Earth Week Events

Earth Week 2015 at UCSC is taking place April 19-25, with the theme Your Plate, Your Food, Your Impact. College Eight’s Earth Week 2015 strives to build environmental awareness by exploring the power of individual choice in our food systems. By understanding our impact, Earth Week aims to educate our community and encourage collaboration on how to make sustainable food choices.

A couple of events happening during Earth Week include:

April 18: Earth Day Santa Cruz at San Lorenzo Park
Earth Day Santa Cruz 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 on April 18th, 11 am – 4 pm in San Lorenzo Park! The Sustainability Office will be tabling there, so come say hello!

April 21st: Food Fight-Forum
The Food Fight event highlights the power of choice by examining different perspectives on April 24 from 6 pm - 7:30 pm. Students across campus are invited to participate in a space that aims to discuss various topics of sustainability in regards to food. The topic is “What Does It Mean to Eat?” Addressing the social and environmental impacts of the food systems. With the guidance of speakers who have expertise in the field, this event intends to spark questions about our relation to food and understand ways of improvement.

April 22: Local & Organic Tasting Fair
Join UCSC Dining in their 5th annual Local and Organic Tasting Fair. On Wednesday, April 22nd from 11:30 am - 2:30 pm at the College 9 & 10 Multipurpose Room, there will be local vendors and free samples of food and beverages! The event is free and open to all of campus.

April 23: Jon Young - Understanding Bird Language to Bring More Presence to All That You Do
Join the Common Ground Center's Collaborative Learning Class for their speaker series! On April 23rd at the Porter Meadow from 2 - 3:45 pm, nature mentor Jon Young will speak about how bird language can be added to our everyday lives. Jon has been mentoring folks in the nearly lost art of understanding bird and animal language. Just as science is beginning to see the credibility in this ancient skill, Jon has been leading communities world-wide to get these skills back through lectures, workshops, media.

April 24: Earth Summit
On Friday, April 24th, the Student Environmental Center will be hosting the 14th Annual Campus Earth Summit from 11 am to 4:30 pm at the College Nine & Ten Multipurpose Room. The Earth Summit is a space for students, staff, faculty, administrators, and community members to come together and celebrate the history and current actions in campus sustainability, reflect on the 2014-2015 Student Forum events, plan for future sustainability projects, and strengthen overall involvement. The theme of this year’s event is a fusion of activism and art, with a focus on increasing communication and community problem-solving through the avenue of art and personal expression. Learn more about the Earth Summit event and ways you can get involved at their website!

April 24: UCSC Greenhouse Tour
Enjoy a tour of UCSC's Science Hill, including rooftop visits to the  instructional plant collection, restoration project plants, and current research projects. Director Jim Velzy will give an overview of the various aspects related to these rooftop facilities and light refreshments will be served. For more information visit this website.

April 24: Sustainability Alumni Reunion
Join the Sustainability Office for a mixer with alumni and current students involved with UC Santa Cruz environmental sustainability and conservation efforts. This is an opportunity to catch up with old friends and create networks with new ones in honor of UCSC's 50th Anniversary. Students, staff, and alumni from UCSC sustainability organizations will be gathering informally at Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing and nearby West End Tap on Friday, April 24th from 5-8 p.m. You don't have to be 21+ to attend! Please invite others who may be interested in attending. To RSVP or ask questions, please email Melissa at mott [at] ucsc [dot] edu.

April 24: M. Sanjayan - A New Wild: Saving Nature in a Human-Dominated World
Sanjayan’s talk will draw on his 2015 PBS television series EARTH: A New Wild to reveal how, through human ingenuity, technology and sometimes ecological tragedy, people are becoming a positive part of the ecological systems we depend on for our well-being. The result is a new framework that reinvents environmentalism by making saving nature about saving ourselves. This presentation is part of the True Originals Notable Alumni Speakers Series. For more information, check out this website.

April 25: Sustainability Office at Pan-DANM-onium Faire
UCSC’s Digital Arts and New Media (DANM) MFA Program invites the community to a day-long festival celebrating DANM’s first decade, on April 25, 2015. The Sustainability Office will be hosting a table at this innovative event; come learn how to recycle properly and learn how much energy your appliances really use! This free event includes outdoor exhibits and interactive demos, the annual DANM MFA art exhibition, alumni slideshows, research lab open houses, and a masquerade ball. It’s a day of DIY making, projection mapping, repurposed military vehicles, free food, fine art, vacuform masks, kids crafts and more – it’s pan-DANM-onium! Learn more about the day-long event here.

April 25: Arboretum Tour
The Arboretum is offering alumni a guided tour of the world-renown UC Santa Cruz Arboretum during alumni weekend. On the tour you will learn about the collections of rare and endangered plants from around the world and the importance of them to the university and community. They have sizable collections of mostly drought-tolerant native Californian, Australian, New Zealand, and South African plants, including cacti and succulents. For more information, check out this website.

April 25: Farm Tour
Enjoy a guided tour of the gardens, fields and orchards at UCSC's 30-acre organic Farm. Founded in 1971, the 30-acre Farm includes handworked gardens of annual and perennial food and ornamental crops, mechanically cultivated row crops, orchards, and research plots. Learn about the education, research, and public service activities taking place through the work of the Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS). Please wear comfortable walking shoes for this event. For more information, check out this website.

April 25: UCSC Campus Natural Reserve Hike
Join a hike on the UC Santa Cruz Campus Natural Reserve, which serves as an outdoor classroom and living laboratory that provides a vital link between ideas discussed within traditional classrooms and hands-on learning in the natural world. The campus reserve features steep redwood ravines, flowering azaleas along forested springs, sweeping ocean views, northern maritime chaparral, and more. Meet at the Firehouse parking lot. Gage Dayton, Administrative Director for physical and biological sciences, and Alex Jones, UCSC Campus Natural Reserve Steward, will begin with a brief overview of the reserve, followed by a steward-led hike along the interpretative loop trail. This event is family friendly. For more information, check out the following website.

April 25: Kenneth Norris Center Dedication
The Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History Dedication is an opportunity to celebrate natural history training accomplishments over the past 50 years and articulate a vision for the new Norris Center to the campus community, alumni, and other potential donors. For more information, check out this website.

April 25th: Sustainable Food Choice Fair, 2015 5pm-7pm 
On April 25 from 5-7pm, the Sustainable Food Choice Fair will act as the finale to College 8 Earth Week activities and will continue to highlight the idea of food choices and their impact on the environment. Through interactive stations, the event will highlight the themes mentioned earlier in these stations where students can participate in activities that relate to real life issues and decisions. The goal is to create an environment that is engaging and allows students to discover new ideas about their food choices. At the same time, organizers will serve food that models sustainable choices in order to provide an example that shows students it is possible to make sustainable choices.

April 26: Campus Clean Up Day
The Student Union Assembly and the Sustainability Office's Zero Waste Team have teamed up to coordinate the First Annual Campus Clean-Up Day on April 25! The vision for this event is to bring students and campus users together to clean up our beautiful campus and shed light on littering issues and improper cigarette butt disposal. The goal of this event is to motivate campus users to properly dispose of waste and encourage campus stewardship.

April 26: We Are Wiser Together World Cafe
Live music, free food, and meaningful intergenerational conversations. Connect with student leaders, community partners, and alumni during a series of World Cafe conversations about how we can be wiser together through collaboration across generations. How can we work and play together as we turn 50? What becomes possible when we - one generation alive and awake together at this unique moment in history - form partnerships in business, politics, education, and civil society? Farm fresh lunch prepared by students from the Kresge Common Ground Center and Kresge Garden Coop included with pre-registration. For more information check out this website.

April 28: Walk to Class Challenge
UCSC's 2nd Annual Walk to Class Challenge Day will take place on April 28, 2015! Registration is open until April 27th, and the first 60 students to register will receive a free event t-shirt. The challenge is a student-led effort to promote walking as a viable and sustainable transportation mode for cross-campus travel, reduce UCSC’s carbon footprint, and help students make more sustainable choices for themselves and the environment. Register for free at taps.ucsc.edu and then fill out a survey after the event for a chance to win a $50 Visa gift card! Join the Facebook page, Instagram, and visit the website for more information.

Below are the College Eight Earth Week Events:

"Every year on April 22nd marks the anniversary of what many consider the beginning of the modern environmental movement.  In 1970, Americans were slurping leaded gas through massive V8 sedans. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of legal consequences or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. Although mainstream America remained oblivious to environmental concerns, the stage had been set for change by the publication of Rachel Carson's New York Times bestseller Silent Spring in 1962. The book represented a watershed moment for the modern environmental movement, selling more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries and, up until that moment, more than any other person, Ms. Carson raised public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and public health. Earth Day 1970 capitalized on the emerging consciousness, channeling the energy of the anti-war protest movement and putting environmental concerns front and center."

- EarthDay.org

For more information, visit the College 8 Earth Week event site for upcoming updates or contact Derek Dean at drdean [at] ucsc [dot] edu.

Inter-Organizational Retreat Announcements

These announcements were written by various organizations and students on a community announcement board during our 5th Annual Sustainability Inter-Organizational Retreat.

• Gaia Magazine is accepting student submissions of articles, photos, recipes, and more for our Spring 2015 publication! The theme this year is environmental justice and social change. Please submit your work to gaiamagazine [at] gmail [dot] com by 1/31 - we want to showcase your work!
• Banana Slugs for Animals welcomes all to our weekly meetings. During our meetings we discuss Animal rights and plan events! We will be having a film screening of "Earthlings" (Date and time TBD). If you would like to know more please email us at slugsforanimals [at] gmail [dot] com. We can add you to our emailing list! Yay!
• Program in Community and Agroecology (PICA) Workdays are starting Saturday, January 17. Join in for gardening and a free lunch! They will be every Saturday 10-2pm in the A-quad  in the village.
• Mixed Ethnicities Student Headquarters (MESH) meets every Thursday at 5pm in the Redwood Lounge (e^2). For more information, email mesh.represent [at] gmail [dot] com.
• Education for Sustainable Living Program: Are you interested in social justice, food systems, renewable energy or any other Blueprint for a Sustainable Campus topics? Take the ESLP class for 2 or 5 units next quarter! Designed and led by undergraduate students. Go to eslp.enviroslug.org to learn more about class offerings and how to enroll.
• Circus Slugs: throw a juggle jam every Thursday at 2pm on the Porter quad! All levels are welcome.
• College 8 Earth Week Team: Interested in facilitating an event? We are looking to collaborate with various organizations for Earth Week 2015 (the week of Earth Day). This year's theme is "Your Plate: The effect your food choices have on you and the world around you". Questions? Contact Derek Dean at drdean [at] ucsc [dot] edu.
• Come to the Earth Summit Forums happening every Wednesday from 5-8pm in the College 8 Red Room! Join in and learn, discuss, and plan about super important social and environmental topics! (FREE FOOD!)
• Interested in sustainability, films, and social justice? The 50th Anniversary Sustainability Film Festival Planning Committee is seeking input and ideas from throughout campus. The film festival will take place in fall 2015, but planning begins now! Please email Melissa at mott [at] ucsc [dot] edu to learn more and get involved.

March 2013: Classes, Training, & Community

Earth Week 2013

The theme for Earth Week 2013 is “Digging Deeper: The Arts and the Earth,” which aims to explore the many facets of sustainability through an artistic lens. To kick off the week of “Arts and the Earth,” there will be an arts showcase on Friday, April 19th, from 7-9 PM at the College Eight Dining Hall. The event will feature a variety of artistic mediums, including, but not limited to: spoken word, paintings, photographs, dance, song, poetry, student films, and theater monologues. If you’re interested in being a part of the showcase, please fill out this form by Friday, April 12th, at 5PM. Any questions regarding performances and/or artwork should be directed to the event coordinator, Mckenzie Laird.  

Disorientation Guide Seeking Submissions About LRDP
This quarter, The Disorientation Guide at UCSC will publish GROWTH, a magazine containing a broad array of perspectives on issues relating to the UCSC Long Range Development Plan (LRDP). They are looking for analytic and creative contributions in the form of articles, poetry, or illustrations/art. If you’re familiar with the ongoing debate that surrounds the LRDP,  then you already know that it is a complex issue, linked to struggles over water use, endangered species, quality of student life, and more. Email disguide@gmail.com or call (707) 318-1760.

Join the Kresge Natural Foods Co-op
The Kresge Community Natural Foods Co-op is a non-profit student-run food store located on the south side of Kresge College. It has been a Kresge College tradition for over twenty years, supporting small farmers, the UCSC Farm Project, and the Kresge Organic Garden. While anyone can buy food at the Food Co-op, members receive a discount. The Co-op operates as a collective and a variety of membership options are available. Special pricing is available on bulk orders. Come in for groceries, lunch, snacks, hot coffee, tea, or just to spend time with your friends. Hours: Weekdays 9 AM - 6 PM To contact the Food Co-op, call 426-1506, or attend the bi-weekly meetings every other Sunday at 11 am in the Student Lounge.

Enroll in ESLP for Spring quarter 

Interested in taking a thought provoking and engaging class? Sign up for Sustainable Living in Spring and get credits for exploring topics such as Urban Sustainability and Community Development, Society and Food Systems, Restoring Our Place, and many more. This interactive course is a combination of small student led sections and a Monday night lecture series. Sign up through College 8 for CLEI 61 or 161 for Spring Quarter. Both 2-unit and 5 unit options are available.

Zipcar seeks "Students With Drive" in their new group driving credit contest
The "Students with Drive" program is giving student groups an extra hand to help get things done with the help of Zipcars. The program, which gives away over $35,000 in driving credit a month, allows all student groups to nominate themselves to win free driving credit for their group to use for their groups' needs. Learn more about how your group can get involved on the contest website.

Free Docent Training at the UCSC Farm & Garden Begins March 12
Want to learn more about UCSC's farm and gardens? Just like food? Then consider joining the 2013 Farm & Garden docent training program! This program, composed of 5 training sessions, will take place on Tuesday afternoons from 4-5:30pm, beginning March 12 and ending April 9. Topics covered will include: organic farming and gardening practices, history of the Alan Chadwick Garden and UCSC farm, on-farm research, and more. All are welcome to participate in these FREE trainings! For more information, contact Amy Bolton.

Heard about other sustainability related classes, trainings, or community opportunities around Santa Cruz or the campus? Post in the comments or send us an email! 

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

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: 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.

Events & Opportunities: March 12 - 18

Sustainability Office calendar | March Newsletter | Sustainability Office Website

Events & Club Meetings

UCSC Natural History Club: Tuesdays 4-5 PM

Visit the Natural History Club Facebook group for meeting 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.

Free Patagonia Rising Film Screening: Tuesday, March 13 

The UCSC Environmental Studies Department and the Pepper-Giberson Chair present a free screening of the film Patagonia Rising on March 13 in the Media Theater at 7:30 PM. The film focuses on a heated conflict surrounding a proposal to build five large hydroelectric dams on the Baker and Pascua Rivers in Patagonia. Promoted as "clean" energy, the project's cultural and environmental impacts would forever alter the region. The documentary brings awareness and solutions to this global conflict over water and power. More about the film can be found here. There will be a post-Screening Q&A with Director Brian Lilla, Dr. Jeffrey Bury, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, and Berklee Lowrey-Evans, Patagonia Campaign Coordinator at International Rivers.

Student Environmental Center: Wednesdays 5:30-8:30 PM

Student Environmental Center (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 7 PM

Path to a Greener Stevenson (PTAGS) meets in the Stevenson House 2 lounge. They are currently working on reducing paper towel use in the dorms and are collaborating with the Zero Waste Team to buy reusable mugs for the Stevenson Coffee House. For updates, visit the Facebook group or email Blake Redding.

Guided Nature Walk - Tiger Hunt: Friday, March 16, 2-4 PM

Our campus does not end at the buildings, so come explore the variety of vivacious ecosystems and what inhabits them! Guided Nature Walks leave from College 8 Red Room every other Friday from 2-4. This week, they'll be searching for the infamous (and endemic) Ohlone tiger beetle (Cicindela ohlone) in some probable haunts. Please check out the flyer for details. For more information, please contact Alex Jones, the Campus Natural Steward.   

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.

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. 

Get Involved - Internships, Volunteering, Contests, Grants

Campus Sustainability Internship Program - Student Interns and Staff Mentors Apply Now!
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. CSI helps staff by providing them with vetted, trained, and low-cost assistance on sustainability related projects they have undertaken or would like to initiate. Staff applications due March 16 & student applications due April 4. Visit the website  for more information and to apply.

Read an interview here featuring CSI Staff Mentor Kathryn Cunningham and Student Intern Christian Frederick about their work this year with the CSI program.

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.

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.

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.

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.  

Energy Department Clean Energy Workforce Training Grants: Deadline March 30

The U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program have announced up to $1.3 million for clean energy workforce training programs. Higher education institutions can apply to partner with MEP Centers to create building efficiency training programs that are tailored to building operators, building managers and energy service providers. Applications are due March 30, 2012. Click here for more information.

Apply for the ReCharge! Retreat: Deadline April 1

Interested in clean energy? Want to attend a one-week summer ReCharge! Retreat? Focus the Nation selects twenty students to attend the retreat, five from each quadrant of the country, who show passion, dedication, and drive to accelerate the transition to clean energy. The retreat, which takes place August 12-18, 2012, includes a balance of intellectual rigor, collaborative practices, reflection and physical activity as it applies to building our clean energy future. Apply today for your chance to be a part of this life changing opportunity! Application deadline is April 1st, 2012. Find out more on the Focus the Nation website.

"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.

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.

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? 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 (April 22), 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.

Student Opportunity: MobilizeU Competition

AASHE has partnered with Earth Day Network for the launch of MobilizeU, an international collegiate competition calling upon students to mobilize their campus communities around four weeks of environmental activism surrounding Earth Day 2012 (March 29 - April 29). Students worldwide are encouraged to join the movement as a regional coordinator or school coordinator and organize activities including campus clean-ups, new voter registration drives and Earth Day events. Coordinators will share a photo or video documenting their efforts on the MobilizeU Facebook page.

Volunteer with Take Back the Tap
Take Back the Tap UCSC is looking for volunteers to end the sale of plastic water bottles on our campus. 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.

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.

Have news you want us to share? Email us!

Events & Opportunities: March 5 - March 11

For a complete list of news, opportunities and events, please read our newsletter.

Upcoming Events 

UCSC Natural History Club - Tuesday 4-5 PM 

Want to explore the natural beauty of our campus? Interested in learning about particular species and discovering the wonders of UCSC natural history? Join the Natural History Club on hikes through campus. Meeting locations and additional information can be found on the Facebook group or by contacting Darrow.

Friends of the Community Agroecology Network: Tuesday 6-8 PM

FoCAN is a student-initiated, student-led community at UCSC that supports CAN's mission of promoting rural livelihoods and sustainability 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 - Wednesday 5:30-8:30 PM

Student Environmental Center (SEC)'s General Gatherings take place every Wenesday in the College 8 Red Room. As always, free vegetarian dinner will be provided. For more information, visit their website or send them an email. 

   

Stevenson Garden Work Day - Thursday, March 8
Path to a Greener Stevenson (PTAGS) is expanding the Stevenson Garden and needs your help with building a new fence! Meet in the Stevenson Garden (by the Knoll)--time to be announced soon here. There will be food, music, good company, and good old manual labor! Please help them expand their garden and create a larger space for organic growth and community! For more information, please visit the Facebook group.

Path to a Greener Stevenson: Thursday 7 PM

Path to a Greener Stevenson (PTAGS) meets in the Stevenson House 2 lounge. They are currently working on reducing paper towel use in the dorms and are collaborating with the Zero Waste Team to buy reusable mugs for the Stevenson Coffee House.  For updates, visit the Facebook group or email Blake Redding. 

Guided Nature Walk with Campus Natural Reserves Steward: 
Friday, March 9
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. Please check out the flyer for details. For more information, please contact Alex Jones, the Campus Natural Steward.

Farm Fridays: Friday, March 9

 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 with Dining Services' Farm Fridays by hosting an informational table at Crown/Merrill dining hall on March 9. Go talk to them to find out more about local and organic food in your dining hall!

PICA Saturday Garden Play Day: March 10
PICA's last Garden Play Day this quarter, including a Cob Oven Bake-Off, will be on Saturday, March 10th, from 10AM - 2 PM in the PICA Gardens, in the Village. The event is free, no registration is required and will happen rain or shine (there will be an indoor rainy day activity for those who don't want to get wet). A free garden-grown lunch, including some cob oven baked goodies, will be provided! For questions or more info, please contact Mira Michelle.  

Amah Mutsun Relearning Garden Work & Learn Party: Sunday, March 11
Meet at the Arboretum's Horticulture buildings at 9:30 AM  Spend the morning working to re-establish plants of traditional importance to the Mutsun people and the afternoon learning to weave, or concoct traditional medicines from willow.  Please bring water, lunch, and work gloves if you have them.  Materials are limited so please RSVP to Rick.  Directions and more information here. 

Gardeners' Alliance Gatherings: March 11
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.

African American Theater Arts Troupe Collecting Old Cell Phones Until March 16

This month, the African American Theater Arts Troupe is performing Ruined by Lynn Nottage, directed by Don Williams. The play is set in the Congo (read more here), and to give back to communities affected by mining and war in the Congo, AATAT is recycling old cell phones and donating the money to refugee women in the Congo. Cell phones can be dropped off in the Cultural Arts & Diversity Office in Stevenson College anytime between 8 AM and 5 PM Monday-Friday until March 16 in the drop box inside the office. For more information please contact Don Williams.

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.

Internships, Employment & Volunteering

Sustainability Profile: Campus Sustainability Internship (CSI) Program
Each month, our newsletter features a person or group on campus that is working toward a more sustainable world.  The CSI Program application deadline is approaching (read more here), so in order to give readers a first hand account of the program, we interviewed CSI staff mentor Kathryn Cunningham and CSI student intern Christian Frederick about the work they are doing in the program to get a sense of what CSI is all about and why it is valuable to both student interns and staff mentors. Read the interview here.

Kathryn Cunningham is a Strategic Sourcing and Sustainable Procurement Manager in Procurement and Business Contracts (P&BC) and CSI staff mentor to CSI Intern and Environmental Studies Senior, Christian Frederick.

If you know of a person or group on campus that you think we should profile, or if you would like to be profiled, please send us an email.

Apply now to be the UCSC Sustainable Food Systems Admin Assistant - Deadline March 5

How much real food are our dining halls serving? What changes can be made to our food procurement to achieve our sustainability goals? As an intern, you will help us answer these questions! This internship will give you direct experience working with UCSC Dining and the Food Systems Working Group. Details can be found here. Deadline March 5.

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 theirwebsite.

Volunteer with Take Back the Tap
Take Back the Tap UCSC is looking for volunteers to end the sale of plastic water bottles on our campus. 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.
'



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.


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.   
  

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.

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? 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 (April 22), 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.

Donations and Funding Opportunities

Energy Department Clean Energy Workforce Training Grants - Deadline March 30
The U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program have announced up to $1.3 million for clean energy workforce training programs. Higher education institutions can apply to partner with MEP Centers to create building efficiency training programs that are tailored to building operators, building managers and energy service providers. Applications are due March 30, 2012. Click here for more information.

"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.

Classes & Trainings
ESLP Spring Courses

The Education for Sustainable Living Program (ESLP) is a collaborative & interdisciplinary effort to reshape the way we learn, effectively mentor students, and engage in projects that support the resiliency of the UC Santa Cruz Community. ESLP offers a five-unit (CLEI 161) and a two-unit (CLEI 61) course every Spring Quarter, which are open to everyone and can be found on the UCSC portal under College Eight courses. Visit the ESLP website for more information.

Webinar: College Recycling Processing Equipment & Vehicles - March 8
Hosted by the College and University Recycling Coalition (CURC), this webinar will identify ways to maximize efficiencies through processing equipment and vehicles. as well as a variety of other college recycling process topics. It will take place at 4 PM, online. Click here for more information and to register.

LEED Certification Training
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a rating system for sustainable buildings, such as the LEED Gold Certified Cowell Student Health Center on campus. Interested in becoming trained on LEED certification during a one-day class on campus? Please contact David Boyle for more information.   

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Have news you want to share with the campus community? Email us!