Bright Green Newsletter, February 2020

February 20, 2020

February 2020

Spring into the Semester with the Office of Sustainability! 


Drought, California, and You

California’s last drought was declared over in 2017- but did we speak too soon? California has started off 2020 with two very dry months, and precipitation conditions are not expected to improve throughout the rest of February. 

There are things you can do right now to reduce waste of this important resource. 

Download this flyer for tips and join us in water saving actions. 

Read more >>

Headlines



TGIF is accepting proposals for the 2020 Spring Grant Cycle! 

The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) funds projects that focus on environmental sustainability and environmental justice. Apply to receive funding for projects $5,000 or above! Check out their Facebook page for more updates on TGIF grant-writing workshops & visit their website for more information >>

Help UC Berkeley Achieve Zero Waste

UC Berkeley is currently working toward our Zero Waste by 2020 goal to greatly reduce the amount of campus waste sent to landfill.Get involved with the Zero Waste Coalition, check out the UC Berkeley Zero Waste Guide, & learn more about campus efforts here >>


UC Berkeley: Unplugged 2020

Unplugged is a residential energy-saving competition that runs throughout the entire month of February. This interactive dashboardwill monitor energy usage in real-time to show how much residents are saving)! Together, the 6,000+ students living in university housing can make a real impact on our environment! 

IARU Summer School Application Deadline: March 1st

Centering on the concept of “borderland” and the themes of Land and Water, this UC-Berkeley - University of Copenhagen course, in collaboration with Chiang Mai University, engages students from multiple disciplines in thinking critically about the research process, epistemologies, and ethics in conducting research. Students will interact with international and local scholars in structured seminars, and with communities and organizations through placement with local NGOs and research projects. Apply here >>

Get Involved



Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability

Established in 2003, the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS) promotes environmental management and sustainable development on campus.  The Committee is charged with advising the Chancellor on matters pertaining to the environment and sustainability as it directly relates to UC Berkeley. Membership is drawn from faculty, staff, students and alumni and meetings are open to everyone. If you are interested in attending a spring meeting, email sustainability@berkeley.edu

For more information on CACS >>

Herbicide Free Cal is looking for folks to join the core team!

Work days with the grounds staff and advocacy/educational events for the campus body are underway. Also in process is the longer-term campaign strategy that includes  community/stakeholder engagement and facilitated conversation strategies.If you are interested in joining the Herbicide Free Movement, please check out the work being done here & email bridgetgustafson@berkeley.edu>>

The Cool Campus Challenge may be over, but you can still take action!

Continue your commitment to the Cool Campus Challenge in your day-to-day life! Whether by going meatless for a day, line-drying your clothes, or buying used, there are still plenty of ways for you to take climate solution action.Choose your actions & visit the Cool Campus Challenge portal here >>

Campus Updates


Winter Break Curtailment Success!

This year (2019-20) curtailment saved 1,026,000 kWh of electricity and 5,551,000 lbs of steam. Together these savings totaled $157,400 and 673 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. With labor costs of just $29,000, the ROI was 544%! Learn more >>

News & Opportunities



Share your thoughts and ideas with sustainability@berkeley.edu.


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