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.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
April 2013: Internships, Employment, and Volunteering
College Eight is currently seeking UCSC students to perform or display their works at a student art showcase on April 19. The showcase, which will serve as the kickoff to Earth Week, will be a special evening dedicated to student performances and sustainability. They are currently looking for work that addresses issues of sustainability, whether in a social context or in the context of the physical earth. Examples of possible work include (but are not limited to): spoken word, dance, monologue, skit, photography, song, sculpture, and film. Campus performance groups are welcome to participate. For more information check out the website and make a reservation today. If you have any questions regarding the event, please direct them to McKenzie Laird.
Intern with Student Environmental Center
Looking for a sustainability internship on-campus? The Student Environmental Center is looking for interns for spring quarter for their campaigns, which include Transportation, Green Building, Students for Organic Solutions, College 8 Garden, Waste Prevention, Drop Your Own Drip, and Earth Summit/Blueprint for a Sustainable Campus. They will be hosting two General Gatherings in April for students to find out about internship opportunities and apply. Join campaign coordinators and other SEC interns on Wednesday, April 3 and April 10 from 5:30-7:30pm in the College 8 Red Room. Members of ESLP (Education for a Sustainable Living Program) and CSC (Campus Sustainability Council) will also be coming to the event to share ways to get involved with their organizations! Vegetarian dinner will be served. For more information, contact secsteering@ucsc.edu or visit their website.
Apply to Volunteer with Sprout Up
Sprout Up is a non-profit program that looks for undergraduate volunteers to help bring lessons of environmental science and sustainability to local elementary school classrooms. They are college student founded and operated non-profit that is always seeking new instructors. For more information about potential volunteering opportunities with them check out their website.
FHN Internship Application Deadline April 12
The Foothill Horizons Naturalist Internship offers its interns a chance to get hands-on experience with a diverse group of children as a teaching naturalist. Interns focus on subjects such as Ecology, Geology, Conservation and much more while teaching lesson plans that they create. The program offers direct one-on-one mentoring, employment from September through May with room and board on-site included. Applications are being accepted right now, and for more information visit their website.
Sierra Club Seeking Film Makers
The Sierra Club is seeking two students or recent graduates who are passionate about sustainability, love being outdoors and want to gain internship experience this summer. They are seeking to fill one position with someone skilled in video production and one position with someone with an interest in being on-camera talent. For more information check out their website.
Recharge! is Seeking Applicants
Each summer, Focus the Nation selects and funds 20 rising clean energy leaders from across the country to spend one week together on Oregon’s iconic Mt. Hood in order to discuss, make connections and collaborate. College students between the ages of 18-28 who have a passion for clean energy are encouraged to apply. Find out more and learn how to apply here.
Join or Contribute to Gaia and Get Published
Interested in getting your sustainability related articles, stories, poems, recipes, artwork, and/or photographs published? Gaia Magazine is the student-run environmental magazine for the campus that publishes annually in the spring. They are looking for submissions from UCSC students for their Spring 2013 issue. If you are interested in contributing to the magazine or joining their team check out their website for more information.
PICA School Gardens Internship
Spring quarter, Mon Weds or Fri 8:30am-1:30pm
Teach exciting and engaging lessons to elementary school students in Watsonville this spring quarter! In this internship, students will gain first-hand experience and learn valuable skills as an environmental educator in a school garden. Each week, they will learn skills in positive group management, supporting English language learners, tips for teaching in a garden setting, and develop lessons for multiple learning styles. They will visit various schools in the Pajaro Valley and teach kids science and nutrition in the garden. To sign up, email Bee Vadakan for an application.
PICA Urban Gardening Internship
Spring quarter, Tues and Thurs 1-4pm
Interested in learning about gardening specific to urban areas? Want to explore topics related to food justice and the role of urban gardens in transforming our food system? In this internship students will: Practice hands-on garden skills, engage with other interns through weekly readings, discussion, and case studies, and work in small groups to research a local urban garden project, interview participants, volunteer, and share experience with the class. To sign up, contact Bee Vadakan.
Farming Institute Immersion Program Accepting Applications
Learn to farm at The Farming Institute! The Farming Institute is a unique, fast track, 11 week farming immersion program taking place on two organic vegetable farms in Eastern Iowa. It is designed to equip emerging farmers of all ages, such as college students, recent graduates or others. The program includes a mixture of hands on and classroom experience. During the program, students will complete a business plan for their future farm and learn about the land, the business of farming and the farming process. For more information or an application visit their website or email Kate Edwards or by phone at 319-333-2980.
Possibilities for Future Graduates with Green Corps
Green Corps is a year-long paid training program that helps turn graduates into environmental professionals. Take part in training with vetted environmental campaign organizers while working on environmental issues all across the country. Green Corps sends organizers to jumpstart campaigns for groups such as Rainforest Action Network, Sierra Club, Greenpeace, Food and Water Watch and Environment America. They offer all of the amenities of professional employment including a chance to opt into their health care program, paid sick days and holidays, two weeks paid vacation and a student loan repayment program for those who qualify. The applications for the coming year are closed, but for more information about future prospects contact Jennifer Rubiello at Jennifer@Greencorps.org.
Interested in learning more about electric vehicle charging developments planned for UCSC? Want to know of potential electrical shutdowns at Core West? Transportation and Parking Services is wanting to be in better touch with our electric vehicle user community at UCSC – please send an email to tabuika@ucsc.edu to be added to the list of current electric vehicle users.
Apply for SEE-U, Summer 2013
Summer Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduates (SEE-U) is seeking applicants for its summer session. SEE-U is a program that seeks to highlight ecologically impacted areas of the world for undergraduates of all majors. Students travel to their choice of one of four beautiful yet endangered ecosystems, where they live and learn about the particular challenges that area faces. Hosted through Columbia University, students earn 5 science credits while going abroad with other students and learning about environmental concerns on an international level. For more information click here.
Real Food Challenge Program Accepting Applications
Are you about to graduate? The Real Food Challenge Field Organizer Fellowship Program is a unique opportunity for recent college graduates to get first hand experience as part-time organizers and food movement leaders. Through this 14-month program, fellows engage in intensive student organizing projects on a regional and national level while also honing their leadership skills and food systems knowledge through our participatory learning curriculum and engaged fellowship community. The program is now accepting applications. For more information click here.
FoodCorps is Recruiting for 2013-2014
FoodCorps strives to teach schoolchildren about healthy food and gardening while putting fresh, local food in cafeteria's. They are expanding to California next year and need to build a volunteer base. For more information check out their website.
Find or Upload Projects to Sustainability Project Clearinghouse
Interested in getting involved in a campus sustainability project, but don't know how? Are you looking for partners for your current project? Have you completed a project that you would like others to learn from? Visit the Sustainability Project Clearinghouse, a centralized database of UCSC sustainability projects, today! You can view published projects or upload your own projects and ideas. For training on how to upload a project, please contact Shauna Casey at scasey@ucsc.edu.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Monterey Bay Carbon Fund
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:
Goals:
- 2000 levels by the year 2014
- 1990 levels by 2020
- 80% below 1990 levels by 2050
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
Friday, March 15, 2013
Cowell College to Go Paper Towel-Less
Cowell College is joining its sister college, Stevenson, in eliminating the use of paper towels in the Residence Hall bathrooms for 2013-14.Stevenson adopted a paper-towel-less program this year (2012-13), following a successful pilot program in a designated residence hall during spring of 2012.
Both colleges plan to provide small hand towels to the residents of the Residence Halls in an effort to reduce the volume of used paper towels that go to the landfill.
This sustainability initiative comes with the collaboration and support of many, including Sue Matthews, Assoc. Vice Chancellor for Colleges, Housing and Educational Services (CHES).
To learn more about the history of the project in Stevenson College, please click here. To get involved and learn more about the elimination of paper towels in Cowell College, please email Jim Carter, College Administrative Officer for Cowell and Stevenson Colleges.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Controller's Office Goes Green
"First and foremost on behalf of the Controller’s Office I would like to thank Christian Frederick, Casey Wing, and the rest of the Green Office members. The professionalism presented by the team of students shows they have been trained well in the art of conservation and work ethics. The controller’s Office has many solid conservation best practices in place which earned our team with a certification level of Sapling. The assessment conducted revealed some interesting improvements that we can make around the office, which may be small, but if implemented campus wide would be a great conservation achievement."
The top recommended changes they encouraged the Controller's Office team to make were:
- Improve signage on/near recycling bins in office and provide a main recycling bin near the printer.
- Use “smart power strips” for office appliances in order to make it easier to turn off multiple appliances at once
For more information about the Green Office Certification Program, please visit their website or email Casey Wing.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Earth Day Santa Cruz 2013
Earth Day Santa Cruz 2013 is an exciting community event offering educational information, activities for kids including an arts and crafts tent, live music and a focus on green businesses. Come and enjoy this fun environmental celebration for the whole family!
The City of Santa Cruz, the County of Santa Cruz, Ecology Action, Save Our Shores, the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz, local non-profits, and concerned citizens are working together to make Earth Day 2013 the premier environmental event for the greater Santa Cruz community.
Event Highlights:
- Electric Vehicle Showcase
- Recycled Fashion Show
- Arts and Crafts Booth
- Kid Zone Gymnastics for Kids
- Free Valet Bike Parking Provided by People Power
- Live Music
- Green Vendor and Environmental Information Booths
Live Music:
For more information on this event visit: www.ecocruz.org
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