| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.08 |
| Liaison | Carrie Metzgar |
| Submission Date | May 18, 2011 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of California, San Diego
ER-4: Sustainability Outreach and Publications
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Kristin
Hansen Sustainability Analyst Auxiliary & Plant Services |
Does the institution have a central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts?:
A brief description of the central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts:
UC San Diego's Sustain 2.0's website offers a place for students, faculty, staff, and partners of the university to connect with each other, explore UC San Diego's countless sustainability initiatives, and find ways to get involved. Sustain 2.0’s website highlights initiatives in the following fields: clean energy, climate, education, fuel alternatives, green building, smart grid, transportation alternatives, waste diversion, and water.
The website URL for the central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts:
Does the institution have a sustainability newsletter?:
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:
UC San Diego’s Sustainable Solutions Institute (SSI) publishes a quarterly newsletter highlighting sustainability efforts at UC San Diego. SSI turns knowledge and technology into solutions by acquiring key resources and organize projects to address sustainability challenges. SSI’s quarterly newsletter is focused on campus sustainability efforts related to Integrated Water Resource Management, the Built Environment, and Greenovation 2.0.
The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
Does the institution have a vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability?:
A brief description of the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
One of the outstanding features of the Environmental Systems Major Program (ESYS) is the three quarter upper-division Senior Internship/Project sequence to be taken senior year. The Environmental Systems program places a significant value on interdisciplinary problem solving and all majors are expected to complete an integrative Senior Project in their final year. The Senior Project is designed by the student to focus on an interdisciplinary environmental problem or research topic. Appropriate topics for the Senior Project could conceivably include biodiversity conservation, coastal zone management, environmental health, climate change, environmental justice, and/or urban air quality. An important component of the Senior Project is an off-campus or laboratory internship where students might work on, for example, the development of a comprehensive management plan for a threatened ecosystem. The Senior Seminar provides a venue for the presentation and group evaluation of the ESYS Senior Projects.
The website URL for the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
Does the institution have building signage that highlights green building features?:
A brief description of building signage that highlights green building features :
The Sustainability Resource Center contains placards that describe all of the green building materials and features. These materials and features include an innovative energy-saving DC to DC lighting system, countertops made from recycled paper and glass, and eco-friendly paint. Sustainable flooring types include flooring reclaimed from a demolished building, rapidly renewable, formaldehyde-free bamboo and completely recyclable carpeting.
The website URL for building signage that highlights green building features :
Does the institution have food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems?:
A brief description of food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
After a five year campaign, UC San Diego has signed the strongest University fair trade policy in the nation. By making a commitment to promote Fair Trade Certified Products, UC San Diego supports livable wages, humane working conditions and guarantees against the use of child labor. The Fair Trade Policy states that Official Fair Trade Certified label shall be displayed in the immediate and visible vicinity where products are served and/or sold, and signage shall be displayed by main entrance or cashier informing customers that the food service operation offers Fair Trade Products. To view UC San Diego's Fair Trade policy visit, http://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/ppm/docs/541-2.pdf .
The website URL for food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
Does the institution have signage on the grounds about sustainable grounds-keeping strategies employed?:
A brief description of signage on the grounds about sustainable grounds-keeping strategies employed:
30% of water used for campus landscaping is from recovered, reclaimed, or untreated sources through UC San Diego’s purple pipe system. With each new construction, landscape piping for reclaimed water is installed and water-wise plants are used for landscaping. UC San Diego has retrofitted nearly 7,900 standard sprinklers with high efficiency rotating nozzles saving nearly 10.3M gals and $82,000/year. New controllers save an additional 55Mgals/yr. Signs on campus highlight UC San Diego’s reclaimed water system as well as areas where natural vegetation has been planted to reduce water use.
Additionally UC San Diego is connecting its irrigation systems to the campus-wide weather monitoring system for improved irrigation control based on campus microclimate data. Data is provided by the UC San Diego Decision Making using Real-time Observations for Environmental Sustainability (DEMROES) system, which measures water lost from evapotranspiration and determines whether watering is necessary. Evapotranspiration rates vary with the weather, peaking on sunny, dry, windy summer days.
The website URL for signage on the grounds about sustainable grounds-keeping strategies employed:
Does the institution have a sustainability walking map or tour?:
A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:
UC San Diego offers sustainability tours. The content of the tour is tailored for the audience, but most cover the following:
1. Housing-Dining-Hopsitality
2. Water-Wise Landscaping
3. Sustainable Health Practices
4. University Printing Practices
5. Green Education
6. Alternative and Efficient Energy Usage
7. Green Buildings, Operations and Maintenance
8. UC San Diego Libraries
9. UC San Diego's Sustainability Resource Center
10. UC San Diego's The Zone
11. Recycling
12. Scripps Oceanography
13. Campus Transportation Alternatives and Commute Solutions
Sustainability walking tours were part of UC San Diego's Green Open House celebration. To learn more about this tour, visit: http://50th.ucsd.edu/goh/walking-tour.php
The website URL of the sustainability walking map or tour:
Does the institution have a guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation?:
A brief description of the guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation:
UC San Diego's Transportation Services Commute Solutions office coordinates all rideshare programs available for UC San Diego faculty, staff and students. Additionally, UC San Diego's Sustain 2.0's website provides a section detailing transportation alternatives at UC San Diego. It provides resources for bikers, zip car users, shuttle and bus commuters, and carpoolers and vanpoolers. It also highlights UC San Diego's Greenline shuttles.
The website URL for the guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation:
Does the institution have a guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience?:
A brief description of the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
UC San Diego’s Housing*Dining*Hospitality provides a guide for students living on campus on the Major Planet website. It includes definitions for sustainability and zero waste, practical advice for making sustainable lifestyle changes, and helpful links for further information.
The website URL for the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
Does the institution have regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper (either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat)?:
A brief description of regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat:
The website URL for regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (1st material):
A brief description of this material:
The Sustainability 2.0 pamphlet gives general information for the public about UCSD's commitments and initiatives to sustainability as a part of UC San Diego's goal to become a carbon-neutral campus. The pamphlet features individual sheets that highlight campus sustainability efforts including on campus recycling, transportation, interdisciplinary research, water, pollution prevention and renewable energy resources. The brochure was designed to be a "flex brochure" so that updates would not require printing of the entire brochure, but instead of just the individual topic sheets.
The website URL for this material:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (2nd material):
A brief description of this material:
UC San Diego's Green Campus students send out a monthly newsletter regarding energy audits, current projects, updates on past project follow ups, and other green initiatives related to UC San Diego. To learn more or to view a newsletter, visit http://greencampus.ucsd.edu/news.html.
The website URL for this material:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (3rd material):
A brief description of this material:
Table Talks: UC San Diego's EcoNauts spent 3 months in 7 different dining halls at all different prime hours talking one on one to students about recycling, composting, and trash.
Rush EKO: EcoNauts planned a week's worth of educational activities targeting students who live on campus. Students were invited to "join" EKO in the style of a fraternity rush event.
The website URL for this material:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (4th material):
A brief description of this material:
The website URL for this material:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (5th material):
A brief description of this material:
The website URL for this material:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (6th material):
A brief description of this material:
The website URL for this material:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (7th material):
A brief description of this material:
The website URL for this material:
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (8th material):
A brief description of this material:
The website URL for this material:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.