University of California, Santa Barbara
EN-3: Student Life

UC Santa Barbara is home to over 30 student-led organizations that work on environmental and/or sustainability issues. Each of these programs is devoted to informing the campus and community about topics such as climate change, law and policy, ecology, energy, food justice, and sustainability. A description of each organization's primary functions and goals, as well as past and current projects, can be found here: https://sustainability.ucsb.edu/organizations

Associated Students Bike Committee
Associated Students Bike Shop
Associated Students Coastal Fund
Associated Students Commission On Student Well-Being (COSWB)
Associated Students Community Affairs Board
Associated Students Department of Public Worms
Associated Students Environmental Affairs Board (EAB)
Associated Students Food Bank
Associated Students Human Rights Board
Associated Students Recycling
Associated Students Zero Waste Committee
Environmental Justice Alliance
California Student Public Interest Research Group
Climate Justice Hub
Climate Reality Project Campus Corps at UCSB
Ecological Coalition (ECOalition) at UCSB
Edible Campus Program*
Educating Leaders for the Future (ELF)
Engineers Without Borders (EWB)
Food, Nutrition, & Basic Skills Program (FNBS)
Fossil Free UCSB
Greenhouse and Garden Project
The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF)
The Wildlife Society*
Health, Environment, & Animal Rights (HEAR)!
Isla Vista Community Relations Commission (IVCRC)
Isla Vista Surfrider Foundation
LabRATS (Laboratory Research and Technical Staff)
Program for the Assessment and Certification of the Environment and Sustainability (PACES)
Renewable Energy Initiative (REI)
Residence Hall Association (RHA)
Santa Barbara Student Housing Cooperative
UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative (CNI)
UC Global Food Initiative (GFI)
UCSB Sustainability Internship Program
Your Children’s Trees at UCSB

The Edible Campus Program Student Farm contains almost 30 raised beds, a greenhouse, vertical gardens, a smart weather station, and a permaculture food forest. Our Associated Students Department of Public Worms (ASDPW) Worm Wranglers are in charge of taking care of the plants, harvesting, building beds, and more! AS DPW and the UCSB Edible Campus Program (which ASDPW is a leader in) regularly offer workshops, tours, and volunteer programs for UCSB students and the broader community.

The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF)
TGIF is a student-funded program that awards approximately $170,000 annually in grants for projects that enhance UCSB’s environmental, cultural, and economic sustainability. Students, staff, and faculty can submit project proposals to a student-majority governance board that selects which projects receive funding. Priority, however, is given to student initiated projects. For a list of projects funded through the grant program, visit https://www.sustainability.ucsb.edu/tgif/tgif-projects

The Coastal Fund
The Coastal Fund is a student initiative that is dedicated to the conservation of the UCSB coastline. Each undergraduate student contributes $5.75 per quarter ($3.00 for graduate students) to the fund through a student lock-in fee. The Coastal Fund accepts proposals each academic quarter for projects such as marine research, community and campus restoration initiatives or coastal education, and funds are administered by a board consisting of 5 undergraduate and 2 graduate students. The Coastal Fund has further involved UCSB students in coastal protection by creating the Coastal Service Program in which student organizations can raise much needed funds by participating in a local beach clean up or native habitat restoration.
(https://coastalfund.as.ucsb.edu)

In 2011, UCSB created the Central Coast Sustainability Summit. The Central Coast Sustainability Summit is a yearly event that brings together elected officials, staff, faculty, and interested parties from local governments and organizations to discuss common sustainability issues, share best practices, and seek regional sustainability partnerships. Common discussion topics include issues of energy, transportation, waste, and water management. We have also held a variety of colloquia featuring notable authors and environmental advocates.
https://sustainability.ucsb.edu/2023-central-coast-sustainability-summit

The Bren School, a graduate school for Environmental Science and Management at UCSB, holds the Bren Seminar Series on Mondays every quarter so that students can learn from an expert in the environmental and/or sustainability field. The Bren seminar committee brings in speakers that do work related to Bren's mission of solving environmental problems. For Bren Seminar speakers visit https://www.bren.ucsb.edu/news/all_events.htm. The school also hosts an Annual Environmental Justice Symposium. The 5th Annual Environmental Justice Symposium in Spring of 2023, presented by the Bren School Environmental Justice Club, was a hybrid event that explored topics ranging from the roots of environmental harm to advice for environmental justice careers. This event brought together interdisciplinary scholars, activists, and thought leaders to envision the future of environmental justice. https://bren.ucsb.edu/events/2023-environmental-justice-symposium

The Carsey-Wolf Center (CWC) supports research in the field of Media and the Environment. This research area includes teaching, research, and public programming. Projects include film screenings of innovative environmental films and environmental media production courses such as GreenScreen. For more information visit https://www.carseywolf.ucsb.edu/research/environment/.

UCSB Adventure Programs in the Department of Recreation offers students, staff, and faculty wilderness trips, outdoor recreation classes, ropes courses and climbing center programs that are meant to provide educational and recreational experiences as well as opportunities for growth and leadership. Activities include backpacking, kayaking and camping. One of the direct commitments of the program offerings is to "promote wilderness ethics and stewardship, utilizing Leave No Trace principles." Adventure Programs currently has five Leave No Trace Master Educators which regularly facilitate both Leave No Trace Trainer Courses and Workshops. All the volunteer outdoor guide staff become Leave No Trace Trainers as part of their baseline training and are able to teach the principles on trips and programs. Additionally, as part of the Adventure Programs, First Year Outdoor Adventures (FYOA) activities are offered prior to first year students' move in day and last about a week. There are three different outdoor programs for first year students (and one for transfer students): Backpacking Adventure, Colorado R. Canoe Adventure, and Multi-Sport Adventure. One of the main goals stated for participants of these programs is to "learn environmental stewardship through the practice of Leave No Trace (LNT)".

Since 2007, UCSB Reads has brought the campus and Santa Barbara communities together to read a common book that explores important issues of our time. Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design by Charles Montgomery, was selected as the 2023 UCSB Reads book. Happy City looks at the intersection between urban design and the emerging field of “happiness studies.” UCSB Reads 2023 was kicked off with a free book giveaway for students at the beginning of the winter quarter. From January through May, The Library sponsored panel discussions, film screenings, exhibitions, and other events to explore the book’s themes.

The Food, Nutrition, and Basic Skills Program (FNBS) is a coalition effort between students, staff, faculty, and community members to empower our students with the skills to become more food secure. The Food, Nutrition, and Basic Skills Program (FNBS) launched Winter Quarter 2015 to teach students foundational skills such as budgeting, cooking and nutrition skills. The FNBS program works with many partners to bring learner- centered workshops and cooking series to address basic needs on campus. By focusing on four foundational areas of food security (cooking & nutrition,connecting to your food, budget and planning, kitchen basics) we aim to support student success on campus and provide skills they can utilize long after graduation.

The UCSB Health & Wellness Program promotes the mental, physical, and social health of all students by enhancing individual skills and positive relationships with families, peers and the UCSB and Isla Vista community. “Throughout the year, Health & Wellness staff, interns, and volunteers host a variety of events to provide health and wellness information to all students on campus and in Isla Vista. Topics that Health & Wellness focuses on include nutrition, body image, positive psychology, mindfulness, and sexual health. From receiving a stress-reducing massage to learning how to cook a quick and affordable dinner, Health & Wellness engages students to teach valuable information and skills pertaining to nutrition, stress reduction, physical health, sleep, and more. (FNBS Page.).”

The Sustainability Internship Program, based in the Sustainability Department, offers students opportunities to gain experience in sustainability projects and make a difference on campus as well as in the local community. Each year the program offers anywhere from 60 to 90 paid internships.