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2019 Sustainability

October 31, 2019
Letourneau's datasets propel research that shows biodiversity improves crop production
When Environmental Studies Professor Deborah Letourneau was getting ready to retire, she gave several of her datasets to younger researchers so they could make use of them. And did they ever.
October 29, 2019
Mangroves reduce flood damages during hurricanes, saving billions of dollars in property losses
A new report finds that mangroves provide valuable flood risk benefits and play a critical role in protecting coastal communities in Florida.
September 25, 2019
Climate report describes escalating impacts on oceans, ice, and snow
UCSC ocean scientist Raphael Kudela is a lead author of the IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, which provides new evidence for the benefits of limiting global warming.
September 25, 2019
Alumna Stacy Jupiter wins coveted MacArthur Fellowship
Stacy Jupiter, a marine scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society who earned her Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz in 2006, is among the 26 new MacArthur Fellows for 2019.
September 24, 2019
New website highlights UCSC's "living labs"
A new website provides easy access to programs offering opportunities for hands-on learning at UCSC.
September 19, 2019
Sustainable aquaculture initiative lands $245,000 federal grant
Anne Kapuscinski, professor of environmental studies and director of the Coastal Science and Policy Program, has received a $245,000 federal grant that will support her team’s work driving efforts to make aquaculture more sustainable.
September 12, 2019
UC Santa Cruz among Sierra magazine's top 25 cool schools
Reflecting a campuswide commitment to the long-term health of the Earth, UC Santa Cruz is among Sierra magazine's top 25 "Cool Schools" for 2019.
September 04, 2019
Farm hosts organic ag research tour for Congressman Jimmy Panetta
It was a beautiful September morning when Congressman Jimmy Panetta visited the UCSC Farm to hear from leading researchers in the field of organic agriculture.
August 26, 2019
Strawberries: The tasty fruit with a tainted environmental legacy and an uncertain future
Are the glory days of California's strawberry industry gone for good? That's the conclusion of Julie Guthman, author of the new book, Wilted: Pathogens, Chemicals, and the Fragile Future of the Strawberry Industry.
August 22, 2019
Master gardener Orin Martin authors new book, Fruit Trees for Every Garden
The beautifully illustrated and lovingly written new book Fruit Trees for Every Garden is not your standard how-to book.
July 30, 2019
Conservation biologists find new applications for AI tools
Deep learning algorithms can be trained to recognize anything from the types of vegetation in a coastal wetland to the sound of a bird hitting a power line.
May 30, 2019
Alumni Excursion: Sea change, up close and personal
A curated trip called "The Effects of Climate Change on Marine Life" offered attendees a detailed look into how UC Santa Cruz researchers are contributing to the discussion of climate change and its direct impact on marine ecosystems.
May 20, 2019
Campus community eligible to buy discounted LED bulbs
Under the Million Light Bulb Challenge community buy program supported by UC's Carbon Neutrality Initiative, all UC students, staff, faculty and alumni can purchase light bulbs at nearly half the price of online competitors.
May 13, 2019
UC Cooperative Extension hires first organic specialist
For the first time, the University of California has hired a Cooperative Extension specialist dedicated to organic agriculture: Joji Muramoto, a longtime research associate with the University of California Santa Cruz, will coordinate a statewide program focused on the organic production of strawberries and vegetables.
May 09, 2019
Anne Kapuscinski receives 2019 Ocean Award for innovation
Anne Kapuscinski, professor of environmental studies and director of the Coastal Science and Policy Program, has received a 2019 Ocean Award for innovation from Boat International magazine and the Blue Marine Foundation.
April 30, 2019
U.S. coral reefs provide flood protection worth $1.8 billion annually
New report finds coral reef barriers provide flood protection for more than 18,000 people and $1.8 billion worth of coastal buildings, infrastructure, and economic activity yearly.
April 29, 2019
Air Resources District funds air pollution research and teaching at UC Santa Cruz
Partnership between UCSC and the Monterey Bay Air Resources District supports a new course on air pollution and research on high-tech sensors to detect pollutants.
April 03, 2019
Coral study traces excess nitrogen to Maui wastewater treatment facility
Nutrient pollution has been blamed for algal blooms and degradation of coral reefs along Maui's west coast.
March 28, 2019
UC Santa Cruz to compete in Cool Campus Challenge
The goal of this friendly online competition is for the university community to engage in a culture of sustainability and environment-friendly practices.
March 21, 2019
Climate change and drought threaten small mountain streams in the Sierra Nevada
Aquatic life in small headwater streams is especially vulnerable to the effects of prolonged drought, according to a study of mid-elevation streams in the Sierra Nevada.
March 20, 2019
Deforestation in Brazil could significantly increase local surface temperatures
New model quantifies how forests influence reflected sunlight and evapotranspiration, leading to changes in local surface temperature with deforestation.
March 10, 2019
Leading the charge for change
Alumna Amita Kuttner, a current graduate student in the Physics Department, is running as a Green Party candidate for a seat in Canada’s House of Commons in order to make policy around climate change—a quest sparked by a devastating loss
February 07, 2019
Novel electrocatalyst outperforms platinum in alkaline hydrogen production
A ruthenium-based catalyst developed at UC Santa Cruz has potential applications in sustainable hydrogen production for clean energy and in industrial processes.
January 31, 2019
Study of brine discharge from desalination plant finds good news and bad news
Brine discharged from the Carlsbad Desalination Plant raises offshore salinity levels more than permitted, but researchers found no direct local impacts on sea life.
January 15, 2019
Idled farmland presents habitat restoration opportunities in San Joaquin Desert
Land no longer suitable for agriculture could be reclaimed as habitat for dozens of endangered species, according to a new analysis.
January 14, 2019
Upper-ocean warming is changing the global wave climate, making waves stronger
The energy in ocean waves has been increasing as a consequence of climate change, according to a new study.