Advocating for a green trend

With guidance and assistance from the university, student groups are taking initiative on promoting sustainable and green practices across campus ““ part of a growing global trend.

A prominent example of growing interest in the cause is the campus sustainability committee, a group of students, faculty and staff who evaluate the university and offer solutions for sustainability, said Tova Lelah, the assistant director for capital programs, capital planning and financing.

“Students were instrumental in forming this committee, which has 22 members who are mostly staff representatives,” Lelah said.

Alisa Ahmadian, a third-year political science student and a cochair of student environmental group E3, sits on a similar sustainability committee with the UC Office of the President.

“All the vice chancellors from various UCs come to meet with us and I’m happy to say that they are open to student dialogue,” Ahmadian said.

The university has also supported E3’s environmental initiatives on campus, such as the waste watchers program that monitors the dining hall waste, Ahmadian said.

Kim Sanders, a third-year global studies student, is one of the four student representatives on the committee. She said she regularly meets with campus officials and representatives from academic research facilities to discuss sustainable practices.

“We’re looking at areas in which we can improve on campus and most areas are doing great … UCLA is going further with sustainable and green practices and there is pressure to keep up,” Sanders said.

Sanders added that one solution the committee has offered is hiring a full-time sustainability director who could bridge the gap between students and administration and find more ways and solutions to encourage green practices.

Lelah said one upcoming initiative the university will undertake is the promotion of Focus the Nation Day next January.

“Focus the Nation is a one-day teach-in where we will come together, offer solutions for global change, and bridge the gap between students and (the university),” she said.

CALPIRG is another student group following the university’s green practices closely.

Coreen Weintraub, a second-year undeclared student and member of CALPIRG, said her group is involved in the Campus Climate Challenge, which encourages universities across the nation to go 100 percent carbon neutral and renewable. In addition, CALPIRG will host a lightbulb exchange this quarter, where students can turn in their current bulbs for more energy efficient ones.

“The university has some great ideas like the sustainable renovation of Rieber Hall, and has indicated they are behind us in our efforts,” Weintraub said.

Though the student environmental group representatives expressed their appreciation for university sustainable policies, they said more involvement from students and officials is still needed.

“We’ve made some great leaps but UCLA has a long way to go in terms of organic food options and implementing energy meters that track usage,” Ahmadian said.

Sanders agreed that there is always room for improvement.

“There aren’t enough recycling options on campus and we don’t have a full-time sustainability director like most other UCs do,” she said.

Weintraub said she wanted to see the dining halls compost their waste, and Jamba Juice in Ackerman Union to stop using styrofoam, which she said is a waste product.

But she added that the most important issue is to see more students involved and aware of the environmental problems on campus.

“Change is happening, but it could go faster with greater student support,” she said.

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