February 2013: Classes, Training, & Community

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
We invite you to enroll in the Education for Sustainable Living Program’s (ESLP) class for Spring quarter! The Spring class incorporates both 2 and 5 unit student led sections and a Monday Night lecture series. Some section topics include: restoration and ecopsychology, land and habitat conservation, sustainable urban design, green business, vegan cooking, and other topics in the Blueprint for a Sustainable Campus. Sign up through College 8 for CLEI 61 or 161 for Spring Quarter (2-unit and 5 unit options available). 

Garden Market Carts
The garden market cart is a stand created through the collaboration of four different campus gardens (College Eight, Kresge, PICA, and Stevenson) that aims to give out homegrown campus goodies and to educate students and staff about our school's gardens. This quarter, the cart will be at S&E Library on Friday, January 25th, from 10-11:30AM and at McHenry Library on Friday, February 15th from 10-11:30AM to pass out free veggie and herb bundles. Those interested in getting more involved should contact Lidia Tropeano.

Garden Work Days

Want to feel the soil between your hands and help cultivate some growth and community? Garden work days for the campus gardens can be found on our online calendar here.

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! 

December 2012: News & Achievements

Classrooms Without Walls at UCSC through Natural Reserves and Forest Ecology Research
Learn how the UCSC Campus Natural Reserves is connecting students to research in the natural areas of our campus, like the UCSC Forest Ecology Research Plot (FERP), and how this is helping them apply what they're learning in the classroom to the world around them. Read the article here in UCSC's Review magazine. Contact Alex Jones to inquire about how to get involved--up to 20 interns a quarter are needed to work on this globally-renowned, Smithsonian Institute affiliated research project!

Fall Waste Report
The Sustainability Office's Zero Waste Team has been working with campus partners and student organizations to help UCSC reach its commitment of being a zero-waste campus by 2020. Zero Waste is defined as having 95%-100% of all waste from campus diverted from the landfill through reducing the use of disposable materials and repairing, reusing, recycling or composting everything else. Learn how the Zero Waste team has helped to make our zero-waste goal a reality by reading the full article here.

Dining by Daylight Saves Energy in Dining

Through working with PowerSave Green Campus (PSGC), the College 9/10 dining hall has seen massive energy savings as a result of recent student projects, such as "Dining by Daylight." Ideas for new projects show promise for yet more improvements in the 9/10 Dining Hall. Read an interview here with Clint Jeffries, Unit Manager of the 9/10 Dining Hall, written by PSGC's Calvin Ye. Learn more about PSGC on their website.


Residential Composting
Wondering how you can participate in reducing zero waste on campus in your living space? Composting and waste reduction programs are taking place all over campus. Learn more here!

Family Student Housing (FSH) and Chadwick Garden Composting Project

Over the past year, Family Student Housing community members have rallied together to renovate their community garden. In an effort to improve the garden yet further, FSH has opted to collaborate with Chadwick Garden to pilot a garden composting project. Although FSH will be transporting the compost to Chadwick Garden, FSH gardeners and residents alike, are excited to be working towards a more sustainable garden. Interested in learning more about this project? Email Alan VanderPaas.

Need a Bike for Winter Quarter? Bike Lending Library Applications due by January 18, 2013
The UCSC Bike Library is a TAPS resource coordinated by Student Environmental Center interns. It's a quarter-long bike lending program targeting students that want to get around Santa Cruz without contributing to greenhouse gases. Applications to receive a free bike are due by the end of the 2nd week of each quarter, which is January 18, 2013 if you're applying for a bike for winter quarter. Send them an email for more information and visit the website to apply.

IDEASS Students Inspired by Tour of NASA Ames Sustainability Base
This month, students in IDEASS (Impact Designs: Engineering and Sustainability Through Student Service), a service-learning class, took a field trip to NASA Ames Sustainability Base, where they learned about two research projects concerning microgrid research and and algae to biodiesel conversion. These cutting-edge projects implemented by NASA will provide IDEASS students with inspiration for their own projects they are working on this year. Read the article by Hanna Haas about the tour here.

October 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 the FSWG learning journeys and sign-up, go to the Recreation website for more info. You can begin signing up for recreation activities on October 2.

Arboretum Gardening Days

The Arboretum has gardening many days of the week in different gardens. If you're interested in volunteering in the Arboretum gardens, please click here to learn more.

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.

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. They meet Tuesdays from 6-8 PM in building A3 of the Village. 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.

Student Environmental Center - Wednesdays 5:30-7:30 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 - Tuesdays 9 PM

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. This year, Stevenson residents received reusable hand towels (pictured above) largely thanks to the works of students in PTAGS. For more information including the Fall 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. To see a list of on-campus gardens and find out more, visit the Gardeners' Alliance website here.

Stevenson Garden Work Days - Time TBD

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 group, or email Blake Redding.

Kresge Garden Work Days - Check calendar for garden hours
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.

Are you part of a sustainability club, hiking, or gardening group not listed here? Have you participated in any of the above groups? Tell us about it in the comments or send us an email!