The University of California and its Santa Barbara campus, along with California State University and the Higher Education Energy Partnership, will host the sixth annual UC-CSU-CCC Sustainability Conference on Sunday, June 24 through Wednesday, June 27, at the UCSB campus.

The conference will highlight the work of staff, faculty and students in addressing sustainability issues on campuses. These forward-thinking sustainability programs can help engage the full university community and foster solutions that can be taken back to campuses and spread throughout the state.

With more than 850 participants, the conference is expected to be largest event of its kind in the short history of the global sustainability in higher education movement. All 10 UC campuses will be represented, together with 20 CSU campuses, 29 California community colleges and 10 universities from neighboring states.

The conference is unique in bringing together administrators, staff, faculty and students, and highlighting collaboration across each of these stakeholder groups within the campus community. The forum has expanded to include 11 different tracks and a total of 45 topic sessions ranging from green building to student life to sustainable food systems.

“This conference recognizes, highlights and celebrates the campus sustainability best practices from energy efficiency to waste management to curriculum that already exist on UC campuses and throughout the state,” said Matt St. Clair, UC systemwide sustainability manager and one of the event’s organizers. “It demonstrates a large scale commitment by California colleges and universities to come together in partnership and demonstrate higher education’s role in moving society in a more sustainable direction.”

Many new developments have emerged from previous conferences, including UC's Policy on Sustainable Practices, the CSU system's registration with the California Climate Action Registry, and the Los Angeles Community College District's launch of an extensive green power program with a new solar electric system and micro turbines.

In addition to presentations and discussions, the conference will honor the 2007 Higher Education Energy Efficiency Partnership Best Practice Award winners. This year, 22 honorees were selected in areas such as building retrofits and operations, green buildings, sustainable transportation and student sustainability programs. For a list of winners: www.geog.ucsb.edu/sustainability/conference/awards.php

The conference will also feature keynote speakers including UC Santa Barbara’s chancellor, UC Santa Cruz’s acting chancellor; the LACCD’s chancellor, a UC regent and two student speakers along with Eban Goodstein, co-founder of Focus the Nation, and Michael McGonigle, co-author of “Planet U: Sustaining the World, Reinventing the University.”

Special pre- and post-conference events are also planned this year.

For program and registration information: http://geog.ucsb.edu/sustainability/conference2007

Background

The UC Regents adopted a green building and clean energy policy in July 2003 to minimize the university’s environmental impacts. In June 2004, President Robert C. Dynes issued guidelines for the Policy on Green Building Design and Clean Energy Standards, which established UC as a leader in promoting environmental stewardship among institutions of higher education.

In January 2006, the policy was expanded to include sustainable transportation practices and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. In March 2007, the policy was further extended to cover the areas of climate protection practices, green building renovations, sustainable operations and maintenance, waste reduction and environmentally preferable purchasing. With the most recent expansion, the policy’s name was revised to “Policy on Sustainable Practices.”

For more information on UC sustainability and clean energy efforts:
www.ucop.edu/facil/sustain

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