Crown/Merrill Dining take diet challenge

Beginning February 1, more than 25 students and staff members associated with the Crown/Merrill Dining Hall will be going vegan and/or participating in the Engine2Diet Plant Strong Challenge for 28 days. This is a drastic change of diet for most of the participants, giving up meat or dairy for a month. Many are doing it for health reasons, to lose some weight or because they have come to the conclusion that eating meat and cows in particular, just does not feel like the right or humane thing to do. Some are just doing it because they are curious and want to join their fellow coworkers and friends that are going vegan. Congratulations on making a sustainable committment, Crown/Merrill Dining Hall staff and students! Find out more about the Engine2Diet here, and contact Loni for more information about the Crown/Merrill participation in the challenge.

October 2012: Upcoming Events

First FoCAN Meeting of the Year - October 2, 6-8 PM (A3 in the Village)

Friends of Community Agroecology Network (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. They are having their first meeting of the year on October 2nd at the Village, building A3 from 6-8 PM. This will be a crucial meeting welcoming new faces, talking about food systems in regards to the food chain and learning more about CAN. There will be opportunities to get more involved with FoCAN and as always, potluck style dinners! For more information, please contact Catherine.

Student Environmental Center General Gathering - October 3 from 6:30-8:30 PM (College 8 Red Room)

The purpose of the Student Environmental Center (SEC) is to promote student involvement through research, education, and implementation of environmentally sustainable practices on campus in collaboration with the university. SEC will be hosting a General Gathering on October 3 in the College Eight Red Room from 6:30 to 8:30 PM with fun activities, free home-cooked dinner, interesting people, and anyone and everyone is welcome to come for the evening! Find out more about SEC here.

Cover Crops in the Orchard - Sunday, October 7 from 10 AM - 1 PM (Alan Chadwick Garden)
Orin Martin and Matthew Sutton will discuss and demonstrate cover cropping for the home orchard. Learn how to prepare your orchard’s soil for winter rains and boost soil fertility, including best choices for cover crops and planting techniques. $20 for Friends of the Farm & Garden members, $30 for general public, $5 for UCSC students, payable the day of the workshop. For more information, contact 831-459-3240 or casfs@ucsc.edu.

Santa Cruz Open Streets - Sunday, October 7 (West Cliff Drive)

In the new Santa Cruz Open Streets event set for Sunday, October 7th from 9 AM - 1PM, West Cliff Drive will be turned into a giant street park for FREE, public recreation. The road will be temporarily closed to automobiles and open for people to bicycle, jog, skate, dance, and more! This family-friendly event will also feature fun and free activities, info booths with resources for active and sustainable living, live music, free raffles, and food. Road closure from Lighthouse Field to Natural Bridges State Park. For more information visit www.scopenstreets.org. Like the event on Facebook to get all the latest updates.


Activities include:

• REI climbing wall
• Zumba and kickboxing demos by Minorsan Self-Defense and Fitness
• Bicycle skills and fun obstacle course by Trips for Kids
• Dog agility course by Pacific Veterinary
• Cuban salsa music by Flor de Caña
• Watsonville Taiko drumming
• Penny Ice Cream
• Low 'n' Slow food truck
• Free raffles with great prizes

Follow Your Food: From Seed to Seed - Wednesday, October 10, 7-9:30 PM (Oakes 105)
Join Jared Zystro from the Organic Seed Alliance and Elizabeth Henderson from the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) for a talk investigating culture in agriculture, food justice, and our responsibility of stewarding the seeds that sustain us. We will discuss the role that the general public and farmers play in supporting a grassroots movement toward the regeneration and resilience of our food system. A focus will be placed on the importance of cultivating farmer-centric seed systems that develop locally adapted and open pollinated varieties. This event will take place in Oakes Academic Building 105. For more information, please contact Elan or visit the Demeter Seed Project website.

CAN/FoCAN Fundraiser - October 11, noon to 10 PM (Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery)
There will be a fundraiser for Community Agroecology Network at the Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery October 11, from noon to 10 PM. Come hang out around 6 PM, enjoy good company, and support CAN in furthering their mission of sustaining rural livelihoods and environments in Latin America. For more information about Friends of Community Agroecology Network click here or contact Catherine.

Seed Exchange and Culture Swap - Saturday, October 13, 12-3 PM (UCSC Farm Gatehouse)
The UC Santa Cruz Demeter Seed Library invites students, staff, faculty, community members, and farmers from California’s central coast to participate in the ancient tradition of sharing heirloom and open pollinated vegetable and flower seeds. Join the seed project and gain access to its collection of locally adapted seeds for free. We will have workshops on seed saving, making kombucha, as well as free access to seeds and scobys. For more information, please contact Elan or visit the Demeter Seed Project website.

PICA's First Garden Workday - Saturday October 13, 10 AM - 2 PM (Sustainable Living Center at the Village)

The Program in Community Agroecology (PICA) is an experiential living/learning program located at the Village in the Lower Quarry that focuses on agriculture and community sustainability. Join them at the Sustainable Living Center/A-quad of the Village for their first garden workday of the school year. Come harvest, turn beds, and enjoy a delicious lunch!

Fall Plant Sale at the Arboretum - Saturday, October 13, 12-4 PM

Looking for some plants for your home or garden? Don't miss the fall plant sale at the Arboretum, hosted by the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and the California Native Plant Society, Santa Cruz County Chapter. 10 AM - 12 noon for Arboretum and CNPS members, and 12-4 PM for the public. For more information, please visit the website.

41st Annual Environmental Education Conference - October 9-13 (Oakland, CA)
Hosted by the North American Association for Environmental Education, this conference will gather more than 1,000 environmental education professionals for workshops, field experiences and a research symposium. Keynotes include "The Story of Stuff" author Annie Leonard, "Social Marketing to Protect the Environment" author and professor Wesley Schultz, and urban and environmental policy and planning professor Julian Agyeman, who will co-present "Environmental Education for the Future: Integrating Equity, Inclusion and Diversity." For more information, please visit the website.


AASHE 2012 Conference - October 14-17 (Los Angeles) - Registration ends October 8
AASHE 2012: Investing in the Future will feature campus tours, a Student Summit with keynote speaker Billy Parish, and workshops including "Campus Recycling & Zero Waste" and "Communicating Sustainability to Create Change." New this year, the conference will feature advanced sessions and an advanced track. The final conference schedule is now available here. Registration for AASHE 2012 Ends October 8. Visit the website to sign up.

Greenbuild International Conference and Expo - November 14-16 (San Francisco)
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.

Hosting a sustainability related event in Santa Cruz or know about one happening in October? Post in the comments or send us an email!