Overall Rating Platinum - expired
Overall Score 88.80
Liaison Aarushi Gupta
Submission Date Aug. 11, 2021

STARS v2.2

University of California, Irvine
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Rachel Harvey
Sustainability Coordinator
Housing
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Central sustainability website 

Does the institution have a central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution’s sustainability efforts?:
Yes

Website URL for the central sustainability website:

Sustainability newsletter or social media platform

Does the institution have a sustainability newsletter or social media platform that focuses specifically on campus sustainability?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability newsletter or social media platform:
NEWSLETTERS

UCI's Sustainability Resource Center publishes the weekly SRC Digest, which is distributed via email to interested members of the campus community. The Digest includes information about sustainability events and opportunities. Past issues can be found here: https://sustainability.uci.edu/digest/

UCI Housing Sustainability publishes a monthly sustainability newsletter highlighting monthly sustainability challenges residents and staff can participate in. This newsletter also provides information on sustainability-related events happening in on-campus housing communities. The newsletter is sent to subscribers via email. Example issue here: https://conta.cc/3bNpStc


SOCIAL MEDIA

These campus entities additionally maintain Social Media pages to share sustainability-focused news, opportunities, and educational resources.

UCI Sustainability Resource Center
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ucisustainabilitycenter
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ucisustainability/?hl=en

UCI Housing Sustainability
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UCIHousingSustainability/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uci_earthreps/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ_7AEbqmjfdDQTYC5KbWEw
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/LiveGreenUCI/

UCI Dining uses sustainability-focused social media (Facebook and Twitter) to convey facts and tips for being sustainable as well as information about outreach and education events.
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ucidining
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/ucidining
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/UCIDining

Signage

Does the institution have signage that highlights sustainability features on campus?:
Yes

A brief description of the signage that highlights sustainability features on campus:
UCI has decals or glass plaques for LEED buildings. Mesa Court Student Housing and other campus buildings provides interpretive signage identifying green features. Additionally, the campus highlights green building features on the Sustainability website here http://sustainability.uci.edu/sustainablecampus/green-buildings/

Signage around campus, in all classrooms, and residence halls directs students about how to properly sort waste into the proper bin. Signs here: https://sustainability.uci.edu/recycling-resource-library/

Signage in the dining halls encourages students to take only what they will eat to reduce food waste, shares vegan meal hacks, and showcases the water footprint of food choices.

Signage around the campus indicates that UCI uses recycled water to irrigate main campus vegetation. Additionally, permanent plaques in two residential communities provide education on native and drought tolerant landscaping. https://cpep.uci.edu/physical/landscape-plan.php

Sustainability map or tour

Does the institution provide a sustainability walking map or tour?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:
UCI Self-Guided Sustainability Tour

Campus and community members can take the virtual self-guided sustainability tour to explore UCI’s sustainability features via Google Earth. As they “virtually” walk through campus, they will discover our beautiful open and green spaces, learn about our robust sustainable transportation program, view our award-winning green buildings, and soak-up an array of opportunities for student, staff, and faculty involvement.
https://sustainability.uci.edu/sustainablecampus/uci-self-guided-sustainability-tour/

UCI Online Campus Map

UCI’s official online campus map contains a layer dedicated to the sustainable features of campus. Exact locations of bottle filling stations, LEED-certified buildings, solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations, community gardens, and open spaces can be found.
https://map.uci.edu/?id=463#!ce/36404?ct/52435

Campus Walking Tours

Sustainability information is also included in UCI walking tours. Tour guides, student-staff affiliated with UCI's Office of Undergraduate Admissions known as Campus Representatives, receive training from Sustainability officers. https://apply.admissions.uci.edu/portal/crepapp

Green living guide 

Does the institution produce a guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience?:
Yes

A brief description of the guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
UCI Housing Sustainability provides several resources and opportunity for residents to incorporate sustainability into their housing experiences.

The Green Living Guide informs residents of sustainability practices that can be incorporated into their lifestyles and help reduce their carbon footprint. See: https://housing.uci.edu/sustainability/#living

In the residence halls, signs share tips to living a more sustainable lifestyle like only washing full loads of laundry, taking the stairs more often if they are able to, turning off lights and unplugging electronics when not in use. Digital versions here: https://sites.google.com/uci.edu/uci-a-l-l/EarthDay21

Optional Fields

A brief description of other comprehensive sustainability outreach materials and publications not covered above:
Additional UCI sustainability outreach materials and publications:

Sustainability Spot Blog
This student run blog reflects writing by students from their own perspectives on topics related to sustainability. https://sustainability.uci.edu/studentinvolvement/src/blog/

Sustainability Corner Blog
This staff-run blog provides a “behind-the-scenes" look into UCI’s sustainable operations, programming, and policies.
https://cpep.uci.edu/sustainability-corner/index.php

Eco-Chats Podcasts by UCI Sustainability Resource Center
Hear from sustainability leaders and practitioners from across campus and in the community, as they share their perspectives on sustainability issues and solutions in a campus, community, and global context. We also get a glimpse of each guest's background and current roles, demystifying paths to sustainability professions. https://anchor.fm/eco-chats-podcast

Campus Bike Map
UC Irvine publishes a Campus Bike Map that provides cyclists with navigational information on biking routes.
http://bike.uci.edu/maps/

Bike Safety Resources
UCI provides online educational tools about bike safety (http://bike.uci.edu/general-info/bicycle-safety-and-operation/) and pedestrian safety (http://bike.uci.edu/general-info/pedestrian-safety/).

UCI News
UCI News, the website administered by the campus's Strategic Communications office, frequently highlights campus sustainability news. Articles focused on energy and the environment are categorized: https://news.uci.edu/category/science-and-tech/environment-and-energy/

InSight Magazine
A student-led media project incubated within the Blum Center. The student team seeks to make poverty visible and knowledge actionable through compelling narratives and visuals.
http://blumcenter.uci.edu/feature/insight-magazine/

UCI Blum Center Newsletter
The UCI Blum Center’s mission is to promote social change and inspire the next generation of leaders to action with research on poverty alleviation. The Center’s innovative education programs, basic and applied research, and work in community development and policy-making engage future leaders to reduce the risks of poverty for vulnerable populations and improve humanity and its institutions. They share news through a regular newsletter sent to subscribers by email. https://us10.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=36227c6762937037b7e095a12&id=1a5a774863

Climate Lab by Vox and the University of California
The University of California partnered with Vox to produce Climate Lab, a video series exploring the surprising elements of our lives that contribute to climate change and the groundbreaking work being done to fight back. Featuring conversations with experts, scientists, thought leaders and activists, the series demystifies topics like nuclear power, food waste and online shopping to make them more approachable and actionable for those who want to do their part.
Website: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/climate-lab
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJ8cMiYb3G5fP5oq01TBp9fgh70vDDSMe

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information in this credit was provided by:

Rachel Harvey
Sustainability Coordinator
Housing Administrative Services
(949) 824-5263
raharvey@uci.edu

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.