On-Campus Housing Survey informs UCSC’s Climate and Energy Strategy Study

In the spring quarter of 2015, undergraduate residents living in on-campus housing were requested to complete a survey to provide input on heating, cooling, and lighting in their residential housing units. Over the summer, Sustainability Office interns assigned to support the Climate and Energy Strategy (CES) study worked with one of the project’s consultants, Ecoshift, to compile a summary of the survey results. One hundred and eighteen students completed the survey, which represents only a small fraction (1.5 percent) of the total population of undergraduate residents living in on-campus housing. It is important to note that this summary is framed within the context of this small sample. The CES interns are working to increase participation in the survey by launching another round of surveys this fall.

The majority of heating and cooling issues are skewed towards Porter College and Stevenson College, with these residential housing units representing 57 percent of the survey responses. Generally and as expected, respondents agreed that their residences were too hot during the spring, fall, and summer quarters and too cold during the winter quarters. The following graph represents the general thermal comfort of the residences on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being extremely cold and 10 being extremely hot.

The graph displays the majority of survey respondent’s experience thermal comfort. Similarly, the survey found 88 percent of campus has adequate hot water in sinks around campus and showers.

Surprisingly, many students are either unaware that they can adjust the temperatures in their rooms with the thermostats provided in the residences or simply do not use them. CES interns hope to be able conduct outreach to new residents about how they can adjust their room temperatures. As for lighting, a majority of the students agreed that they found unoccupied spaces with lights left on more times than not. Many residents indicated that occupancy sensors did not work or they weren’t sure what occupancy sensors do. By adding occupancy sensors and educational outreach on how they work, wasted energy from leaving lights on in unoccupied spaces can be minimized.

The survey has given the CES interns and consulting team good insight into energy issues that residents face on-campus. This knowledge can enable planning of concrete steps to improve thermal and lighting issues in on-campus residential housing while ensuring that comfort is maximized with the least amount of energy consumed.

As mentioned above, there is another round of the survey happening this fall. Complete this survey for a chance to win the grand prize $100 gift certificate, or one of four $50 certificates to the Bay Tree Bookstore. Please spread the word to your on-campus friends about this opportunity. More survey participation means more invaluable information our campus has for solving energy issues, making students more comfortable, and reaching carbon neutrality! Look out for upcoming emails and flyers about the survey.

Marine Conservation Class Studies Water Conservation in Dorms

Students in Professor Don Croll's Marine Conservation class don't just learn about water conservation issues by reading studies--they design and implement their own studies. This fall, the focus of one team project in the course was Santa Cruz's local watershed and the relationship between students in the dorms and the water in our community. One student working on the project, Travis Trinh, shared with us what the project was about.

The purpose of the study was to support more sustainable use of freshwater on campus. He explains: "The reason we decided to focus on this subject was because Santa Cruz has been historically a very dry county. These past few years have had a marked decrease in average annual rainfall," he said. "This year alone has been one of the driest we've had in 5 years. Since the majority of our water comes from local watersheds, our water consumption is highly dependent on rainfall." The Campus Sustainability Plan for 2013-16 states that "Water delivered to the campus from the City of Santa Cruz comes entirely from local sources that are vulnerable to drought periods... UCSC uses about 6% of the total area water demand and serves as the largest single water customer in the city's water service area" (p. 20). According to a Santa Cruz Sentinel article from the end of 2013, Santa Cruz has a new low rainfall record of only around 5 inches of rainfall for the entire year--60 percent less than the previous record from 1929. No doubt we're in a serious drought.

Source: UCSC Campus Sustainability Plan 2013-16 (p. 20)

With very little rain, conserving water becomes even more important than most years. At UCSC, that means evaluating how to effectively reduce the amount of freshwater used in the residential dorms, which currently accounts for 49% of all UCSC main campus freshwater use (Campus Sustainability Plan 2013-16). To do so, the Marine Conversation class set up an experiment in the Crown and Stevenson dorms. Two buildings in each college had passive approaches, like flyers and posters, explaining how much water we consume each day and tips for reducing our water use. Two other buildings had a more active approach, shower timers that allowed students to time themselves in the shower voluntarily. Two other buildings had no passive or active treatments applied. Representatives from the project met with each college's residential advisers to explain the project and encourage them to talk to residents about it.

A poster in a Stevenson residential dorm from the Marine Conservation class project.

Travis explains: "Our hypothesis was that more direct approaches of sustainability (giving them shower timers) would influence a more positive behavioral change concerning freshwater sustainability. By measuring residential water consumption from month to month we discovered that there is evidence that when students are given tools to accomplish sustainable actions, there are more likely to do so. However, because we were working in such a short time frame (2 and a half weeks) we could not gather more substantial data."

Though the project was cut short by the length of the quarter system, Travis and other students in the class will be continuing the project in a more robust form in spring quarter 2014, partnering with other campus sustainability efforts. Drop Your Own Drip (DYOD) is another water conservation program on campus through the Student Environmental Center that uses mock water bills to demonstrate to students how much water they're using. Travis says he and his teammates are open to a partnership with DYOD if it makes sense logistically to combine efforts, and they are hoping to move ahead with planning this quarter.

Travis acknowledges that at UCSC, "water use has been reduced over the years to great effect, but that doesn't mean we should stop trying. Water is a valuable resource that is not infinite. This should be clear to everyone in California since Governor Brown just declared California to be in a state of drought emergency." We each have control over how much water we consume each day, and with projects like this and others on campus, we collectively have the power to encourage others to be more mindful of water use.

To learn more about the project, please email Travis at ttrinh2 [at] ucsc.edu

February 2014 Sustainability Profile: Darlene Khalafi

Each month, our newsletter features a person or group on campus that is working toward a more sustainable world. This month features Darlene Khalafi, the newest member of the Sustainability Office Staff and a UCSC alumna who was involved in sustainability work as an undergraduate.

Name & Job Title: Darlene Khalafi - Sustainability Office Manager/Events Coordinator

Academic Background: Graduated from UCSC with a major in Environmental Studies combined with Biology, class of 2011

Previous Student Organizations: Stevenson Reslife (Residential Advisor); Path to a Greener Stevenson & Stevenson Garden; Student Environmental Center intern for Gardener's Alliance Gatherings (GAG); Climate Organization, Outreach, & Leadership (COOL); Site Stewardship Intern; and Seymour Center Volunteer

Photo by Adam Ghahate

We asked Darlene what she thinks about sustainability and how it relates to her work at UCSC.

What does "sustainability" mean to you? Sustainability is an interesting word because it means so much and it's so big that it's actually kind of difficult to grasp. It's an evolving definition; but the way I utilize the word today is to live my life in a way that takes action with respect toward natural systems, the environment, and all living beings. As someone who promotes sustainability, I am an advocate for life, fairness, and the well-being of things.

Favorite Green Tip: Always look for new ways to be resourceful. Being "green" is all about adaptability and getting creative! I love to repurpose things, so looking on my desk right now, I've reused a bread bag to hold my lunch, put my pencils in an old spaghetti jar, and have a notebook made from single-printed sheets and a cereal box cover.

What are you up to when you aren't at the Sustainability Office? Volunteering at the UCSC-USGS Sea Otter Research Cooperative, gardening at the Live Oak Grange, promoting alternative transportation with Ecology Action, or selling bread at farmer's markets for Beckmann's Old World Bakery

How does sustainability relate to your role at UCSC? What is one cool thing you've done to make UCSC a more sustainable place?
Sustainability was a big part of my undergraduate education. I incorporated it into all aspects of my life. As an RA, I helped start an accredited sustainable living co-curricular residential life program in Stevenson. While leading Path to a Greener Stevenson, I was one of the initial groundbreakers of the Stevenson Community Garden. I also held an internship every quarter with places like the Student Environmental Center, Site Stewardship, and the Seymour Discovery Center. I graduated an Environmental Studies/Biology major in 2011.

As a newly added member to the Sustainability Office staff, my job is to empower students and UCSC affiliates to lead their own projects promoting sustainable practices on our campus to make UCSC a brighter, greener place. I also want to help make sustainability "cultural" by doing my part to create a positive mindset founded in environmental awareness and the interconnectedness of all things.

This year, UCSC's Chancellor Blumenthal has implemented the Chancellor’s Sustainability Challenge to push the campus to reduce our waste, helping us in the long run to reach our Zero Waste by 2020 Goal. How do you practice sustainability and reduce waste in your own life? 
I try to throw away as little as possible. We compost and recycle at my house, so now we're at this point where we are trying to reduce what's ending up in our garbage bin. It's sad when I have to throw something away because there really is no other option for it. To solve this, I have to be more conscious of the types of packaging products come in and make sure that the products themselves are made to last and are repairable rather than made to be replaced.

Have you had a favorite sustainability moment at UCSC?
This year, my favorite 'sustainability moment' happened at the Inter-Organizational Retreat. Realizing how many people on campus are working everyday toward the same goals and aspirations, is definitely empowering. There are literally hundreds of us. I connected to a strong sense of community while watching everyone interact so closely with all these people they've never even met before. It's truly inspiring.

Contact: Find me at the Sustainability Office in Kerr 118, call me at 831-459-2182, or email dkhalafi [at] ucsc [dot] edu.

December 2013: Classes, Training, and Community

CAN Announces the XV International Agroecology Shortcourse Nicaragua
The Community Agroecology Network (CAN) and the Social Development Organization of Nicaragua (ASDENIC), along with an interdisciplinary coordinating committee, announce the XV International Agroecology Shortcourse which will be held in the Parque de las Ciencias Estelimar, located near the city of Estelí in the north of Nicaragua from July 6-18, 2014. The main topic of the course is Agroecology and Social Transformation: transdisciplinarity, health, and human development. Applications are due April 15th, 2014. See the announcement and event poster for full information.

Demeter Seed Library
At Demeter Seed Library, it is the time of year to plant peas, fava beans, artichokes, radishes, garlic and lettuce! They will be hosting office hours at Oakes 307 on Wednesdays from 2pm-3pm so you can come by to pick up seeds, and talk to them about backyard gardening and sustainable agriculture. They would love to assist any of you in starting a garden so that you can have access to fresh produce and your own seeds! So go connect with them!

Maui Wowie: Alternative Spring Break to Hawaii
Step into spring break to engage and explore the island food system of Maui from production, research, and education to alternative market sites. Bridging service learning on island agriculture-education sites with hands-on tours of coffee farms and native gardens, participants will be immersed in a land rich with historical struggles and ripe with culture and community efforts to foster sustainability. Learn more here.

Common Ground Center Courses: Winter 2014
This Winter, Common Ground Center is pleased to offer four courses through Kresge College. Permaculture and Whole Systems Design (Kresge 161) is a new course that focuses on concepts, principles, and practices of permaculture and whole systems design. Transformative Action (Kresge 62) is a course on personal and societal transformation. Starting with the self, students examine past experiences, personal growth, passions, and the desire to make a difference in the world and participate in a civic engagement project for four hours per week. Tools for World Changers (Kresge 64) is a 2-unit course for developing life skills that benefit you in college and beyond through studying the most commonly used and effective methods for personal productivity, project management, interpersonal communication, event hosting, and regenerative community design. 2 and 5 unit internships are also available. A fourth course offering is a 2-unit internship with People Power of Santa Cruz County paired with a weekly class focused on transportation and its relationship to social justice, sustainability, and community. Email commonground [at] ucsc [dot] edu for more information, or check out their newsletter. 

Waste Awareness
Where does your dining hall weigh in this quarter? Check out the results from recent Waste Awareness events conducted by Dining, Sustainability Office's Zero Waste Team, and volunteers from the Student Environmental Center.

• College 8/Oakes: 2.1oz per person
• Cowell/Stevenson: 2.0oz per person
• Crown/Merrill: 1.6oz per person

Thank you students we are getting better at wasting less food! One plate at a time! Look out for the final two Waste Awareness Events of the quarter at Colleges 9 &10 and Porter/Kresge! If you'd like to get involved with food waste efforts and become a Waste Warrior on campus email Crystal Owings, Dining's Sustainability Intern, at cowings [at] ucsc [dot] edu.

Winter People Power Bike Ride through OPERS
If you like riding bikes for fun or for commute, want to find new routes, and enjoy making friends while riding along, be on the lookout for a bike ride opportunity through the Recreation guide this winter! The winter Rec guide will be posted here December 15 and registration begins on January 9 at 9 AM.

Seymour Center Behind-the-Scenes Tours
Learn more about exciting marine research behind the scenes and experience the spectacular surroundings of the Seymour Center at one of the tours offered each week, including Marine Mammal Research Tours, Younger Lagoon Reserve Tours, and Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf Tours. For details, please visit the website.

TAPS seeks to connect with Electric Vehicle (EV) drivers
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 Teresa at tabuika [at] ucsc [dot] edu to be added to the list of current electric vehicle users. Learn more about UCSC's current EV accomodations on the TAPS website.

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.

Move-in 2012: Stevenson College

Welcome, freshmen! By now, you should start to be feeling settled and comfortable with your new living situation and are beginning to settle into classes. You probably unpacked all of the things you brought, and maybe you realized that you brought too much. Either way, you're happy to be in your new forest home, and you're starting to get used to the deer.

One thing you likely packed--and if you're a Stevenson College student you definitely have--is a hand towel to use in the restroom. They're small, square, and often found in bathrooms in homes in the "real world," so why wouldn't you use one in your bathroom at school? Probably because there are paper towel dispensers in every restroom, right? Not if you're a Stevenson College student!

Stevenson college freshmen on move-in day with their new reusable hand towels.

How do they survive without paper towels, you ask? Well, like we just mentioned, most homes do not stock their restrooms with paper towels. That costs a lot of money and it's also incredibly wasteful. At UC Santa Cruz, for example, paper towel waste makes up 1/3 of the total campus waste that goes to landfill by volume!

Fortunately, this issue is easily remedied and doesn't require that much of a lifestyle change: Most people use hand towels to dry their hands in the restroom at home anyway, and Stevenson College thinks this makes sense, too. Every Stevenson College student living in the dorms and apartments this year received a Stevenson College hand towel, made by PeopleTowels. We went to the Stevenson College move-in on September 20 to photograph students with their new hand towels and observe cardboard recycling efforts. See the Facebook album here, and if you see people you know, tag them!

Stevenson Sustainability House RAs Chris and Cameron goofing around in the cardboard corral with apartment RA Ale.

Cardboard Cowboy Ale with some Stevenson freshmen outside the Sustainability House.

Thumbs up to recycling, says Cameron, Stevenson Sustainability House RA.

Internship Coordinator Shauna Casey and Sustainability House RA Cameron toss cardboard recycling into the recycling truck. Last year, UCSC staff and students started off the school year by recycling a whopping 38,840 pounds of cardboard (read more here).

RA Ale getting stoked about recycling cardboard.

A Stevenson College freshman with his cardboard recycling after moving into his new dorm.

Freshmen in the Stevenson Sustainability House carry their cardboard recycling out to the cardboard corral.

Stevenson College freshmen with their new hand towels.

Apartment RA Jisu with the cardboard recycling corral in lower quad.

Stevenson College freshmen with their hand towels on move-in day.

More on the hand towel project
So here's the back story: Last year, some students at Stevenson College in Path to a Greener Stevenson began working with students on the Sustainability Office's Zero Waste Team to create a pilot project to remove paper towels from the dorms. Our office profiled one of the students behind the project, Aidan Ward, in our May 2012 newsletter, which you can read here. Now, none of the Stevenson dorms have paper towels (except a small stash by the water fountains for emergency spills), and students are expected to use their hand towels. In the coming weeks, we will be interviewing students about how it's going. If this year's pilot project goes well, the eventual goal is to make all of the dorms at UC Santa Cruz paper towel-free!

Need another reason besides the waste issue to make you convinced that hand towels are the way to go? Do you enjoy learning about other cultures and practicing customs from other places? You should totally check out this article about how people in Japan don't use disposable paper products like napkins and towels. They use towels just like the ones Stevenson students received. PeopleTowels was actually created after its founder was inspired by this Japanese custom. You can learn more about it by watching this video:

How was your move-in experience this year? How have you been trying to live a little greener in your dorm, apartment, or house this year?

Green Tip #6: Reusable Mugs

Most of us have them lying around, stashed in a drawer, or stuffed in a box. It's time to get those suckers out and begin filling them with delicious coffee and teas. Yes, I'm talking about reusable mugs, a great way to reduce waste, particularly if you're a caffeine addict who visits Perk Bars and other on-campus cafes a little too often. What college student doesn't drink coffee for at least a quarter of their time here? And staff, we know you drink coffee, too.

The biggest obstacle to using reusable mugs, of course, is forgetting to bring them with you. Get into the habit of returning them to your purse or backpack after they're empty, wash them when you get home if you feel the need, and return them to your purse or backpack immediately. Some people don't like how coffee tastes coming out of a reusable mug, and to that I suggest you try getting a ceramic reusable mug or using a glass mason jar for your drinks. These don't have the metallic or plasticy taste that some other mugs have. Whichever kind you use, never leave the house without it, and you'll be set the next time you're in line in the Stevenson Coffee House.

Oh, what's that? The Stevenson Coffee House now has reusable mugs for folks who plan on sitting for awhile? That's right--if you go into the Stevenson Coffee House and plan on sitting there to enjoy your coffee or tea, you can ask for a "for here" glass mug and you will not have to waste a cup even if you forgot your own mug! Genius! Let's give a round of applause to the Stevenson Coffee House, Path to a Greener Stevenson, and the Zero Waste Team in the Sustainability Office.

Some PTAGS students tabling at the Stevenson Resource Fair. Monica, on the far left, is holding up one of the Stevenson Coffee House reusable mugs.

Obviously this tip follows the same logic as the reusable water bottle logic--you just have to remember to bring it with you wherever you go, and pay attention when you see water spigots around campus or in food places on campus. If you're outside a dining hall, but don't have a meal plan, you could ask a friendly looking student to fill it up for you while you wait. I was once asked to fill up someone's water bottle after I swiped my card, and I was more than happy to help the girl reduce her plastic waste by encouraging her reusable water bottle habit.

If you often have trouble remembering to bring your mug, was this tip helpful? If you are a pro at remembering your mug, what do you do to remember it? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

September 2012: Clubs, Gardens, & Hikes

Food Systems Learning Journeys for Fall Quarter

Food Systems Working Group (FSWG) will be coordinating and leading six exciting learning journeys this coming fall through our partnership with OPERS and the Recreation Office.  To find out more about our learning journeys and sign-up, go to the Recreation website for more info.

Volunteer in the Arboretum Eucalyptus Grove - Mondays 9 AM
Help out the Arboretum at UC Santa Cruz as a volunteer in the Eucalyptus Grove. The group meets on Mondays from 9 AM until noon in the Eucalyptus Grove, opposite Western Drive. Parking is available in the Grove for these Monday morning work parties. Please bring hat, gloves, water, and layers of clothing. Tools will be provided. Find out more here.

Arboretum Garden Tours - 1st Saturdays 11 AM
Join a docent-led tour on the first Saturday of the month. The tour is free with your Arboretum admission. Tours start at 11 AM in front of Norrie's Gift Shop. Find out more about what's going on at the Arboretum by clicking here.

Arboretum Community Day - 1st Tuesdays
The first Tuesday of every month, visit the Arboretum for free! Typically, admission to the Arboretum is $5.00 ($2.00 for children, free to Arboretum Associates, UCSC students with valid ID, and volunteers). Find out more about what's going on at the Arboretum by clicking here.

Natives First Gardeners at the Arboretum - Tuesdays 9 AM
This weeding group was formed to help with the Entrance Native Garden at the Arboretum on Tuesday mornings at 9 AM. Enjoy a friendly group, and get involved in beautifying this ongoing project while enjoying the beauty of the California Native collection. Bring gloves, water, and sun protection. For more information, click here.

Kiwi Gardeners at Arboretum - Tuesdays 9:30 AM
Join this weeding and pruning group that meets every Tuesday morning 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM. Get involved enhancing the beauty of the New Zealand garden. Bring gloves and smiles. We provide the Kiwi vibe. Hope to see you mate, cheers!

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. Join FoCAN for their end-of-the-year celebration on Tuesday, June 5, to have a potluck and celebrate FoCAN and the community they have fostered throughout the quarter. The celebration will take place at the Sustainable Living Center in the Village, building A. Find out more about FoCAN here.

Natural History Club - Meeting times TBD
The Natural History Club is all about 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. Meeting times will be determined once the Fall quarter starts.

Downtown Santa Cruz Farmers' Market - Wednesdays

Eating locally grown food reduces your carbon footprint and supports the local economy. Purchasing your food through the area’s farmers’ markets ensures that you are getting the freshest, healthiest and tastiest foods while supporting local jobs, increasing local spending and promoting the region’s strong farming tradition. Check out the Downtown Santa Cruz Farmers' Market, and learn more, including hours and locations, here. Check out this article about 8 Foods You Should Always Buy at the Farmers' Market.

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.

Aussie Weeders at Arboretum - Thursdays 9 AM
This rousing group gathers 9 AM on Thursday mornings. The Australian Collections beam from their attention, and the garden visitors enjoy laughter and joy that is the Aussie Weeders.

Path to a Greener Stevenson - Meeting time TBD

PTAGS at Earth Summit 2012

Path to a Greener Stevenson (PTAGS) meets in the Stevenson House 2 lounge. PTAGS is an environmentally conscious group of staff and students whose aim is to implement change towards sustainability through projects within our community. They see the Stevenson community as an environment to encourage students to turn their innovative thoughts into action. For more information, 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. To see a list of on-campus gardens and find out more, visit the Gardeners' Alliance website here.

Stevenson Garden Work Days - TBD

Stevenson Garden, photographed in summer 2012

If you would like to volunteer and get involved with the Stevenson Garden, they will be having work days during Fall quarter (dates TBD)! To learn more about the Garden, check out the website, Facebook page, or email Blake Redding.

Kresge Garden Work Days - Sundays 10 AM - 2 PM 

Amaranth, photographed at the Kresge Garden in Fall 2010

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.

Seymour Center Offers Guided Tours on the Santa Cruz Wharf - Saturday & Sunday, 1 PM & 3 PM

In collaboration with the City of Santa Cruz, UCSC's Seymour Marine Discovery Center is now leading free 30-minute public tours on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf every Saturday and Sunday at 1 and 3 p.m. The Seymour Center's marine science interpreters are also available between tours to answer questions about the variety of wildlife visible at the wharf. Find out more 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.

May 2012 Sustainability Profile: The Paper Towel Debate

Did you know that paper towel waste makes up 40% of the trash that UC Santa Cruz produces--by weight? Even if you didn’t know that, anyone who’s ever used a restroom stocked with paper towels knows how quickly those trash cans fill up with half-dry paper towels, which are often barely used to their maximum absorbency before another paper towel is pulled from the dispenser. We hardly think about it in our day-to-day lives, especially since many people use cloth hand towels at home. In the dorms at UCSC, however, paper towels are in every bathroom, and they are a huge contributor to campus waste.

Five years ago as a freshman in Stevenson College, Aidan Ward noticed the wastefulness of the dorm paper towel dispensers. Since then, he’s been working on getting the disposable towels removed and encouraging fellow students to bring their own cloth hand towels to the restroom. After years of various tactics, and now with the support of Path to A Greener Stevenson (PTAGS) and the Sustainability Office’s Zero Waste Team, paper towels have been removed from dorm restrooms in Stevenson’s Sustainability House (Casa Segunda) in the first phase of a pilot program aimed at removing all paper towels from residential dormitory restrooms on campus.

Sound like a shocking proposal? In fact, the paper towel debate is a hot topic among UC housing managers from across the state. On April 17, during the UC Housing System Facilities Summit at the University Center on the UCSC campus, a system-wide meeting of housing managers focused on sustainability initiatives. When Chris Attias, UCSC Director of Housing Services & Facilities, began discussing waste reduction and paper towels during his presentation on UCSC housing and sustainability topics, hands went up around the room with details about various UC campuses’ experiences with the paper towel waste issue.

Sanitation Concerns
The first question that arises in discussions about paper towels is why they’re there in the first place, and the answer is sanitation. A number of years ago, paper towels were installed in the UCSC dorm bathrooms to decrease the likelihood of people getting sick. Paper towels can help with sanitation because they get the germs off of your hands completely after washing, and both the paper towel and your germs end up in the trash. There’s also, of course, a convenience factor, but the main concern regarding their removal in the dorms for is sanitation.

A paper towel dispenser in a Stevenson Casa Cuarta restroom. You can see how full the trash bin next to it is with used paper towels. "These Come From Trees" signs are posted on many of the paper towel dispensers in dorm restrooms, but paper towel waste remains a huge contributor to overall campus waste.

Sanitation concerns are certainly not an unknown obstacle to Ward’s campaign to remove the paper towels. As a freshman, and again last year, Ward purchased used hand towels at thrift stores and hung them in bathrooms throughout the Stevenson dorms in hopes that students would use them instead of paper. He asked other RAs in Stevenson to tell their residents to wash the hand towel whenever they did laundry so that it would be washed regularly. Unfortunately, there was no way of knowing when the towel had last been washed, and there was a concern among students and staff that the towels weren’t being cleaned or were being contaminated with germs. So the towels were removed.

Why Not Compost?
One of the next questions that comes up regarding paper towel waste is, Why not compost them? As we just learned, paper towel waste is 40% of the waste stream by weight, which seems enormous since paper towels weigh so little. “It adds up,” remarked Silas Snyder, Safety, Training and Conservation Coordinator for UCSC Housing and Dining, after sharing this statistic during the UC housing managers meeting. The paper towels are compostable, but because of the large amount of them being thrown away, they will not break down. For compost to work, there has to be enough carbon-rich, wet material to break down the drier materials. On a small scale, this is possible to achieve, but there are just too many paper towels in the waste stream for this to work in the dorms.

Hand Dryers
What about hand dryers? This is one solution that Ward discussed with PTAGS, but the cost, noise, and energy-use were concerns that just didn’t make sense when paper towels could just be removed instead. At other campuses, hand dryers were actually piloted in one dorm bathroom, but because they’re noisy and so close to students’ living quarters, students in the pilot dorm were reluctant to use the dryer and requested that the paper towels be put back. A Sustainability Director at UC Davis actually researched the data on electric dryers versus paper towels, and found that if the paper towels were composted, they would have a smaller net carbon footprint. Additionally, dryers require maintenance, which adds to their overall cost.

Simplest Solution
The simplest solution seems to be to remove the paper towels. One of the UC housing managers mentioned that they simply do not have paper towels in their dorm bathrooms. Another housing manager from UC Davis said that they have lockers and cubbies in their restrooms, like the cubbies in UCSC dorms. Students can leave their personal toiletries and hand towels in these cubbies so they don’t have to remember to bring them with them. Even if students don’t have their cloth hand towel with them, as long as they wash their hands well, letting them air dry is another great solution. 

The Pilot Program
With the help of PTAGS, Ward submitted an official proposal for a pilot program, which was well-received by Sue Matthews, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Colleges, Housing and Educational Services, who expressed her concerns but has approved the initial phase to gather results on waste reduction and student and staff response. Changes such as this can cause pushback from custodial staff who stock and clean the dorm restrooms, but fortunately, Ward has been in communication with the Sustainability House custodian regarding the change and the steps required to measure the paper towel waste. So far the process has not generated any negative responses.

Two weeks ago, signs went up in the Sustainability House restrooms that read: 

A sign in one of the Sustainability House restrooms where paper towels have been removed as part of a pilot program to reduce paper towel waste and encourage students to think and behave more sustainably.

Paper towels are no longer being stocked in the Casa Segunda restroom dispensers, but a small stack is there in case of emergencies. PTAGS purchased a few hand towels for students who didn’t already have one, but other than that, students are expected to bring their own hand towel to the restroom or do without. Later in the quarter, PTAGS will conduct a survey for students to see how they feel about the change. Zero Waste Team member David Boyle has been active in working with PTAGS to obtain data from the waste generated from the Stevenson dorms, and he will continue to work on this project for the rest of the quarter. If all goes well with the pilot program, PTAGS plans to expand the project to all of the Stevenson dorms and, eventually, to the entire campus.

Hopefully the pilot program will be a success in Casa Seguna. It's fitting that the program begin in this house, since it's Stevenson's Sustainability house, "a house where events and community involvement tends toward creating a more sustainable college,” Ward remarked. He lives in this house as an RA, so he will be able to experience the paper towel removal project first-hand. “It’s all about encouraging students to adopt sustainable behaviors. Hopefully they’ll stick.”

Aidan Ward standing with a new sign in a Sustainability House dorm restroom. Only one stack of paper towels are being set out each week by custodial staff to encourage students to bring their own hand towels. The paper towels are there for emergency spills.

With the paper towel removal project and its future expansion possibilities to all of UCSC, sustainable behaviors such as using cloth hand towels in place of paper towels in the restroom will become a day-to-day reality for students in the dorms--and hopefully these sustainable behaviors will follow these students throughout their lives.

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Aidan Ward will be graduating this year with a bachelor’s degree in health science. His plans after UCSC include “playing music as much as possible” and attending medical school. We wish him the best of luck in his future, and we thank him for the great foundational work he’s done in making Stevenson, and UCSC, a more sustainable community.

This Sustainability Profile was written by Melissa Ott, Internship Coordinator Assistant and Newsletter Editor for the Campus Sustainability Office. 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 email Melissa.

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.