California's water crisis, from Chancellor Blumenthal

February 4, 2014

To: UCSC Community
From: Chancellor George Blumenthal
Re: California's water crisis

As I'm sure you know, California is in the throes of a serious drought.

Representatives from every local water agency gathered last week, collectively calling attention to a situation that becomes more worrisome with each passing sunny day (see Santa Cruz Sentinel story). In support of Gov. Brown's recent designation of a statewide drought, members of the Santa Cruz City Council have asked residents to voluntarily reduce water consumption by 20 percent.

As members of the Santa Cruz community, it's critical that we participate in the city's call for this reduction.
Many of you may have already taken steps in recent weeks or months to reduce your water intake. Whether you live on campus or off, there are a number of ways you can do so; tips are available online at this campus web site. Imagine the collective impact if we all step up to this challenge. It would make a real difference.
Institutionally, the campus has integrated water conservation into our campus planning efforts and sustainability goals, and we are committed to meeting UC's systemwide goals for water use.

Water is precious, and this drought serves to remind us of the necessity to use it wisely. With no relief in sight, please do your part to immediately reduce demand on the city's water system. Thank you.

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

PROPS PLOP: Sustainability News from the Chancellor's Office!

UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal has started a sustainable trend. 

On May 7, 2012, PROPS (the Program Recognizing Offices Practicing Sustainability) sat down with Chancellor Blumenthal and his office staff to consult on the sustainability of their office operations. During the meeting, the Chancellor was delighted to tell PROPS about their efforts to reduce the paper usage involved with his job. 
 
According to the Chancellor, at large meetings (such as Regents' meetings), each attendee is given at least one binder full of agenda items. This is a typical occurrence, but the UCSC Chancellor is fed up with the excessive paper use. His alternative? Downloading software that allows him to read, highlight, and mark up the meetings' documents on his computer tablet. Chancellor Blumenthal says that he is the first of the UC Chancellor's to make this transition, but several others have since followed suit. After noticing Chancellor's sleek, tech-savvy appearance at meetings, at least six other UC Chancellors have gone paperless at meetings.

In addition to eliminating binders at his meetings, Chancellor Blumenthal and his staff make conscious efforts to reduce paper usage. "We rarely print anything out anymore," says Maurene Catto, Executive Assistant to Chancellor Blumenthal.

PROPS and the Sustainability Office commend the Chancellor's commitment to sustainable behavior change, and encourage the office to keep up the good work!

To learn more about the Green Office Certification Program (formerly PROPS), visit the website.