CACS Sustainability Awards
Sustainability awards are given annually to outstanding members of the Cal Community. The campus community is indebted to the hard work of students, staff, and faculty making Berkeley a more sustainable place to work, live, and play in.
To formally recognize contributions of those helping the campus to meet its sustainability goals, the Committee annually provides awards to faculty, staff, and students that have done outstanding work. Awardees are announced at the annual CACS Sustainability Summit in April.
Nominations are solicited each spring. Nominations can be made for groups or individuals and are open to the entire Cal community. There is a great amount of flexibility as to what groups or projects qualify, and creativity is welcome.
Sustainability Award Application
The 2010 award application will be available in spring 2010.
2009 Sustainability Award Winners
Kameron Kitajima (student) has been a role model of the student sustainability effort. He started out as a Residential Sustainability Education Coordinator and expanded his influence ever since. He played a pivotal role in the success of the Green Campus Program, was a facilitator for the ERG 98/198 DeCal class, and was a participant in the Building Sustainability at Cal project. Kameron has contributed to the mission of the university by integrating sustainability efforts in education, in operations, and in public service.
Professor Dan Kammen (faculty) is a tireless advocate of sustainability, renewable energy, and progressive solutions at the local, state, national, and international levels. His research makes him a nationally-recognized expert, yet he maintains an active role as a teacher and an advocate for a more sustainable campus. Dan is the founding director of The Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory. He is a coordinating lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Professor Kammen teaches multiple classes with a sustainability focus and advises a large number of graduate students, who work on projects ranging from municipal financing for clean energy to biofuels in Brazil to national climate policy. Dan is also an active member of the CalCAP Steering Committee and actively engaged in increasing campus sustainability.
Theron Klos (staff) is the Grounds Operation Manager and has implemented a successful sheet mulching program as a sustainable method for weed suppression on the UC Berkeley campus. He also volunteers on weekends to introduce this practice to various interested community groups. He has been instrumental in making the Strawberry Creek Restoration Project a success by helping with volunteer events and providing gloves, tools, and green waste bins - often responding to last minute requests. Theron has also been very responsive to conservation efforts to reduce the use of water and fuel use in his operations. Theron is an advocate for sustainability efforts across both workplace and personal spectrums.
Building Sustainability at Cal ( Group Award) The Building Sustainability at Cal Program – a student initiated and run program - trains students to help reduce the environmental footprint of campus buildings by educating building inhabitants and identifying structural and operational changes that can be made to buildings and campus operations. The program started in May 2007 with one student in one building and has expanded to 40 students working in 23 buildings and 4 campus-wide projects. A pilot program has also taken the campus activities out into the community by working in the Berkeley Civic Center building. In addition to greening the campus, this program is training a generation of people who have the knowledge and expertise to be able to evaluate the environmental impact of existing buildings, whether they use it in their personal or professional life.
Judy Chess (Special Recognition Award) Judy Chess, a campus staff member, served as CACS co-chair for over a year and helped to institutionalize CACS activities into on-going practices of campus operations. Her leadership helped CACS conceive, design and develop the Cal Climate Action Partnership that led to the campus setting its first greenhouse gas reduction goal. She continues to act as CACS budget coordinator and regularly volunteers for subcommittee work. Judy also lends her support and guidance to the Building Sustainability at Cal program and regularly guest teaches classes on green building and sustainability efforts on campus and beyond. Judy works to incorporate sustainability into the fabric of university, from policy - by incorporating green aspects into many facets of the campus design standards, to practice - choosing to ride her bike to work. This award is in acknowledgement of her extensive and ongoing contributions to making this campus a more sustainable place.
Check out photos of the award winners.
See the 2009 application for more information on criteria and eligibility.