Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because they represent ideas that UCSC could potentially implement in some form, or in some cases, already has begun to. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office susted [at] ucsc [dot] edu and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition! 

Roosevelt U Student Develops Phone App to Encourage Recycling 
As part of a sustainability studies program course, honors student Dusan Koleno created the Google Play app, Recycle Tracker, to enable users at home and office to keep track of what and how much they are recycling with comparisons, including pie and bar charts, that can be viewed by weekly, monthly or annual usage. 

U Washington Divests from Coal Companies 
The university's Board of Regents recently voted to prohibit direct investment of endowment funds in publicly traded companies whose principal business is the mining of coal for use in energy generation. 

U Vermont Adds Sustainability Requirement 
Starting with this fall’s freshman class, Class of 2019, sustainable approaches and practices will be built into the university’s curriculum across departments, and woven into co-curricular activities, so there will be several ways for students to fulfill the new requirement.

Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because they represent ideas that UCSC could potentially implement in some form, or in some cases, already has begun to. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office susted@ucsc.edu and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition! 

UC Irvine student uses art to inspire climate activism
In art student Kathleen Deck's "Conservation Through Creation” art installation, a section of lawn won’t be watered for a month. The idea is to return an artificial environment to its natural state, and start a discussion about how the changing climate can affect water use and the fragile environment that people have created. Deck is one of 37 UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative Fellows. 

University of Illinois announces winners for Green Office Program
The Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) announced award winners for its 2014-15 Certified Green Office Program on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. Twenty-four participating offices collected hardware for making commitments toward and achieving energy and resource reductions during the school year. Here, at UCSC, we also have a Green Office Certification Program.

Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because they represent ideas that UCSC could potentially implement in some form, or in some cases, already has begun to. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office susted[at]ucsc[dot]edu and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition! 

U Colorado Boulder Salvages Computers for Low Income Communities 
The University's Computers for Youth program, now ongoing and year-round, provides middle and high school students from low-income communities around Colorado with upgraded computers and basic computing programs. Surplus computer equipment is gathered, tested and re-furbished to original specifications and loaded with the latest software to assist students' academic achievement.

Sustainability is where environmental, social, and environmental needs are balanced for current and future access to the things needed for all to live prosperous lives. Salvaging old computers is sustainable and more socially just because most of those computers would go to e-waste dumps across the globe, which cause disease and high death rates to nearby communities.

A good example of this is this video:

Here at UCSC we have E-waste collection sites located in every college mailroom. The multibins are blue cabinets built to collect batteries, small electronics, printer cartridges, and CDs.

U Winnipeg Offers Healthy Vending Options 
The 23 new campus vending machines offer gluten-free and low sodium products, fair trade coffee, granola bars, fruit cups, trail mix, and hummus and crackers. The machines also display nutritional information, promotion of events, and are outfitted with LED lighting and motion sensors.

Northwestern U Finds New Life for Waste Cooking Oil 
The university received its first batch of biodiesel fuel, 300 gallons that is expected to last about 3 weeks, from dining hall cooking oil waste processed into fuel for shuttle buses.

U South Carolina to Begin Greek Life Sustainability Program 
A fourth-year international business student is spearheading an effort to educate the Greek community about sustainability and hopes integrate more environmentally friendly practices into every day life through the creation of an official Panhellenic Sustainability Committee.

Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses.

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because they represent ideas that UCSC could potentially implement in some form, or in some cases, already has begun to. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition! 

"UC Green" Flipboard Highlights Environmental News UC-Wide
Wondering what kind of sustainability research and projects are taking place at other UCs? "UC Green" is an online magazine full of links to stories about the sustainability findings and successes UC-wide. Click here to read it!

Sustainability: A Solution To Student Retention?
Recent statistics from The Princeton Review (1) indicate that 69 percent of college applicants now cite an institution's level of commitment to environmental sustainability as a factor in their college choice, with 24 percent saying that is a very significant factor. This raises an intriguing question: if institutional commitment to sustainability impacts students' decisions regarding where to attend school, how does it impact what happens once they arrive on campus? Is there a correlation between sustainability and student retention and graduation rates?

Survival Of The Fittest For Green Gym Pedalers
Blending the concepts of sustainability, fitness and social media, Fit for Green is the brainchild of Executive MBA and Ph.D. graduates from UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business, including founder and CEO John Spirko. “Our goal is to make working out on ordinary gym equipment more interactive and rewarding by returning energy to the grid and competing with peers through modern social networking,” he said in a statement. “This new return on investment model will be a catalyst for renewable energy machines in all gymnasiums replacing calories burned with watt-hours created as a measure of fitness accomplishment.

New Mexico State University Geographers Map Outdoor Campus Recycling Resources
Researchers in the Spatial Applications and Research Center (SpARC) at New Mexico State University recently mapped the outdoor recycling bins on campus and determined they are not evenly distributed across campus and need to be closer to buildings. Those who conducted the study predict that relocating the bins may lead to increased recycling.

Works Cited 
1. The Princeton Review. The Princeton Review Releases Free "Guide to 311 Green Colleges" in Partnership With the U.S. Green Building Council. April 20, 2011.

October 2013: Innovative Approaches to Sustainability

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because they represent ideas that UCSC could potentially implement in some form, or in some cases, already has begun to. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, check out the Project Clearinghouse website and contact the Sustainability Office and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

University of Virginia Develops New Model to Measure Nitrogen Footprint
Working with students from multiple disciplines, a professor of environmental sciences recently released the results of a university nitrogen footprint analysis. Predominantly coming from energy use and food production, nitrogen can contribute to smog, acidifying water and weakening the ozone layer. It's not just about carbon dioxide emissions!

University of Buffalo Offers New 'Sustainability Academy' for Students
In its inaugural year, students in this residential learning community participate in community projects and
behind-the-scenes campus operational activities, as well as collaborating with environmental organizations.

June 2013: Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because they represent ideas that UCSC could potentially implement in some form, or in some cases, already has begun to. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

College Divestment Campaigns Sweep U.S. Universities
At about 300 colleges across the country, young activists worried about climate change are calling for divestment from fossil fuels. So far only a few small colleges have opted to drop investments in fossil fuel companies, but many campaigns are currently active, from Rhode Island to North Carolina to the Bay Area.

UC Davis Student Union Building Features Exhibit on Water and Sustainability
The Sustainability Showcase has opened its second exhibit for viewing on the first floor of the Memorial Union. The theme of the exhibit is Water: Fact or Fashion and features disposable water bottles and issues surrounding water quality and use. It aims to focus attention on related safety and equity issues on a global scale, as well as issues that hit closer to home, such as the Central Valley, where tap water is unsafe due to high concentrations of nitrates from agriculture.

UCSD Campus Rooftops Serve as Launch Pads for Sustainability Efforts
By the end of 2013, 34 structures on UC San Diego’s campus and its affiliated sites will be equipped with solar photovoltaic panels. Recently, the university also unveiled a vegetative roof, atop Revelle College’s LEED Platinum-certified Charles David Keeling apartments. In addition, more than a dozen wireless sensors that determine the optimal times to gain and expend energy are now poised on UC San Diego rooftops. Solar hot water heating and water collection systems are located above some of the very buildings where UC San Diego students live and learn about climate change and ways to conserve, reuse and recycle.

May 2013: Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because they represent ideas that UCSC could potentially implement in some form, or in some cases, already has begun to. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

SUNY ESF Launches Bicycle Safety Committee
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) has formed a Bicycle Safety Committee to provide a focus on education and improved communication on best practices as well as increasing bike infrastructure on campus. Since its launch, the committee has coordinated the curb removal from campus pathways, obtained a bicycle accident report from the City of Syracuse Police Department and began collaborating with neighborhood groups and city officials about making cycling safer.

Univ. of Missouri Secures Funding for Green Roof
The Student Fee Capital Improvement Committee at the University of Missouri (Columbia, MO) has pledged $27,000 to fund the construction of a green roof atop the university’s Rollins Dining Hall. A 2,520-square-foot modular system will be installed by October 2013.

RISD Pilots Nature-Culture-Sustainability Studies
The Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, RI) has created a pilot program in Nature-Culture-Sustainability Studies (NCSS). This two-year program aims to ascertain levels of student interest in NCSS and create a pathway of study which would allow students to compliment and add focus to work explored in their major areas of study.

University of Minnesota Launches Virtual Warehouse
University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN) has launched a new online exchange to facilitate reuse and waste reduction. Similar to Craigslist or Freecycle, the virtual warehouse allows users to exchange university property without visiting the ReUse warehouse or moving items to a building's dock for pickup.

April 2013: Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because they represent ideas that UCSC could potentially implement in some form, or in some cases, already has begun to. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

UC Davis Police hand out free bike lights
UC Davis are teaming to hand out bike lights - instead of citations - to students riding their bikes in the dark. Through this, they hope to educate students about bicycle safety law, and promote responsible cycling habits.

Wake Tech Community College Unveils Rooftop Solar Array
More than 1,300 solar panels have been installed on the roof of Wake Tech's Public Safety Education Campus, based in Raleigh, NC. Progress Energy will purchase the energy produced at a fixed price over the next 20 years as part of its SunSense program. The project is expected to generate more than $300,000 over the next two decades for student scholarships through the Wake Tech Foundation.

Knox College Theatre Students Promote Sustainability
Theatre students at Knox College (in Galesburg, IL) have raised an emphasis on reducing waste and promoting sustainability for its latest stage production. All items were reused from past shows, purchased from second hand/vintage shops, or created with the intention of being used again. The students also created a Sustainability Crew which included initiatives like sewing tote bags from old t-shirts, posting student videos promoting sustainability on YouTube, and encouraging others to be more sustainable in their everyday lives.

UC Berkeley Student Government Votes to Divest from Fossil Fuels
The Associated Students of the University California (ASUC) Senate has approved a bill ordering the divestment of its funds from fossil fuel companies while encouraging other institutions of higher education to follow suit. The bill binds the ASUC to complete the withdrawal of any of its $3 million in total investments from fossil fuel companies

University of Maryland Greek Community Launches Composting Initiative
Eleven Greek fraternities and sororities at the University of Maryland (College Park, MD) have launched composting initiatives since 2010. Compost collected from each participating house is taken to a compactor at one of the dining halls. The university has seen a significant increase in composting across the campus since the initiatives launched. In 2012, the university composted 566.18 tons, up from 138 tons in 2010.

March 2013: Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because they represent ideas that UCSC could potentially implement in some form, or in some cases, already has begun to. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

University of Pennsylvania launches Green Labs program 
The Green Labs @ Penn program is designed to reduce the environmental impact of everyday lab operations. The program provides a “how-to” guide that includes an action checklist, a commitment form, tips and resources to help the campus labs operate in a more sustainable fashion. Why it's relevant: Currently, students in the PowerSave Green Campus program at UCSC are working on a green labs program.

Harvard Offers Benefits for Bicyclists
This winter, Harvard piloted the CommuterChoice Program, which offers bicyclists tax-free reimbursements for bike-related expenses, including purchase and repair. The program also provides Emergency Ride Home services to faculty and staff commuters who do not travel by car.

Baylor University to Expand Water Refilling Station Pilot Program
Baylor University in Waco, TX, has announced plans to install more water bottle filling stations across campus following the launch of a successful pilot program last summer. Two water bottle filling stations were installed that have since been used a combined 22,000 times in place of disposable water bottles. Don't forget to bring your own bottle and fill up at the stations on our campus!

Harvard dining focuses on sustainable seafood sourcing
Harvard Dining Services recently launched a sustainable seafood program that works to develop seafood purchasing guidelines to be shared with other institutions. After months of planning, students are now seeing new species such as “swai,” as well as familiar offerings from more sustainable sources, such as Prince Edward Island mussels and shrimp caught in Maine waters. Why it's relevant: Crystal Owings, an intern in the Provost's Sustainability Internship Program here at UCSC, is working on a similar project on sustainable seafood in the dining halls. Read more about her work here.

February 2013: Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because they represent ideas that UCSC could potentially implement in some form, or in some cases, already has begun to. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

University of Guelph Earns Fair Trade Status
University of Guelph in Ontario has received Fair Trade Campus status from Fairtrade Canada, becoming the first fair-trade campus in the province. In other words, all coffee served at non-franchise locations on campus is fair trade-certified coffee. The certification is a result of the university’s commitment to purchase fair-trade products that uphold social and environmental standards to protect food producers and the environment.

Oklahoma State University to Develop Campus "Eco-Village"
The university has begun developing a housing option designed to encourage its residents to be more socially and ecologically aware. The newly-conceived "eco-village" will incorporate ideas about sustainable living in a socially integrated community by integrating sustainable building design, on-site food gardening, and small-scale animal farming into these new living spaces on their Stillwater, OK campus.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Creates Sustainability Degree
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (or, RPI) in Troy, NY has created a new major in sustainability studies to prepare students for jobs in the construction, science and engineering fields with a heavy focus on clean technology. The new Science and Technology Studies - Sustainability Studies B.S. program weaves together techniques and insights from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering to address environmental problems.

University of Vermont Hosts First Bike Summit
University of Vermont (UVM) in Burlington, VT recently held its first annual Bike Summit in an effort to raise awareness about bike visibility on campus. The participants of the summit discussed ideas about how to improve bicycle life on campus, like adding more bike racks around campus, increasing the number of bike lanes downtown, and a creating an on-campus shop to help with bike repairs.

December 2012: Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because it's something that UCSC could potentially implement in some form. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

University of Toledo Debuts Friday Night Lights Program
Two student organizations, Engineers Without Borders and the Society for Environmental Education, have teamed up to create the Friday Night Lights Program. In an effort to reduce energy consumption, student participants will turn off lights in campus buildings that would otherwise be left on over the weekend. Energy savings will be monitored and recorded at the end of the semester.

University of California System to Assess Campus Experience

The 10 campuses of the University of California system will survey all faculty, staff, students and trainees about their experiences with campus climate relating to respect, diversity and inclusion. Survey results will provide a view of each location as well as an overview of the system, and will help focus campuses on what is going well and where improvement is needed. The project is funded by the UC President’s Initiative Fund.

UC Berkeley researchers team up with the community to eliminate toxic chemicals
UC Berkeley researchers are teaming up with local organizations to plant thousands of ferns in a South Berkeley lot in an effort to extricate toxic chemicals and eventually create a new haven of green gardens. The project, spearheaded by the campus department of environmental science and the citywide nonprofit organization Berkeley Partners for Parks, will experiment with pteris vittata, also known as the Chinese brake--a specialized fern known to extract a thousand times more arsenic from the soil than a typical plant. If successful, the city will then transform the area into a greenway lined with bicycle paths and trees

November 2012: Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because it's something that UCSC could potentially implement in some form. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

DePauw University pilots free bike rental program 

UCSC has a bike library from which you can borrow a bike for the quarter. Wouldn't it be cool if we also had a bike rental program so you could rent a bike for the day or a weekend?

DePauw University of Greencastle, Indiana, is piloting a free community bike rental program in an effort to discourage students, faculty, staff, and visitors from using cars on campus. Starting off with a fleet of 20 bicycles, rentals will be available to all on a 24/7 basis. Did you know UCSC has a bike library? Students, staff, and faculty can borrow a bike for the quarter by filling out an application. Learn more about the UCSC Bike Library here.

Replacing "Trash" Label with "Landfill" at Princeton
In an effort to change recycling behavior, Building Services have replaced “Trash” labels on disposal bins with “Landfill” labels. The university hopes the change in labels will encourage students to think more carefully about their consumption choices. Building Services, the Office of Sustainability and Green Leaders will be gauging the results of this program and its potential effects on disposal over the next few months. Does seeing the word "landfill" give you more pause than the word "trash"? Tell us what makes you think twice about waste and recycling in the comments below.

October 2012: Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because it's something that UCSC could potentially implement in some form. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

Harvard Sets New Box Fort Record with Move-in Cardboard Boxes & Stores Them for Move-Out

1,081 boxes, more than 100 students, and six hours

Don't throw those move-out boxes away just yet! You can flatten them, stash 'em under your bed, and hang onto them for move-out. You will not be alone: The second weekend in September, students at Harvard built a castle with 1,081 used moving boxes. At break-down time, volunteers from the Environmental Action Committee flattened all the best ones and packed them into bin boxes. Harvard Recycling will store them until May and bring them back for the Move-out Box Sale. So the moving boxes will have been used at least three times, raising over $1,000 for a student charity in the process. Read more and see photos here. At UCSC last year, we recycled 38,840 pounds of cardboard during move-in. That's more than 300 trees! Maybe next year we can have a box fort contest in each college...

RIT Announces Bottled Water Reduction Policy
Departments and campus groups will no longer be allowed to use university funds to purchase single-serving bottles of water. In addition, hydration stations will be installed in all future construction and major renovation projects. Find out about UCSC's own Take Back the Tap, an initiative to end the sale of single use plastic water bottles on campus, on their Facebook page. They are seeking volunteers this year, so if you're interested please send them an email.

U Oregon Joins Smoke and Tobacco Free Campus Movement

The university is the latest campus to declare a smoke- and tobacco-free campus, joining a movement that is on the rise in the U.S. with 126 schools that have moved forward with smoke-free policies that apply to all areas of campus this year. Between January 2011 and January 2012, the number of U.S. colleges and universities with total smoking bans rose from 466 to 648, reports the Christian Science Monitor. What do you think about tobacco-free campuses? What would it take to make UCSC tobacco-free? Post your thoughts in the comments below.

UC reaches milestone of 100 LEED certifications!
A new lab on the UCLA campus is more than just a place for cutting-edge research into paraplegia and cancer: It is the 100th green-certified facility in the UC system, a milestone in sustainability that puts it far ahead of other universities around the nation. The UC system is the first American university to have 100 LEED-certified facilities, followed by Harvard, which had 75 as of May 2012. 'We believe strongly in these efforts, and we will continue to lead by example when it comes to sustainability and environmental stewardship,' said Nathan Brostrom, the UC system's executive vice president for business operations, who oversees sustainability efforts." UCSC has 6 LEED-certified buildings, including buildings in Porter College, the Cowell Student Health Center, and Engineering 2.

September 2012: Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because it's something that UCSC could potentially implement in some way, or it's similar to something already being implemented on our campus. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

UC Merced posts videos for several sustainability focus areas
Check out the UC Merced sustainability website for great short videos that summarize the objectives and programs for green building, water, waste & recycling, student engagement. Objectives and initiatives are also posted for 8 other sustainability topics.

U Oregon Students Start Campus Shoe Recycling Program
A group of students from the Lundquist College of Business’ Center for Sustainable Business Practices and the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center have launched a shoe recycling drive program that debuted during the Olympic Trials taking place on campus. "A Step in the Right Direction" sorts selected shoes based on their condition; intact shoes are donated to those in need while worn-out shoes are sent to the Nike Reuse-a-Shoe program where they are used in sports equipment, playground floors and other materials. After the trials, collection boxes will remain on campus indefinitely.

UCB's Sustainability Tour and Sustainability Map
At UC Berkeley, students, staff, faculty, and visitors can explore the campus with the help of a self- guided one-hour tour of campus sustainability features and a detailed campus sustainability map. The Office of Sustainability at UCB has made the walking tour available for self-service, but also offers guided tours on request. Read the full article on page 3 of their newsletter.

Auburn U Uses Solar Power to Charge Electric Vehicles
Facilities Management, in partnership with the Office of Sustainability, has funded a pilot project for the installation of 24 solar panels atop the stadium parking deck. The solar system is designed to offset the energy used for 10 electric charging stations that have been installed on the lower level of the parking deck. The system is also expected to offset the energy to power lighting when the charging stations are not in use.

U of Oregon Student Visits UCSC Campus, Comments on Water Bottle Habits
A student from the University of Oregon recently visited the UCSC campus. "At the University of Oregon and all around Eugene, I always fill up my reusable water bottle without even thinking, both because of the many accessible spigots to fill it and because I rarely notice plastic water bottles sold. I realized this natural behavior after coming back to California, where I found myself buying plastic water bottles from the lack of accessibility and ready availability of all things fast, convenient, cheap, and plastic," said Taylor Woolsey, a third year International Studies student there. Fortunately, she had no trouble finding places on the UCSC campus to fill up her bottle! Having access to spigots and not having access to single use plastic water bottles really can make a difference in the choices people make. Let's keep up the great work, UCSC!

To find out more about UCSC efforts to get rid of plastic water bottles on campus and make it easier for everyone to fill up their reusable bottles, please check out Take Back the Tap UCSC!

June 2012: Innovative Approaches to Sustainability at Other Campuses

Here are a few selections of the innovative approaches to sustainability taking place on other college campuses. Each of these examples was chosen because it's something that UCSC could potentially implement in some way, or it's similar to something already being implemented on our campus. If you see something here that you want to make a reality at UCSC, contact the Sustainability Office and we will help you direct your ideas toward fruition!

Central Michigan U Launches 'Bring Your Own Bottle' Campaign
In effort to raise environmental awareness and sustainability through small steps, Central Michigan University’s Student Environmental Alliance has partnered with the Great Lakes Institute for Sustainable Systems to distribute 700 Bring Your Own Bottle (B.Y.O.B.) stickers around campus. Stickers have been placed near water fountains and trash cans to encourage the elimination of plastic water bottle waste. Find out about UCSC's own campaign for eliminating the use of single-use water bottles by checking out Take Back the Tap UCSC!

Unity College Steps Up Access to Clean Drinking Water
In answer to a campus student survey, Unity College has installed new water coolers in residence halls that use water from existing plumbing, and new fixtures on water fountains in public spaces that make filling water bottles easier, similar to the water spigots Take Back the Tap has installed around campus. To see more photos of the ones TBTT has installed at UCSC, click here.

Outside the Student Union Building, on the floor of the lounge.
Photo by Take Back the Tap UCSC.

UCSD student's Geared Up program helps find new homes for old atheletic gear
As a tennis player for the University of California at San Diego, Jacqueline Davis said that any college athlete knows that a ton of athletic gear they get often never gets used. Davis, who interned for the university's sustainability center, decided to tie athletics to the environment. She started the program she calls "Geared Up" which works to donate the athletic gear that might have otherwise been thrown away to public schools. The "Geared Up" program has already donated thousands of dollars' worth of equipment.

U Kansas, Utah Research Reveals that Nature Boosts Creativity

New research conducted by faculty from the University of Kansas and the University of Utah concludes that people from all walks of life show "startling" cognitive improvement — for instance, a 50 percent boost in creativity — after living for a few days steeped in nature. Without distractions of 21st century life including social media, electronics and cell phones, people have resources left over to be creative, imaginative and to problem solve. No wonder UCSC has such creative students, staff, and faculty--we are surrounded by forest everyday! Now, just turn off that cell phone, sign off of your computer, and get out there and enjoy the creative benefits of nature.

Near the Stevenson Knoll, overlooking OPERS and Monterey Bay.
Photo by Melissa Ott.

Santa Clara U Athletics Center Introduces User-Powered Treadmills
The university has added two new treadmills that are "powered by sweat" for a total of 33 fitness machines that are self-generating and require no electricity. In total, the university reports that the 33 machines save enough electricity to power a personal computer for 10 years.

U Louisville Students Install Recycled Solar Panels
Members of the university’s Renewable Energy and Efficiency Club are installing a small-scale solar energy project using recycled materials. Students purchased the solar cells from eBay and re-engineered the cell architecture to use a low-cost method. The panels will be used to power two fans that will ventilate a greenhouse.

St. Lawrence U to Launch Sustainability Semester
In spring 2013, student participants will be able to live and take courses together that address themes of human sustainability from a variety of disciplines. Located on a farm, the students will work on-site to grow food and build energy-efficient structures. The semester will also include an urban component where students spend two weeks in either Boston or New York to explore issues such as transportation, housing, food access, pollution and environmental justice.

Syracuse U Students Initiate Food Waste Audits
Two Sustainability Division interns recently gave their fellow students a firsthand look at the food being wasted in the campus dining center each day. Two dinnertime tray waste audits yielded a total of 278 pounds of tray waste, which was displayed for student viewing on a tarp-covered table in three separate piles: untouched food, food scraps and non-edible waste. The visual impact was designed to encourage students to waste less food.

U California Berkeley Debuts New Building Energy Dashboard
The university's new myPower site is connected to 57 campus buildings, allowing the campus community to view how much electricity a building is using in real time on their own computers. In addition to targeting individual behavior and behavioral change by showing how energy saving habits can make a difference, the new dashboard allows the university to spot and fix any energy-related issues. The university plans to get another 45 buildings online this year.

Cal State Monterey Bay Graduates to Wear Recycled Bottle Gowns
Every pound of yarn in the gowns that will be worn by this year's graduates at CSU Monterey Bay saves one-half gallon of gasoline and produces half of the carbon dioxide emissions of the typical polyester manufacturing process. These students really wear their environmental conscience on their sleeves--UCSC graduates should be able to, as well!