How Green Was My University

Napolitano focuses on sustainability, forms global climate council

UC Office of the President Monday, June 9, 2014

 

News release: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/napolitano-focuses-sustainability-forms-global-climate-council  [Scroll down for comment and other sources.]

An advisory group formed by University of California President Janet Napolitano will convene for the first time today (June 9) to guide UC sustainability efforts, with the goal of bringing the university’s operations to carbon neutrality by 2025.

Napolitano will outline her vision for UC’s future sustainability work and the council’s central role in this initiative during opening remarks to the President’s Global Climate Leadership Council at the UC Office of the President. The working meeting is not open to the public.

The council is co-chaired by Nathan Brostrom, UC’s executive vice president for business operations, and Wendell Brase, UC Irvine’s vice chancellor for administration. Council members include UC officials, students and outside experts:

• Barbara Allen-Diaz, vice president of the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
• David Auston, professor of electrical and computer engineering, UC Santa Barbara
• Roger Bales, professor of engineering, UC Merced
• Matt Barth, professor of engineering, UC Riverside
• Carl Blumstein, director of the California Institute for Energy and Environment, UC Berkeley
• Sandra Brown, vice chancellor for research, UC San Diego
• Ann Carlson, vice dean and professor, School of Law, UC Los Angeles
• Peggy Delaney, vice chancellor for planning and budget, UC Santa Cruz
• Dan Dooley, senior vice president for external relations, UC Office of the President
• John Elliott, chief sustainability officer, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• David Feinberg, chief executive officer, UC Los Angeles Hospital System
• Bob Fisher, former CEO of Gap Inc. and co-founder and trustee of the Pisces Foundation
• Lisa Jackson, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, 2009-2013
• Daniel Kammen, professor in the Energy and Resources Group, UC Berkeley
• Ren Orans, managing partner at E3
• Ashley Payne, graduate student, UC Irvine
• Tom Peterson, executive vice chancellor-provost, UC Merced
• Jack Powazek, vice chancellor for administration, UC Los Angeles
• Thomas Parham, vice chancellor for student affairs, UC Irvine
• Rollin Richmond, president of Humboldt State University
• Michael Siminovitch, professor and director of the California Lighting Technology Center, UC Davis
• Kira Stoll, co-chair of the UC Climate Change Working Group, UC Berkeley
• Elaine Swiedler, undergraduate student, UC Davis
• Derek Walker, associate vice president, Climate and Energy Program, EDF
• A UC Regent to be named at a later date.

The University of California has focused on sustainability issues in research and policy for decades, with President Napolitano launching a sustainability initiative in the fall of 2013. Previous efforts and accomplishments include:

• Earlier this year, the university registered as an Energy Service Provider, which will allow it to supply electricity to some of its campuses and medical centers, potentially as early as next year. The registration will allow the university to use more renewable energy resources and will create more energy price transparency for campuses, ensuring a steady supply of cost-effective, climate-neutral electricity.
• The university has a goal of reducing per capita potable water use by 20 percent throughout the UC system by 2020. Several campuses have already met or exceeded this benchmark.
• In 2003, UC enacted a systemwide sustainability policy, which has been an integral part of campus operations.
• UC is the nation’s leading university for green building, with more than 150 LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings throughout the system. UC Merced is the only campus in the country where every building is LEED-certified.
• UC campuses work to reduce waste in a variety of ways, including extensive recycling programs, composting bins, and efforts to reduce food waste. At UCSF Medical Center, waste reduction initiatives save the hospital $1 million annually.

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The news release was picked up by various sources:

http://m.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2014/06/09/uc-president-napolitano-climate-change-gap-fisher.html

http://dailybruin.com/2014/06/09/napolitano-meets-with-uc-sustainability-advisory-group/

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The timing of this announcement comes before the July meeting of the Regents at which they will have to do something or say something about the push to divest from fossil fuels.  Being able to point to a variety of "green" initiatives may allow the Regents to say we are doing lots on this area and so don't have to divest.  On verra.