided to stop acquiring new plastic. She created some rules for herself that were practical and tangible, and she created a blog to share what she was learning and experiencing on her journey to a plastic-free life.



Beth Terry with her plastic accumulation from the 1st week of paying attention to her plastic.

Over the last 5 years, her plastic consumption has dropped dramatically. On August 19, 2012, when Beth spoke at the Seymour Center at Long Marine Lab in Santa Cruz for Science Sunday, she carried with her a single plastic shopping bag that held 2 pounds of plastic products--the total amount of plastic that Beth had accumulated in the year 2011. One bag!


To hear Beth speak about her plastic-free living experiences, check out this video from TEDxGreatPacificGarbagePatch.

Her lecture at Science Sunday brought people of all ages to hear her story and find out how they can practically and effectively avoid plastic in their lives. The audience was filled with parents and children, teenagers, college students, adults, and senior citizens. Plastic free living can begin at any age.

She spoke about the albatross picture and how mother albatrosses feed these plastic products to their babies, mistaking them for food. It "shocked me out of my complacency," she told the room full of people. For her, it was one of those realizations that cannot be ignored. "I have to do something. I can't not," she remarked.

In addition to telling the story of why she was inspired to change her lifestyle, Beth spoke for most of the lecture about why personal change actually matters. In going over her reasons, Beth gave examples from her own experience and tangible suggestions for ways to implement these changes into our everyday lives. In addition to the tips she provided for avoiding plastic, Beth's presentation was down-to-earth and inspiring, providing a sense that anyone can do what she is doing and that it doesn't take a degree in environmental studies or an understanding of the complexities of ecology to have a reason to make these changes. All it takes is to be informed on a basic level, seek answers when it will help you make better decisions, and practice a lifestyle that does the least harm. If you want to see Beth's list of reasons why personal change matters, check out her blog post about it here.

Beth is also really funny, which makes her book an enjoyable read, as well. Positive and funny encouragement always works better than bitter, serious diatribes, and Beth definitely knows this. Her presentation certainly inspired many of those who were there on August 19, and after the lecture, the line for purchasing Beth's new book and meeting her for a signature crowded the entryway of the Seymour Center.

At the end of her book, Beth writes:

"Whoever you are, whatever your age, gender, or economic status, there is something for you to do in the fight against plastic pollution. There are so many ways to reach out and connect with the wider world. There are so many different ways to participate in this global movement. All talents and skills are needed.

Just pick one thing and get started." (p. 317)  

If you want to learn more about Beth and her plastic-free life, please check out her blog at myplasticfreelife.com. You can take her "Show Your Plastic" Challenge here and begin thinking about living without plastic starting today. For a list of some simple ideas for getting plastic out of your daily routine, view Beth's Plastic-free Living Guide here.

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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 that you think we should profile, or if you would like to be profiled, please send us an email.

To return to the Sustainability Office's newsletters, please click here.

June 2012 Sustainability Profile: Stevenson RA Class & Sustainability in the Dorms

Article by Melissa Ott

If you ever lived in a college dorm, was sustainability a topic your residential advisor often brought up? Most likely not, unless you lived in a sustainability themed house or had a particularly environmentally minded RA. Fortunately, this is changing here at UCSC, and has been in the process of changing for some time. Already, there are signs in most dorm bathrooms reminding residents to turn off the sink when brushing their teeth or to take shorter showers. Stickers are great, but what about the conversations that need to go along with them? RAs present the ideal candidate for starting those conversations in the dorm communities to create lasting change in students' consciousness and behavior regarding sustainable issues.

We spoke with Stevenson RA Sarah Cohen earlier this quarter about the RA class that she’s teaching with two other RAs; one of the topics of the course is sustainability, and we were interested in learning more about the role sustainability is playing in RA training and dorm life. All students who will be RAs in Stevenson College next year are in this class, which discusses other topics such as health and wellness, diversity and social justice, leadership, and which works to create a bond among this team of leaders in the Stevenson community.

Sustainability is part of the curriculum for the course for a couple of reasons. One of the Stevenson dorm buildings, Casa Segunda (discussed in May’s profile, as well), is a sustainability themed dorm, so it makes sense to discuss what sustainability means among those who will be living in this house and interacting with those living in this house. The House 2 lounge is filled with magazines and other resources related to living a more sustainable lifestyle, and the RAs in this house this year are active members of Path to a Greener Stevenson (PTAGS), an environmental group that meets in this house’s lounge on Thursdays from 8-9 PM. While students with a particular inclination toward sustainability can choose to live in this house, it’s important that students in all of the dorms be exposed to the issues, practices, and reasons surrounding sustainability. Not to mention it is great to have these conversations going on in classes in which leaders are learning how to lead by example and talk with residents about important life topics.

“Students form habits early in college,” Cohen remarked. She said that it’s important to talk about sustainable habits with the RAs who will be there with incoming freshman at the beginning of their college career and who can help influence good decision-making. A student’s first year can be defining in what kinds of habits follow them throughout their lives. For many, it’s the first time they’re independent from their families and making decisions without their parents checking on them.

If you haven't seen The Story of Stuff, take 20 minutes and watch it right now (or at least send yourself a reminder to watch it after work or class). This short film was the homework assignment due the day that the RA class talked about sustainable topics. It’s a “a 20-minute animation” that focuses on “the consumerist society" and “the way we make, use and throw away Stuff” (1). Cohen said the discussion went well that day in class when these issues were brought up and that it was exciting to talk about these issues with RAs who will be able to continue these conversations with their residents next year. During the class, they spent some time "thinking about where all of the stuff in a freshman dorm would come from and how to help students think about those things during move in and move out," she described.

These conversations generated tangible ways for RAs to encourage sustainable behavior in their houses next year. Some examples were reminding residents to turn off lights, creating a box in the lounge to hold old fliers to be used as scratch paper, and posting reminders in the bathrooms about reducing water use.

The class also did an activity during which students became more aware of their own environmental impact and resource use in their everyday routines. "You wake up and use your alarm, which uses electricity," Cohen gave as an example. "You take a shower, which uses water and energy to warm the water... In the dining hall, where does that food come from? Your daily routine impacts the world around you."


What are some ways that students in the dorms can be more conscious of their impact and take steps to reduce it? Post your ideas in the comments!

Sarah Cohen previously worked with the Sustainability Office’s Green Office Certification program, and she is currently working on The Sustainability Awareness Promotional Video about campus sustainability to share with incoming freshman and the UCSC campus. She is a third year studying Global Information and Social Enterprise Studies (GISES), an Intensive BA Degree in Sociology.

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Bibliography
1. The Story of Stuff website.

April 2012 Sustainability Profile: The Untold Story of Bay Tree Bookstore

Article by David Boyle, Zero Waste Team Member
Photos by Melissa Ott

How often do we complain to friends about the Bay Tree Bookstore’s textbook prices? Around the start of every quarter, many of us students enter the bookstore to look at textbooks. Outraged at the prices, we complain to our buddies and then get online to save money on Chegg or Amazon. For some students, their only experience with the Bookstore is one of frustration with textbook costs and on rare occasions, gratitude that the blue books are so cheap.

I am here to present another side to the Bookstore, the cool side that not enough students know about. Despite our frustration with textbook costs, there are many things the Bookstore has done that students should proclaim kudos to. The Bay Tree Bookstore has been consciously working toward more sustainable practices for more than 25 years, and it continues to make strides to lessen not only its own footprint on the earth but also that of the students who shop there. Here are many of the things that the bookstore has done to support sustainability:

• In-store recycling bins for batteries and printer ink
• Tapioca compostable bags at checkout are not given by default but offered.
• Years ago the Bookstore stopped putting unnecessary advertising inserts in their bags in order to reduce waste.
• The Express Store, which is part of the Bay Tree Bookstore, has been sending its used coffee grounds and other organic material to Chadwick gardens to be composted for nearly 9 years.
• Offers soy memory foam mattress toppers instead of plastic ones for students to purchase
• Provides free cardboard for students during move out
• Student calendar planners are made from recycled materials and include ‘green’ tips that were developed by students
• Emblematic apparel sold by Alta Gracia supports workers rights by paying “living wages.” Certified by the Workers Rights Consortium
• Offers the more environmentally friendly option of renting a graduation gown instead of purchasing a new one

As students we yield a lot of power to change what the Bookstore carries on its shelves. Twenty-five years ago recycled paper and notebooks were sparse, but because students demonstrated a high demand for these green products, the Bookstore sought out vendors to supply them.

“All we can do is encourage, all of this is consumer driven” said the Bookstore Director, Bob McCampbell.

The Bookstore strives to be at the forefront of green practices. They receive so much information about new products it is a challenge to filter out the “greenwashed” products from what is legitimately eco-friendly. There are still more things that the Bay Tree Bookstore can do but I have confidence they will continue to improve their green practices and positively impact the student community. Some of these improvements are coming from pressure by student campaigns as well. Currently the Bookstore is in discussion with Take Back the Tap in order to reduce the sale of plastic water bottles. The Bookstore is also investigating an eco-bottle to sell instead of plastic bottles.

The next time you hear your friends complaining about the Bookstore, remind them that all of the sustainable practices that the Bay Tree Bookstore participates in are voluntary, that many of the products sold are reviewed for environmental impact, and finally, how much better the world environment would be if more stores acted as responsibly toward the environment as the Bay Tree Bookstore!

April 2012: Classes, Trainings & Community

Live at PICA Next Year

Priority Housing sign up is from April 16 to April 20! Sign up to live at the coolest themed housing option on campus, the Program in Community and Agroecology (PICA), at the Village. If you like living more sustainably, gardening, sharing home-cooked meals, and living in a friendly educational community, PICA might be just the place for you! Detailed instructions for how to sign up for PICA's themed housing in the Village are here. For questions or more info, contact Bethany Hecht.

LEED Certification Training: April 13 - Sign Up Now!
Are you interested in a career with green building and design? Become trained in LEED certification at a training workshop this April 13. Cost is $25. Sign up here. For more information, please contact David.

Webinar: Green Programs for Residence Halls: April 17

Supported by AASHE, this Academic Impressions webinar will look at the importance of engaging students in the residence halls in a campus-wide sustainability strategy. Representatives at the University of British Columbia will give an overview of the university's "Green Stars Unit" initiative, as well as share program ideas and tips for implementing similar programs at higher education institutions. It will take place at 4 PM online. Click here for more information and to register.

Webinar: Creating a Bike-Friendly Campus Culture: June 6

Best for those institutions that are still in the foundational stages of developing a campus-wide alternative transportation strategy, this Academic Impressions webinar will take a step-by-step approach to creating a bike-friendly culture on any campus using Duke University (NC) as an example. Supported by AASHE, this event will start with basic initiatives including bike racks, bike storage rooms and bike maps, and move into deeper investments like developing effective town/gown relationships. It will take place at 4 PM online. Click here for more information and to register.

University of Vermont Campus Sustainability Leadership Program

The University of Vermont Continuing Education is offering a 5-day Campus Sustainability Leadership Program this summer. This program will focus on the institution's role in the transformation to a sustainable future with opportunities to expand the professional network of participants and learn from leaders in the field. The program can be taken as a professional certificate program or for three college credits.

Summer Writing Workshops
This summer, UCSC Environmental Studies lecturer and research associate Sarah Rabkin will be offering a five-day writing retreat in the northern Sierra Nevada and two workshops at Sitka Center for Art & Ecology, on the Oregon coast. For more information, please click here.

April 2012: Contests & Funding

"What Makes Your Campus Green?" Student Video Contest - Deadline April 6

What makes UCSC green? Answer this question in a video contest and you could win up to $2500! The Herman Miller Student Video contest is designed to give students the opportunity to submit videos of their own creation that address the question "What makes your campus green?" Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three video submissions that best represent creativity, originality, and appropriateness to the theme. More information is available on the contest landing page.

Yum! Global Sustainability Challenge - Intent to Compete Due April 6
The Yum! Brands Global Sustainability Office has invited UCSC undergraduate and graduate students to submit business plans of outstanding sustainability innovation, related to the sustainability focus areas below, for a chance to win $20,000 in cash prizes in its first ever Global Sustainability Challenge.

Yum! Brands Global Sustainability Focus Areas:

• Green Building Design & Construction
• Reduced Energy Consumption
• Reduced Water Consumption
• Sustainable Packaging
• Waste & Recycling

An intent to compete is due April 6, and a business summary is due May 18. For more information and official challenge rules, visit the challenge page here. To learn more about Yum! and their sustainability efforts, click here.

University of California System a Finalist for the 3rd Annual Climate Leadership Awards - Vote Now!
The UC System has been chosen as a finalist in the Special Focus Institutions / Other category of the Climate Leadership Awards. Each finalist institution in the contest has produced a video that promotes its specific sustainability efforts. In partnership with PlanetForward, all finalists are featured in a public voting competition open now through April 14th, where viewers can vote on the most innovative and ground-breaking institution in each Carnegie Classification. Vote for the UC System now on PlanetForward.org using your Facebook account--it takes less than a minute to Like the video and cast your vote for the UC System! Campuses with the top votes will be featured by PlanetForward in national media and during the Move the Planet conference the week of April 16.

Watch the video here:

Call for Submissions: Student Sustainability Film Festival - Deadline May 17
The Media Institute for Social Change invites submissions for its third annual Student Sustainability Film Festival. Students can submit short films about what their campus or community is doing to make it more sustainable for a chance to receive cash prizes and be shown at various campus and conference screenings. Entries are due by May 17, 2012. More information here.

Call for Entries: Green Living Project Student Film Competition - Deadline May 25
Green Living Project invites submissions for its Student Film Project. The competition encourages students to submit films of five minutes or less that share a unique, creative and compelling story about a local or global sustainability-related project. Sample sustainability topics include wildlife conservation, sustainable food, resource conservation, community development, renewable energy, sustainability-related education and sustainable travel and tourism. The submission deadline is May 25, 2012. Winners will be screened at Green Living Project's Washington D.C. Film Premiere in June. More information here.

April 2012: Internships, Employment & Volunteering

Campus Sustainability Internship Program - STUDENT APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED to April 13!
CSI is a combination class and internship that pairs students with staff mentors to work together on sustainability related projects, 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 scholarship at the end of the year for their service. The staff application deadline has passed. The student application deadline has been extended to April 13. Visit the website for more information and to apply.

Take Back the Tap Seeking Interns & Volunteers
Take Back the Tap UCSC is looking for academic credit interns and volunteers to end the sale of plastic water bottles on our campus. Interns and volunteers can work on outreach, event planning, water taste tests, website and media creation, or discussion with store managers. If you're interested, email Take Back the Tap. Visit their Facebook page.

Program Recognizing Offices Practicing Sustainability Internships

PROPS interns conducting an audit of the Cantu Center.

Are you interested in helping UCSC’s offices, resource centers, and departments function more sustainably? Do you want hands-on experience conducting energy and waste audits? UCSC’s very own green office certification program, the Program Recognizing Offices Practicing Sustainability (PROPS) has a Spring quarter internship position available for you! For more information on how to get credit (and possibly earn a scholarship) working with PROPS in the Sustainability Office, email PROPS and visit the website!


Friends of the Sustainability Office Internships
If you are interested in an education and outreach internship working in the Sustainability Office, apply today to become a FoSO intern. Interns will help coordinate events, contribute to the newsletter and blog and help with general outreach efforts. Students can receive internship credit for their first quarter and are eligible to receive a stipend after their first quarter of service in the Sustainability Office. Stipend amounts increase over time and with performance. Send your resume and a brief letter of interest to Nikki Fiore if you are interested.

Site Stewardship Internships & Volunteering
The campus Site Stewardship Program has recently completed an action packed quarter of restoration work. Thanks to a hard working crew of interns and volunteers, they were able to make great progress with their on-going coastal revegetation project, treat several invasive weed sites both on campus and at Younger lagoon and partner on a joint restoration project with the newly formed Student Plant Society. Even though they have enjoyed success, they have much work ahead of them. If you are interested in an internship or an opportunity to volunteer please contact Bill. Visit the website.

American Indian Resource Center Spring 2012 Internship
Interested in working with the American Indian Resource Center? Internship responsibilities include: coordinating quarterly programs and projects, such as quarterly receptions, Full Circle Mentor program events, editing of the quarterly newsletter, and developing and implementing a project individually or as a group (for example a Native American outreach day for high school students). Interns develop and edit resource guide and assist with the updating of American Indian Resource Center (AIRC) Website. Please feel free to stop by the Ethnic Resource Center located on the third floor of the Bay Tree Bookstore and speak with Carolyn Dunn, the AIRC Director about the application process, or send her an email.

Interactive Ecology Internship through Arboretum
On behalf of the Arboretum, Brett Hall will be running an internship called Interactive Ecology Tuesday and Thursdays where participants will take a botanically focused field trip to local natural areas once each week and spend the other day working in the Arboretum with the native collections. It will be a great opportunity to blend collection management for conservation with building your plant knowledge. If you are interested, please contact Brett.

Greywater Project Sustainable Loop Project
Ken Konviser of Corralitos, CA, is interested in doing a greywater project in his orchard. It would be a Senior Project for an individual or group of students interested in creating a sustainable loop that will naturally clean gray water in order to convert it into a food and irrigation producing resource. Native plants will clean household gray water to feed a pond containing plants and fish. Ducks will feed on these and provide eggs for this rural homestead.  Water from the pond will then be cleaned sufficiently by aquatic plants and bacterial activity in order to be used to irrigate the orchard and gardens of a homestead/orchard in Corralitos. If you are interested, please contact Ken.

Environmental Education for the Next Generation Seeking Teachers
EENG is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded to spread environmental literacy and an ethic of sustainability throughout our community, from the youngest members of our society up. Their Environmental Science & Sustainability Program links teams of college student instructors with 1st and 2nd grade classes for weekly lessons exploring the relationship between humans and the natural world. For more information about all the EENG has to offer, please visit their website or send them an email.

Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup at Santa Cruz Mission: April 14
Volunteers are needed at the Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park on Saturday, April 14 from 8:30 AM - 1 PM for the 15th Annual California State Parks Foundation’s Earth Day Restoration & Cleanup. Projects include adobe restoration, painting, exterior landscaping, installation of irrigation system and more. Find out more and register to volunteer here.

Volunteer at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
Interested in gardening, habitat restoration, tidepooling, maintaining exhibits and helping at events for the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History? Volunteer today! Find out more and fill out an application here or email Matt.

Sierra Club's "Best Internship On Earth" - Deadline April 2
This summer, get out of the office and into the great outdoors! Spend June, July, and August hiking, biking, rafting, climbing, exploring, and chilling! The Sierra Club is now accepting applications for the Best Internship on Earth, an opportunity to spend the summer exploring the great outdoors and documenting your journey for the Sierra Club and The North Face. The intern will get a $2,000 gift certificate from The North Face to outfit them with all the gear they need for their summer of adventure. All travel expenses are covered and the intern is paid a generous stipend. If you're a student or recent graduate over the age of 18, you can apply by submitting a 60-90 second video that showcases your love for the outdoors and why you want to be the Sierra Club's 2012 Outdoor Youth Ambassador. The application period closes on April 2, 2012 at 5PM PDT. More information here.

Riekes Center for Human Enhancement Naturalist Position Available
The Riekes Center Nature Awareness Department is seeking a dedicated instructor interested in long-term mentoring of youth in nature. Currently they are seeking an instructor to fill a position for their spring 2012 homeschool nature programs beginning immediately and running through the end of May. They are also recruiting for summer camp instructors and the possibility exists for this person to also fill a lead instructor role for their 2012 summer camps.  For details please, email Ken Clarkson or visit their website.

California Youth Energy Services Hiring for Summer

Do you live in the SF Bay Area during the summer? Interested in a fun, educational and enriching paid summer job? You should apply to be an Energy Specialist through the California Youth Energy Services program! Energy Specialists conduct basic energy & water assessments and retrofits of homes in the local community. Find out more about the program here. If you want to hear from someone who's worked as an Energy Specialist for CYES before, please contact Melissa.

Call for Volunteers: Greenbuild International Conference and Expo
Greenbuild is the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building, and it is coming back to San Francisco November 14-16. If you are a full-time student or professional age 25 and under, volunteer and attend for free! For more information visit the website. For questions, click here to send an email.

Opportunities with Pick Up America
Pick Up America is looking for people to travel with them this year! They are seeking young, energetic leaders who are ready to hit the road, pick up litter, and organize for a more sustainable America. An ideal candidate would be self-motivated, know how to be a team player, and be eager to educate, strategize, network, and inspire resource stewardship and zero-waste in America. Visit their website to find all the details about the available positions.  

Green Corps Now Accepting Applications

Green Corps is looking for college graduates who are ready to take on the biggest environmental challenges of our day. In Green Corps' year-long paid program, you'll get hands-on experience fighting to solve urgent environmental problems - global warming, deforestation, water pollution and many others - with groups such as Sierra Club and Food and Water Watch. When you graduate from Green Corps, they help you find a career with one of the nation's leading environmental and social change groups. For more information, visit the Green Corps website.

Student Conservation Association Internships
The SCA is one of the biggest partners for national parks and forests. Each year, they send thousands of youth across the country to get conservation experience in awesome places. Living expenses, housing, and round trip travel provided. Internships run from 3-12 months and are available in all 50 states. Visit their website for more information and to apply.

April 2012: Clubs, Gardens & Hikes

New Committee: Social Media Think Tank
Do you have an interest in becoming more savvy with utilizing social media to engage the public for your organization? Do you have any experience with administrating Facebook pages and want to share or learn more about the "science" of social media? Do you use Facebook a lot and want to help us figure out how to better engage our audiences? Founded by two members of on-campus sustainability organizations, this think tank seeks to bring together the ideas and experiences of anyone and everyone on the UCSC campus who has an interest in using social media for marketing or who has had experience with successful social media outreach. All are welcome to attend. Meeting times, locations and topics will be posted on the Facebook group. For more information, or if you would like to join the discussion, please contact Melissa Ott.

Natural History Club

Photo Credit: Clive Bagshaw

The Natural History Club is all bout exploring the natural spaces on and around our beautiful campus. They go on hikes around campus, learning about its natural history. They focus on learning plants, birds, animal tracking, mushrooms, and anything they discover. Overall the club seeks to deepen members' understanding, awareness and connection with nature. Visit the Natural History Club Facebook group for meeting times, locations and more information, or contact Darrow Feldstein.


Friends of Community Agroecology Network: Tuesdays 6-8 PM
FoCAN is a student-initiated, student-led community at UCSC that supports CAN's mission of promoting rural livelihoods and sustainable food systems through action education and participatory action research. FoCAN meets weekly at the Sustainable Living Center in the Village, building A. Through communal meals, discussions, and activities, these weekly meetings create a community that fosters dialogue and experiential learning about the global food system and sustainability. Find out more here.

Student Environmental Center: Wednesdays 6:30-8:30 PM
The purpose of the Student Environmental Center is to promote student involvement through research, education, and implementation of environmentally sustainable practices on campus in collaboration with the university. SEC's General Gatherings take place in the College 8 Red Room. Vegetarian dinner provided. For more information, visit their website or send them an email.

Path to a Greener Stevenson: Thursdays 8 PM

PTAGS meets in the Stevenson House 2 lounge every Thursday from 8-9 PM. They are currently working on expanding and cultivating the Stevenson Garden, reducing paper towel use/waste in the dorms, and working toward collaboration with the Stevenson Coffee House to increase its sustainability efforts. For information about this quarter's meeting time, visit the Facebook group or email Blake Redding.

Gardeners' Alliance Gatherings
The Gardeners' Alliance is a group within SEC's Students for Organic campaign that works to  promote the campus gardens and unite the garden-friendly community by creating a space to promote and share information between campus gardeners and the students of UCSC. Email Dominique for information about timing and locations. To see a list of on-campus gardens, visit the Gardeners' Alliance website here.

Guided Nature Walks with Campus Natural Reserves Steward: Every Other Friday
Our campus does not end at the buildings, so come explore the variety of vivacious ecosystems and what inhabits them! Guided Nature Walks will leave from College 8 Red Room every other Friday from 2-4 PM. Please check out the flyer for details. For more information, please contact Alex Jones, the Campus Natural Steward. 

Farm Fridays in the Dining Halls

Photo Credit: Food Systems Working Group

Each week, one dining hall features a dish incorporating ingredients from the UCSC Farm and other local organic farms in the region. The food is delicious, and it feels great to be eating the most local food possible! For more information, contact Candy Berlin or view the Farm Fridays schedule here.

The Program in Community and Agroecology (PICA) will be joining in with Dining Services' Farm Fridays by hosting an informational table at various dining halls on April 6 and 13. PICA is located in the Village and its focus is teaching students about sustainability and community food systems. Stop by to learn about all the PICA program has to offer you, from its themed campus housing option in the Village to its free Saturday Garden Play Days.

PICA Saturday Garden Play Days: 10 AM - 2 PM

PICA's first Garden Play Day for Spring quarter is on Saturday, April 7th, from 10 AM - 2 PM at the PICA Gardens in the Village. A delicious garden grown lunch will be served. PICA Garden Play Days will continue every Saturday in April at this time and location. These events are free, open to all UCSC students, and no registration is needed- just show up! For questions or more info, contact Bethany Hecht.

Kresge Garden Work Days: Sundays 10 AM - 2 PM 
Join fellow gardeners at the Kresge Garden workday and workshop every Sunday! Bring a dish to share for the potluck lunch! To see what the weekly workshop will be, check out the website.

April 2012: Upcoming Events

USGBC Speaker Event: Energy Modeling for Integrated Design & Planning: April 4
Interested in Sustainable Development, Green Building, or LEED Certification? Welcome USGBC's monthly guest speakers, Sharon Block, CEO of Bright Green Strategies Inc. and Patrick Splitt, President APP-TECH Inc. The event will take place from 5:30 - 8 PM. Event includes Whole Foods catered food and beverages. Attend one event, get your next event free! Student pricing (with ID): USGBC student members: pre-register $5, at door $10. Non-members: pre-register $7, at door $12. Location: IBEW Local 234. 10300 Merritt St. Castroville, CA. Visit the website.

Too Many Ps? Science & Justice Working Group Event with Ruth Ozeki: April 5
Join us from 2-5 PM in the Oakes Mural Room for a spirited conversation about the politics of food and kinship—amongst other world-changing matters. At this Science & Justice Working Group event, Ruth Ozeki will read from her novel, All Over Creation, joined at the table by Nancy Chen (Anthropology), Julie Guthman Community Studies) and Steve Gliessman (Environmental Studies). Joan Haran (Cesagen at Cardiff University) will host this feast of ideas. For more information, please click here.

California Naturalist Program:  April 7 - June 16

Join this exciting new pilot program through the Arboretum, offered for the first time in California. Become certified as a California Naturalist by completing 40+ hours in class and field. Access further community involvement in local parks and research. Cost: $300 Scholarships available - please inquire!  More information here.

UCSC Earth Week 2012: April 16-22

Want to participate in Earth Week 2012: Finding Room to Bloom? Student organizations can register their Earth Week events now on the Earth Week website. Interested in being part of the Earth Day Festival on April 22, which will include tabling, workshops, music, food, and more? You can also sign up online to have a table or workshop on Earth Day. If you are interested in getting involved with planning Earth Day, please email Sam Moll, College 8's Special Environmental Programs Coordinator.  For those who wish to attend these festivities, stay tuned for more information here.

Earth Day Santa Cruz: Saturday, April 21

The Sustainability Office is looking for UCSC sustainability organizations to table for their org at the annual Earth Day Santa Cruz Festival this year. Earth Day Santa Cruz will take place on Saturday, April 21st from 11 AM to 5 PM rain or shine in San Lorenzo Park and Benchlands. It is a community event that will include tabling, live music, hands-on crafts, and fun for all ages! To sign up to table with the Sustainability Office, contact Kirsten Williams, Development & Events Coordinator. Additionally, Earth Day planners are looking for volunteers from UCSC, including students, staff and faculty, to make this event happen. If you are interested in volunteering, click here. For more information about the event, click here.

Spring Plant Sale: Saturday, April 21

Looking for water-wise and extra-ordinary plants? Come to the Spring Sale by the Arboretum and California Native Plant Society, from 9 AM - 4 PM.  Arboretum members and CNPS members get in early for the best selection, so join today!  Members: 10 AM.  General Public: Noon.  Visit the Arboretum website for more information.

End of the Year Celebration
You are invited to the 4th Annual End of the Year Sustainability Celebration and Planning Session! Join students, staff, faculty and administrators from throughout the campus community to reflect on our accomplishments of the year and plan for the future. It will take place in the Stevenson Event Center from 1-5 PM. Read more about the event here or email Gabi Kirk, Events Coordinator.

California Higher Education Sustainability Conference: June 18-21
Save the date! The California Higher Education Sustainability Conference is taking place June 18-21, 2012 at UC Davis. The Conference highlights cutting-edge research, as well as case studies with proven successes in curriculum development, operational programs, and community partnerships. Find out more here.