Sustainability is a founding principle of UC Merced. Environmental awareness is demonstrated through our LEED certified buildings and conscientious choices. Town, university and statewide organizations dedicated to sustainability such as Green Campus, Recycling Club, Engineers for a Sustainable World and Energy Service Corps have root in our campus because of the trends exhibited here.
In the past, these groups decreased our carbon footprint through the installation of a hydration station, weatherizing buildings in town and an outreach campaign. Weatherizing Merced’s buildings lead to valuable connections in the community such as the friendship of city planner Bill King and city council member Mary-Michal Rawling as well as dramatic energy savings. The hydration station averted 4613 water bottles from landfill and 738080g of CO2 from the atmosphere. The Green Up Campaign promoted eco-friendly behavior change, 1250 students attended the events, accounting for a fifth of the student body at the time.
Currently, finding funding for campaigns and retrofits is a huge hassle and a damper to the momentum sustainability must have on this campus. Small outreach events may be funded through ICC but retrofits and larger outreach projects need a fund that is easily accessible to sustainability activism at UC Merced.