Acterra, a nonprofit environmental group based in Silicon Valley, awarded UCSC with its 2010 Business Environmental Award in recognition of the school and students’ efforts to promote sustainability and environmental stewardship. The award noted that the students tax themselves to offset energy costs, and that some 60 percent of faculty and students use alternative transportation, including bicycles and buses, to get to school. Waste prevention programs cited include the diversion of construction waste from landfills and composting programs in the school’s cafeterias. The cafeterias were also cited for using organic, locally grown foods on their menus.
The award was accepted on behalf of the school by its interim campus architect, John Barnes. Also attending the ceremony was Mayor Mike Rotkin, a UCSC lecturer, and City Councilmember Katherine Beiers. Read more at the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
