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March 18, 2024

UC Berkeley’s sustainability course offerings make up almost 50% of all campus courses. At the undergraduate level, UC Berkeley offers 683 sustainability-focused courses and about 1,200 sustainability-related courses, making 49% of all undergraduate classes sustainability-focused or -related.

January 30, 2024

We are excited to announce the call for nominations for the 2024 CACS Sustainability Awards. 

To formally recognize contributions of those helping the campus to meet its sustainability goals, the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS) annually provides awards to faculty, staff, and students (both undergraduate or graduate) in recognition of their hard work making Berkeley a more sustainable place to work, live, and play. Nominations can be made for groups, projects, or individuals. Awardees will be honored at a ceremony on March 15, 2024.

December 21, 2023

October 6, 2023

Join us on November 7th from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Recreation and Sports Facility for the Sustainable Transportation Fair! UC Berkeley’s Travel Team will be collaborating with the Office of Sustainability to bring you an event focused on all things travel, business trips, and carbon-footprint. 

August 28, 2023

Welcome back to Berkeley for the start of the 2023 Fall semester!

June 28, 2023

The Office of Sustainability is hiring 9 students to start Fall semester and continue through next academic year! See job descriptions linked below.  Interested students should send their cover letter and resume to sustainability@berkeley.edu or apply through Handshake. Deadline to apply is July 10th, 5PM. 

June 5, 2023

The CACS Sustainability Summit held on May 1st, 2023 celebrated Berkeley’s achievements in sustainability this academic year. Located at the Platform Art Space in the Southern Courtyard of Wurster Hall, the Summit featured a poster session, award ceremony, and an art workshop.

April 28, 2023

Cooperative Reuse: Furniture Recycling Coming Soon!

April 22, 2023

The Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability welcomes you to our 19th annual celebration and awards ceremony!

When: Monday - May 1st 1:30-3:30PM

Where: Platform Artspace southside of Wurster, outside

Program:

1:30-2:15: Interactive Poster Session

2:15-2:45: Sustainability Awards Ceremony

2:45-3:00/3:00-3:30 Artist Connie Zheng - Seed Almanac & Workshop

April 6, 2023

"You’ve likely seen it on walks across the UC Berkeley campus — the little one-story red brick building northeast of Sproul Hall and near Strawberry Creek. It’s hard not to admire the colorful, Byzantine-style mosaic tile murals on its east façade that depict people playing music, dancing, painting and sculpting.

The Clean Energy Campus will replace UC Berkeley’s natural gas-fueled cogen plant that supplies 90% of campus energy -- and has less than 10 years of usable life -- with a model 21st century, 100% clean energy microgrid.

March 15, 2023

We are excited to announce the call for nominations for the 2023 CACS Sustainability Awards. 

December 22, 2022

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) recently announced the 12 winners for the 2022 AASHE Sustainability Awards. The awards provide global recognition to the individuals and organizations leading the higher education sustainability movement. 

The Office of Sustainability is excited to announce the launch of the UC Berkeley Business Air Travel Carbon Mitigation Program. In a typical year, business air travel is the campus's second largest source of carbon emissions with the Berkeley community, taking more than 32,000 trips and emitting more than 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide! This new program will lessen the high environmental impacts of campus business air travel by investing in innovative and necessary on-campus projects that promote collaboration, measurable improvements and carbon emission reductions. 

November 2, 2022

October 11, 2022

Climate Justice Week will be hosted from Oct 31st - Nov 4th!

We are looking for individuals and organizations to host events, panels, or community building/art activities related to climate justice! This year's theme is monarch butterflies, community building, resilience, and adaptation.

August 23, 2022

The 2022 CACS Sustainability Awardees. photos by: Andy Myers

Take Sustainability Classes

There are so many ways to get involved in sustainability at UC Berkeley!

Martinez Commons, a green building on UCB campus

July 19, 2022

May 31, 2022

We’re “gonna soak up the sun…” No. We aren’t singing a remake of a popular summer song. 

Instead, we are talking about something more sustainable––UC Berkeley’s plans to expand the campus’s current on-site solar program. The goal would see UC Berkeley producing a total of 5 megawatts (MW) of solar power, an equivalent amount of electricity used by 6,000 Californians annually.

Please read the full article.

April 15, 2022

Will you ask lawmakers to support critical funding for Clean Energy and Climate Change Solutions?

The Berkeley Clean Energy Campus initiative aims to transition the campus to a 100% electrified and renewable energy system and be a model for real climate change solutions. After years of advocacy by faculty, staff and students and feasibility planning, we are ready to make the campus energy decarbonization transformation a reality.

April 7, 2022

Returning after two years on hiatus, the UC Berkeley Annual Sustainability Summit, Earth Week's signature event is back. Join us!

When: Tuesday April 19, 2:30-4:30PM

Where: Spieker Room, Chou Hall, Haas School of Business

2:30-3:30: Interactive Poster Sessionsee the latest campus TGIF projects, a sustainable cooking demo and more

3:30-4:00: Keynote - Professor Sarah E. Vaughn

March 30, 2022

This week, UC Berkeley is drilling a 400-foot deep borehole on the north side of campus to explore the viability of using a geothermal heat pump system to help heat and cool its buildings more efficiently. If feasible, a geothermal system will become part UC Berkeley’s plan to decarbonize the campus.

Read the article and and watch the video on Berkeley News Here. 

November 10, 2021

UC Berkeley Government & Community Relations

Student leaders, city, campus and community stakeholders, and UCOP sustainability staff recently took part in the Diversity-Equity-Inclusion-Justice (DEIJ) Centered Climate Change Resiliency Planning Workshop. The participatory, two-and-a-half-hour workshop was the second in a series and provided an opportunity for diverse stakeholders to begin to define a climate change resilience vision for UC Berkeley and next steps for planning and action.

November 3, 2021

Following UC Berkeley’s reception of a Platinum Rating in the Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, the UC Berkeley Office of Sustainability aimed to further explore UC Berkeley’s role as an institute of higher education in promoting the United

September 9, 2021

Berkeley students compare notes overlooking Strawberry Creek, a thriving campus natural feature experienced by 3,000 university students each year for education and research. | Photo by Keegan Houser

August 12, 2021

July 27, 2021

Our Office of Sustainability team recently published a Sustainable Flexible Work Toolkit to help envision a sustainable return to work under a hybrid model of work from home and from campus.

July 16, 2021

May 12, 2021

May 6, 2021

In its 2021 submission, UC Berkeley earned a Platinum rating in the Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, a comprehensive sustainability rating system for colleges and universities that addresses the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability. This marks an exciting achievement from our first-ever STARS submission in 2018, advancing our campus from Gold to Platinum despite stricter criteria un

May 3, 2021

UC Berkeley’s sustainability course offerings make up almost 50% of all campus courses. At the undergraduate level, UC Berkeley offers almost 800 sustainability-focused courses and about 1,150 sustainability-related courses, making 50% of all undergraduate classes sustainability-focused or -related.

April 25, 2021

March 1, 2021

In February, the Administrative Division released its Annual Report highlighting the goals & achievements of the past year, despite the challenges that it presented. The report features milestones of the Office of Sustainability, such as the new partnership with a solar voltaic vendor that will assist UC Berkeley in increasing solar PV energy on campus.

Check out the "By the Numbers" summary (page 4), and read about additional exciting sustainability & carbon solutions highlights (page 30).

February 9, 2021

The inauguration of the Biden-Harris administration brought about a multitude of exciting appointees, especially in regards to climate, energy, and transportation-related positions.

February 8, 2021

The New UC Berkeley Sustainability Plan

February 3, 2021

How has the shift in behaviors due to the pandemic affected the environment in terms of energy and transportation?

Questions to think about:

  • How might there be environmental impacts?
  • What purchases are people drawn to? Do they purchase more bicycles, sell their cars?
  • What might people be shifting to permanently? Which changes seem permanent?
  • Is there an increase in residential electricity consumption?

Introduction:

December 14, 2020

On December 8th, 100 people joined an on-line event to hear about ideas to decarbonize the UC Berkeley energy system with Vice Chancellor Marc Fisher, Associate Vice Chancellor Sally McGarrahan, and Chief Sustainability Officer Kira Stoll.

December 3, 2020

The 2020 National Zero Waste Virtual Conference is just wrapping up it's three-day event. The conference was originally planned to be in-person in March 2020 here at UC Berkeley. Due to the pandemic the event moved to a virtual platform using a flexible and interactive tool called REMO. Almost 500 people attended. Kira Stoll, UC Berkeley's Chief Sustainability and Carbon Solutions Officer provided a welcome address highlighting Zero Waste at Cal. Here are her remarks:

November 11, 2020

September 13, 2020

July 16, 2020

UC Berkeley Professor Kate O'Neill and PhD Candidate Jessica Heiges have a new article out in The Conversation, on COVID-19 and the rise of single-use plastics (and what to do about it).

"COVID-19 is changing how the U.S. disposes of waste. It is also threatening hard-fought victories that restricted or eliminated single-use disposable items, especially plastic, in cities and towns across the nation."

June 8, 2020

June 4, 2020

In this moment, we ask of ourselves and of the sustainability community that we all continue to take action and reflect on the work necessary to create a more socially, environmentally, and racially just world. We stand in solidarity with our Black students, staff, faculty and community members. 

In the words of Chancellor Carol Christ and Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion Oscar Dubón, Jr. in their recent statement on racism and police brutality:

April 21, 2020

April 20, 2020

April 16, 2020

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, April 15, 2020

For More Information: 

April 1, 2020

April 2020

Earth Month Week 1

February 20, 2020

February 2020

Spring into the Semester with the Office of Sustainability! 

February 19, 2020

California’s last drought was declared over in 2017- but did we speak too soon?

January 28, 2020

The UC Annual Systemwide Report for 2018-2019 is now available and was presented to the UC Regents this month.

December 17, 2019

Last year Cal's curtailment efforts saved 871,000 kWh and 1,420,000 lbs of steam. This is the average annual energy use of over 64 average US homes! This year we're shooting for over 1 million kWh and 1.5 million lbs of steam.

October 31, 2019

October 8, 2019

When Sage Lenier first offered her course two years ago, there were 25 students enrolled. Now, there are more than 160 students in the class and another 45 on the waiting list..

September 12, 2019

September 8, 2019

August 12, 2019

UN SDGs

Launched in July 2019, the IARU e-publication Global Priorities, Educated Solutions: The Role of Academia in Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals highlights the capacity of Higher Education Institutions to support progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and provides pathways for this work.

July 9, 2019

Today, UC Berkeley received five best practice awards at the annual California Higher Education Sustainability Conference in Santa Barbara. Berkeley's efforts on zero waste, environmental Justice, toxin reduction, and climate action took the honors. The awards highlight the breadth, depth and leadership in sustainability the campus both values and excels in. 

May 7, 2019

“Berkeley is proud to take the crown of Coolest UC this year,” Stoll said, “but it is open game next time around — and UCLA has got some chops. Ultimately this is a win for the planet and for all of us to have deeper engagement with our community.”

Read the press release from UC

Read the press from the Daily Cal

March 26, 2019

Funding Opportunities for Climate Mitigation Projects

As Part of UC’s Carbon Neutrality Initiative

REQUEST FOR IDEAS

February 28, 2019

https://calpirgstudents.org/news/ca/university-california-berkeley-leads-way-climate-commitment-100-percent-clean-energy-2050
UC Berkeley becomes biggest American university to fully commit to clean energy
For Immediate Release
Thursday, February 28, 2019

For More Information:
Patrick Jurney, CALPIRG Students Campus Organizer, 719-217-8439, pjurney@calpirgstudents.org
Elizabeth Nickerson, UC Berkeley Chapter Chair, 209-262-7692, enickerson@berkeley.edu

February 6, 2019

In its first ever complete STARS submission, UC Berkeley earned a high Gold rating in the Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, which is used by more than 900 colleges and universities around the world to establish their environmental and social sustainability bona fides.

January 24, 2019

UC Berkeley has long led the way in sustainability research, be it environmental, social or economic sustainability, and that history fills the campus' course catalog. Sustainability classes don't come only from perhaps more predictable departments such as Environmental Science, Policy, and Management or Sociology. Students can also learn how U.S. populations have interacted differently with their environment throughout the nation's history (History 120AC) or how environmentalism and politics intertwined in Cold War Germany (German 160C).

January 11, 2019

Haas Newsroom, http://newsroom.haas.berkeley.edu/
Chou Hall certified as country’s greenest academic building

December 5, 2018

Did you know that during this year’s winter curtailment we anticipate saving energy and over $100,000? Help us do more!

November 15, 2018

The Climate Leadership Network, made up of the over 500 signatories to the Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitments, mobilizes the sector’s knowledge and practical expertise to accelerate global climate action and local community impact.

October 23, 2018

A streetlight on campus at night

The new lights and bulbs will be installed across campus. (UC Berkeley photos by Megan Lee)

UC Berkeley will be looking a little lighter and brighter in the next few weeks after nearly 100 new energy-efficient LED lampposts are installed across campus.

October 13, 2018

October 2018

Zero Waste & Carbon Neutrality Workshop

October 12, 2018

“Every degree matters, and the warmer it gets, the worse it gets.” Umair Irfan, a staff writer from Vox who covers climate change, says that might seem like an obvious statement. However, that simple sentence carries enormous weight for the future of millions of people and ecosystems.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report on Monday that detailed the drastic impact that climate change will have on humans and the environment if global temperatures continue to rise.

September 18, 2018

From UC Office of the President, "UC sets higher standards, greater goals for sustainability"

“The University of California today (Sept. 4) announced a bold expansion of its systemwide sustainability goals as part of its Carbon Neutrality Initiative and leadership on climate change efforts.”

To read full press release, click here

September 12, 2018

Haas School of Business
On September 11, 2018 at UC Berkeley, UC faculty, staff, and student leaders addressed efforts to achieve carbon neutrality for the whole UC system by 2025.  Corporate leaders presented their organizations' ambitious climate goals and steps towards them. Opening remarks were delivered by UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ. 
View the video by clicking here

September 4, 2018

Leading the Way to Carbon Neutrality: Lessons from the University of California, Kaiser Permanente and Microsoft

At UC Berkeley on September 11, 2018, UC faculty, staff and student leaders will address how they are working to achieve carbon neutrality for the whole UC system by 2025 and leaders from major corporations will also discuss the steps necessary to turn their organizations' ambitious climate goals into reality. UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ will offer opening remarks.

August 31, 2018

Green Team leader Danner Dodd-Martin (right) and Michelle La sort trash.

Green Team leader Danner Doud-Martin (right) and Michelle La sort trash. (UC Berkeley photos by Jim Block)

Haas Green Team leader Danner Doud-Martin and the Zero Waste Initiative volunteers were separating trash on a loading dock behind Chou Hall when former Berkeley Haas Dean Rich Lyons made a surprise appearance.

Many Community Choice Aggregators are marketing clean energy by simply rearranging where existing low-carbon electricity goes.

August 29, 2018

 man working in a corn field

Widespread use of proven agricultural land management practices can help slow global warming. (Heather Dang photo)

August 20, 2018

With its new bike paths, urban cycling classes and student-run bicycle co-op, UC Berkeley is one of the most bicycle-friendly campuses in the country, as ranked by the League of American Bicyclists

May 11, 2018

Cal Move Out: There’s an App for That, a New Website and More

April 25, 2018

An infographic we featured at the Sustainability Summit.

April 18, 2018

April 10, 2018

UC Berkeley Continues As Champion in Pac-12 Road to Zero Waste Competition

April 8, 2018

February 20, 2018

The Office of Sustainability is very pleased to announce our new Instagram platform! Instagram is a photo-sharing social media that is popular among college students, and we believe it can be a fun and creative way for everyone (not just students) in our community to express their sustainability aspiration and passion. Social media can be a powerful tool for creating a connection throughout the wider campus community, and that’s why we’ve decided to take on a new one.

February 17, 2018

Renewable energy in the Trump era: Industry leaders highlight the way forward at the western U.S.’s biggest student-run energy conference

How are the nation’s renewable energy innovators building a more sustainable future even in the Trump era? Industry leaders, researchers and top government officials will answer that urgent question at the Berkeley Energy & Resources Collaborative (BERC)’s annual Energy Summit - the biggest student-run energy conference in the western U.S.  

February 16, 2018

Water is a precious resource, and every drop counts.

February 14, 2018

On February 24th, Cal will be defending the champion title for the 4th year in the Pac-12 Road to Zero Waste Competition, at the Men's basketball game against University of Washington. This year’s theme is centered around zero waste and sustainability, emphasizing ReUSE. Elementary students from Hesperian Elementary in San Leandro will be volunteering to “trash-talk” with fans at the game. Volunteers will be there to help fans reduce, ReUSE, recycle and compost.

December 8, 2017

Did you know that during this year’s winter curtailment we anticipate energy savings to save over $100,000? Help us do more!

As a part of the UC Berkeley Green Labs (GLs) program, recent efforts this semester focused on recirculating water within the College of Chemistry from traditional chemical condensation reactions. It is estimated that a typical column reaction consumes 3,600 liters of water for every 24 hours. After discovering that some groups were running continuous reactions for days or even weeks at a time, GLs grew determined to collaborate with these labs to help them achieve their water-saving potential.

 UC Berkeley participated in the 2017 Pac-12 Zero Waste Bowl & GameDay Challenge, where universities from the Pac-12 Conference competed to divert the most waste from landfill at a selected football game. The competition is scored based not only on diversion rate but also on fan engagement, innovative promotional tactics and partnerships with businesses and different campus departments. 

Did you know that during this year’s winter curtailment the Campus Energy Office anticipates energy reductions to save over $100,000? Help us do more!

December 2, 2017

October 26, 2017

The Student Carbon Neutrality Fellows will engage and communicate about campus and UC-wide sustainability goals and programs with a focus on climate related issues. The fellows will coordinate in-depth campaigns, including green certification programs at Berkeley and work with other fellows across the UC System. 

Hiring Office:

Office of Sustainability, UC Berkeley

Job Title:

UC Student Carbon Neutrality Fellow – Berkeley Campus

October 13, 2017

September 19, 2017

The Office of Sustainability was a proud contributor to this year's Golden Bear Prep, a required on-line orientation for new students. Over 7,000 new undergraduates completed this learning module highlighting campus sustainability and ways to get involved. This is the first time we've been able showcase our points of pride to so many incoming students!

Berkeley sustainability was highlighted as one of six Points of Pride - this is what we shared with our new students

August 22, 2017

Berkeley proudly ranks 27 out of 227 participating universities in the Sierra Club's Cool Schools 2017.

Based on this year's criteria we did especially well for our sustainable transportation (ranking 9th) and water (ranking 14th). As a large public research institution this is an accomplishment.

But there is more we can do, together, to be a leading sustainable campus.

June 30, 2017

Faculty Curriculum Sustainability Workshop

June 8, 2017

Bringing solar power to the Berkeley campus has been a top priority for sustainability. This year we met our goal of fully realizing four new campus solar sites and ushering in an era where campus renewable electricity systems have become a more welcome part of Berkeley's energy program!

And there is nothing like seeing the production in action, so check out the two largest site's solar power dashboards: 

June 7, 2017

When Doug Bell heard that a pair of peregrine falcons was nesting on the Campanile, he couldn’t believe his luck. An avid falconer, Bell has been fascinated with peregrines — the fastest animal in the world — since he was a kid growing up in Berkeley. He received his Ph.D. in zoology from UC Berkeley, where he studied ornithology and systematic biology. But never before had he heard of peregrines nesting on top of the campus’s 300-foot-high bell tower. “It blew me away,” he says. 

June 2, 2017

May 16, 2017

Carbon Neutrality Student Fellowship: UCOP Fellowships for 2017-2018
Applications Due: 5/31/2017
Eligibility: All currently enrolled UC undergraduate or graduate students
Location: UC Office of the President in Oakland
Duration: September/October 2017 – June/July 2018
Compensation: $13/hour (higher rate for grad students, based on experience)

May 7, 2017

With some of the world’s greatest assets of plant, animal, ecosystem and human diversity, and as the world’s sixth largest economy and provider of more than half the nation’s fruits, nuts and vegetables, sustaining California’s vitality is paramount. And as we face greater demands from a changing climate and growing population, taking a proactive approach to maintaining sustainable growth for California is critical.

April 17, 2017

Why are humans so bad at thinking about climate change?

March 28, 2017

As Africa gears up for a tripling of electricity demand by 2030, a new Berkeley study maps out a viable strategy for developing wind and solar power while simultaneously reducing the continent’s reliance on fossil fuels and lowering power plant construction costs.  Read more.

March 21, 2017

In celebration of Earth Week and Climate Change Action, UC Berkeley Office of Sustainability and Energy and Students Environmental Resources Center are sponsoring FREE tickets to join East Bay Climate Action Expo: a night to celebrate the community-based efforts to address climate change issues in the Easy Bay.

March 7, 2017

In January, Berkeley won one of PepsiCo's inaugural Zero Impact Fund grants: $10,000 for our Cal Zero Waste efforts. The Blue & Gold Make Green: Golden Bears Strive for Zero Waste project was one of only 8 winners nationwide. By adding zero waste bins, signage, education and outreach to the campus community, the project will contribute to efforts to achieve the campus zero waste goal by 2020.  For more information visit the Zero Impact Fund site.  Stay tuned for more campus updates.

March 6, 2017

Send a resume and cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for the position to Lisa McNeilly (lmcneilly@berkeley.edu). Positions will be open until filled, but the first review of resumes will happen on March 13, 2017.

February 15, 2017

http://news.berkeley.edu/2017/02/15/3d-printer-filament-reclamation-project/
UC Berkeley is a leader in 3D printing. The technology got its start on campus about a decade ago and continues to grow. With this surge in popularity has come a surge in plastic waste. Now, with more than 100 printers on campus, at least 600 pounds of trash is generated each year. But Nicole Panditi, a mechanical engineering student, and Scott Silva, and environmental sciences student, have a solution.

January 9, 2017

Green Metric logoOnce again, Berkeley has been recognized as a leader in higher education sustainability.  The campus was ranked #8 by GreenMetric this year (http://greenmetric.ui.ac.id/overall-ranking-2016/), an initiative of Universitas Indonesia since 2010.  Berkeley tied for #1 in the wa

January 6, 2017

Check out the video from the Cal Dining Sustainability Team: Weigh Your Waste!

December 5, 2016

Big Give graphicThe Office of Sustainability and Energy participated in last month’s Big Give and wanted to share our appreciation for all who donated.  Your generosity and support over the years of our efforts is greatly appreciated.  Your backing will continue to be important as the campus tackles global and local challenges like achieving carbon neutrality and responding to the historic drought.

Heating and ventilation will again be curtailed on the Berkeley campus during the period from the end of the business day Friday, December 23, 2016 through Monday, January 2, 2017. Reducing energy and steam use during the winter break last year created cost savings to the campus of approximately $127,000. Learn how you can help our campus save energy by following these tips:

curtailment_checklist_2013_2.jpg

November 2, 2016

The Hill

Increasing people's access to electricity can help uplift them out of poverty especially in places that lack any access. For the past two decades, renewable energy technologies have made an enormous progress to prove that the solution to improving poverty is renewable energy. Read more about Dr.

October 21, 2016

UC Berkeley is once again honored by the Princeton Review as one of the most sustainable universities in the country.  We were recognized for our climate action planning as well as our work on energy efficiency and the number of engaged sustainability student groups.  Our work in water conservation, sustainable food, and active transportation were also part of the favorable review.

 Top 50 Green Schools

October 20, 2016

Have you ever considered the combination of energy-efficiency, net-zero emissions, and renewable energy to build a truly energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly, and innovative home? UC Berkeley’s own Solar Decathlon Team is on a quest to blend engineering and design ingenuity with environmentally-friendly concepts and to build their first zero-emission home from the ground up!

October 18, 2016

September 11, 2016

Energy efficiency may be the answer to reducing our electricity consumption and combating climate change, especially when it can be achieved without sacrificing consumers’ comfort and convenience. California’s Energy Commission approved $1.9-million in funding to a research team, led by UC Berkeley’s Center for the Built Environment to integrate commercially-available smart ceiling fans and thermostats in under-served and low-income families in California. This project will evaluate how to achieve energy efficiency without sacrificing comfort.

September 8, 2016

On this year's International Walk and Bike to School Day EECS is challenging the UC Berkeley community, students, staff, and faculty, to team up for sustainable transportation and fight climate change with us.  You will be able to choose, from a number of different mini challenges, the ones that are right for you, so everyone can participate.

September 6, 2016

The Office of Sustainability and Energy now has six new and returning student associates -- all talented, smart, and commited to helping the campus reach its sustainability goals.  We are sharing their answers to a few questions below by way of introduction.  Join me in wishing them a fun and productive year!

Welcome Students!

There are many ways to learn and get involved in sustainability at Berkeley.  The following are some resources and opportunities to check out.

Logo of Major Leaguer designationThe College of Chemistry serves as a shining example for UC campuses in its waste minimization efforts through the establishment of its distinctive Chemical ReUse Faciilty (CRF).  This chemical storage facility serves as a community pool of reagents that all research groups affiliated with the College can access at no cost.

August 29, 2016

UC Berkeley NewsCenter

Cal Dining has just opened the first dining station in the UC system that is certified kosher and designed to appeal not only to the Jewish community on campus, but also to Muslims who eat halal foods, as well as students who are vegetarian and vegan.

The new food station is part of an overall revamping of Café 3 to emphasize plant-forward meals that are sourced locally and sustainably. This is in line with Cal Dining’s overall goal of producing menus that are both nutritious and sustainable.

Open Seats: Student-at-Large Representative; Apply Here!  Environmental Sustainability Community-at-Large Representative; Apply Here! Applications are due Monday, September 19th, 2016 5PM.

August 25, 2016

Article Courtesy of the City of Berkeley Mayor's Office.
Major Redesign of Plaza in Heart of the City

  UC Berkeley students embarked on Oceanus to begin their 10-day voyage on the sea along the coast of California to explore how much carbon is stored by the ocean and to understand how this interaction relates to global climate change. James Bishop, a UC Berkeley professor who led this research, actively engages with students who are interested in biochemical processes of aquatic ecosystems via undergraduate research sponsored by the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP) and teaching a Big Idea Course, called "Oceans".

The Office of Sustainability and Energy and the Climate Readiness Institute have an opening for a one year GSR position.  Working on a TGIF-funded Climate Vulnerability Assessment grant, the GSR will work on a detailed assessment of the campus’ vulnerability to future climate change impacts.  In the first phase – Initiating Assessment and Developing Vulnerability Report – the TGIF funds would cover the cost of a graduate student (GSR) for one year (at 10 hours per week) to support the analysis, write the Report, and participate on the team.   Specifically, the student will be asked to condu

August 11, 2016

UC Berkeley NewsCenter

Health and safety of Olympians has been an ongoing story at Summer Olympic games. In 2008, air quality raised concerns in Beijing, while 2016 has been dogged with questions about polluted water and the Zika virus. Now, a new commentary co-written by UC Berkeley professor Kirk Smith says the future of the summer Olympics may be in jeopardy for another reason: rising heat and humidity due to climate change.

July 26, 2016

June 15, 2016

The UC Global Food Initiative just announced the winners of the "30 under 30" leaders in Food systems!  We are so pleased and excited that 6 of the 30 chosen winners from around the country are alums or students of UC Berkeley!    

Congratulations to Ruben Canedo, Lauren Ponisio, Laura Moreno, Sophie Egan, Jamal Ahmad, and Elaine Lander!!  

May 25, 2016

In May 2016, 11 departments gathered to celebrate their recent certification as Green Departments.  The departments vary in size, mission, and location, but share a common goal of making the campus more green.  Their Green Teams worked over the last three months to make improvements and to educate their colleagues on new and existing practices.   Their efforts were recognized at a recent gathering, where CNR Dean Keith Gilless presented the teams with their certificates.  Congratulations to all eleven departments!

May 13, 2016

High above the clock tower and overlooking campus is UC Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory (SSL), established in 1958 for the purpose of conducting space research.  SSL ventured into new territory recently as it introduced a four-bin waste management program at its three buildings on the top of the Berkeley Hills.  Until last fall, no such program had ever existed at the lab.  And it turns out that the program was not onl

Graduating seniors Lindsey Agnew and Ben Rushakoff reflect on their experiences working with the OS&E for three years, and share their plans for the future.

April 29, 2016

On Wednesday April 27, 2016, the Student Environmental Resource Center’s (SERC) dream of a physical center on the UC Berkeley campus became its future. The ASUC Senate approved an allocation of 1350 sq. ft for SERC space in the MLK Jr. Student Union Basement through the year 2050. Space for SERC has been the focus since its founding in 2012 by students Mauricio Castillo, Nolan Pack, and Noah Puni, who transferred to UC Berkeley and developed a vision for an innovation and resource center for the student environmental and sustainability community. Now, that vision is a reality, and the Center will be a place for our community to combine imagination and intellect, values and passion, all towards growing a world that is more sustainable, just, equitable, healthy and resilient for all.

April 26, 2016

Are you passionate about food security, access, and education? Funding is available to help support your work! The UC Global Food Initiative is offering 4 fellowships of $4,000 each to outstanding UC Berkeley undergraduate and graduate students. The four fellowships are Equity and Inclusion, Experiential Learning, Food Access and Security, and Student Ambassador.

April 7, 2016

Berkeley News

Four years into a record-breaking drought, work crews have spent the past months replacing selected grass lawns on the UC Berkeley campus with mulched beds and regionally appropriate, drought-tolerant plantings.

In conjunction with UC Berkeley’s commitment to sustainability and green design, and support from The Green Initiative Fund, Building Sustainability @ Cal (BS@C) is proud to be working with the Division of Real Estate to create a program that promotes sustainable building on campus. BS@C’s program trains student interns with the goal of reducing the environmental footprint of buildings on the UC Berkeley campus.

March 27, 2016

UC Berkeley won two 2016 Higher Education Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Best Practice Awards: Jacobs Hall for Energy Efficiency in Construction/Renovation, and Brown's for Sustainable Food Systems The Best Practice Awards are selected from campuses in the University of California and California State University systems by the CA Higher Education Sustainability Conference. More information about the Best Practice Awards program can be viewed

March 15, 2016

Record-setting warmer temperatures are becoming the norm across the planet, and sea-level rise poses a real threat to humanity. What are your solutions?

Climate icon

March 14, 2016

March 2, 2016

Interested in applying concepts of sustainability into one of your courses? Want to learn about teaching sustainability and campus resources to help? Want $1000 to help with incorporating sustainability into your teaching? Apply to participate in the Faculty Curriculum Sustainability Workshop!

What: Faculty Curriculum Sustainability Workshop

When: 10am - 4pm, Thursday, May 5, 2016 

Where: Room 330 Blum Center 

February 26, 2016

To formally recognize contributions of those helping the campus to meet its sustainability goals, the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS) annually provides awards to faculty, staff, and students that have done outstanding work. 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. Nominations can be made for groups or individuals and are open to the entire Cal community.

February 2, 2016

Last fall students, staff, and faculty across the UC system took action in the Cool Campus Challenge (CCC) to reduce their carbon footprint in response to the pressing global issues of climate disruption and to help UC meet its commitment to be carbon neutral by 2025. At Berkeley 1,750 faculty, staff and students joined the challenge! Our collective actions will reduce 1,021,720 million of pounds of carbon emissions each year. Berkeley had particularly high involvement of teams based on campus departments and organizations, and nominations of climate heroes.

In its third year, the energy management initiative continues to reduce energy use and costs.  This success is driven by actions small and large, from all across campus.  Through the energy incentive program – which tracks and rewards savings by campus operating units – the team has seen all units adopt energy-efficient practices.

The California Higher Education Sustainability Conference (CHESC) and host campus, California State University, Fullerton, invite you to submit a proposal to speak, nominate a campus for an award, or present a poster at this year's conference! CHESC highlights cutting-edge research, as well as case studies with proven successes in curriculum development, operational programs, and community partnerships. This unique event is jointly organized by independent/private colleges, California Community Colleges, California State Universities, and the University of California, creating the opportunity for dialogue across institutions.

January 9, 2016

Do you know a staff member who has had a significant positive impact on sustainability or other areas of the UC Berkeley campus community? Recognize their efforts and nominate them for the 2016 Chancellor's Outstanding Staff Awards.  The Chancellor's Outstanding Staff Award (COSA) is one of the highest honors for staff at UC Berkeley.

This award recognizes staff who have demonstrated exceptional initiative in at least two of the following areas:

January 7, 2016

Applications are now being accepted for The Green Initiative Fund's Spring Grant Program. The spring grant program gives preference to larger and more complex projects. Applicants must first submit an abstract form by one of two possible deadlines, January 29, 2016 by 5pm OR February 26, 2016 by 5pm, before they are invited by the TGIF Committee to submit a Final Application by 5pm on April 1, 2016. Not all abstract submissions will be invited to Stage 2.

December 18, 2015

UC Newsroom

Who gets to claim the title of the University of California’s coolest campus? After 10 weeks of competition in the first ever Cool Campus Challenge, UC Irvine emerged victorious after a tight race to the finish.

December 1, 2015

Claire Kaufman, a UC Berkeley senior studying Environmental Economics and Policy, inspires staff, students, and faculty to become aware of their power. When it comes to carbon neutrality, “I was very inspired by the groundbreaking leadership role the University of California has taken” Kaufman explains.

November 19, 2015

Ben Taube, a 4th year Sustainable Environmental Design major, inspired Cal Band to join the Cool Campus Challenge “as part of an existing initiative of Cal Band going green”.

Berkeley staff members Anne Stinson and Barbara Evans - coworkers,  office mates in the A&E Building for 20+ years, and Cool UCB Real Estate Team Members - share how they lower their carbon footprint on campus, at home, and in the commute in between. Both Anne and Barbara are translating their passion for carbon neutrality into leadership in the Cool Campus Challenge

November 10, 2015

On Saturday, November 14th UC Berkeley will not only be competing on the football field against Oregon State, but also against other universities across the nation in the Gameday Recycling Challenge and the Pac-12 Zero Waste Bowl! These two challenges are a friendly and spirited way for colleges and universities to promote waste reduction at their football games. Each campus participating selects one of their home games to use as their competition game.

Green Department certification recognizes campus departments and events that have taken extra steps to be more sustainable. The program identifies a set of conditions and actions - some optional and some required - that can be followed in order to be certified. Some of these actions include purchasing and transportation and qualify as points for categories such as waste reduction and energy savings.

November 4, 2015

Fun events are planned from November 16-20 to celebrate Zero Waste Week. Events include discussions on composting and meeting the Campus Refuse and Recycling Team, with giveaways of readers and reusable bags.

November 3, 2015

This executive summary of the full report, Bending the Curve: 10 scalable solutions for carbon neutrality and climate stability, presents pragmatic paths for achieving carbon neutrality and climate stability in California, the United States and the world. More than 50 researchers and scholars — from a wide range of disciplines across the University of California system — formed a climate solutions group and came together in recent months to identify these solutions, many of which emerge from UC research as well as the research of colleagues around the world.

October 29, 2015

The Princeton Review

The Princeton Review reports green ratings for 804 Colleges for 2016- and UC Berkeley makes the top 24!

The company tallied the ratings for colleges this year based on 2014-2015 surveys of schools concerning their sustainability-related practices, policies and academic offerings.  Scores were based on data obtained in a 2014-2015 survey asking:

October 21, 2015

UC Newsroom
California Gov. Jerry Brown, University of California President Janet Napolitano, politicians, industry leaders and UC’s top climate experts are descending on San Diego at the end of October with a shared sense of urgency. The goal: to emerge with a practical and scalable blueprint for tackling climate change that can be applied to California and the world.

October 20, 2015

Congratulations to Mika Sebastian for winning a $50 gift certificate to the Berkeley Student Food Collective! Mika is a first-year Integrative Biology major who enjoys walking through the redwood groves on campus. While she has yet to visit the BSFC, she is excited to try out their locally-sourced and sustainably-produced foods.

Climate disruption and fun — two words you have probably never heard together - until the Cool Campus Challenge launched earlier this month.

October 13, 2015

Happy October, Cal bicyclists! 

Here's a mid-semester update on the various bike-related projects happening around the campus.

September 4, 2015

This year Berkeley will install 1MW of Solar PV                                 

Installations are underway at five campus sites.

September 1, 2015

The campus Energy Incentive Program and myPower dashboard were designed to help raise awareness of energy use in our buildings. Earlier this summer it had a chance to do just that with the help of Cory Welch (pictured to the right) – a building manager who happened to be observing the electricity use profile of his Gardner Stacks and Bancroft Library. Welch, who started in his position a little over 6 months ago, relied on the energy data feedback to understand how well the largest complex of buildings on campus are doing on a daily basis. According to Welch, “the energy dashboard tool and daily efficiency feedback helped me better understand the energy patterns and usage in our buildings.”

August 30, 2015

The Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM), located within the College of Natural Resources, has recently achieved Green Certification through the Office of Sustainability and Energy's Green Department Certification Program. This program highlights the efforts of campus departments that have taken extensive and innovative steps towards becoming more sustainable through providing documentation on specific criteria that they meet.

August 28, 2015

The Faculty Climate Action Champion Program will honor one Berkeley faculty member for outstanding teaching, research, and public service in the areas of climate change solutions, action, and broad engagement.  This award will also provide the Champion with $25,000 to develop, improve, transform, and expand this teaching and research work in an interdisciplinary manner over the course of the tenure p

August 27, 2015

Fall 2015 Campus Biking Updates

Welcome back, Campus Bike Riders! Hopefully, you had a fantastic summer and took advantage of the less-than-overcast weather to do some extra riding. To kick off the 2015-16 academic year, here’s an update on several exciting bike-related things that have been happening around the campus.

August 24, 2015

On July 20th, the Carbon Neutrality Initiative Fellows attended the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference to present their projects and research. These students are the first cohort awarded this fellowship, which was created to promote research dedicated to reducing the carbon footprint of the UC campuses and their surrounding communities. Two years ago, UC President Janet Napolitano created an intitative that required all UC campuses to be carbon neutral from building energy use and fleet by 2025.

August 11, 2015

Berkeley excels in many higher education rankings and can now add another high score:  Sierra magazine, the official publication of the Sierra Club, ranked UC Berkeley in the Top 10 of its recently released ninth annual “Cool Schools” ranking of America’s greenest colleges and universities.

July 6, 2015

UC Berkeley won the first ever Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge put on by the Green Sports Alliance, an organization consisting of over 300 teams, leagues, and venues. The GSA is committed to promoting sustainability through the platform of sports. Lin King, Recycling and Refuse Manager and Katherine Walsh, Director of the Student Environmental Resource Center accepted the award at the Green Sports Summit in Chicago.

July 2, 2015

In 2013, UC President Janet Napolitano announced plans for the entire University of California system to achieve carbon neutrality of buildings and vehicle fleets by 2025. In order to help achieve this zero net energy goal, the Office of the President has created a fellowship program to help make an action plan and provide channels for communication among the 10 UC campuses and associated facilities. Several UC Berkeley students have been working on various aspects of the carbon neutrality initiative.

May 7, 2015

UC Berkeley was honored for its sustainability achievements in the annual Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Best Practice AwardsUC Berkeley won in the Student Energy Efficiency Program for LED Microscope Retrofits and in Overall Sustainable Design for the new Campbell Hall.

May 5, 2015

The new Lower Sproul Plaza is on track to become one of the most sustainable areas of the UC Berkeley campus. From green building design to innovative stormwater management practices, the Lower Sproul redevelopment project is striving to minimize its environmental impact across a variety of spectra.The project is scheduled to be complete in Fall 2015

May 4, 2015

BearBuy users now have the option to purchase 100% recycled content paper from Georgia Pacific. BearBuy, the campus’ online procurement system, previously offered Aspen 30 copy paper made from 30% recycled content. At $32.47 per case, the new 100% recycled copy paper is both cheaper and more environmentally-friendly, leaving no reason not to transition to it for your copy paper needs.
May's Sustainability Community of Practice Meeting Friday, 5/8, 12:00-1:30pm 130 Dwinelle

May 2, 2015

Not enough reason to shop at the Berkeley Student Food Collective? Well check out their discount calendar system!

Monday 

Multicultural student discount day (5%). Are you an active member in a multicultural student group on campus? Come to the Food Collective every Monday and enjoy 5% off your purchase! 

May 1, 2015

To tackle problems related to quantifying and reducing campus emissions, a student-faculty-staff group called the Cal Climate Action Partnership (CalCAP) was formed in 2006.

April 14, 2015

Community Choice Energy is a program that allows cities or counties to form a not-for-profit local power agency that bundles the buying power of residents and businesses to purchase electricity. Community Choice empowers local governments to decide where their electricity comes from. The local power agency can purchase electricity from the market or develop clean energy resources to generate its own electricity. Choosing where our electricity comes from lets the community decide how quickly to transition to clean energy.

April 13, 2015

Water levels in California are currently at the lowest point since records began 100 years ago, and are not expected to recover soon. In response to this severe drought, Governor Jerry Brown officially declared a statewide drought emergency, and created mandatory reductions of urban water use by 25 percent. 

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) recently announced that Bay Area Bike Share, the regional bike share system, will be expanded into Berkeley, Oakland and Emeryville over the next two years, with a target of adding 400 bicycles in Berkeley, 850 bicycles in Oakland and 100 bicycles in Emeryville. The expansion will coincide with expansions in San Francisco and San Jose, where the existing bike share system is already in place.

April 9, 2015

Contra Costa Times

The Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Department at UC Berkeley partnered with the San Lorenzo Village Home Association and StopWaste to compile a booklet containing color photographs, watercolor paintings, illustrations and drought tolerant plant identifications. There are also recommendations for four drought tolerant garden designs. Learn More.

California Magazine

For the past ten years, Peidong Yang has been trying to make like a tree. Yang, a professor in UC Berkeley’s Department of Chemistry, researches artificial photosynthesis, a process that mimics a leaf’s ability to convert sun, water, and carbon dioxide into fuel. But in his case, the fuel isn’t glucose—it’s gasoline. Learn more.

UC Berkeley's Crowdfunding platform: where students, faculty, staff members, and researchers can raise money to turn their great ideas into reality. The website currently includes five projects focusing on topics ranging from health and sanitation to “the science of a meaningful life,” and will be online from April 6 to May 6 for a 30-day trial period.

April 7, 2015

Space and Capital Resources

In my 20+ years at Berkeley, this was one of the best initiatives I have ever seen. I was extremely pleased with what I and my team were able to accomplish."

This was one of the many comments received by Space and Capital Resources during the recent Law School Complex clean up.

April 3, 2015

Berkeley Research
In the first study of its kind, scientists at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) quantitatively show that electric vehicles (EVs) will meet the daily travel needs of drivers longer than commonly assumed. Many drivers and much prior literature on the retirement of EV batteries have assumed that EV batteries will be retired after the battery has lost 20 percent of its energy storage or power delivery capability. This study shows that the daily travel needs of drivers continue to be met well beyond these levels of battery degradation.

March 16, 2015

Article by Amy Craik

Sustainability is all around us- it can be a hobby, passion, major, career, or any combination. For me, sustainability is something I have the opportunity to explore in the classroom and practice in my community. As the Vice President of Sustainability for the Panhellenic Executive Council, my community happens to be thirteen chapter houses and two associate chapters consisting of over 1500 campus women. I have the unique opportunity to guide the sustainable advancement of these women and their Panhellenic organizations.

March 3, 2015

On Sunday, March 1st, not only did the California Golden Bears Men’s Basketball team challenge Oregon State on the court, winning 73 to 56, but also tried defending their title in the national Recyclemania Game Day Challenge and the new Pac-12 “Road to Zero Waste” competition! UC Berkeley has won in the waste diversion category for the past two years in a row!

February 10, 2015

Following a web conference with the UC Berkeley Office of Sustainability and Energy a year ago, the Alameda County Sustainability team has developed a green and healthy events certification program. This program was inspired by UC Berkeley's own Green Event Certification program.

UC Berkeley Operational Excellence

Gracing the College of Engineering this year are new energy-efficient lighting, fans, irrigation systems and solar panels – tangible improvements made possible through the College’s reduced energy consumption. The College received $134,000 in incentive payments in early 2014, and another $125,600 in January 2015, through the Energy Incentive Program, part of the Energy Management Initiative, an Operational Excellence project. The innovative program gives campus departments a financial incentive to save energy.

Conference Dates: July 20th-24th, 2015 (with core sessions on July 21st and 22nd)

Speaking and Poster Proposals Due: March 1st, 2015 (11:59pm)

Best Practice Awards: Call for Proposals for Award Applications is Not Yet Available

February 9, 2015

The Energy Office has been working diligently with campus departments to reduce energy use through various channels, including the Energy Incentive Program (EIP) and through supporting technical work in building systems, since the establishment of the Energy Management Initiative (EMI). Collectively, their efforts have been remarkable in reducing campus energy use, but none other has been more successful in a short period of time than the holiday curtailment shutdown.

Berkeley recently finalized the latest Sustainability Report, showing our progress towards our goals and becoming a more sustainable campus.   

Yes, it rained a lot these last few days.Unfortunately, while rainfall is up, the amount of snow in the Sierras still lags as do the water levels in our reservoirs.The snowpack matters because melting snow is the main source of water to refill the r

February 6, 2015

Job Title: UC President’s Student Carbon Neutrality Engagement and Communications Fellow – Berkeley Campus

The University of California recently created the President’s Carbon Neutrality Student Fellowship/Internship Program to support UC’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2025.

January 28, 2015

Kicking off the spring semester on a green note, the Berkeley Sustainability Community held its first Community of Practice meeting last Friday to discuss and create goals for the upcoming year. Fostered by the Office of Sustainability and Energy, the Community of Practice’s main focus is for “people who share a concern or a passion for something they do [to] learn how to do it better as they interact regularly” (Wenger-Traynor).

December 10, 2014

The Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS) is now accepting applications for projects under its new Innovation Grant program.  CACS has been supporting campus sustainability work through grants and internships since 2006, to further the committee’s goal to promote environmental management and sustainable development at UC Berkeley. The new Innovation Grant program combines the Green Fund Grant and the CACS Internship programs, giving recipients greater flexibility to implement innovative projects or research, either on campus or to the benefit of the broader campus communi

December 9, 2014

UC Berkeley’s Energy Incentive Program (EIP) is a key part of the Energy Management Initiative. Prior to the EIP, campus Operating Units (OUs) had no direct financial incentive to implement energy-saving measures. The EIP established a baseline for each building based on 2010-2011 electricity use.  Units that are below their baseline receive payments, while OUs which exceed their baseline will be asked to pay the difference. Now, thanks to the EIP, campus OUs have a significant incentive to reduce energy use.

November 21, 2014

It has been a busy and exciting fall for myPower at Berkeley. From social media outreach to adding more live Pulse energy dashboards online to spreading turn-off-the-light stickers through campus, myPower has continued to help empower UC Berkeley students, staff and faculty to take action and reduce energy use. The past few months, myPower has completed energy surveys in numerous campus buildings and offices, including the Energy Biosciences Building, the Office of Legal Affairs, and Mulford Hall, and has worked with building occupants to identify new ways to save energy.

November 20, 2014

The Office of Sustainability and Energy (OSE), Residential Sustainability Program (RSP) and PowerSave Green Campus (PGC) invite you to engage in a multimedia presentation on climate change and climate action given by ACE (Alliance for Climate Education).

Why Attend? Young people – YOU - have the most to lose when it comes to climate change, and the most to gain by fighting it. ACE (Alliance for Climate Education) helps you take control of your future. Be the change!

When: December 3, 2014, 6-7pm

October 30, 2014

UC Berkeley NewsCenter

By Carol Ness, NewsCenter

UC Berkeley celebrated international Food Day 2014 by going super-local, no mean feat for such a big campus. On Friday night, dinners served in all Cal Dining cafes were made almost entirely from foods grown, produced or milled within 260 miles.

October 29, 2014

Article by Ben Rushakoff

October 23, 2014

October 16, 2014

You can now view and download the IARU's Green Guide for Universities.

October 14, 2014

A picture is worth a thousand words! During the “Getting Your Bearings” tabling event 2014, we asked students to share with us ways they are living sustainable lives. Aside from striking a pose, students are engaging the campus community in a multimedia dialogue about the importance of leading sustainable lifestyles via our Instagram page!

October 13, 2014

October 9, 2014

October 7, 2014

UHS Green TeamThe Office of Sustainability and Energy is excited to announce the latest member of the green department family to recertify their efforts: the University Health Services (UHS) – Tang Center. Originally certified in 2012, the UHS Tang Center has spent the past two years focusing their environmental efforts on waste and energy reduction.

UC Berkeley Haas School of Business

The Dow Chemical Company and Center for Responsible Business (CRB) at the Haas School of Business are proud to bring the Dow Sustainability Innovation Student Challenge Award (SISCA) to UC Berkeley for the fifth year.  SISCA  recognizes  and  rewards  students  for  their  innovation  and  research  in  sustainable solutions for the world's most pressing social, economic, and environmental problems.  SISCA competitions are held at seventeen top universities around the world, with gran

September 26, 2014

Did you know that in the U.S., toilet flushing is the single highest use of water in the average home? While newer, efficient toilets use closer to one and a half gallons of water per flush, older models can use up to seven gallons.

September 2, 2014

Article by Amy Fudenberg

Did you know that since February, the campus has reduced water use by ten percent? For an array of useful tips on how to save water on campus and at home and for more information on what UC Berkeley is doing to conserve water, visit the campus drought alert page here. 

August 28, 2014

The start of the school year is the perfect time for new and returning students alike to become engaged in campus sustainability. Learn about the different environmental organizations and initiatives at UC Berkeley by attending these upcoming events. 

August 23, 2014

Interested in learning more about what is causing California's drought? A four miles high, 2,000 miles long high-pressure ridge is pushing rain north and preventing it from reaching California. No one knows exactly what is causing such an unusual ridge, and this ridge is even worse than the one which contributed to the 1976-1977 drought. Click here for the full story.

August 5, 2014

UC Berkeley has been awarded the 2014 APPA Effective & Innovative Practices Award for its submission "Providing Financial Incentives to Promote Energy Conservation by Building Occupants". As one of the five schools selected, UC Berkeley received a $4,000 cash award sponsored by Sodexo.

July 16, 2014

Have you noticed brighter, better quality light in buildings throughout campus, or lights that turn on once you enter a room? These are all due to projects undertaken to reduce energy usage on campus as part of the Strategic Energy Plan, which saves the campus millions in energy costs.

July 1, 2014

UC NewsRoom

By Alec Rosenberg, UC Newsroom

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Alice Waters and Janet Napolitano

Credit: Robert Durell.  UC President Janet Napolitano (right) tours the Edible Schoolyard at Berkeley's Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School with founder and restaurateur Alice Waters.

June 18, 2014

UC Berkeley NewsCenter
When they woke at the base of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s 30-foot-high kelp forest Saturday morning — under the watchful gaze of leopard sharks, red octopuses and dozens of other marine species — four students and alums at UC Berkeley’s School of Information knew they faced no ordinary programming challenge.

May 29, 2014

Daily Cal
UC Berkeley was announced Wednesday as the recipient of a $1.5 million grant awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to conduct research measuring household combustion created by cooking, heating and lighting. Through the grant, UC Berkeley researchers plan to measure how cooking with stoves contributes to outdoor air pollution and to introduce cleaner alternatives for developing countries suffering from cookstove pollution. Led by campus environmental health sciences professor Kirk Smith, who is serving as the principal investigator on this project, the team of researchers plan to conduct fieldwork in a largely agricultural and rural community south of Delhi, India, to study the impacts of cookstove pollution.

May 12, 2014

UC Berkeley's Cal Climate Action Partnership (CalCAP) has been recognized for its leadership in climate action - for meeting its first greenhouse gas emissions reduction target and for the strategies that brought this success including student and faculty engagement, innovative planning, broad partnerships, financial investment, and the institutionalization of carbon reducing strategies throughout the organization.

April 25, 2014

April 24, 2014

East Bay Bicycle Coalition

April 23, 2014

UC Berkeley NewsCenter
It’s finally decided: UC Berkeley has successfully defended its title in the national collegiate waste-diversion competition, Recyclemania. The campus received official word this week that, for the second year in a row, the Bears took first place in the national “Game Day” competition, with a waste-diversion rate of 93 percent at its March 8 men’s basketball home game against University of Colorado Boulder (which Cal won 66-65).

April 22, 2014

Office of the Chief Financial Officer

Building Clean Up Week is an innovative program, sponsored by Space & Capital Resources, to help the campus community purge junk in order to create more usable space.

April 14, 2014

Berkeley Research
As a boy growing up in Syracuse, NY, Sol Hsiang ran an experiment for a school project testing whether plants grow better sprinkled with water vs orange juice. Today, 20 years later, he applies complex statistical strategies to examine sobering, large–scale versions of the same basic question: How will environmental change affect life?

April 3, 2014

March 25, 2014

We are pleased to announce two Green Department re-certifications last month – both Capital Projects (down on Uni­versity Avenue) and the UC Police Department submitted and qualified for the highest award bracket (Green).

March 14, 2014

by Lindsey Agnew

UC Berkeley staff from a variety of departments came together to exchange ideas about sustainability and learn how to incorporate sustainable practices into their offices during the Office of Sustainability’s third annual Staff Sustainability Training. The free WORKbright green event took place on Friday, February 28, from 10 am to 5pm.

February 27, 2014

myPower

“What steps are you already taking to save energy?” Rohini Rajgopal, myPower Energy Associate and 3rd year Public Health Major, asks this question during each of the energy surveys she assists in conducting.

February 21, 2014

Continuing and improving on a long tradition of energy curtailment during the winter holiday, the Energy Office is reporting even more savings this past curtailment than the previous year. A total of $113,200 in energy costs were saved throughout the December 2013- January 2014 closure.

A good deal of these savings can be attributed to steam conservation. Kevin Ng, Energy Analyst, noted that “we worked much closer with the Stationary Engineer shop and were able to shut down more steam use in buildings.”

February 19, 2014

Office of Sustainability

Download back issues of Bright Green News:  

February 18, 2014

UC Berkeley News Center

California’s official drought emergency approached the one month mark and UC Berkeley intensifies its efforts to conserve H20.  At the inaugural meeting of the Berkeley Sustainability Community, a new forum for environmentally minded students, staff and faculty to meet together and share ideas about how to conserve.

January 28, 2014

UC Berkeley News Center

“There is a vast amount of untapped energy in the oceans, and with increasing worldwide demand for power, the need to find cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels is critical,” said assistant professor Reza Alam, an expert in wave mechanics. “We are also seeing greater population growth along coastal cities, so the ocean-based system we are developing would produce electricity in a carbon-neutral way right where it is needed.”

January 15, 2014

Berkeley News Center

Funded my the National Science Foundation, UC Berkeley scientists will receive $4,900,000 over the next five years to study the nearly 10,000 square kilometer Eel River watershed in Northern California and how its vegetation, geology and topography affect water flow all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

January 13, 2014

January 9, 2014

Berkeley News Center

Research Brief: Engineers create light-activated ‘curtains’

A new development by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, could lead to curtains and other materials that move in response to light, thus eliminating the need for batteries.

December 30, 2013

SOURCE: Daily Californinan

By Somin Park

On Jan. 1, UC Berkeley will take on a new year’s resolution of sorts as the campus implements a new energy use policy aimed at saving energy and reducing costs for the years to come.