Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 63.09
Liaison Elida Erickson
Submission Date April 17, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

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

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Shauna Casey
Sustainability Programs Manager
Campus Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution produce the following outreach materials and/or publications that foster sustainability learning and knowledge? :
Yes or No
A central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution’s sustainability efforts Yes
A sustainability newsletter Yes
Social media platforms that focus specifically on campus sustainability Yes
A vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability Yes
Building signage that highlights green building features Yes
Food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems Yes
Signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed Yes
A sustainability walking map or tour No
A guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation Yes
Navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians Yes
A guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience Yes
Regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat Yes
Other sustainability publications or outreach materials not covered above Yes

A brief description of the central sustainability website:

The Sustainability Office website serves as a central source for information on the campus wide sustainability effort. This includes links to the various student organizations, the staff working groups and committees, courses and research and other relevant documents and resources.


The website URL for the central sustainability website:
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:

Managed by the UCSC Sustainability Office provides monthly news and events for campus-wide activities, distributed to over 2500 recipients from October-June.


The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
A brief description of the social media platforms that focus specifically on campus sustainability:
The website URL of the primary social media platform that focuses on sustainability:
A brief description of the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:

The Sustainability Project Clearinghouse is an online database of current, past and future sustainability projects at UC Santa Cruz. Students, faculty and staff can post project ideas, search for projects to get involved in, and search for published projects in order to learn about the campus' accomplishments in many areas of sustainability.


The website URL for the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
A brief description of building signage that highlights green building features :

The LEED GOLD certified Cowell Student Health Center features signage for the building that highlights its green building features.


The website URL for building signage that highlights green building features :
A brief description of food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:

UCSC Dining has taken the initiative to provide our students with plenty of local and organic foods. Aside from merely incorporating these more sustainable food into our menu, they also make sure to bring customers’ attention to the reasons why we choose these (sometimes more costly) items. They post an array of signage in each of the dining halls to accomplish this informative publicity. One sign highlights 10 reasons to choose organic. Another, larger, poster explains the purpose for choosing the fair trade direct coffee bought from the Community and Agroecology Network. Several fliers are dedicated to addressing the correlation between the distance and production process of foods, and their respective carbon footprints. And we also bring attention to the Real Food Challenge which revolves around incorporating sustainable food systems in higher education and high schools. Lastly, we also encourage students to minimize waste through our signage. We help our students recognize the value in preventing food waste by sampling, taking only what will actually be eaten, and recognizing that even though we compost our food scraps, this is still an energy intensive process.


The website URL for food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
A brief description of signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies:

Our mission is to involve the university community in ecological restoration and guardianship of UCSC land. Our intent is to raise awareness about restoration and stewardship issues so that individuals can minimize their impact on the natural landscape, while providing a venue for interested students, faculty and staff to help restore and maintain our beautiful campus lands.


The website URL for signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies:
A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:

At UCSC, we value practical education for building a thriving, sustainable, world. We see our campus as a living lab where problem-based teaching, research and applied work combine to develop actionable solutions that improve the sustainability of our campus and the greater community. From vibrant student-run gardens to innovative green buildings, this map highlights many of the spaces for experiential sustainability education on our campus.


The website URL of the sustainability walking map or tour:
A brief description of the guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation:

The UCSC Transportation and Parking Services website has information about a wide range of alternative transportation methods to commute to campus. The website includes information on public transit, carsharing, vanpools and bike routes. Brochure for students offered at new student orientations and tabling and presentations in the summer.

They also circulate a brochure on sustainable transportation that gets sent to all students. New staff and faculty also get information verbally (with link to website) at orientations.


The website URL for the guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation:
A brief description of the navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
The website URL for navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
A brief description of the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:

Since Fall 2009, the Landfill Waste Reduction Work Group, in conjunction with the Student Environmental Center (SEC), has facilitated a 2-hour "Greening Your Programs" training workshop. 250+ student leaders, including all Residential Advisors and Programs Office student staff members attend this session as part of their mandatory 2-week training. Participants leave with a wide array of tools to adapt their programming to comply with the campus' waste diversion practices, as well as the tools to help educate fellow students on the importance of sustainable living practices on campus. Students learn how to properly compost, use bio-ware and other ways to help the campus achieve its goal of 75% waste diversion rate by 2012.

In 2012 Colleges, Housing and Educational Services department started the Student Sustainability Advisor's (SSA) Program which provides a sustainability advisor for each of the 10 colleges on campus. The SSA's educate the RA's about green practices and help them incorporate sustainable principles into their college events and programs.


The website URL for the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
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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:

City on a Hill Press, the primary student newspaper at UCSC, regularly covers stories on sustainability. There is also a KZSC environmental show on our campus' radio station that discusses sustainability.


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:
A brief description of another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above (1st material):

The Environmental Media Project (EMP), a student media organization founded in 2008 at UCSC. The goal of the (EMP) is to publish a comprehensive guide to and testament of sustainability related efforts on or linked to the Santa Cruz campus, student, staff, faculty, and administrative body so as to further awareness, promote coverage of such projects, and encourage and organize action.

While our primary focus has been the annual publication of Gaia magazine, we are always looking for new students to get involved and encourage you to help us expand critical media coverage of environmental issues and efforts.


The website URL for this material (1st material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (2nd material):
Yes

A brief description of this material (2nd material):

This guide is designed to help you find sustainable food on campus, to share what is happening with our current food system at UCSC, to raise awareness of opportunities on and off campus, and to encourage involvement in internships and volunteerism that address agriculture, hunger, nutrition, and social justice. We hope this guide will help create connections and foster a strong network of people who want to build a more sustainable food system.


The website URL for this material (2nd material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (3rd material):
Yes

A brief description of this material (3rd material):

Campus Food & Garden Guide


The website URL for this material (3rd material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (4th material):
Yes

A brief description of this material (4th material):

Guide to Going Green The Financial Affairs Way


The website URL for this material (4th material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (5th material):
No

A brief description of this material (5th material):
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The website URL for this material (5th material):
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Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (6th material):
No

A brief description of this material (6th material):
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The website URL for this material (6th material):
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Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (7th material):
No

A brief description of this material (7th material):
---

The website URL for this material (7th material):
---

Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (8th material):
No

A brief description of this material (8th material):
---

The website URL for this material (8th material):
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.