University of California, Santa Barbara
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

On October 22, 2008, Chancellor Henry Yang announced the members of the inaugural Campus Sustainability Committee. This committee advises the Chancellor and campus administrators on matters of campus sustainability, makes recommendations on sustainability initiatives, helps prioritize and monitor the execution and progress of the campus sustainability plan toward our goals, makes recommendations on allocations of available funding resources, and provides guidance in the creation and fostering of alliances. The committee conducts an ongoing and thorough consultative process to solicit campus input in developing our vision to enhance our international leadership in this critically important area, using the Campus Sustainability Plan as a blueprint for our campus’s sustainability efforts.
The CSC has several subcommittees and change agent teams that work in different functional areas and report directly to the CSC listed below:
ACADEMICS
Ensure that all graduates of UCSB are literate in the social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability and that sustainability research is supported.
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Create superior places to study, work, and live that enhance the health and performance of occupants through sustainable design that incorporates human factors, construction, operations, retrofits, and biomimicry.
COMMUNICATIONS
Integrate sustainability into the daily habits of the campus community and encourage active participation and enthusiasm among students, faculty, and staff.
Energy & Climate
Achieve a climate neutral campus through energy efficiency, conservation, on-site generation, and strategic procurement of clean and renewable energy.
FOOD
Our campus will be a community with equitable access to healthy food to nourish and sustain themselves and their families. Students, staff, and faculty will have a direct connection to their food system and we will work towards regional self-sufficiency. The campus will also actively support such practices in both the neighboring and global communities through our food choices, policies, operations, and academic programs.
LABS, SHOPS, & STUDIOS
Reduce the environmental impact of laboratories, medical facilities, shops, and art studios while also improving safety, management practices, communication, and resource sharing.
LANDSCAPE & BIOTIC ENVIRONMENT
Increase biodiversity of the campus flora, maintain it as a living collection, enhance the utility of the campus as a classroom, protect native flora, and raise awareness about sustainable practices and self-sustaining systems, while reducing dependency on fossil fuels, extracted minerals, pesticides, and potable water.
PROCUREMENT
Employ efficient procurement strategies, processes, and systems for the acquisition and responsible use of resources in a manner that supports the economy, society, and environment.
TRANSPORTATION
Be a leader and catalyst in our region and the State, furthering human mobility and travel replacement options, advancing alternative fuels, and enabling carbon neutral vehicle deployment.
WASTE
Making UCSB a Zero Waste university by ensuring waste management programs and practices effectively promote the reuse, reduction, recycling, composting, and repurposing of materials, as well as encouraging the rebuying of recycled material.
WATER
Assisting in protecting and conserving water resources, with an emphasis on reducing potable consumption through conservation, efficiency practices, and behavior change.

Members for 2019/2020: Renee Bahl (Co-Chair), Associate Vice Chancellor, David Lea (Co-Chair), Faculty, Earth Science, Henning Bohn, Chair, Academic Senate; Professor, Economics, Jianwen Su, Vice Chair, Academic Senate (Alternate member for Henning Bohn), Derek Musashe, Staff Representative, Coordinator & Career Counselor: Science & Health, Kirby Bartlett, Graduate Student Association Representative, Roland Geyer, Faculty, Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, Sangwon Suh, Faculty, Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, Mel Manalis, Faculty, Environmental Studies, Mark Brzezinski, Faculty, Ecology Evolution And Marine Biology, Britt Ortiz, Staff Representative, Student Affairs, Janet Walker, Faculty, Film and Media Studies, Kristin Antelman, Campus Librarian, Sophie Robert and Kathryn Foster, Environmental Affairs Board Undergraduate Representative, Sarah Swinnerton, Associated Students Undergraduate Representative, Ken Hiltner, Faculty, Environmental Humanities, Chuck Haines, Assistant Chancellor, Budget & Planning, Dennis Whelan, Associate Campus Architect, Hunter Lenihan, Faculty, Bren School, Eric Mcfarland, Faculty, Engineering

Advisors to the Committee: Alan Heeger, Noble Laureate, Bill Shelor, (Community Member) Sustainability University Now (SUN) Representative

Consultants to the Committee: Shelly Leachman, Public Affairs & Development Writer, News & Communications, Mo Lovegreen, Director, Campus Sustainability, Jacob Godfrey, Associate Director and Material Manager, Business & Financial Services

Staff to the Committee: Jewel Persad, Campus Sustainability Manager

The campus Sustainability program reports to the Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services and has a director, one staff member that splits her time between sustainability work and serving as the TGIF Grants Manager, and another staff member that focuses on Curriculum, Co-Curricular, & Research Initiatives, the CA Higher Education Sustainability Conference, a 50% time Food Security Coordinator, and a 75% time Event and Financial Coordinator.
Additionally there are several officers working on sustainability throughout campus.
Within Facilities Management, there is the Campus Energy Manager and the Recycling, Refuse, & Water Conservation Manager.
Within Student Affairs, there is the Sustainability Coordinator/Renewable Energy Initiative Grant Manager.
Within Associated Students, there is the Recycling Coordinator and a Campus Farm Coordinator.
Within Housing & Residential Services, there is the Environmental & Energy Programs Manager.
Within EH&S, there is the Environmental Programs Specialist.
Within Procurement Services there is a Sustainable Procurement Program Manager

The UCSB Office of Sustainability is the network for ensuring that the sustainable practices and concepts are designed, integrated, and maintained throughout the many aspects of daily academic life.

Below is a list of accomplishments from FY our 2019/2020 Annual Sustainability report

Awards & Rankings:
-The League of American Bicyclists awarded UC Santa Barbara with its highest distinction: the title of Platinum-level Bike Friendly University.
-The Green Electronics Council (GEC) recognized University of California Santa Barbara as a five star 2020 EPEAT Purchaser Award Winner, in recognition of our leadership in sustainable electronics procurement.
-CHESC Best Practice Award in Interdisciplinary Academics (2020) for UC-CSU NXTerra – California’s New Climate Crisis Teaching Tool - UC-CSU NXTerra Co-Director Dr. John Foran is a distinguished UCSB Professor of Sociology and Environmental Studies.
-CHESC Best Practice Award for Sustainability Innovations as a Multi-campus Partnership (2020) - UC Santa Barbara and UC Los Angeles - Merging Social and Environmental Sustainability in UC Supply Chains

Academics:
-Dr. John Foran was nominated to the UC-wide Academic Senate Climate Crisis Task Force.
-Formal public launch of the UC-CSU KAN NXTerra Digital Platform and Knowledge -Action Network on November 19, 2019. The UC-CSU Knowledge Action Network (KAN) for Transformative Climate and Sustainability Education and Action is a collaborative effort of UC and CSU educators to scale and intensify California students’ literacy in climate change, climate justice, carbon neutrality/greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and critical sustainability.
-Selection and support of UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative and UC Global Food Initiative Fellows for the 2019-2020 academic year.
-UCSB’s Environmental Humanities Initiative hosted the Humanities on the Brink: Energy, Environment, Emergency: A Nearly Carbon-Neutral Conference, sponsored by the Association for the Study of Literature and Environment (ASLE) July 10th-July 30th, 2020
-In partnership with the AS Department of Public Worms, partnered with 6 faculty to give 20 class visits and 2 class presentations for the Edible Campus Program

Energy and Climate:
-In 2019, UCSB’s total operational greenhouse gas emissions were ~20% below 1990 levels, despite a near doubling in GSF.
-In July 2020 UC Santa Barbara joined the UC Wholesale Power Program which provides 100% carbon-free power verified to The Climate Registry (TCR) standards. The University of California Office of the President (UCOP) administers the Wholesale Power Program (WPP) on behalf of participating University of California campuses and medical centers. Operating as a California Electric Service Provider (ESP), the WPP has been providing UC-procured electricity via “Direct Access” service since 2015.
-In 2018/2019 we conducted a feasibility study of local projects that could be certified as offsets and submitted several projects for grant funding through the UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative and in 2019/2020 two UCSB initiatives projects were selected to receive grant funding. John Bowers’ Unite to Light solar lantern project and Sangwon Suh’s Adopt a Cookstove project.

Food:
-Launched a new food recovery program at Portola Dining Commons. Completed 11 food recoveries between December and April. Recovered ~300 pounds of food.
-Established EBT at Tenaya Market & Eatery to provide nutrition assistance to our students.
-Miramar Food Pantry saw a 16.9% increase in registered students from 18-19 to 19-20.
-Campus Dining continues to partner with local farmers to support our community.
-In partnership with the AS Department of Public Worms, Installed a Greenhouse and 16 additional beds at the Edible Campus Program Student Farm. Farm determined to be an essential operation.
-In partnership with the AS Department of Public Worms, Engaged 1,649 people in the UCSB Edible Campus Program (of which 901 were college students).
-Hosted our first fully virtual gardening workshop series, UCSB Grows.
-Supported the UCSB Food Security and Basic Needs Taskforce with food distributions, peer advising, and grocery delivery services throughout COVID.

Procurement:
-UC Santa Barbara joined SmartWay's Transport Partnership as an Affiliate. EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership is a market-driven initiative that empowers businesses to move goods in the cleanest, most energy-efficient way possible to protect public health and reduce emissions. As a SmartWay Affiliate, UC Santa Barbara educates its suppliers and stakeholders on the benefits of the SmartWay Program and its accomplishments.
-Became the second UC campus to sign the Safer Furniture Pledge through the Center for Environmental Health, committing to reducing chemicals of concern through campus furniture purchasing. The pledge demonstrates UCSB’s recognition that flame retardant chemicals, antimicrobial treatments, and fluorinated compounds used as stain/water resistant treatments offer no measurable safety benefits, and that these chemicals, along with PVC and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) including formaldehyde an have adverse impacts on public health and the environment.
-Extended the pilot for a curated shopping platform (https://uc.ecomedes.com/) for users to search products that meet the UC’s Required or Preferred Green criteria in one place, with 240 new users in California since July 1st, 2019.
-Completed the addition of Environmental Health & Safety’s Chemical Surplus catalog in UCSB’s eProcurement system, Gateway. These surplus chemicals are now searchable to all campus shoppers who may not be familiar with the program, and who would otherwise be looking to buy new chemicals. The chemicals are available at no cost, and a purchase order is created and sent to EH&S notifying them of the order. Ninety-five pounds of chemicals have been repurposed since the addition of the program into Gateway.
-In collaboration with Grounds and Custodial Services and an environmental consultant that provides evidence-based, third-party validation of cleaning and disinfecting methods, supervised an undergraduate biology student in conducting surface sampling of identified priority restrooms and athletic facilities. Samples were processed at a microbiology laboratory accredited by ANSI, IAS, and OSHA in the US. The results and analysis found no methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonies on the sampled surfaces.

Transportation:
-Secured $12,500 from TGIF for the Alternative Vehicle Incentive Program. The program offers departments a ~10% rebate on their purchase of an alternatively fueled vehicle. Offering an additional incentive helps push departmental car buyers away from purchasing conventional gas powered vehicles in favor of EVs/hybrids, or greener options.
-Added a course through the First Year Experience (FYE) program titled "Get Moving with TPS: Explore Transportation Alternatives".
-With Electric Vehicle (EV) adoption rapidly increasing, EV Supply Equipment also known as chargers have been added to parking lots 1, 10, 18, 22 50, 58, 59, and 60 to better meet demand. We now offer over 90 Level 2 EV charging spaces.
-Electric vehicles have been added to the campus fleet with the purchase of vehicles such as Chevy Bolt and used Nissan Leaf. The fleet campus also includes numerous Low Speed Electric Vehicles, and spaces to charge them.
-Draft Bicycle Plan introduction that describes many of the current conditions on campus
-Platinum Recognition as a Bicycle Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists

Waste:
-Launched a composting program in the UCSB Library after finding that 80 percent of the waste collected at the UCSB Library can be diverted from the landfill. Compost bins are now located on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th floors and most are near the elevators.
-launched the Eco-To-Go reusable container program at the Coral Tree Cafe.
-Completed the Zero Waste Master Plan.
-Expanded the Apartment Compost Initiative to its second location - Santa Ynez Apartments.
-Hosted 4th Annual Zero Waste Festival.

Water:
-Extended recycled water infrastructure to 17,540 ft2 of turf, and 41,762 ft2 of ornamental shrubs, that are currently being irrigated with potable water. This project will save 655,829 gallons of potable water annually.
Installed 6 WaterEco Savings System Retrofits on AutoClaves
-Secured a grant from the Green Initiative Fund for $3,616 to install an additional WaterEco unit.