Campus Commitment to the Environment

“Climate change caused by our use of carbon fuels is one of the most significant and pressing challenges of our time.  At UC Berkeley, the nation’s leading public teaching and research university, we are aggressively addressing climate change through our teaching and research, as well as through policy and collective and individual action on our campus.”

UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau (Testimony to the United States Senate, Committee on Environment and Public Works, April 3, 2008)

 

UC Berkeley intends to be a leader on environmental issues and to promote action and awareness through educational and research activities. This commitment – formalized in the 2007 “Statement of Our Commitment to the Environment” – includes:

• Protecting and enhancing the campus environment;
• Purchasing environmentally preferable products, minimizing the use of toxic substances,
and handling wastes responsibly;
• Conserving natural resources through their sustainable use in building projects,
transportation, and campus operations;
• Significantly reducing campus greenhouse gas emissions;
• Conducting innovative research on sustainable technology and practices;
• Increasing awareness of these values through instruction and example; and
• Collaborating with a diverse and engaged campus community on these issues to help
fulfill the University’s mission.

 

Campus Sustainability Achievements

Energy & Climate
The University has made great progress on climate action by completing an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and formalizing its commitment to reduce these emissions to 1990 levels by 2014.  The campus will meet its 2014 target through a series of mitigation strategies including energy efficiency projects, installation of on-site renewables, reducing fuel usage by the campus fleet and commuters, and educational projects led by students aimed at changing behavior. 

Water
Even without a campus-wide water conservation target campus consumption has dropped 6% since 1990, even as the population has growth significantly.  Most of this improvement can be attributed to the increased efficiency of irrigation. 

Green Buildings
The first UC Berkeley the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certified project was recently completed. The campus has plans to certify ten buildings under the New Construction (NC) or Commercial Interiors (CI) category and four under the Existing Building Operations and Maintenance (EBOM) category.  The campus employs a variety of sustainable maintenance practices including green cleaning methods and non-toxic methods to control pests. 

Waste
UC Berkeley’s current solid waste diversion rate is 57% (including construction waste).  The campus has also significantly improved its diversion of organic waste, increasing the tonnage composted by over 100% since 2000, when the program began.

Transportation
The campus has instituted numerous programs to reduce the number of commutes made in single occupant vehicles. The percentage of staff that commute by public transit has more than doubled since 1990, while 93% of students commute to campus by foot, bike, ridesharing, or transit. Since 2005, the number of alternate fuel vehicles in the campus fleet has tripled.  Since 1990 fuel use associated with the fleet and commute have been reduced by 21%.

Food and Dining
Cal Dining has increased the amount of local and organic food that is purchased and offers 100% organic salad bars in all four dining commons.  Cal Dining has also partnered with "Buy Fresh Buy Local” and committed to buying at least 10% local produce with a goal of 25%. 

Land Use
The campus has implemented projects to improve stormwater quality and reduce runoff.   Projects have diverted parking lot runoff through a series of vegetated treatment systems to reduce the pollutants and sections of the riparian corridor have been restored by removing invasive species and planting natives.

See more about UC Berkeley’s sustainability goals and metrics in our most recent Sustainability Report.

Find out more about sustainability at the 10 UC campuses and the Office of the President and view the UC Policy on Sustainable Practices. 

 

Campus Sustainability Timeline

2001:  First UC Berkeley Recycling Summit held; Residential Sustainability Education Coordinators (RSECs) program formed.

July 2003: The UC Regents signed the “Green Building Policy and Clean Energy Standard” the first sustainability policy for the University of California.

October 2003:  The Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS) formed.  59 kilowatt photovoltaic system installed on the MLK student union, funded by the Graduate Assembly and ASUC.

April 2004:  CACS holds first Sustainability Summit.

October 2004:  BEAN, the Berkeley Environmental Alumni Network, held their first event.

April 2005:   The first UC Berkeley Campus Sustainability Assessment was completed; First Sustainability Award and Green Fund Grant winners announced.

May 2005: The Sustainable Water Plan for UC Berkeley was completed.

November 2005:  First campus residential Green Room opens for tours.

Spring 2006:  The student fee referendum for the Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) passes by 69%. 

April 2006:  The Cal Climate Action Partnership (CalCAP) was announced; Crossroads certifies organic-certified salad bar – the first on an American university campus.

September 2006:  New major in Society & Environment major created in the Department of Environment Science, Policy, and Management.

March 2007:  UC President Dynes signs the American Colleges and Universities Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).

April 2007: The CalCAP Feasibility Plan was released and Chancellor Birgeneau committed the campus to reaching 1990 GHG emission levels by 2014.

November 2007:  UC Berkeley adopted a Statement of Commitment to the Environment.

January 2008:  The UC Berkeley Office of Sustainability was formed.

July 2008: The campus Strategic Energy Plan is completed, outlining almost 200 energy efficiency projects.

October 2008:  The second Campus Sustainability Assessment is completed, and the campus commits to report annually on sustainability metrics.

March 2009: The 2009 Climate Action Plan is completed.

July 2009: The first Campus Sustainability Plan is published, and the annual Sustainability Report is released.

 

Sustainability Awards & Honors

UC Berkeley continues to be a leader in campus sustainability and has been recognized by many organizations. The campus (as a whole and for distinct initiatives) has received awards as a member of the UC System as well as individual awards. See our current list of accolades.

CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCES & DOCUMENTS Chancellor Birgeneau’s Testimony to the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works:  “Examining Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions at U.S. Colleges and Universities.” 2009 Campus Sustainability Plan: UC Berkeley's first, defines a vision of long term sustainability and describes steps being taken to achieve the vision. The Plan will guide future work on campus and establish a structure to identify and achieve continuous improvement. Campus Sustainability Reports: Provide a comprehensive look at the status of sustainability on campus, tracks Cal's progress and show where improvements can still be made. Reports from 2005, 2008 and 2009 are available. 2009 Climate Action Plan: Documents how the campus plans to reduce its greenhouse (GHG) emissions by one-third and eventually achieve climate neutrality. 2007 CalCAP Feasibility Study: The first climate action assessment for the campus that led to our first greenhouse gas emissions target. 2008 Sustainable Food Systems at UC Berkeley: A student report compiling current projects, groups, people, dining facilities, data, and recommendations to serve as a resource on the issue. 2005 Sustainable Water Study: Student report on campus water use. UC Berkeley's Commitment to the Environment: Outlines campus policy on the environment University of California Sustainability:  Find out more about sustainability at the 10 UC campuses and the Office of the President and view the UC Policy on Sustainable Practices.  Environment, Health & Safety: Provides guidance and services to the campus community that promote health, safety, and environmental stewardship. The 2020 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) for UC Berkeley – and accompanying Environmental Impact Report (LRDP EIR) – “presents a framework for land use and capital investment to meet the academic goals and objectives of the university through the year 2020,” and explicitly describes a sustainable campus. The Strawberry Creek Management Plan has already improved water quality in Strawberry Creek and allowed locally native fish populations to flourish.