February 2017: Contests and Funding

Donald A. Strauss Scholarship: Deadline February 2
The Donald A. Strauss Scholarship Foundation allows students to pursue a public service project during their junior or senior year. The scholarship provides $10,000 for expenses of the public service project and for some tuition, fees, books, room and board. More information can be found on the Strauss Foundation website. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM on Thursday, February 2, 2017 to the second floor reception desk at Kerr Hall, attn: Strauss Campus Representative. If you have questions and for assistance with the application process, please email ugrdhnrs@ucsc.edu.

2017 CHESC Call for Presentations: Deadline February 10

CHESC (California Higher Education Sustainability Conference) is seeking speakers who have crossed silos within their institutions to create sustainable change, infused concepts of sustainability into curriculum, and/or pursued research questions related to sustainability. To see more information, check out their website here. If you are interested in applying, please visit the Proposal Collection System website.

Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund: Deadline February 10
The Davis-Putter Scholarship fund is pleased to announce that the online application is available for student activists who are organizing for social change and building progressive movements on campus and community. They are in a critical time of resistance with growing numbers on the frontlines of social change in movements for economic and racial justice, prison abolition, immigration struggles, indigenous rights, reproductive justice, climate justice, and LGBTQ rights. Find more information about the fund by visiting the Davis-Putter website.

2017 AASHE Conference & Expo Call: Deadline February 13

Join AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) as they focus on how the campus sustainability community can break down walls, build bridges and continue to make progress toward a healthy and equitable future for all with their conference theme, "Stronger in Solidarity". The call for proposals and reviewers closes on Monday, February 13, 2017. Submit your proposal on the AASHE website today!

RFP - A Research Roadmap for Transportation and Public Health, National Cooperative Research Program: Deadline February 28

The TRB (Transportation Research Board) is offering a fund up to $250,000 to researchers hoping to innovate the future of transportation. Research is needed to provide transportation agencies with the information and tools necessary for integrating public health considerations into transportation agency decision making and performance measurement at the policy, program, project, and operations levels. Visit the Research Roadmap application website.

2017 Fuller Challenge: Deadline March 31

Launched in 2007, the Fuller Challenge has defined an emerging field of practice: the whole systems approach on understanding and intervening in complex and interrelated crises for wide-scale social and environmental impact. The Buckminster Fuller Institute is now accepting applications for the Fuller Challenge - a $100,000 award for socially-responsible design. Visit the Fuller Challenge application site.

Danny Kennedy's California Clean Energy Fund: Deadline April 1 

Initiative (CalSEED) is a funding and professional development program for innovators and entrepreneurs working to bring early-stage clean energy concepts to market. CalSEED is a funding initiative of the California Energy Commission. CalSEED has begun taking applications for the $24MM California Sustainable Energy Entrepreneur Development (CalSEED) program. Visit the CalSEED website to apply.

December 2016: Contests and Funding

“I am a UC Entrepreneur” Campaign: Deadline December 31
UC students, faculty, staff, postdocs, and alumni are invited to submit a 30-second video sharing what makes them an entrepreneur to: bit.ly/2h3qotL . Everyone who submits a video will receive a "UC Entrepreneur" T-shirt. In addition, one eligible student from each campus will be selected at random to attend a special lunch with UC President Janet Napolitano. Learn more here.

Submit to Chinquapin's 39th Publication: Deadline January 31
Chinquapin is UCSC's longest-running student-run literary magazine, annually publishing student submissions of poetry, fiction, prose, photography and visual art. We offer students a space to learn about editing, graphic design and publishing. Email the Chinquapin team for more information at chinquapin@gmail.com or visit their website for application instructions.

Campus Sustainability Council Winter Funding: Deadline February 17
The Campus Sustainability Council (CSC) at UCSC is soliciting proposals for Winter 2017 sustainable project grants. Applications are due on Friday, February 17, 2017 before 4 PM, and all applicants must attend mandatory training workshops outlined here. For more information, feel free to contact Campus Sustainability Council by email or visit the website: csc.enviroslug.org.

Beardsley-Kuper Field Camp Scholarship Fund: Deadline February 1
Grants from the AEG Foundation Beardsley-Kuper Geology Field Camp Scholarship Fund are intended to support geology field camp costs with applied environmental and engineering geology that will be useful to the student's future profession as an engineering or environmental geologist. Learn more and apply online here.

November 2016: Contests and Funding

Carbon Fund: Deadline November 7
The UCSC Carbon Fund is currently accepting applications for the 2016-17 funding cycle until 11:59 PM on Monday, November 7. This student fee granting body funds student, staff, faculty, and community projects that reduce our carbon footprint, conduct relevant research, or carry out educational programs. Learn more and apply on the website.

Giving Day: Early deadline November 3
Do you have a project that needs funding? On March 8, 2017, the campus will play its second annual Giving Day game. Giving Day is a 24-hour online fundraising drive to support UC Santa Cruz students, faculty, and campus programs. In 2016 UCSC held our first Giving Day and it was a huge success. We raised $339,276 in just 24 hours, benefitting 60 UC Santa Cruz programs. The sooner you sign up, the greater your chances to connect with a donor who might be willing to support your project with matching funds. You’ll also have a chance to win $100 in our early-entry raffle. The deadline for the raffle is November 3rd. Sign up today to play the Giving Day game and get your project funded.

SeedMoney: Deadline November 12
SeedMoney is a Maine-based 501c3 nonprofit that is helping public food gardens around the country to start and thrive by offering them grants, access to crowdfunding and technical assistance with garden planning. Their mission is to help more people, especially disadvantaged populations, to grow and access more of their own healthy food. They do this through crowdgranting, a new way for nonprofit causes to access funds for their work. It combines crowdfunding with challenge grants. In the case of SeedMoney, participating projects use the possibility of securing a challenge grant of $400 from them to motivate local donors in their area to contribute to their project. Find out more on their website and apply by November 12.

Big Ideas: Deadline November 16
Big Ideas, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious social impact contests, is accepting pre-proposals for this year’s competition. Big Ideas provides up to $300,000 directly to students each year for their groundbreaking initiatives. Armed with the training and seed funding provided by Big Ideas, student teams have gone on to secure over $150 million in additional funding for their for-profit, nonprofit, or hybrid ventures. Learn more here.

October 2015: Contests & Funding

Carbon Fund Info Session: October 22
The UCSC Carbon Fund is a granting body that funds student, staff, and community sustainability projects. If you have a project geared towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions on campus or in the community, consider applying for a Carbon Fund grant! There will be an info session to learn more on October 22 from 6-7:30pm. The meeting location has not been finalized, so please check the Carbon Fund website here or email carbonfund [at] ucsc [dot] edu for updates.

Cool Campus Challenge: October 6 - December 10
The first ever Cool Campus Challenge aims to engage UC campuses with our carbon neutrality initiative through a bit of friendly competition. Join the challenge, pledge to reduce your carbon footprint, and help us prove that UCSC is the coolest campus! Sign up here.

H&M Conscious Foundation Global Change Award: Deadline October 31
Students and faculty are invited to submit ideas that share the future of how fashion is designed and produced, shipped, bought, used and recycled with a focus on protecting the planet. The Global Change Award, by H&M Conscious Foundation, seeks to create fashion for a growing population while reducing its impact on the environment. The aim of the challenge is to close the loop in the fashion industry. Five winners will share a grant of $1 million euros ($1.1 million), get access to a tailor-made innovation accelerator, and fashion industry access. Deadline to submit is October 31.

Carbon Neutrality Ideas Contest Open To All UC students

President Napolitano’s Carbon Neutrality Initiative agreed to fund the extension to all UC campuses of a student ideas contest started at Berkeley. Student teams from any UC campus can now compete for cash prizes and mentoring and other support for ideas related to carbon neutrality at the campus, national, or international scale.
Got a big idea? Save the world and win prizes. For more information about rules, categories, resources, funding and contact information, visit the Big Ideas website at http://bigideas.berkeley.edu/energy/

May 2015: Contests & Funding

CSC Request for Proposals Deadline May 8
The Campus Sustainability Council (CSC) would like to fund your student organization’s sustainability projects or events in the upcoming year. Proposals adhering to the criteria for student organizations and relevance to the Blueprint for a Sustainable Campus are eligible for funding. Here is the Request for Proposal (RFP), which outlines all requirements and mandatory steps to apply for funding from CSC. Please fill out the CSC Proposal Form to RSVP for the mandatory grant trainings.

UCSC Residential Housing Survey on Energy Deadline May 27
PowerSave is supporting the overall campus Climate and Energy Strategy project by collecting data related to energy use in residential housing units. Please take the short 3 minute survey here and be sure to enter your UCSC email address to be entered into a raffle for one $100 and 4 $50 bookstore gift certificates! The information collected in this survey will used to help prioritize investment in energy conservation projects and programs. Deadline to participate in May 27 at midnight.

Sustainability Film & Art Contest Deadline July 13
Calling all filmmakers and artists! Are you interested in having your short film or artwork displayed at a film festival series this fall? The Sustainability Office invites you to create a sustainability-related short film or poster. The winner(s) of the competition will have their films and posters shown at the Sustainability Film Festival to celebrate the campus’s 50th Anniversary! Learn more here.

Second Nature Climate Leadership Awards Deadline May 8
Second Nature invites applications for the 6th Annual Climate Leadership Awards (CLA) which recognizes innovative and advanced leadership in sustainability, climate mitigation, and resilience at signatory campuses of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Committee. Nominations are now being accepted. Nominees will be considered based on their commitment to climate neutrality, sustainability education, and innovative leadership. Applications are due May 8, 2015 For questions please contact gboscio[at]secondnature[dot]org.

Future Organic Farmer Grant Fund Deadline May 15
The Future Organic Farmer Grant Fund vocational and higher education grants are available for students enrolled in educational programs that will benefit their future careers in organic production or in becoming an organic professional. Applications are due by May 15th.

Brower Youth Awards Deadline May 18
The Earth Island Institute established The Brower Youth Award for Environmental Leadership to recognize the outstanding leadership efforts of young people who are working for the protection the planet. If you have created, organized or implemented a project or campaign that applies solutions and approaches to relevant environmental challenges, apply before May 18th. To be eligible to apply, you must be 13 to 22 years old.

Energy Dept. $2.5M for Collegiate Clean Energy Tech: Deadline June 7
The newly announced $2.5 million in funding for the Cleantech University Prize (Cleantech UP) aims to support the commercialization of promising technologies for sectors such as solar and wind that reduce carbon pollution and grow the clean energy economy. The Cleantech UP Collegiate Competitions will provide prizes for eight individual university-focused competitions that will equip students with business skills to move clean energy technologies from the discovery phase to the marketplace.

AASHE Sustainability Awards Deadline June 11
Applications for the Tenth Annual AASHE Sustainability Awards are now being accepted for outstanding ideas and initiatives that are furthering the higher education sustainability transformation. Award winners will receive one complimentary AASHE 2015 Conference & Expo pass, one invitation to a special reception during the 2015 conference, an opportunity to present submissions at the 2015 conference, and featured in Sustainability: The Journal of Record. Deadline to apply is June 11, 2015.

Tools of Change Landmark Designation: Deadline June 12
Tools of Change is now soliciting nominations for its 2015 Landmark behavior change case studies in two topic areas - (1) home / building energy conservation and (2) sustainable transportation. If you know of anyone working on a particularly effective, innovative or impactful approach for changing energy or transportation behaviors, please consider nominating them - or yourself. All nominations must include measured impact results. The Nominations Form must be submitted by June 12, 2015. Designations will be announced by October 2015, and case study webinars will be presented between February and May 2016.

Biomimicry Global Design Challenge: Deadline August 3
The Biomimicry Institute and the Ray C. Anderson Foundation announced the opening of the Biomimicry Global Design Challenge. Students are invited to submit commercially viable, nature-inspired solutions to global food system challenges. All participants get access to the Design Challenge Toolbox and supporting resources, including sessions with mentors and biomimicry professionals. The grand prize, to be awarded in 2016, is $100,000. The deadline for submissions is August 3rd.

50th Anniversary Sustainability Film Festival Contest

Calling all filmmakers and artists! Are you interested in having your short film or artwork displayed at a film festival series this fall? The Sustainability Office invites you to create a sustainability-related short film or poster. The winner(s) of the competition will have their films and posters shown at the Sustainability Film Festival to celebrate the campus’s 50th Anniversary!

If you are interested, listed below are the submission requirements.

Film criteria: 

• The film must be accessible through the web (Vimeo or YouTube, for example)
• The film must incorporate at least one of the following sustainability topics: Environmental awareness, education, and engagement; Sustainable design; Energy and climate; Just & ecologically sustainable food systems; Land, habitat and watershed; Sustainable procurement; Sustainable transportation; Waste reduction; Waste conservation, access and quality; Environmental justice
• The film must be no longer than 10* minutes. 

Note: If you have already created a film that is longer than 10 minutes and would like to submit it, please contact Melissa Ott at mott@ucsc.edu to discuss possible exceptions and/or how you might shorten the film.

Poster criteria: 

• The poster must be at least 8.5 x 11" and no larger than 11 x 17"
• The poster must feature the concept "Water" but may also include other sustainability topics, such as Environmental awareness, education, and engagement; Sustainable design; Energy and climate; Just & ecologically sustainable food systems; Land, habitat and watershed; Sustainable procurement; Sustainable transportation; Waste reduction; Waste conservation, access and quality; Environmental justice

Early Bird deadline: June 1st, 2015
Final deadline: July 13th, 2015

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In celebration of our campus, we want to highlight our achievements and culture we have created toward sustainability these past 50 years.  Art and film are beautiful mediums to showcase UCSC's anniversary through and we want as many students, campus organizations and community members to be involved.  If you are an organization or community member interested in hosting a film, please contact Melissa Ott at mott [at] ucsc [dot] edu.

May 2014: Contests and Funding

Apply for the Community Service Project Grant

The Community Service Project (CSP) grant allocates money to students interested in implementing a student initiated, off-campus project that addresses a relevant community need after an appli
cation process. Students can be awarded up to $1,000.

Join Campus Sustainability Council
The role of the Campus Sustainability Council (CSC) is to provide funding to registered UCSC student organizations for programs and events that create, implement, and monitor environmentally sound practices on campus as established through the protocol outlined in the Blueprint for a Sustainable Campus. These organizations additionally facilitate greater collaboration between students, the administration, staff, faculty, and the community. If you are interested in joining the CSC, fill out this form or contact them directly at csc [at] ucsc [dot] edu

UCSC’s Cold Water Wash Campaign Pilot

By: Kristiahn Alvarado

To reach the PowerSave Campus goal of 600 therms of natural gas saved, UCSC PowerSave thought of a fun and creative project to save the necessary amount of natural gas! We came up with a Cold Water Wash competition in which residents of College Eight were asked to switch their laundry wash to cold water for a chance to individually win $5.00 gift cards and a chance to win a doughnut party for their entire quad by reducing their quad’s natural gas usage the most. Meetings were held with all of the residents of the College Eight dorms to educate the students about why we wanted them to switch to cold water and the importance of reducing natural gas. We also posted signs to remind the students to change their wash temperature!

Every week, one of UCSC’s PowerSave interns went to read the gas meters at each building in the College Eight Residential Dorms. We compiled all of the data into an excel sheet that would show us the weekly changes (increases and decreases) of natural gas usage of each of the four quads (A, B, C, & D quads). We also had random walkthroughs in which we placed tickets redeemable for gift cards on the washing machines that were turned to the cold setting.

At the end of the eight-week competition, “A quad” had reduced their natural gas usage by 12%! We threw the winning quad a donut party as requested by the students themselves in a pre-survey. Overall, the entire eight-week campaign ended up saving UC Santa Cruz’s campus 14,301.20 therms of natural gas. This amount is equivalent to 75.9 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is the emissions from 10.4 average homes' electricity use for one year (according to the Environmental Protection Agency)!


We hope to continue this campaign at other colleges here at UCSC in the future!

December 2013: Contests & Funding

Free Winter Quarter Bike Library Rentals: Deadline January 15
Need a bike? The UCSC Bike Library has a fleet of Kona Dew hybrid bikes available to be rented for the whole quarter for free by students, staff, and faculty. The bikes come with a helmet, lock, cable, and lights. Bike Library recipients must attend a one-day bike safety class that covers bike traffic safety, maintenance, and reviews challenging roadway situations in Santa Cruz and how to best approach them. The class will be offered January 18 and 19, and it is open to any UCSC affiliate, even if they are not getting a Bike Library bike. To RSVP for the class, please email taps [at] ucsc [dot] edu. Bike Library applications for winter quarter are due January 15. Visit the website for details, and to apply for a bike click here.

Call for Papers: 'Just Sustainability: Hope for the Commons' Conference
Seattle University's Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability invites papers and proposals for talks, workshops and panel presentations for its inaugural conference “Just Sustainability: Hope for the Commons” to be held Aug. 7-9, 2014. Topic areas are environmental justice and sustainability from all fields of discourse, including but not limited to environmental studies, theology, business, philosophy, engineering, education, law, the arts, international development, anthropology, religious studies, geography and the natural sciences. Submissions are due by Jan. 27, 2014.

Call for Papers: BioCycle West Coast Conference
Abstracts are now being accepted for the 14th annual Renewable Energy from Organic Recycling (REFOR14 WEST) conference in the areas of renewable energy, and food recovery and recycling tracks. Deadline for abstract submission is December 31.

Call for Proposals: Solar Decathlon 2015
The U.S. Department of Energy is now taking proposals for collegiate entrants in its 2015 student competition. Up to 20 teams will be selected to begin a two-year project to build solar-powered, highly energy-efficient houses that combine affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence. Proposals are due Dec. 20, 2013.

Call for Proposals: 2014 Agricultural Innovation Prize
Launched by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the 2014 Agricultural Innovation Prize encourages student teams to develop innovative plans to address social and agricultural challenges within food systems, improving the standard of living and quality of life for the world’s population. The competition is open to U.S. undergraduate and graduate students across all academic disciplines and runs through spring 2014, when teams will compete for the chance to win $215,000 in prize money, with a grand prize of $100,000.

Call for Submissions: Real Food Media Film Contest
Real Food Media Project is seeking 30-second to four minute short films from students about U.S. food, farming and sustainability. Cash prizes will be given to the best 10 films and the audience choice winner, including a $5,000 grand prize and a chance for a screening at the Food and Farm Film Festival in San Francisco in April 2014. Deadline for submissions is February 3, 2014.

Call for Submissions: Innovative, Sustainable Projects
The Campus Consciousness Challenge, hosted by REVERB Inc., is accepting U.S. undergraduate proposals that aim to have a direct or indirect positive effect on the environment. The winner will receive $10,000 for development of the proposal. Entries are due by noon Eastern on Feb. 17, 2014.

Earthzine Seeks Student Juror for Science Competition
The online scientific journal seeks a university or college student as a juror to assist in scoring entries for NASA 2013 Earth Science Technology Showcase, an online presentation of technology developments for the earth science community.

Call for Submissions: Green Living Project Student Film Competition
Green Living Project invites submissions for its Student Film Project. The competition encourages students to submit films of five minutes or less that share a unique, creative and compelling story about a local or global sustainability-related project. Winning films will be screened at GLP Films' events throughout the year, and winners also receive gear and prizes up to $1,000 in value. Deadline for submissions is Jan. 17, 2014.

Contests & Funding: June 2013

Yale Food Systems Symposium

The Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies invites proposals for the Yale Food Systems Symposium in October 2013. The event will address ecological and socio-economic processes of food production, consumption, climate change and rapid urbanization through panels, working groups, roundtables, poster presentations and papers. Proposals are due by July 1.

May 2013: Contests & Funding

Final Chance to Drop Your Own Drip
Apartment residents: the FINAL month of the Drop Your Own Drip water conservation competition is underway! Tell your apartment-mates, neighbors, and friends to reduce their use and your college could win prizes! Visit sec.enviroslug.org for more information.

AASHE Awards: Deadline May 10
The deadline to have your sustainability wins and lessons learned recognized on a national scale is approaching fast. Held during their conference in October, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) 2013 Awards ceremony will celebrate campus and student sustainability achievements. Email awards@aashe.org with any questions. Visit the website to learn more about the conference and awards.

Bike to The Future: Teen Art, Video, and Writing Contest: Deadline May 17
For the next month, teens (ages 11-19) from around Santa Cruz county will be creating visual art, videos, and writing.  $100 to the winners!  This year's theme is Bike to the Future, encouraging local teens to explore, through various art forms, how bikes (walking, skates, and scooters too) are the vehicles of the future. More information can be found at our website.

The Human Face of Sustainability: Deadline May 31
Creative Nonfiction and Arizona State University’s Global Institute of Sustainability are looking for remarkable true stories that illuminate and present the human side of environmental, economic, ethical, and/or social challenges related to the state of the planet and our future for the $10,000 Walton Sustainability Solutions Best Creative Nonfiction Essay Award. They welcome personal essays or stories about extraordinary individuals or communities and stories about innovative solutions to sustainability. Whatever the subject, they want to hear about it in an essay that blends facts and research with narrative—employing scenes, descriptions, etc. For more information click here.

Zipcar seeks "Students With Drive" in their 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.

April 2013: Contests & Funding

The Human Face of Sustainability Deadline: May 31

Creative Nonfiction and Arizona State University’s Global Institute of Sustainability are looking for remarkable true stories that illuminate and present the human side of environmental, economic, ethical, and/or social challenges related to the state of the planet and our future for the $10,000 Walton Sustainability Solutions Best Creative Nonfiction Essay Award. They welcome personal essays or stories about extraordinary individuals or communities and stories about innovative solutions to sustainability. They seek essays on topics that range from global to local, from “big” (e.g., Resilience after natural disasters; New technology solutions vs. common sense; Energy harvesting) to “small” (e.g., Personal decisions about consumption; Reuse, recycle, up-cycle, bicycle?; Green, clean—what does it mean?; What can we learn from past generations?). Whatever the subject, they want to hear about it in an essay that blends facts and research with narrative—employing scenes, descriptions, etc. For more information click here.

Campus Sustainability Council 
Looking for funds for your sustainability project? The Campus Sustainability Council will be accepting applications this quarter. Deadlines and informational sessions are TBD, but please contact the CSC or visit their website for more information.

Free Spring Quarter Bike Library Rentals Deadline: April 5
Need A Bike? The UCSC Bike Library has a fleet of Kona Dew hybrid bikes available to be checked out for free to students, staff, and faculty. The bikes come with a helmet, lock, cable, and lights. There is a mandatory bike maintenance and safety workshop for recipients of bikes that covers how to take care of the bike, fix a flat tire, how to use bike resources in Santa Cruz such as the bike trailer and bike co-op, and the safest ways to ride. To apply for a bike click here.

The Disorientation Guide Seeking Submissions About LRDP debate 
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 analytical 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.  For more information email the Disorientation Guide or call (707) 318-1760.

Zipcar "Students With Drive" Program

Zipcar has a Students with Drive program that allows all student groups to nominate themselves to win free driving credit for their group to use for their groups' needs.  Two years ago, one of our campus service fraternities won about $5,000 in driving credit to go to their service sites.

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! 

October 2012: Contests & Funding

Campus RainWorks Challenge Registration Closes October 5

The U.S. EPA’s Office of Water is pleased to announce the Campus RainWorks Challenge for undergraduate and graduate students. Student teams are invited to create an innovative green infrastructure design for a site on their campus showing how managing stormwater at its source can benefit the campus community and the environment. Winning teams will earn a cash prize, as well as research funds for their faculty advisor to conduct research on green infrastructure. Find out more here.

Carbon Fund’s New & Improved Application Process

The UC Santa Cruz Carbon Fund is dedicated to reducing UCSC’s greenhouse gas emissions by awarding grants to student, staff, and faculty led GHG reduction projects. This year, the grant application process has been simplified and includes opportunities for applicants to receive feedback and support from the Carbon Fund staff and committee. Make sure to attend the first Carbon Fund workshop in the fall to get details about how to participate! Visit the website and sign up for our mailing list to receive updates about workshop dates and locations, application deadlines, and more!

Measure 43 Speaker Funding Available - Deadline October 10

UCSC undergraduate students are invited to apply for Measure 43 funds to support visiting speakers whose topic is related to food, health and wellness, and who will engage UCSC students. Application deadlines are October 10th, 2012 for Fall or Winter Requests; January 20, 2013 for Winter or Spring Quarter Requests; and April 20, 2013 for Spring Quarter awards. Your request(s) will be reviewed promptly and awarded applicants will be notified one week following each quarter's application deadline. For more information about Measure 43 click here, and click here to apply.

"So Practical, It’s Radical” Video Contest Deadline October 28
The Rainforest Alliance want to know what students are doing on campus that is “So Practical, It’s Radical."  Have you started a recycling program or a community garden?  Have you encouraged your dining halls to source sustainably? Grab your videocameras, iphones, or other filming devices and submit a short video (no more than 2 minutes) about what you’re doing to make your campus more sustainable!  Prizes include a beautiful Renovo bicycle made from lumber that was grown, harvested and milled in the Appalachian region of the US, tickets to the Broadway show Wicked, a Grow Anthology Special Edition Longboard made from Forest Stewardship Council certified paper, Patagonia goodies and Rainforest Alliance gift bags!  Winning videos will also be featured on the Rainforest Alliance website. If you have any questions regarding the contest or would like to help out, please send an e-mail to campus@ra.org.

Project Green Challenge Video Contest Deadline October 30 
Project Green Challenge is a 30-day eco-lifestyle challenge happening world-wide, and UCSC is participating! Find out more about the challenge here. There is a video contest associated with the challenge to tell the back story of how the challenge is unfolding on our campus. If you are interested in participating in the challenge and you have video-making skills, we would love to get in touch with you. You would shoot and edit the video and deliver it on October 30, and you could work with us to get in contact with students who are participating. The film would need to include interviews, footage of challenges, engagement with the campus, and truly tell the story! If the film is judged “best” by the non-profit who is hosting Project Green Challenge, the filmmaker would get the Adobe Creative Suite and an awesome graphic design and editing package valued at $2500. The winning video will premiere at the Opening Dinner of Green University in San Francisco! If you're interested in documenting this challenge at UC Santa Cruz, please contact Melissa as soon as possible.

Third International E-Waste Design Competition - Deadline November 1
Electronic waste, or "e-waste," generated by computers, TVs, cameras, printers, and cell phones, is a growing global issue. Through the Third International E-Waste Design Competition, participants are asked to explore solutions to both remediate the existing e-waste problem and prevent e-waste generation in the future. Registration is now open! Submit your ideas by November 1 for a chance to win cash prizes. Click here to learn more.


Measure 43 Education & Research Funding Available - Deadline December 15
UCSC undergraduate students are invited to apply for Measure 43 funds to support education and research projects whose topic is related to food, health and wellness, and who will engage UCSC students. The application deadline is December 15, 2012. Awarded applicants will be notified the week of January 14, 2013. For more information about Measure 43 click here, and click here to apply.

Heard about other sustainability related contests or funding opportunities around Santa Cruz or the campus? Post in the comments or send us an email!

September 2012: Contests & Funding

Carbon Fund’s New & Improved Application Process

The UC Santa Cruz Carbon Fund is dedicated to reducing UCSC’s greenhouse gas emissions by awarding grants to student, staff, and faculty led GHG reduction projects. This year, the grant application process has been simplified and includes opportunities for applicants to receive feedback and support from the Carbon Fund staff and committee. Make sure to attend the first Carbon Fund workshop in the fall to get details about how to participate! Visit our website and sign up for our mailing list to receive updates about workshop dates and locations, application deadlines, and more!

Measure 43 Speaker Funding Available Deadline October 10

UCSC undergraduate students are invited to apply for Measure 43 funds to support visiting speakers whose topic is related to food, health and wellness, and who will engage UCSC students. Application deadlines are October 10th, 2012 for Fall or Winter Requests; January 20, 2013 for Winter or Spring Quarter Requests; and April 20, 2013 for Spring Quarter awards. Your request(s) will be reviewed promptly and awarded applicants will be notified one week following each quarter's application deadline. For more information about Measure 43 click here, and click here to apply.

"So Practical, It’s Radical” Video Contest Deadline October 28
The Rainforest Alliance want to know what students are doing on campus that is “So Practical, It’s Radical."  Have you started a recycling program or a community garden?  Have you encouraged your dining halls to source sustainably? Grab your videocameras, iphones, or other filming devices and submit a short video (no more than 2 minutes) about what you’re doing to make your campus more sustainable!  Prizes include a beautiful Renovo bicycle made from lumber that was grown, harvested and milled in the Appalachian region of the US, tickets to the Broadway show Wicked, a Grow Anthology Special Edition Longboard made from Forest Stewardship Council certified paper, Patagonia goodies and Rainforest Alliance gift bags!  Winning videos will also be featured on the Rainforest Alliance website. If you have any questions regarding the contest or would like to help out, please send an e-mail to campus@ra.org.

Measure 43 Education & Research Funding Available Deadline December 15
UCSC undergraduate students are invited to apply for Measure 43 funds to support education and research projects whose topic is related to food, health and wellness, and who will engage UCSC students. The application deadline is December 15, 2012. Awarded applicants will be notified the week of January 14, 2013. For more information about Measure 43 click here, and click here to apply.

Simply Committed Photo Challenge: Deadline June 8

The Simply Committed Photo Challenge is up and running on our Facebook page! Many of you have already made a pledge on our page to change one habit in your lives to become more sustainable either at Earth Summit or Earth Day. Some examples of pledges that were made by students were to bring reusable bags to the store, buy local, ride a bike and walk more often instead of driving or taking the bus, and to eat more organic food. Those of you that have not already made a pledge--it is not too late! Post your pledge right now! The photo challenge involves taking a funny picture engaging in the sustainable commitment that you made. The more ridiculous and comical the better!

The challenge will last until June 8 and the winner will be randomly chosen and announced on June 9! The winner will receive a $30 gift card to the Bay Tree Bookstore. You can post your pictures right onto the UCSC Sustainability Office page, or if you do not use Facebook and want to participate, you can email them to the Sustainability Office! The contest is open to all UCSC students, staff, and faculty. Good luck and have fun!

Here are some examples of photos submitted already:

"I pledge to be more 'weary' of what I eat, considering environmental impact and virtual water of the food...no matter how GREEN the food is. Virtual Water, also called hidden water, is the water that goes into production of a product, such as the water for the plants necessary for production. For more info check out here. Also, seeking more local food decreases the transportation needed for the food, thus decreasing the energy footprint of the food product!" -- Abbas, Green Campus Team Manager

"I pledge to spend more time outdoors in the glorious sunshine to remind myself of what it is I'm working to preserve and protect!" -- Melissa, Internship Coordinator Assistant in the Sustainability Office

What are you waiting for? Choose a pledge, take a photo, and post it. Simply Commit to sustainability and you could win!

June 2012: Contests, Funding & Journal Submissions

Sustainability Office Simply Committed Photo Challenge
The Simply Committed Photo Challenge is up and running on our Facebook page! Many of you have already made a pledge on our page to change one habit in your lives to become more sustainable either at Earth Summit or Earth Day. Some examples of pledges that were made by students were to bring reusable bags to the store, buy local, ride a bike and walk more often instead of driving or taking the bus, and to eat more organic food. Those of you that have not already made a pledge--it is not too late! Post your pledge right now! The photo challenge involves taking a funny picture engaging in the sustainable commitment that you made. The more ridiculous and comical the better! The challenge will last till June 8 and the winner will be randomly chosen and announced on June 9! The winner will receive a $30 gift card to the Bay Tree Bookstore. You can post your pictures right onto the UCSC Sustainability Office page, or if you do not use Facebook and want to participate, you can email them to the Sustainability Office! The contest is open to all UCSC students, staff, and faculty. Good luck and have fun!

Gaia Magazine Seeking New Team Members

Gaia Magazine is seeking people interested in layout, writing, editing, and sustainability to join the team for next year (leadership positions available!).  Please contact the Gaia Team, or check out the website for more information--no previous experience required!  Be sure to pick up your copy of the 2012 issue, found in libraries, cafes, housing offices, mailrooms, and other locations on campus.




Stevenson Garden Art Display Seeking Artists
Are you an artist who would like to display your work in a garden? Have friends who might be interested? The Stevenson Garden is now accepting submissions for artwork to display in the garden! Email Elisha Kim with your ideas and if you need supplies!

Fulbright NEXUS Regional Scholar Program - Deadline June 15
The 2012-2013 Fulbright NEXUS Program, a model for scholarly exchange and science informing policy, is currently seeking applications from early or mid-career academics, applied researchers and/or professionals with research experience in the public, nonprofit or private sector in the topics of science, technology and innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable energy. Applicants must be conducting current research relevant to these themes. Projects focusing on climate change adaptation strategies, and/or public policy focused research ventures that examine strategies to cope with climate variability are particularly welcome. The deadline to apply is June 15.

Smart Growth Network Call for Papers: Community Design - Deadline June 30
The higher education community is invited to join the Smart Growth Network's (SGN) first national conversation about how neighborhoods could be planned, designed and developed to meet the needs of current and future generations. In an effort to build a compendium of new and innovative ideas, SGN is seeking short papers that discuss a particular issue that communities will be facing in the next 15 years. Twenty to 40 papers will be selected for publishing in anticipation of the 2013 New Partners for Smart Growth Conference. The published papers will be considered for inclusion in the open and/or closing plenaries of the conference. Papers will be accepted through June 30, 2012.

Accepting Applications: AASHE 2012 Awards Program - Deadline July 2
AASHE invites applications for its 2012 sustainability awards. AASHE will present four Campus Sustainability Case Study Awards, one Student Sustainability Leadership Award, two Student Research on Campus Sustainability Awards and one Faculty Leadership Award. All winners will be announced at the AASHE 2012 conference and will be featured in Sustainability: The Journal of Record. Applications will be accepted through July 2.

Call for Papers: Mathematics of Planet Earth Special Issue - Deadline December 20
Submissions are sought for the November 2013 issue of the College Mathematics Journal, which will be devoted to the "Mathematics of Planet Earth." Papers that address the mathematical aspects of climate, meteorology, ecology, epidemiology, resource management and biodiversity are encouraged. Areas of human interaction with the earth are also of interest including economics, finance, politics, communication, sustainable development and disaster management. Classroom capsules and student research projects are welcome. Authors are encouraged to write the editor,  describing their proposed paper first, and submissions will be accepted through December 20, 2012.

May 2012: Contests & Funding

CSC Grants: Deadline May 11th
The Campus Sustainability Council is now accepting grant proposals for 2012-2013 sustainability projects. If you work within on of the student organization on campus and want to implement your own project relating to the Blueprint for a Sustainable Campus, this is the place to get funding! Make sure to attend one of the required trainings, dates provided on the website, and to turn in your application by May 11th! For more information please email CSC.

Call for Submissions: Student Sustainability Film Festival
The Media Institute for Social Change invites submissions for its third annual Student Sustainability Film Festival. Students can submit short films about what their campus or community is doing to make it more sustainable for a chance to receive cash prizes and be shown at various campus and conference screenings. Entries are due by May 17, 2012. For more information please visit the website.

Call for Entries: Green Living Project Student Film Competition - Deadline May 25
Green Living Project invites submissions for its Student Film Project. The competition encourages students to submit films of five minutes or less that share a unique, creative and compelling story about a local or global sustainability-related project. Sample sustainability topics include wildlife conservation, sustainable food, resource conservation, community development, renewable energy, sustainability-related education and sustainable travel and tourism. The submission deadline is May 25, 2012. Winners will be screened at Green Living Project's Washington D.C. Film Premiere in June. For more information please visit the website!

Drop Your Own Drip
Drop Your Own Drip is a campus campaign working to create educational monthly water-use statements for on-campus apartment residents that encourage conservation. Water conservation is further incentivized for residents through a campus-wide water-use reduction competition and challenge for each resident to use no more than the target-level of daily water-use of 60 gallons per person. The competition will reward the college residents from one of the ten main apartment complexes on campus who successfully reduce water-use per capita the most between the months of February to April 2012. Water statements were successfully sent out for February and March, and the final weeks of the conservation competition are upon us! The final round of statements will be sent out May 14-18 and that's when we will know the winner! If you live in the on-campus apartments, do your part and reduce your water consumption at home! With any questions, please email Drop Your Own Drip . GET A GRIP & DROP YOUR OWN DRIP!

Accepting Applications: AASHE 2012 Awards Program
AASHE invites applications for its 2012 sustainability awards. AASHE will present four Campus Sustainability Case Study Awards, one Student Sustainability Leadership Award, two Student Research on Campus Sustainability Awards and one Faculty Leadership Award. All winners will be announced at the AASHE 2012 conference and will be featured in Sustainability: The Journal of Record. Applications will be accepted through July 2. Please visit the website for more information.

Carbon Fund's Winter Projects

Do you have a creative greenhouse gas reduction idea? Let the Carbon Fund help it grow! The Carbon fund will be accepting applications next year, but now is the time to prepare your project idea. This past winter quarter the UCSC Carbon Fund granted over $26,000 to three staff and student run greenhouse gas reduction projects, including the installation of solar tubes at Natural Bridges Green School, a lighting retrofit at Watsonville High School (WHS), and a “greenovation” of the study lounge at Porter College. For a complete list of projects and information on how to get involved, visit the website or email the Carbon Fund.

Food Justice Communities on the Move Video Challenge

San Jose State University has been working on a food justice campaign in east San Jose, which encourages families teaching their children how to eat, increases access to CalFresh SNAP benefits, and teaches families how to use these benefits at farmers' markets, emphasizes eating culturally relevant and familiar foods in healthy ways. They have partnered with local farms like Veggielution, Second Harvest Food Bank, various faith and cultural groups, and more. They have leaders from the university, but and from the local community who reach out to their peers on these issues. If their video wins, the group gets $1000 and two representatives get to go to the White House. This is part of First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign against childhood obesity. These are our neighbors both geographically and allies in food justice. You can vote daily with Facebook. Voting closes on May 11. Vote now!

April 2012: Contests & Funding

"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.

Yum! Global Sustainability Challenge - Intent to Compete Due April 6
The Yum! Brands Global Sustainability Office has invited UCSC undergraduate and graduate students to submit business plans of outstanding sustainability innovation, related to the sustainability focus areas below, for a chance to win $20,000 in cash prizes in its first ever Global Sustainability Challenge.

Yum! Brands Global Sustainability Focus Areas:

• Green Building Design & Construction
• Reduced Energy Consumption
• Reduced Water Consumption
• Sustainable Packaging
• Waste & Recycling

An intent to compete is due April 6, and a business summary is due May 18. For more information and official challenge rules, visit the challenge page here. To learn more about Yum! and their sustainability efforts, click here.

University of California System a Finalist for the 3rd Annual Climate Leadership Awards - Vote Now!
The UC System has been chosen as a finalist in the Special Focus Institutions / Other category of the Climate Leadership Awards. Each finalist institution in the contest has produced a video that promotes its specific sustainability efforts. In partnership with PlanetForward, all finalists are featured in a public voting competition open now through April 14th, where viewers can vote on the most innovative and ground-breaking institution in each Carnegie Classification. Vote for the UC System now on PlanetForward.org using your Facebook account--it takes less than a minute to Like the video and cast your vote for the UC System! Campuses with the top votes will be featured by PlanetForward in national media and during the Move the Planet conference the week of April 16.

Watch the video here:

Call for Submissions: Student Sustainability Film Festival - Deadline May 17
The Media Institute for Social Change invites submissions for its third annual Student Sustainability Film Festival. Students can submit short films about what their campus or community is doing to make it more sustainable for a chance to receive cash prizes and be shown at various campus and conference screenings. Entries are due by May 17, 2012. More information here.

Call for Entries: Green Living Project Student Film Competition - Deadline May 25
Green Living Project invites submissions for its Student Film Project. The competition encourages students to submit films of five minutes or less that share a unique, creative and compelling story about a local or global sustainability-related project. Sample sustainability topics include wildlife conservation, sustainable food, resource conservation, community development, renewable energy, sustainability-related education and sustainable travel and tourism. The submission deadline is May 25, 2012. Winners will be screened at Green Living Project's Washington D.C. Film Premiere in June. More information here.