University of California, Santa Barbara
EN-3: Student Life

UC Santa Barbara is home to forty-two student-led organizations that work on environmental or sustainability issues. Each of these programs is devoted to informing the campus and community about many aspects of environmentalism, including climate change, law and policy, ecology, energy, and sustainability. A description of each organization's primary functions and goals, as well as past and current projects, can be found in the included link below. 1. The American Indian and Indigenous Garden Alliance 2. Associated Students Bike Committee* 3. Associated Students Bike Shop 4. Associated Students Coastal Fund* 5. Associated Students Commission on Student Well Being 6. Associated Students Community Affairs Board (CAB) 7. Associated Students Department of Public Worms* 8. Associated Students Environmental Affairs Board (EAB*) 9. Associated Students Food Bank* 10. Associated Students Human Rights Board 11. Associated Students Recycling* 12. Associated Students Zero Waste Committee* 13. Bee Conscious 14. Bren Environmental Justice Club* 15. Bren Student Sustainability Committee (BSSC)* 16. CalPIRG – California Student Public Interest Research Group* 17. Campus Green Party 18. ECOalition at UCSB 19. Edible Campus Program 20. Educating Leaders for the Future (ELF)* 21. Engineers Without Borders (EWB) 22. Environmental Planning Commission 23. Excursion Club 24. Feel Good SB 25. Greenhouse and Garden Project* 26. Interactive Campus Map – Sustainability Team* 27. ISLA Student Collective 28. Isla Vista Surfrider Foundation* 29. IV Tenants Union 30. Kids in Nutrition 31. LabRATS (Laboratory Research and Technical Staff)* 32. PACES (Program for the Assessment and Certification for the Environment and Sustainability)* 33. Plastic Solutions* 34. Refuse, Recycling, & Research Center (R3C)* 35. Renewable Energy Initiative (REI)* 36. Santa Barbara Student Housing Co-op (SBSHC) 37. Save the Mermaids 38. The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF)* 39. UCSB Living Lab 40. United States Green Building Council Student Chapter (USGBC)* 41. United Students Against Sweatshops 42. The Wildlife Society The starred organizations are also members of our ECOalition at UCSB, a council of student organizations that comes to gather to jointly voice their ideas and concerns; and to share best practices and resources.

UCSB has a Greenhouse and Garden Project (GHGP) that allows students, faculty, and staff to maintain their own gardening plot. It currently has about 25 members, each with their own plot and full access to the greenhouse. The GHGP practices organic gardening, and, therefore, no pesticides or harmful chemicals may be used. Several faculty members use the grounds for research purposes as well, studying topics ranging from soil composition to sustainable agriculture. More info can be found here: http://www.sustainability.ucsb.edu/student-orgs/#greenhouse The university also offers a course in Small Scale Food Production, which covers the biological, ecological, social, and economic theory of small-scale food production and its application in our campus garden plots, Santa Barbara County, and the rest of the world. Students in the class become members of the Greenhouse and Garden Project for a quarter and manage their own plots. The class is cross listed in Geography, Anthropology, and Environmental Studies and is open to students from any discipline who complete the prerequisite course, World Agriculture, Food, & Population. Additionally, UCSB has newly launched The Edible Campus Project which aims to address local food insecurity by repurposing underutilized spaces on campus for food production, turning waste into food, and engaging students as growers and producers. This effort is supported by the AS Department of Public Worms, AS Food Bank, and UCSB Sustainability. The project empowers the campus community, especially students, to be responsible stewards and leaders of our food system by training students in practices that address social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability and help them to reclaim their personal connection to the land and their food. The goal of the program is to produce 25,000 pounds of food a year for UCSB students. The Edible Campus Program has several different projects that work toward this goal and was just approved a space for a student farm in the center of campus to grow a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables that will be distributed to UCSB students via the AS Food Bank and other venues. The goal for the farm is to produce 12,000 pounds of sustainable and nutritious food per year. As part of the Citrus Tree Project, students are working to develop an alumni dedication campaign where alumni can donate citrus trees rather than benches, so that the fruit that is grown can be donated to UCSB students. The third project the Edible Campus Program is working on is creating a vertical garden to eliminate the need for land and excess water; food grown from this would also be donated to UCSB students. These projects will primarily be maintained by students, so they also provide long term education on sustainable farming. 

ISLA (Incorporating Sustainable Local Agriculture) Student Collective, a student group on campus, aims to provide less resource intensive, locally sourced, affordable meal options for the UCSB community, may fit this category. The group is currently trying to offer hands-on entrepreneurial and business learning opportunities to students through the daily operations of a food cart. They hosted two on-campus fundraisers/tasting events during Spring 2015, where most of their ingredients were sourced directly from Santa Barbara farmers market or the Isla Vista Food Cooperative. The student collective has also collaborated with local events to sell pumpkin bread and spiced cider this academic year and is currently holding monthly tasting events with the hope of determining a menu for a daily operational food cart by Fall 2017. The group has also received support and mentorship from the organization CoFed (the Community Food Empowerment Directive), a group that works with student-run food co-ops across the country, to develop business plans, financial goals, and food justice education.

We would like to highlight three sustainable funds/initiatives on our campus: The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) TGIF is a student-funded program that awards approximately $170,000 annually in grants for projects that enhance UCSB’s environmental, cultural, and economic sustainability. Students, staff, and faculty can submit project proposals to a student-majority governance board that selects which projects receive funding. Priority, however, is given to student initiated projects. Examples of past student initiatives that received funding from TGIF include assessing campus climate impact (2014-15), creating a roadmap and timeline for campus carbon neutrality (2014-15) and implementing an Energy Management Initiative (2013-14). (http://www.sustainability.ucsb.edu/giving-to-the-green-initiative-fund/) The Renewable Energy Initiative (REI) The REI student fee went into effect in Fall 2010 with the role of funding a series of renewable energy installations to try and achieve Zero Net Energy. Through a $6.00 fee per student per quarter, the initiative funds the reduction of fossil fuels and carbon emissions, increased energy efficiencies with the use of clean and renewable energies, and helps UCSB meet its Climate Action Plan goals for a carbon neutral campus by 2050. When REI went into effect, a consultative and decision making student majority governance board was also created with the responsibility to facilitate the use of the proceeds from this student fee. (http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/Sustainability/RenewableEnergyInitiative.aspx) The Coastal Fund The Coastal Fund is a student initiative that is dedicated to the conservation of the UCSB coastline. Each undergraduate student contributes $5.25 per quarter ($3.00 for graduate students) to the fund through student fees. The Coastal Fund accepts proposals once a quarter for projects such as marine research, community and campus programs or coastal education. Funds are generated and administered by students. The Coastal Fund has further involved students by creating the Coastal Service Program in which student organizations can raise much needed funds by participating in a local beach clean up or native habitat restoration. (https://coastalfund.as.ucsb.edu/)

The University of California, Santa Barbara founded the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference (CHESC) and has been host to CHESC six times since 2002. CHESC is designed by and for campuses from each of the four systems of higher education in California, the California Community Colleges, the California State University, the University of California, and private and independent colleges and universities. As a result of this unique partnership, CHESC provides top quality sessions highlighting the most innovative best practices from the past year. Speakers include staff, administrators, faculty, and students from colleges and universities throughout the state, often speaking on teams representing the stakeholder collaborations which are the foundation of campus sustainability efforts. (http://www.sustainability.ucsb.edu/chesc/) In 2011, we began the Central Coast Sustainability Summit. The Central Coast Sustainability Summit brought together local municipalities and community organizations to share best practices; to discuss common issues in energy, transportation, waste, and water management; and to promote local dialogue and pursue regional sustainability partnerships. We have also held a variety of colloquia featuring notable authors and environmental advocates. The Bren School, a graduate school for Environmental Science & Management, at UCSB often holds Speaker Series which are intended for graduate students to learn from an expert in the environmental/sustainability field. This Winter's Speaker Series is focused on career talks, where individuals from the community and/or Bren Alumni come to talk to students about the work they do and how they have advanced in their career. Below are two examples of speakers that were part of this career talk series: Dima Reed discussed her experience working on international development at the UN and World Bank. Her work with international development focuses on results and knowledge management, monitoring and evaluation, and institutional capacity building. At the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), she was in charge of capacity building and training to support sustainable management and restoration of the Iraqi Marshlands. Matt Riley is the co-founder of Infinity Wind Power. His talk focused on his professional experience in the wind and solar energy industry. He is an alumni of the Bren School and also obtained a Bachelor of Science from UCSB.

UCSB Adventure Programs offers students, staff, and faculty wilderness trips, outdoor recreation classes, ropes courses and climbing center programs that are meant to provide educational and recreational experiences as well as opportunities for growth and leadership. Activities include backpacking, kayaking and camping. One of the direct commitments of the program offerings is to "promote wilderness ethics and stewardship, utilizing Leave No Trace principles." Additionally, as part of the Adventure Programs, First Year Outdoor Adventures (FYOA) activities are offered prior to first year students' move in day and last about a week. There are four different outdoor programs for first year students (and one for transfer students): Backpacking Adventure, Rock and Canyon Adventure, Colorado Canoe Adventure, and Multi-Sport Adventure. One of the main goals stated for participants of these programs is to "learn environmental stewardship through the practice of Leave No Trace (LNT)".

UCSB often chooses sustainability-related themes for its UCSB Reads program. The UCSB Reads program is a common reading experience for the UCSB and Santa Barbara-Goleta communities that serves to encourage reading and to generate discussion amongst the communities about environmental issues and globalization. In 2014, "The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire That Saved America" by Timothy Egan was chosen as the UCSB Reads book in order to stimulate dialogue about issues surrounding the environmental and human impact of wildfires, including conservation, wildfire management, and the politics of environmentalism.

Earlier this year, the Food Nutrition and Basic Skills Program was launched to provide education and workshops in the following four tracks: Budgeting and Planning, Kitchen Basics, Cooking and Nutrition Basics and Connecting to your food. The Financial Aid Office, UCen Dining Services, IV Food Co-Op, Health and Wellness, Community Housing Office, Environmental Affairs Board and other organizations/departments on campus are all part of this coalition effort to provide basic and sustainable skills to students. Below are some examples of workshops that this program provides to students: Soup with the Soup Guy This was a demonstration by the chef who cooks the soups that are sold in campus cafes on how to make quick, sustainable and tasty soup. Financial Aid Literacy This workshop was presented by the Financial Aid Office and provided the tools, contacts and services that could help students utilize resources on campus. It also provided Financial Aid Basics such as how to understand award letters and budget accordingly, search for scholarships, and understand how loans work. Cooking with 5 Ingredients or Less This lesson focuses on teaching students how to make delicious dishes that can be prepared quickly and simply. Shopping on a CalFresh Budget ($50) at the IV Food Co-Op Every month the IV Food Co-Op hosts a Cal-Fresh Budget Tour in which students and families are taught how to maximize their budget through easy tips and tricks. Cooking with the Season This workshop demonstrates what is in season right now and how to adapt cooking skills to all the different seasons. Managing Your Debt Terms and repayment options associated with loan and credit card borrowing are important to know about since students may use these tools as a means by which to help fund their education. This workshop talks about these options as well as how to reduce debt through budget planning. In addition to the above program, one of our on-campus residence halls, San Miguel, contains a floor dedicated to the living learning community "Green Living". This is a community personally committed to living lightly and reducing their impact on the earth and oceans. Students who choose to live in this hall find opportunities for involvement in sustainable initiatives and issues on campus, like becoming an Environmental Ambassador to promote saving our resources on campus. Residents also engage in outdoor activities such as hiking, surfing and camping. Additional features in this hall are the energy and water competitions and various other sustainability outreach and educational events. UCSB Housing and Residential Services also offers a published Sustainability Guide online. This guide offers students valuable information on how to be "green" while living in UCSB Residents Halls. It includes sustainability tips, efforts, and opportunities to students. The link can be found below: http://www.housing.ucsb.edu/earth-friendly-living

The Sustainability Internship Program, based in the Department of Geography, offers students opportunities to gain experience in sustainability projects and make a difference on campus as well as in the local community. These include paid, academic credit, and volunteer-based internships and volunteer activities. The program also serves as a resource center for finding internships with other campus offices and off campus programs related to sustainability. This year 31 students were hired to take part in the UCSB Sustainability Internship Program.

The Gaucho Certified Farmers Market is an avenue for staff, students, faculty, and the local community to access fresh, locally grown produce and artisan goods. It brings together all facets of sustainability, helping to educate the UCSB community on healthy eating and living. The market acts as a platform to promote the rich bounty of the Central Coast. It has farmers and artisans tabling to offer education and insight into sustainable food production. The market also invites student, staff and faculty groups to table with information on a variety of ways to be sustainable.