February 2015: Contests & Funding

Campus Sustainability Council (CSC): Deadline Feb 13
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.This funding is only applicable to those who have already done the grant training during week 3 of winter 2015.  Applications are due by February 13th. If you have any questions contact CSC at csc[at]lists[dot]ucsc[dot]edu.

Call for Submissions: INSS 2015 Conference: Deadline February 15
The Integrated Network for Social Sustainability is now accepting abstracts for its 2015 conference themed Social Sustainability and Infrastructure. Academic papers and non-traditional written media can be submitted that examine one of the two areas: defining social, political or ethical issues that emerge in the pursuit of sustainability, or encountering social, political or ethical approaches to addressing broad issues of sustainability. 500-1,000 word abstracts are due by February 15.

Call for papers: Water in the World: Deadline March 1
The conference on November 6-7th at Winthrop University, South Carolina focuses on the uses, politics, art, history, and economics of water worldwide. It is open to faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students, activists, and community professionals.

Examples of possible topics include but are not limited to:
* The privatization of water
* Climate change
* Development goals and their water implications
* Water security and insecurity
* The politics and economics of water reuse
* Capacity building
* Food, water, and the environment
* Art and design contributions to water management
* Financing and investment schemes
* Historical droughts and floods
* Climate justice, ethical, cultural and religious values
* The role of water in post-conflict peace building
* The impact of water policy on the poor
* Creative solutions to water challenges
* Water in creative practice
* Media coverage of water issues
* Perceptions of risk and water quality issues

Papers will be reviewed for connections to the theme and an interdisciplinary approach to the subject. For more information on the Winthrop University Water Conference, conference updates, and deadlines visit the website: www.winthrop.edu/cas/interdisciplinary/waterconference2015.

Graduate Scholarships in Environmental & Climate Policy for Students from East Asia: Deadline March 15

The Bard Center for Environmental Policy is pleased to announce that Henry Luce Foundation Scholarships are available for students from East Asia (China, Japan or South Korea) to complete a two-year Master of Science degree in Environmental Policy or Climate Science and Policy starting August 2015. The LIASE Scholarships (Luce Initiative for Asian Studies and the Environment) provide tuition waivers of between 50% and 100% in the first year, and at least 50% of tuition in the second year. Students are responsible for travel costs, and for expenses for room and board. LIASE Scholarship students in the CEP program will participate in an annual conference featuring undergraduate and graduate research on Asia and the Environment with students from across the northeastern United States. Bard will award two-year LIASE Scholarships to qualified applicants each year for the next two years. LIASE Scholarship applicants must be citizens of one of China, Japan or South Korea, and must have a demonstrated interest in environmental policy in their region. Applicants for the LIASE Scholarship should, in addition to a regular application, provide a one-page letter discussing their research interests in Asian environmental policy. The LIASE Scholarship application letter should be emailed to Caitlin O'Donnell (codonnel[at]bard[dot]edu) by March 15, 2015 with the subject "LIASE Scholarship Application" to be considered.

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.

International Film Festival: Deadline May 4
The International Film Festival for Environment, Health and Culture is accepting submissions for films pertaining to environment, health and culture issues. There are five submission categories: international feature film, international short film, documentary feature, documentary short and newcomer. The film festival will be held on May 27.

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

March 2014 Sustainability Profile: Stacy Philpott

Each month, our newsletter features a person or group on campus that is working toward a more sustainable world. This month features Stacy Philpott, an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and the Alfred & Ruth Heller Chair in Agroecology at UC Santa Cruz. Stacy and a team of other researchers recently received a $730,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to direct a three-year program that will increase opportunities for high school and community college students to study sustainable agriculture at UC Santa Cruz.

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

Name & Job Title
Stacy Philpott, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and the Alfred & Ruth Heller Chair in Agroecology

Academic Background
B.S. in Zoology and minor in music from U. of Washington 1995. Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from U. of Michigan 2004.

Roles & Areas of Focus
I have a 25% appointment with the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS). My work at CASFS involves work to enhance and encourage research and educational activities on the farm and Chadwick garden, acting as a liaison between Environmental Studies Department and CASFS. I am also currently the Faculty Director of the PICA program (Program in Community and Agroecology) and the SLC (Sustainable Living Center).

My research touches on agroecology, insect ecology, tropical ecology and conservation biology -- and the connections of all of these things to human livelihoods. Basically, I'm really interested in learning how agricultural management and the landscapes surrounding agroecosystems influence on-farm biodiversity and ecological interactions. I've worked for 15+ years in coffee agroecosystems to understand how alterations in the shade tree canopy that grows over the coffee shrubs affects insect and bird communities, interactions between birds, insects, and coffee plants. I've worked most closely to study ant communities, understanding the role of ants as predators (consume coffee pests), ant competition, ant nesting requirements, and other ecological interactions involving ants. In temperate areas, I have a strong current interest in the ecology of urban gardens, and in understanding more about how garden management affects biodiversity in gardens, as well as the ecosystem services that biodiversity provides (e.g. pest control, pollination services, climate regulation). I also am interested in looking at questions of food security, certification, and in general techniques that both promote biodiversity as well as farmer livelihoods.

What does "sustainability" mean to you?
I tend to go with the text book definition -- maintaining ecosystems and the environment so that we can provide for our generation without compromising the ability of the ecosystems and the environment to provide for future generations. I tend to think the most about agricultural sustainability -- and thinking about ecological, economic and social sustainability and where and how those things overlap or coincide.

Favorite Green Tip
Think about where your food comes and the resources (natural, human) that went into creating your food.

How does sustainability relate to your role at UCSC? 
A big part of my role at UCSC is to teach about sustainable agriculture, and to facilitate learning for students about research in promoting sustainable agriculture/agroecology and sustainable food systems. My work with CASFS and PICA is all related to developing ecological sustainability within agricultural systems, and learning how to do that, and how to teach about that. Activities at the farm and on all of the campus gardens are teaching students about growing their own food, and learning more about where their food comes from.

Can you describe the agroecology grant you received and how that will support the community and sustainability work? 
Our current USDA grant is working on three things: a) improving and enhancing the agroecology and sustainable food systems related curriculum at UCSC, b) working on recruitment of students to study agriculture-related degree programs at UCSC, and c) working on improving transfer articulation between community colleges in the region with agriculture programs and UCSC. We are primarily focusing on recruitment of traditionally under-represented students in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, and have fantastic partners both at UCSC and beyond. We're working in the Environmental Studies department and CASFS to encourage students to do internships at the farm, to take courses in agroecology and sustainable food systems, to offer more internship on the farm, and to have more hands-on activities during coursework.

For recruitment, we're working with UCSC's Educational Partnership Center that works with K-12 students to educate them about STEM opportunities in college and in careers, and to provide non-traditional students with the training and skills necessary to apply to and succeed in college. We are also working with the Transfer Preparation Program at UCSC that works with transfer students to ensure smooth and successful transitions from community college to UCSC. Off campus, we are partnering with Cabrillo and Hartnell Community Colleges and with Greenaction (an environmental justice NGO) and Life Lab's FoodWhat program. All of these organizations have programming or courses related to agriculture, and we are utilizing their knowledge, expertise, and programming to reach out to students, get them to visit UCSC to think about options for college.

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 recycle, I compost all my food waste. Carry around my water bottle, and my coffee cups...I participate in a community supported agriculture program, I shop at the farmers markets in Santa Cruz, I try to eat local (and organic!), and spend most of my waking hours thinking about how to promote ecological sustainability. I avoid buying junk that I really don't need. Most of all, I try to teach students about all of these things that they can do.

Have you had a favorite sustainability moment at UCSC? 
A favorite? Too many to count. Loved the Annie Leonard talk!? Seeing the appreciative faces of the CASFS intern crew?! Attending my first PICA workday?! Realizing how much my students already know about sustainability?!

Air Expressions: Grant Funding for Clean Air Projects

Application deadline 5pm: Monday, December 17, 2012. 

      The Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District (District) is seeking applications for

science and technology projects that advance the understanding of relevant Air Quality and

Climate Change issues. The District is soliciting projects from high school (9-12th grades) and

college undergraduate students. While each project must be created and completed by students,

every project must have an involved academic advisor. The academic advisor Will be responsible

for project oversight, including technical and grant management. This grant opportunity is ideal

for science clubs, science classes, student groups, and individual students. Grants may be funded

up to the following amounts:

Grades 9-12 $1,500.00

Undergraduate $5,000.00

To apply for funding each applicant must complete:

•  An on-line application form 
•  Develop and submit a project abstract based on one ofthe Díst1'ict’s proj ect topics (listed in Attachment A) 
• A detailed project work plan and itemized budget 
• Grant amount requested 
• Identify project deadlines 

Project funds must be spent by May 10, 2013 for high school proiects. For undergraduate student

projects, funds must be spent by the end of the semester/quarter or on a date agreed upon by the

District.

We invite students and teachers in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties to apply for

grants that use creativity and imagination, to help the District improve air quality and build a

better future With informed and motivated young people.

Applications may be found on our website.

November 2012: News & Achievements

TAPS installs new bike maintenance stations on campus

A UCSC student demonstrates use of the newest TAPS "Fix-It" bike maintenance station. Read more about bike-related news below.

The Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) recently installed the first public self-service bike maintenance station at UCSC. The first of many to come, the new station is located at OPERS and includes a tire pump and eight tools necessary to perform basic repairs and maintenance. The Quick Read (QR) code on the front of the Fixit Station provides detailed instructions through your smart phone on how to make repairs. The stations are free to all and are available 24/7. For more information, contact Teresa Buika at tabuika@ucsc.edu. View photos of the stations on our Facebook page here.

UCSC awarded $4.5 million NSF grant for renewable energy research and education

Researchers at UCSC (in conjunction with researchers at UC Davis and two international universities) recently received a $4.5 million, 5-year grant to fund a sustainable energy study. The study will focus on the use of microgrids for energy production at the community level, and will fund opportunities for UCSC engineering students to work at the institutions that share the grant. Read about one of the researchers, Professor Isaacson, in this month's sustainability profile here.

UCSC PowerSave Green Campus Yearly Summary
UCSC's PowerSave Green Campus Program works on energy efficiency and water conservation projects throughout the campus. Check out some of their metrics showing the impact they've made in the last year:

Total kWh (kilowatt hours) savings: 1,609,339.50 kWh
Total Potential savings: 1,988,131.95 kWh

Total CO2 lbs savings: 843,293.9 lbs
Total potential savings: 1,121,097.3 lbs

Total $ savings: $209,214.14
Total potenital savings: $265,474.85
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       See the PowerSave Green Campus Facebook page or website for more information.

What are your thoughts about this month's news? What are you most proud of related to campus sustainability at UCSC? What do you want to see happen here? Post in the comments! 

Events & Opportunities: March 5 - March 11

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

Upcoming Events 

UCSC Natural History Club - Tuesday 4-5 PM 

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

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

FoCAN is a student-initiated, student-led community at UCSC that supports CAN's mission of promoting rural livelihoods and sustainability food systems through action, education and participatory action research. FoCAN meets weekly at the Sustainable Living Center in the Village, building A. Through communal meals, discussions, and activities, these weekly meetings create a community that fosters dialogue and experiential learning about the global food system and sustainability. Find out more here.

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

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

   

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

Path to a Greener Stevenson: Thursday 7 PM

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

Guided Nature Walk with Campus Natural Reserves Steward: 
Friday, March 9
Our campus does not end at the buildings, so come explore the variety of vivacious ecosystems and what inhabits them! Guided Nature Walks will leave from College 8 Red Room every other Friday from 2-4. Please check out the flyer for details. For more information, please contact Alex Jones, the Campus Natural Steward.

Farm Fridays: Friday, March 9

 Each week, one dining hall features a dish incorporating ingredients from the UCSC Farm and other local organic farms in the region. The food is delicious, and it feels great to be eating the most local food possible! For more information, contact  Candy Berlin or view the Farm Fridays schedule here.

The Program in Community and Agroecology (PICA) will be joining with Dining Services' Farm Fridays by hosting an informational table at Crown/Merrill dining hall on March 9. Go talk to them to find out more about local and organic food in your dining hall!

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

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

Gardeners' Alliance Gatherings: March 11
The Gardeners' Alliance is a group within SEC's Students for Organic campaign that works to  promote the campus gardens and unite the garden-friendly community by creating a space to promote and share information between campus gardeners and the students of UCSC. Email Dominique for information about timing and locations.

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

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

Kresge Garden Work Days: Sundays 10 AM - 2 PM  

Join fellow gardeners at the Kresge Garden workday and workshop every Sunday! Bring a dish to share for the potluck lunch! To see what the weekly workshop will be, check out the website.

Internships, Employment & Volunteering

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

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

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

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

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

Riekes Center for Human Enhancement Naturalist Position Available

The Riekes Center Nature Awareness Department is seeking a dedicated instructor interested in long-term mentoring of youth in nature. Currently they are seeking an instructor to fill a position for their spring 2012 homeschool nature programs beginning immediately and running through the end of May. They are also recruiting for summer camp instructors and the possibility exists for this person to also fill a lead instructor role for their 2012 summer camps.  For details please, email Ken Clarkson or visit theirwebsite.

Volunteer with Take Back the Tap
Take Back the Tap UCSC is looking for volunteers to end the sale of plastic water bottles on our campus. Volunteers can work on outreach, event planning, water taste tests, website and media creation, or discussion with store managers. If you're interested, email Take Back the Tap.
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California Youth Energy Services Hiring for Summer 


  
Do you live in the SF Bay Area during the summer? Interested in a fun, educational and enriching paid summer job? You should apply to be an Energy Specialist through the California Youth Energy Services program! Energy Specialists conduct basic energy & water assessments and retrofits of homes in the local community. Find out more about the program here. If you want to hear from someone who's worked as an Energy Specialist for CYES before, please contact Melissa.


Opportunities with Pick Up America
  
Pick Up America is looking for people to travel with them this year! They are seeking young, energetic leaders who are ready to hit the road, pick up litter, and organize for a more sustainable America. An ideal candidate would be self-motivated, know how to be a team player, and be eager to educate, strategize, network, and inspire resource stewardship and zero-waste in America. Visit their website to find all the details about the available positions.   



Green Corps Now Accepting Applications
  
Green Corps is looking for college graduates who are ready to take on the biggest environmental challenges of our day. In Green Corps' year-long paid program, you'll get hands-on experience fighting to solve urgent environmental problems - global warming, deforestation, water pollution and many others - with groups such as Sierra Club and Food and Water Watch. When you graduate from Green Corps, they help you find a career with one of the nation's leading environmental and social change groups. For more information, visit the Green Corps website. 

Student Conservation Association Internships

The SCA is one of the biggest partners for national parks and forests. Each year, they send thousands of youth across the country to get conservation experience in awesome places. Living expenses, housing, and round trip travel provided. Internships run from 3-12 months and are available in all 50 states. Visit their website for more information and to apply.   
  

Volunteer at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
Interested in gardening, habitat restoration, tidepooling, maintaining exhibits and helping at events for the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History? Volunteer today! Find out more and fill out an application here or email Matt.

Earth Week 2012 - April 16-22

  

Want to participate in Earth Week 2012: Finding Room to Bloom? Student organizations can register their Earth Week events now on the Earth Week website. Interested in being part of the Earth Day Festival on April 22? You can also sign up online to have a table or workshop on Earth Day. If you are interested in getting involved with planning Earth Day (April 22), please email Sam Moll, College 8's Special Environmental Programs Coordinator.  For those who wish to attend these festivities, stay tuned for more information here.

Donations and Funding Opportunities

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

"What Makes Your Campus Green?" Student Video Contest - Deadline April 6
What makes UCSC green? Answer this question in a video contest and you could win up to $2500! The Herman Miller Student Video contest is designed to give students the opportunity to submit videos of their own creation that address the question "What makes your campus green?" Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three video submissions that best represent creativity, originality, and appropriateness to the theme. More information is available on the contest landing page.

Classes & Trainings
ESLP Spring Courses

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

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

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

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