California State University, Sacramento
EN-2: Student Orientation

A walking tour is provided to all incoming new students as part of their orientation program. The following are the talking points incorporated into the orientation walking tour that highlight campus sustainability along the tour: New Student Orientation Sustainable Talking Points: • Sac State has two LEED Certified buildings. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and indicates that the buildings were designed from conception to meet certain standards of environmentally friendly and sustainable building practices. --The WELL is recognized as a LEED Gold building, the 2nd highest building rating in sustainable construction. --The American River Courtyard in Housing and Residential Life is also a certified LEED Gold building. • Sac State is a Tree Campus USA. --The National Arbor Day Foundation recognized the University’s efforts towards urban forestation with a formal presentation in November of 2012. --The University maintains a Tree Campus Committee whose members’ duties include setting the standards for tree care and plantings on campus. --The honor is good for one year at a time so the campus must maintain those standards and apply annually. --The canopy of trees help to create a cooler campus, potentially driving down energy consumption. • The University’s Grounds and Landscaping Department is committed to striving to plant sustainable plants for all its new vegetation. These include drought-tolerant native plants that require far less water to survive. • Throughout campus, you’ll notice our energy efficient pathway lighting. The ‘green poles’ are all induction lighting which offer 100,000+ hours or around 11.5 years of service. • Throughout campus you will notice our recycling receptacles. The University currently uses a mixed stream recycling program which means you can deposit into the receptacle for recycling nearly any object that is not wood, Expanded Polystyrene Plastics (Styrofoam), contaminated by food or oils, or contains toxins such as those found in batteries or electronics. --Please remember that plastic coffee cups ARE recyclable once you have poured out the contents. --Also, please remember that bringing your own mug is the most sustainable choice and that Java City offers a $0.10 discount, Starbucks offers a $0.50 discount, and Jamba Juice offers a $0.10 discount when you bring your reusable cup to use. • One of the greenest spots on campus is the University Arboretum. Boasting some 1,200 trees on a 3-acre site on the North end of campus, the Arboretum also has several attractions including a California Natives section that features many drought resistant plants. A nice place to get away from it all between classes, the Arboretum is open daily from dawn to dusk. • We provide several opportunities/facilities here on campus so that you can travel here sustainably: --UTAPS issues a Carpool parking pass which is not only cheaper per person, but also has designated parking spaces for Carpool participants. --Part of your class registration fees pays for a Commuter Sleeve which will give you free passage on any of the regularly scheduled Regional Transit services throughout the semester. This includes all buses and light rails. --UTAPS has also partnered with Zipcars to provide two vehicles for student use. Zipcars are a great mode of alternative transportation in that they are vehicles that any student can sign up to use. In leaving their own vehicles at home, the intent is that there will be fewer vehicles on the road. The vehicles are located near the Residence halls and are available 24 hours a day and for up to 180 miles. The registration form to sign up for Zipcar use is available on the UTAPS website! --In Spring 2014 a Bicycle Task Force comprised of members of Facilities Management and University Transportation and Parking Services created a plan to transform Sac State into a more bicycle-friendly campus. These changes included three new bicycle compounds with over 400 new parking spots; two new skateboard towers capable of holding up to 40 skateboards and scooters; and new bicycle traffic lanes throughout campus consisting of designated "Pedestrians Only" zones to ensure the safe passage of both pedestrian and bicyclist. • Sac State has a total of 2,100 solar panels on the roofs of the Library and The WELL with the intention of adding more to other rooftops in the future. --Library I, II have 1,148 panels on their rooftops and reduce the University’s carbon footprint by 123.8 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. --The rooftop of The WELL has 952 panels and reduces the carbon footprint by 92.8 metric tons. --The panels at The WELL make up roughly 16% of its power. --Interesting fact: the panels were installed at no cost to the school—the University just purchases the power they generate so student tuition is not negatively impacted at all! • The campus is a Smart Grid, an exciting venture in sustainability! --By partnering with our local electric utility, SMUD, the University launched a program that will more precisely monitor the way each building uses electricity. Over 80 meters placed throughout campus will allow the University to more accurately pinpoint opportunities to become more efficient in its consumption of electricity. --Not only will this bring significant monetary savings to the school, but it has already garnered national attention as Sac State has become a model of how to integrate the Smart Grid process onto a campus setting. --Part of the Smart Grid implementation involved installation of 14 electric vehicle charging stations is available on campus. There are four stations located in Parking Structure 1, seven located in Parking Structure 2, and three located in Parking Lot 1.