The University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges will explore ways of "Working Our Way to Zero" at the 8th Annual California Campus Sustainability Conference June 21-24 at UC Santa Barbara.

The four-day conference includes seminars and presentations on topics such as energy efficiency for medical centers and labs, sustainable food programs, equitable housing and development practices, and bold new initiatives to reach carbon neutrality and zero waste. Students will present on sustainable transportation. In addition, the conference will honor the 2009 Best Practice Award winners in areas such as building retrofits and operations, green lighting, and sustainable design. For a full schedule of events, go to http://sustainability.ucsb.edu/conference/program.php

The conference organizers have taken a comprehensive approach to greening this event. For a list of some of the initiatives in recycling, transportation, catering and conferencing technology visit http://sustainability.ucsb.edu/conference/conference-greening.php. In addition, the entire conference is available online. To register for the free webcasts of selected conference sessions and the three keynote presentations, visit http://sustainability.ucsb.edu/conference/webcasting.php.

"The University of California has received extensive recognition as a national leader in sustainability, including three Environmental Achievement awards from the U.S. EPA," said UC Regent Bonnie Reiss, who will address the conference participants on Monday morning. "This conference, which brings together almost 70 campuses, seeks to solve sustainability issues and serve as a model of best practices."

The University of California, home to more than 225,000 students and 180,000 faculty and staff, encompasses 10 campuses and five medical centers, is involved in managing three Department of Energy national laboratories, and manages 135,000 acres of natural habitat reserves throughout the state.

The Sierra Club's Sierra magazine recognized the UC system as being the greenest public university and "in a league of its own" for the systemwide impact of the university's sustainability initiatives.

Statewide, UC has 23 LEED-certified buildings, including two LEED Platinum buildings and 10 LEED Gold buildings. Every building on the new UC Merced campus, which opened in fall 2005, is LEED-certified. For a complete list of UC's LEED certified buildings, see: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/sustainability/gb_leed.html

UC has also committed to aggressive greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and was a charter signatory of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org). By policy, each UC campus has pledged to reduce its emissions to year 2000 levels by 2014, to 1990 levels by 2020 and to achieve carbon neutrality as soon as possible.

UC has also set an aspirational "zero-waste" goal by 2020, meaning UC will seek to recycle or compost 100 percent of its municipal solid waste.

For more information about sustainability at University of California: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/sustainability

For more information about the University of California: www.universityofcalifornia.edu

For press credentials:
Mo Lovegreen, (805) 893-3664
mo@geog.ucsb.edu
Katie Maynard, (805) 893-2003
kmaynard@geog.ucsb.edu