Charting Courses for Changing Climate on Campus: UC Cool Campus Challenge

UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative Announced by President Napolitano in November 2013 The initiative commits UC to emitting net zero greenhouse gases from its buildings and fleet vehicles by 2025 (Scopes 1+2). The Global Climate Leadership Council was formed to advise UC on its ambitious goal. 15 projects have been funded to engage the campus community in the initiative and to highlight UC research and carbon neutral business practices. The initiative builds on UC’s pioneering work on climate research and allows UC to lead by example in showing how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Projects include a Faculty Climate Action Champion grant, student fellowships, curriculum workshops, a research summit, and a research project to scale up efforts to cut in half the electricity used by lighting. The Cool Campus Challenge will be one of the most visible projects under the Initiative.

Leveraging the UC Community

Our Carbon Neutrality Solution Off campus Renewable & Carbon Free Electrical Supply De-Carbonize Natural Gas Consumption On campus Energy Efficiency and Renewables Climate Neutral by 2025

UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative Value of a Presidential Initiative: Short term infusion of resources and funding meant to enliven existing efforts and create the platform to launch new efforts New partnerships driven from a call for every staff, faculty, and student to take action Funding to prove innovative new concepts. Support for pilot programs meant to attract donors and internal support for long term institutionalization efforts.

Cool Campus Challenge Oct. 6th to Dec. 10th 2015 What: An online competition between UC campuses to motivate and reward staff, faculty, and students for reducing their carbon footprints and helping the UC system to reach its Carbon Neutrality goal. Team: UC Berkeley Real & Appropriate Energy Lab, UCOP Sustainability & Communications, and sustainability staff from UCSD, UCB and UCSB The Challenge will not only help educate participants about our carbon neutrality goal, but also engage them in behavior changes that will reduce emissions across all scopes.

How it worked Communications: Worked with campus communications and campus sustainability staff Had a communications consultant develop a strategy and tool kit Community-based social marketing Weekly emails by theme with raffle prizes Events and swag The Challenge will not only help educate participants about our carbon neutrality goal, but also engage them in behavior changes that will reduce emissions across all scopes.

Taking Action We Pledged to Carpool, Dress for the Weather, Ditch the Mini-Fridge, Turn off the Lights, and Take Advantage of Sweet California Sunshine. The program also led to nearly 100,000 verified actions, each accompanied by a short narrative (story) by participants explaining how they completed the action. Participants also submitted over 12,000 photos of their actions.

Results Over 19,000 Participants – 4% of UC’s Population!

We found over 1,500 Heroes

We formed over 450 teams Marching bands, staff groups, and departments all challenged each other to be cooler.

Social Media We tapped into the power of animal photos and the Internet to spread the #UCool word on social media. Over 1,600 posts!

Leadership Faculty, staff, students, leaders – we all got involved

Carbon Saved! The program achieved self-reported annual savings of about 7,000 metric tons CO2e from new actions. Together Challenge participants will reduce millions of pounds of carbon emissions in the years to come. “Getting to carbon neutrality will require all of us to pitch in. It's never too early to start!” Staff “I am thrilled that UC has created this program to show the world that carbon neutrality is possible. Thanks for giving me a chance to do my part in this way. I've read the initiative and am ready to do more!” The program achieved self-reported annual savings of about 7,000 metric tons CO2 from new actions, including 2,300 metric tons CO2 from scopes 1 and 2 and 4,650 metric tons from scope 3. Additionally, participants pledged to continue to take actions they had previously completed totaling about 16,000 metric tons of CO2 annually.  

Huge thanks to the team Chris Jones (UCB RAEL) Janika McFeely (UCOP Sustainability) Sara McKinstry (UCSD Sustainability) Jewel Snavely (UCSB Sustainability) Kira Stoll (UCB Sustainability) As well as, campus leads Camille Kirk, Shauna Casey, Colleen McCormick, John Cook, Katie Babcock, Nurit Katz, Gail Lee, and John Elliott. UCOP Communications staff including Katherine Edwards, Vanessa Correa, Yem Ling, Jason Schupp, Vance Tran and Ethan Davis. The program achieved self-reported annual savings of about 7,000 metric tons CO2 from new actions, including 2,300 metric tons CO2 from scopes 1 and 2 and 4,650 metric tons from scope 3. Additionally, participants pledged to continue to take actions they had previously completed totaling about 16,000 metric tons of CO2 annually.