Project Clearinghouse

Financial Affairs Carbon Education and Reduction Initiative

Sustainability Problem and Proposed Solution: 

Waste and carbon output are two huge issues the planet faces. Our project aims to create a tool to evaluate individual disposable container use, then distribute free re-usable containers and provide education to encourage use of re-usable products. Following the conclusion of the program members will use the tool again to see if their usage has dropped.

Jump to: Contact | Project Description | Metrics for Success | Results
Project Categories: 
Awareness, Education & Engagement
Waste & Recycling
Project Status: 
In Progress
Campus Organization: 
Sustainability Office
Affiliated Department, Unit or College: 
Financial Affairs
Project Location: 
Off campus

100 Enterprise way (Scotts Valley Center)


Stakeholder Contacts: 
Contact NameEmail AddressContact NumberDepartment
Scott Morley
smorley@ucsc.edu
(831) 459-3929
Controller's Office

Project Description: 

Disposable water bottles and coffee cups are a small, yet significant source of carbon
emission and waste, especially in an office environment. Many people use them every
day, but almost never stop to consider the long term ramifications of using disposable
goods on an extended basis. This project’s goal is to help open the eyes of Financial
Affairs staff members to the effects of using these disposable products, and to help
them eliminate them through use of reusable containers. Given UCSC’s ambitious
sustainability goals, it is important to address waste and carbon footprints even in
areas such as office container use.

Metrics for Success: 

Self reported metrics about single-use containers, comparing initial "pre-project" numbers with the numbers we'll get after the first year of implementation.

Result Categories: 
Behavior Change
Data Collection & Analysis
Results: 

Our project will give us solid metrics at the start, which we will weigh against our results at the end of our first "year" of action. We will compare metrics at the start and end of the program to see if this approach would be an effective way to reduce waste and carbon emissions in the workplace.

Resources
Related Websites: 
Financial Affairs Green Team Web Page