April 2019: Cool Campus Challenge

Cool Campus Challenge 2019 has begun!

Cool Campus Challenge is a 4-week challenge with the goal to educate and motivate UC campuses to take simple sustainable actions to help the UC reach the carbon neutrality by 2025. Cool Campus Challenge is a partnership between the the University of California and UC Berkeley's Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory and Center for Sustainable Energy.

UCSC's Cool Campus Challenge Team is run by Kyra Fitz, Rona Berger, and Ellen Vaughan. Fitz and Berger are Carbon Neutrality Engagement Fellows and Vaughan is the Climate and and Water Action Manager.

UCSC is currently third place with 760,691 points. There are currently 25 teams representing colleges, departments, and units on campus.

Some sustainable actions you can take to earn points include reducing your computer power usage, going meatless for a day, and attending a sustainability event. Also, participants have the option to create an action if it is not currently listed.

Sign up for the challenge here.

Environmental Sustainability Survey - Participate!
Remember again to fill out the PoCSC Survey here. It closes at midnight on Friday, April 19.

Earth Day Santa Cruz - Join the fun!
Don't miss city of Santa Cruz's Earth day on Saturday, 4/20. Sign up to volunteer here!

April 2019: Green Tips

Cool Campus Challenge Actions

The UC-wide Cool Campus Challenge runs from April 1 to April 26. Make sure to register at CoolCampusChallenge.org to start competing! Here are 10 easy actions you can take:

1. Reduce your computer power usage. Computer equipment can take up to 10 percent of office energy usage. Make that your computer has its energy saving features activated: http://tinyurl.com/obuwdcf

2. Dress for the weather. Wearing layers allows you to rely on fashion, rather than fossil fuels, to regulate your body temperature. Make each layer a fashion statement! Be an example for others by showing your friends how you layer up.

3. Turn off your overhead light. Open your shades and blinds every day to maximize natural light in your home and workspace. Rather than using an overhead light, try a task light — with an LED bulb for an extra energy-saving boost. Good lighting is important for healthy eyes, but workplace lighting can be overkill. Natural light is best for you and the planet.

4. Sort your waste properly. Recycling and composting properly helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to production and decomposition. Waste requirements vary by location, so make sure to check what your campus, workplace and municipal waste disposal accepts.

5. Use a power strip. Vampire power, phantom loads or ghost loads — whatever you want to call it, your electronic devices are quietly sucking your power. Plug your electronics into an easily accessible power strip. Turn it off when those items aren't being used.

6. Take the stairs. Walking up or down the stairs instead of taking an elevator is typically faster and saves energy. If you are able, why not take the stairs next time you leave the building? A bonus: Physical activity lowers stress.

7. Close the doors and windows. If you're using a heater or AC, close the doors and windows. This will speed the warming or cooling process, while reducing energy waste.

8. Turn off your monitor when you’re away. Set your computer monitor to turn off automatically when you're away for more than 10 minutes, or shut it off manually when you're done or taking a break.

9. Learn how to report water waste and leaks. Every drop counts. Help save water by reporting leaky faucets, sprinklers, toilets and other water waste. If you live on campus, report leaks to https://fixit.sa.ucsc.edu/

10. Go meatless for a day. According to EarthDay.org, if the entire U.S. did not eat meat or cheese for just one day a week, it would be the equivalent of not driving 91 billion miles — or taking 7.6 million cars off the road! Also consider choosing local and organic foods to further reduce your environmental impact.

April 2019: Earth Week

UCSC Earth Week is coming up on the week of April 23-28! Join us as we connect our community and our environment. UCSC Earth Week has been happening yearly since 2013. Special pop-up exhibits and fun arts and crafts will be set-up for visitors every day during this week at Seymour Marine Discovery Center. Plus, free admission is included for anyone arriving via people power or public transportation. The first event starts on Tuesday, April 23 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Learn more about Earth Week here!

City of Santa Cruz's Earth Day will be on Saturday, 4/20 in San Lorenzo Park. Don't miss out on this fun opportunity to raise environmental awareness, address concerns, showcase solutions, and present balanced modes of living for the wellbeing of each individual, the community, and the planet.

The Sustainability Office is looking for volunteers to join us! 
Take advantage of the opportunity to be part of this collaboration between our city and university and join the fun here!

April 2019: Free screening of new National Geographic documentary Paris to Pittsburgh

Come and see a free screening of the new National Geographic documentary Paris to Pittsburgh. The screening is a collaboration between the Santa Cruz Institute for Social Transformation and Professor Elliott Campbell from ENVS. The screening will be Wed. April 17 5:30-7:00pm in Thimann Lecture Hall 003. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with John Laird (former Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency) and student Luis Villalobos. 

April 2019: Funding Opportunities for Climate Mitigation Projects & Upcoming Offset Meeting

In support of UC’s Carbon Neutrality Initiative, the University is soliciting ideas from members of the UC community for off-campus projects that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or sequester carbon. Under UC’s Carbon Neutrality Initiative, the UC system has committed to reducing its net GHGs from its operations to zero by 2025. Excellent progress has been made to make our buildings more efficient and switch to renewable and clean energy supplies. To help UC bring its emissions all the way down to zero, we are seeking two types of projects:

1) UC-initiated offset projects: UC seeks to build a portfolio of potential offset projects originating from UC research and educational programs, and is exploring the viability of supporting those projects with payments based on GHG emissions reductions achieved. UC is currently offering awards of up to $70,000 to help bring selected projects closer to implementation. Proposals are due by May 31, 2019.

2) Projects already on the carbon offset market: UC is looking for recommendations from faculty, staff, and students for projects currently available on the voluntary offset market that meaningfully reduce emissions and are otherwise sustainable. Recommendations will be reviewed as they are submitted.

We are particularly seeking offset projects that contribute to UC’s mission by expanding or applying university research, offering educational opportunities, advancing understanding of climate solutions, providing health and social justice benefits, and directly benefiting the UC community and surrounding communities.

Based on preliminary conversations with faculty researchers throughout the system, we have high expectations that this offset program will further demonstrate the University of California’s collective power to lead in generating replicable climate change solutions.

For additional information and to submit your ideas, please visit the Request for Ideas website.

On Campus Offset Meeting

UCSC will host representatives from the UC Office of the President to further explain this initiative and help connect interested parties and support your participation in this Request For Ideas.

Tuesday, April 16, 1:30-3:00 pm, Cervantes & Velasquez Conference Room, 420 Hagar Dr.

By: Ellen Vaughan

April 2019: Classes, Trainings, and Community

CRSN 61 / 161 Class Info

Each Monday night from 5:20-7:50PM at Kresge Town Hall there will be speakers that discuss topics related to sustainability and social justice as well as workshops from student organizations on campus. Can be taken for 2 or 5 units of credit and satisfies requirements for upper division Sociology major credit and the Breadth requirement for the Sustainability minor.

Student Environmental Center

The Student Environmental Center (SEC) is a student-run, student lead activist organization on campus dedicated to institutionalizing sustainability and environmental justice at UCSC through projects and events that educate and empower students. Reach out to sec-group@ucsc.edu for questions, inquires, and ways to get involved.

Corre la Voz Spring 2019 — OAKS 151A/B

Corre la Voz is an after-school mentoring program at Bay View Elementary School and will be accepting applications for interview to join the Spring Seminar and Field Study Class, Oakes 151A/B ("Community Literacies: Curriculum Design, Observation & Team Teaching").

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar

Looking for a Senior Exit this Spring? There are seats available for ENVS 196, Senior Seminar: Data Science for the Environment (Environmental Informatics) with Professor Kai Zhu. The class will include environmental-related modules such as climate change, biodiversity loss, population growth, forest dynamics, and overfishing. Each module will introduce new datasets and questions, leading to new hands-on skills. Students will use these skills to find an environmental-related topic, write a proposal, search for data, perform analyses, summarize results, and complete a final paper. Click here to apply!

Education for Sustainable Living Program Spring Lecture Series

Host a Workshop with Education for Sustainable Living Program's Spring Lecture Series! Every year Education for Sustainable Living Program hosts a Spring Course, CRSN 61/161. This is made up of Monday Night Lectures and Action Research Teams. This year’s theme is Narratives of Hope for a Sustainable Future. ESLP invites campus groups and other relevant organizations to hosts workshops to complement their Monday Night Lectures. They invite you to speak on any subject that relates to our Blueprint for a Sustainable Campus. Find more details and apply at https://www.eslp-enviroslug.org/hostworkshop/

LEED Accreditation Courses

Opportunity for UCSC faculty, staff students to access hundreds of hours of FREE online training and webinars through the US Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Online platform through October 2019. The campus is looking for strong user engagement in this pilot year in order to identify the need for future years. Having at least a LEED-GA accreditation is viewed as a minimum qualification for most jobs within the green building industry. The platform includes access to learning modules that can be incorporated into existing course curricula, training resources for students seeking to pursue a LEED credential, and ongoing education materials for staff and faculty seeking to maintain their existing LEED credential. Questions can be emailed to education@usgbc.org. Educational Facilities Planner Chrissy Thomure at cthomure@ucsc.edu is the campus' official LEED liaison, and can also help point you in the right direction as needed. Learn more about the courses here.

UCSC Campus Natural Reserve Internships - Spring 2019

An average of 6 hours per week of internship work (field and lab) will earn you 2-credits through the ENVS Internship Office (see their website for other internship requirements beyond the 6-hour requirement). Our internships require a sense of adventure and willingness and ability to work off-trail in sometimes challenging terrain. To apply for the internships, send an email to cnr@ucsc.edu describing your interest and ranking your choices. Please include your Spring 2019 course schedule. For more information and the list of internships, please visit https://ucsccampusreserve.ucsc.edu/internships-and-classes/internships-folder/index.html

April 2019: Internships, Employment, and Volunteering

UCSC Sustainability Office Carbon Fund

The Carbon Fund is hiring a student employee as a Carbon Fund Program Coordinator! We are looking to complete the hiring process early Spring quarter, with the student continuing for the remainder of the academic year and the 2019-2020 academic year. The Carbon Fund student fee measure was established in 2010, providing over $100,000 in grant funding annually to support projects that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as supporting sustainability education and social justice initiatives on campus and in our local community. A student Coordinator will have the opportunity to work with Sustainability Office staff to support these projects, as well as gain valuable experience in organization and committee administration, reviewing grant proposals, campus operations, climate change mitigation efforts, and more! To apply, visit the Career Center website and search for position #7314 or, to be considered for a scholarship instead of hourly pay, send your resume and cover letter to ekericks@ucsc.edu. If you have any questions, please let us know at carbon@ucsc.edu.

DUE 4/24 - Gliessman Fellowship in Water Resources and Food System Sustainability

The Gliessman Fellowship in Water Resources and Food System Sustainability fellowship provides summer stipends for graduate and undergraduate students in the UC Santa Cruz Department of Environmental Studies (up to $7,000 per student).  The focus of this program is on student research that focuses on integrating food and water sustainability. A short-format application is due April 24th through the following website:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kwdzaWB66v_o9Fht8RVK_wdpq6c7u9XHD9caB52n2KY/edit

Green Office Certification Program The Green Office Certification Program (GOCP) is pleased to announce the opening of a GOCP position. We are seeking undergraduate students of all majors and backgrounds who have an interest in Sustainability. Please apply on the ER system under the ER number 6682 . For additional information on this opportunity visit our website. Please direct your questions regarding this matter to the GOCP Coordinator Jennifer Perez at greenoff@ucsc.edu 4/10 - 5/15 - Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center Share your love for the ocean and become a docent at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center. There will be an informational meeting Wednesday, March 27th at 5:30PM and Sunday, March 31st at 10:00AM. Docent training begins April 10th - May 15th on Wednesdays from 6:00-9:00PM. For more information and to apply, email Brijonnay Madrigal at brijonnay.madrigal@noaa.gov. Or call (831) 425-4182. Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center is looking for a weekly intern who will assist in the coordination and delivery of the Preschool Storytime program. Duties will include assisting in the coordination of a weekly preschool activity time at the Sanctuary Exploration Center, helping set up and leading weekly crafts and show-and-tell demonstrations, and assisting in program advertising. For more information, please contact Chelsea Prindle at chelsea.prindle@noaa.gov. Part-time & Full-time Positions for Environmental Campaigns Fund for the Public Interest is looking for passionate and dedicated students to join our grassroots campaign office in downtown Santa Cruz, as campaign staff to make real change during this school year. Currently, we are working to protect our coast and wildlife by banning single-use polystyrene (styrofoam) on a statewide level. Learn more at www.fundjobs.org