PLAYgreen

5 UC Berkeley Students Win Clinton Global Initiative Award

Clinton Global Initiative University Announces Doug DeRoy, Kevin Hur, Jonathan Lee, Richard Novak, and Anurag Sridharan of the University of California-Berkeley as 2009 Winners of CGI U Outstanding Commitment Awards.

“CGI U offers college students a space to create positive change in local communities or on a global scale,” said Robert Harrison, CEO of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI).  “Funding provided by the Pat Tillman Foundation and the Wal-Mart Foundation for the Outstanding Commitment Awards will ensure that these exceptional commitments are able to achieve the impact these extraordinary students have envisioned.”  

 

Through grants from the Pat Tillman Foundation and the Wal-Mart Foundation, winners will receive funding to advance their CGI U Commitments to Action: new, specific, and measurable plans launched through CGI U to address a global challenge of the winning commitment maker’s choosing.  The CGI U Outstanding Commitment Awards are designed to support unique, meaningful work that creates lasting and positive social change, most notably within CGI U’s focus areas – energy and climate change, global health, human rights and peace, and poverty alleviation.  The awards recognize students and student organizations from a wide variety of graduate schools, historically black colleges, Ivy League institutions, religious and tribal universities, and state schools. 

Here's what they plan to do:

Doug DeRoy plans to design and implement low-cost, practical, and self-sustaining student vegetable garden programs in a pilot test of 10 selected California public schools, with an emphasis on underserved areas.

DeRoy will create programs that foster a fun, experiential learning environment to engage students in the entire process of growing their own food. He will design three general program models: one for elementary (K-5), one for middle (6-8), and another for high school (9-12) applications. Then, he will solicit his program models to public schools throughout California, with an emphasis on those in underserved areas. Out of those solicited, he will select a pilot group of ten schools – based on faculty interest, need, logistical feasibility, and other factors – to participate in his project. 

Unlike most student garden programs, DeRoy’s focuses on under-served areas, instead of wealthier communities. His goal is to demonstrate that with small funds, a team can implement a practical, hands-on, and self-sustainable student garden.   

Kevin Hur commits to combating Hepatitis B, a major health issue, within San Francisco’s Asian Pacific Islander community. 

Hepatitis B significantly affects Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) more than any other population and yet little progress has been made to screen and vaccinate APIs in counties that have a high percentage of APIs, such as Alameda County, California. 

Hur will employ a three-part strategy that includes targeted outreach education about Hepatitis B to the API population; screenings and vaccinations provided by health professionals and free clinics; and establishment of stronger ties between the API community and existing health services within the county.  

Jonathan Lee accepts the award on behalf of Global Medical Brigades-Berkeley.  Led by University of California Berkeley undergraduates, Global Medical Brigades-Berkeley commits to developing a comprehensive community health worker training program in the region of Honduras.  

In settings deprived of healthcare infrastructure, community health workers extend access to basic health services by diagnosing, treating and referring patients, as well as delivering medical interventions. Jonathan Lee and team aim to create a sustainable model for healthcare through the empowerment of individuals as community health workers (CHWs). By serving as CHWs, community members directly contribute to the establishment of a primary healthcare foundation and become active participants in managing their health. Partnerships will be developed between CHWs and distant health centers, and a community-wide health promotion program will be offered to educate individuals on hygiene, sanitation and household water treatment. In order to implement the recommended strategies, hygiene resources and materials will be distributed to community members.  

Over the period of one year, health programs will be conducted in 50 rural communities, resulting in over 35,000 individuals gaining the capacity to better manage their health. By investment in the human capital of CHWs, this commitment ensures continual access to medical services and transfers responsibility from NGOs to the communities themselves. 

 

 Richard Novak accepts the award on behalf of Future Scientist.  Future Scientist, a student group from the University of California-Berkeley, plans to develop a solar energy electrical system for an orphanage in Puerto Alegria, Peru. 

Their goal is to provide the initial resources to an impoverished community that will enable them to become a focus of technical expertise that nearby communities can utilize. 

This project will provide the area with clean, off-grid power, unlike the gas generator currently in use.  Students will learn to maintain and develop solar panel systems at a level that will permit self-reliance. This team also plans to train the community so that they could start a solar business, if they so desire. 

Anurag Sridharan accepts the  behalf of Berkeley Green Home.   Berkeley Green Home is a University of California-Berkeley student-initiated and student-run project that is developed to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on existing housing lots for the UC Berkeley community.  

Accessory dwelling units, also known as backyard homes, have long been built and used by homeowners throughout the United States and are well-represented in the Berkeley community. This team proposes to take this existing platform and make it highly energy efficient and a healthy living environment through a sustainable construction process that involves off-site pre-construction of building panels and subassemblies with rapid onsite final assembly.   

Once construction is complete, ongoing testing and monitoring will be conducted to record the impacts of the incorporated technologies. They will coordinate with on-campus courses to present findings to interested students and community members, record potential improvements and offer a real life setting for future generations of students to advance this environmental initiative even further. 

About Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U)  

CGI U, a project of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), challenges college students and universities to address global problems with practical, innovative solutions. At CGI U, young people and universities do more than simply discuss the world’s challenges – they take real, concrete steps towards solving them. To date, 1,700 commitments have been made by students, universities, and youth organizations.

 

 

Take the RSF Energy Survey

Rec Sports has partnered with the Mechanical Engineering department to research energy use at the RSF. We've done quite a bit already to reduce energy use at the RSF; most notable is the switch to more efficient – but brighter! – lights throughout the facility. See our blog posting for more on this.

One goal of our partnership with Mechanical Engineering is to discover further energy saving technologies that could be applied to the RSF.  To this end, researchers would like to better understand how you perceive the amount of energy used by our cardio machines, and how your use of these machines might change if some of the energy generated could be captured and applied back to the energy grid.

Please help us out and take the survey!

 

High-Speed Rail Symposium at UC Berkeley

 

With the passage of Proposition 1A in November 2008, Californians approved the biggest transportation infrastructure project in the U.S. since the completion of the interstate highway system. At this evening symposium, six distinguished UC Berkeley faculty go beyond the polarized pre-election debate to shed light on the complex issues that will impact the success of this mega-project.

When: Tuesday, October 6, 5-8pm

Where: Alumni House, UC Berkeley

The Faculty: Robert Cervero (Professor of City and Regional Planning)
                   Carlos Daganzo (Robert Horonjeff Professor of Civil Engineering)
                   Elizabeth Deakin (Professor of City and Regional Planning)
                   Mark Hansen (Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering)
                   Arpad Horvath (Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering)

Moderated by Samer Madanat, Xenel Professor of Engineering and Director of the UC Berkeley Institute of Transportation Studies

The symposium is free but RSVP by sending an email to hsr@its.berkeley.edu is required to reserve your spot.

Go Organic on the Go

From Berkeley Student Food Cooperative to the fining dining of Chez Panisse, Berkeley has been the heat of the organic and sustainable food movement. And, the city and the University have done a lot to make sustainable and organic food available to student community. If you can't hit up the dining hall or Farmers Market, make sure that your on-the-go eating habits are healthy. Here are a few suggestions:

Nature's Path Oatmeal  are ideal for hurried weekday mornings, this sweet, organic oatmeal fits the bill. We like the Flax flavor with a spoonful of peanut butter and a splash of half-and-half.

Annie Chun's Soup Bowls  has lots of different Asian-inspired flavors (including the yummy Teriyaki), in a biodegradable bowl. 

Koyo Ramen will make you say goodbye to your old Ramen habit.  Made from tasty organic, heirloom wheat noodles.  

Annie's Homegrown Mac 'n Cheese is an organic update on an dorm classic: pasta with real cheddar makes for better feasting..

Moosewood Restaurant Frozen Entrees are great frozen entrees from the folks (Berkeley resident Mollie Katzen) behind the Moosewood Cookbook series. 

Clif Bar has endless options so you can never go wrong with Clif Bar. Their fruit leather snacks will give you a daily dose of vitamins. The Pro-Shop Cafe sells a variety. 

Newman's Own Popcorn is a great late-night snack and an awesome alternative to the old stuff. 

Source: "Cooking Up a Dorm: College Week," www.idealbite.com, viewed on August 19, 2009

Help Clean the Scene

Make a Difference in Berkeley on September 19 at Coastal Clean-up Day 

Here in California, we pride ourselves on our breathtaking coastline and beaches. Unfortunately, our beaches are very polluted and often are cluttered with trash and litter. Pointless pollution is harmful to the coastal ecosystem and to public health. Here's why:

• contaminates drinking water and waterways,
• closes beaches and shellfish beds,
• causes algal blooms which can lead to fish kills,
• contaminates sediments in waterways,
• adversely affects the life cycles of aquatic organisms,
• can lead to public health risks and fish consumption advisories for humans, and
• endangers wildlife through ingestion of and entanglement with litter.

According the the Natural Resources Defense Council, "in 2008, beach pollution prompted 20,341 closing and swimming advisory days at ocean, bay and Great Lakes beaches." Yuck!  In order to make the beaches and coastline in our community happy and healthier, we invite you to come help clean the scene in Berkeley. 

International Coast Clean-up is a one day world-wide event and will be held on September 19, 2009. 

There will be 8 sites this year in Berkeley and you can register through the Berkeley Marina Shorebird Nature Center

 

Out of town on the 19? Click here for volunteer opportunities across the state. 

Source: "Non-point Source or Pointless Polltion," www.cleanoceanaction.org

Festival Greening at Caltopia

This year’s event recognizes its responsibility to the PLAYgreen initiative and will strive to be environmentally sustainable. Our goal is to improve on last year’s efforts.
Waste Reduction: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

1. Reduce - Cal Rec Sports will offer paperless promotional methods to all exhibitors and sponsors via our Mobile Web partner- Hothand 

2. Reuse - We’re going paperless wherever possible, but when we can’t go paperless, we are making efforts to use recycled paper and soy-based ink.

3. Recycle- Caltopia will be outfitted with a minimum of 14 recycling stations, including trash, compost, and recycling bins, throughout the event. Our goal is to reach a 50% diversion rate.

4. Recognize - New visual signage will be strategically placed with each recycling station to show what items can be recycled and composted. In addition, we will staffing the most frequented waste stations with Green Team volunteers to educate attendees.

Sustainable Transportation

1. No Idling Rule - During load-in/out, trucks and cars will have designated parking at specified times to avoid idling and promote cleaner air.

2. Public Transportation- The link to 511.org’s Trip Planner will be provided on the event website, for attendees to find the best method of public transportation to get them to the event.

Restaurant Row at Caltopia VII

1. Compost- Compost bins will be easily acessible both for participating restaurants and attendees. Cal Rec Sports will provide compostable utensils, plates and napkins for all participating restaurants to ensure all items can be composted.

2. Biodegradable- All utensils, containers and napkins at Restaurant Row will be biodegradable and compostable.

3. Styrofoam Free- Caltopia will be a Styrofoam free event!Reducing Caltopia’s Climate Footprint

Travel Climate Neutral 

Cal Rec Sports encourages attendees traveling from out of town to offset their carbon emissions by making a tax-deductible donation through UC Berkeley’s carbon calculator which can be found at the link below. The proceeds go to UC Berkeley’s Climate Action Fund to support projects on campus that have been identified to reduce UC Berkeley’s greenhouse gas emissions. http://enviro.berkeley.edu/aircalculator 2.

Support the Locals

In order to support the local economy, we are inviting locally owned and operated businesses to be a part of Caltopia!If you are interested in volunteering at Caltopia VII and making our event green(er), please contact Cal Rec Sports Marketing at recsportsmarketing@berkeley.edu 

UC Berkeley Named Top "Green College" in Princeton Review

The University of California, Berkeley, is one of only 15 colleges in the country to have earned the top score for environmentally friendly policies in an evaluation released on Monday, July 27 by The Princeton Review, a provider of education services to help students get into college.

The Princeton Review's second annual "Green Ratings" includes scores for 697 colleges and universities that are based upon whether students have a healthy and sustainable campus quality of life, how well the school is preparing its students for employment and citizenship in a world defined by environmental challenges, and the school's overall commitment to environmental issues.

Institutions were judged on measures ranging from energy use, recycling, food, buildings and transportation, to academic offerings, such as the availability of environmental studies degrees and courses. Schools also needed to report on action plans and goals concerning greenhouse gas emission reductions. Scores, based on data for the 2008-2009 academic year, ranged from 60 to a maximum of 99. UC Berkeley, which earned a score of 99, was the only university in California named to the Green Honor Roll.

On top of the efforts here at Rec Sports and the RSF, here are a few major impacts from UC Berkeley...

• UC Berkeley has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2014 (six year sooner than the rest of California).  To meet this target the campus will complete over 200 energy efficiency projects.
• The university's primary food service operator was the first in the country to receive organic certification, and organic salad bars are now a staple at campus dining facilities.
• Berkeley has more than 80 academic degrees, 90 research centers, and 25 student-run organizations with an environmental focus.
• Student projects have reduced energy consumption by over 8.5 million kWh and water usage by 3 million gallons. UC Berkeley publicly reports its sustainability metrics each year.
• Alternative transportation programs that helped reduce fuel use from commuting and fleet vehicles by 20 percent since 1990.
• More efficient irrigation, low-flow fixtures, and other improvements that have reduced total campus water use by 10 percent since 1990, with per square foot use down nearly 30 percent.
• A more than tripling since 1990 of the amount of waste that has been recycled and/or composted.
• University long-range planning documents that now include the campus's climate target, and green building practices that are standard for all new construction and renovations.

Source: www.princetonreview.com, "Green Colleges" and www.berkeley.edu, "Campus environmental record earns top score in Princeton Review 'Green Ratings"

Use Less Ink with Ecofont

The fall semester is just around the corner, and that means you'll soon be printing out papers and lecture notes with reckless abandon. You know about saving paper, but ink is something worth conserving too. Using less is always better, right?  If you agree, try the new Ecofont. The Dutch (first the community bikes, and now this!) firm Spranq recently developed this new font that cuts ink use while maintaining readability.  How does it work? Holes are the secret. It turns out that by removing small circles of ink from the font type, ink use is reduced without impacting legibility because the holes can't be seen when printed at smaller sizes. Go green this school year and download Ecofont for free. Try it!

Greening the Great Outdoors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ahh, the great outdoors...fresh air, beautiful views, great hiking trails, swimming holes. The fun parts of camping are endless and there's really no better way to combine recreation with relaxation. However, when done without care, camping can be harmful for humans and nature! So, whether you are going on a deep woods backpacking trip in the Sierras or just doing a little car camping at Mt. Diablo, it's important to follow these eco-trip-tips...

Don't Get Trashed. Americans generate tons and tons of trash each year. Everything you bring with you (even the wrapper to your Clif Bar) should come out with you. If you leave something in the woods, chances are no one will come by and pick it it so make sure you clear your campsite before you leave. Read the Leave No Trace principles before you go and practice them while you are on your adventure 

Go Where You Know. While it's fun to explore, there is a reason that parks have designated campsites and hiking trails. Not only can going off-course be harmful to the environment, it can be harmful to your health (poison oak, bugs, things that go bump in the night). Unmarked trails and campsites are more likely to have these things. 

The Flame Game. Smokey the Bear might have been onto something -- every year thousands of acres of open spaces are destroyed by wildfire. Many of these fires are preventable. Do your part in preventing forest fires by checking with California's Department of Forestry and Fire before you camp. It is especially important to build and maintain your fire correctly to ensure safety during high fire season (Spring through Fall). If you are going to build a fire, make sure to burn only fallen wood. Don't cut down branches from a living tree. Don't clear a new piece of ground to make a fire. Some campgrounds provide you with a place to build a fire. Only clear new ground if you have to. Always keep an eye out for previously cleared places. Reuse those if possible.

When You Gotta Go. Thankfully, many campsites have bathrooms. If there is no bathroom, all human waste should be disposed of by digging a hole. Did your hike get you super sweaty? There might be a shower facility at the campsite. Feel like going au naturel? Feel free to jump in the nearest lake or pond, but don't scrub with soap -- it can cause serious damage the water's fragile ecosystem.

 Camping is awesome. There's not better way to get away from city and school life (apparently the woods don't have the internet...yet). So get out there and have fun. Happy trails! 

Source: www.planetgreen.discovery.com, "Eco-Friendly Camping Trip", viewed on July 16, 2009. 

Power to the Pedal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turn your workout into a rock out with a pedal power concert! The “Yokohama Human Powered Concert: Power Saving Saves the Earth," was put on NPO “ARCHSHIP” which focuses on bringing together music, people and community.

All electric power for the concert sound system was generated by pedaling  refurbished bicycles, which were attached to specially designed and engineered generators. Instead of charging concertgoers money for a ticket, they had them pay with pedal power! 

The concert also featured a cooking demonstration using only solar power, and a hands on demonstration comparing the relative energy consumption of Japan, the US and China using weighted handbags, entitled “can you lift the energy bag?” Now, that's a concert with a conscious!  

Been going to Group X spin class for weeks and think you wanna power a concert or event but can't make it to Japan? Get involved with the Bicycle Film Festival which could be coming to a city near you!  Check it out.

Source: treehugger.com, "Working out while watching a concert? Audience pedaling and powering the concert in Yokohama on Free Bikes.

Been going to Group X spin class for weeks and think you wanna power a concert or event but can't make it to Japan? Get involved with the Bicycle Film Festival which could be coming to a city near you!  Check it out.

Source: treehugger.com, "Working out while watching a concert? Audience pedaling and powering the concert in Yokohama on Free Bikes.