Come see organics in action! This workshop will give participants an opportunity to experience a working campus compost facility and organic farm. We will begin by touring the Cal Poly Compost Unit, which processes much of the campus' animal manures and food waste. This will include a discussion of the biological processes involved in the composting process, and the importance of finished compost in keeping agricultural soils fertile. Participants will assess a variety of composts. A visit to the Cal Poly Organic Farm will include tours of production areas, a unique 'festival circle', a children's garden, strawbale building, greenhouse, habitat areas and an explanation of key Farm programs such as the annual Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, and Organic Enterprise class for students. The Farm's 'foodshed cooperative' marketing program will be highlighted, in which local organic farms participate in the CSA program.
Speakers:
Hunter Francis, Co-founder, Program Associate, Sustainable Agriculture Resource Consortium (SARC), Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Steve Shurman, Instructional Support Technician, Farm Operations Department, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Number of participants: 50 (max)
I will investigate the current debate regarding biofuels, such as the differences between ethanol and biodiesel. My presentation will be a robust investigation of biodiesel and the issues associated with biofuel. Currently, biofuels are getting a lot of attention in the media. To mention a few of the issues: debate of food verses fuel, appropriate land use for growing feedstock, and biodiesel quality. The question is: to what extent is biofuel driving up the price of soybean and corn? The direct competition for food versus fuel has never been seen before. The social justice aspects of biofuels are in question. I will address these issues in my presentation.
Speakers:
Shirley Johnson, Graduate Student, Hutchins Institute for Public Policy and Community Action Sonoma State University
Number of participants: 50 (max)
The California State University (CSU) System is the largest and most diverse university system in the United States; it generates $7.46 billion in direct economic activity. To date, no studies have attempted to systematically assess the environmental effects of all the campuses of the CSU system, or its systemwide priorities, however. The CSU/UC/CCC sustainability conference provides an opportunity to initiate a multiple case-study approach that will highlight current successes, and critical opportunities for near-term improvement, in campus sustainability across all the CSU campuses. In this session, San Jose State University (SJSU) faculty will present results from 3 years of studies of campus sustainability at CSU institutions, focusing finally on SJSU itself. As part of this session, the organizers would like to invite faculty from other CSU campuses to share case study approaches and data they have collected in order to develop comparative datasets and methodologies for more systematic analysis into the future.
Speakers:
TBD, Environmental Studies, San Jose State University
Number of participants: 50 (max)
This session offers a demonstration of “on the ground” implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPS) for Stormwater. Field tour will comprise an overview of the project, field visit/tour of restoration area and implementation of erosion control methods at the campus' Red Rock Pit (gravel mine). Attendees will hike into Poly Canyon along Brizzolara Creek to the riparian restoration area and red rock pit.
Speakers:
Doug Overman,,Assistant Director, Facilities Services, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Kim Busby,Water Quality Management Specialist, Environmental Heath & Safety, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Number of participants: 50 (max)
Ours will be a field presentation to be held at a site in the agricultural area of the Cal Poly campus. We will have at least four presenters (two Cal Poly faculty and 2 land managers) sharing different concepts of holistic management - a decision making framework that has evolved to create sustainable communities. Attendees will participate in a hands-on approach as the ecosystem processes are monitored. Changes in the landscape will be observed as a result of holistic management - a process of making decisions regarding the uses of various tools (fire, technology, grazing, animal impact, small organisms) - in various ways. Examples will be shared regarding alternative enterprises on the land such as agro-tourism, farm stays, guided hunts as well as the use of the holistic management approach to estate transfer and strengthening family relationships. The presentation will include techniques of marketing the results of holistically managed lands, creating synergy between groups with historic animosity, and creating community dynamics that work. Also to be addressed will be the use of holistic management in cropping and non-agricultural land management. I will be the primary organizer and a co-presenter of this topic.
Speakers:
Robert Rutherford, Professor, Cal Poly Animal Science
John Phillips, Professor, Cal Poly Horticulture and Crop Science
George Work, Owner, Work Ranch
Joe Morris, Owner, TO Cattle Company
Number of participants: 50 (max)
Over 450 chancellors and presidents have signed the Presidents Climate Commitment. This was done with the best intentions, and with the strong encouragement of students, staff, faculty, and facilities staff; it feels like the right thing to do. However, making the commitment and implementing a program that meets its goals represent two very different tasks. This workshop will review current programs for addressing the climate challenge; identify their many obstacles; and explore strategies for overcoming these obstacles and achieving carbon neutrality.
The format for this workshop will be simple. A matrix based on the most common issues and their possible solutions will be reviewed. In addition to our own information, we will use data collected from a handful of institutions as a guide. During the workshop, which will include the participation of key Signatories, we will solicit additional input from attendees regarding the solutions they have developed.
This will be a highly interactive session. Issues and solutions will be recorded at the meeting and results will be distributed to participants. Working with the conference planning committee, we will identify participating Signatories and candidate institutions for soliciting initial input via written questionnaire; we will follow up with phone or email interviews.
Speakers:
John Ruffo, FAIA, RIBA, FACHA, Partner, WRNS Studio
Pauline Souza, Associate Partner and Director of Green Services, AIA, LEED™-AP
Number of participants: 50 (max)
Strategic Sourcing began at the University of California in 2003. In 2004 system-wide bids and contracts were developed that included requirements for sustainable products and suppliers use of sustainable practices. Learn more about how the language was developed, how input from students, staff and faculty was encouraged and utilized in this process and how changes in the marketplace are constantly increasing UC's requirements for higher quality and more sustainable products. Hear about UC's existing contracts and what sustainable products have been offered to our customers. Learn more about how the pricing of sustainable products is an important factor in customer buying patterns and how UC locations utilize their e-procurement systems to promote customer selection of sustainable products. Effective marketing tools can help educate the UC community and change customer buying patterns. How are these results being tracked to ensure that we effectively monitor our progress and continue to grow the amount of sustainable products that we purchase? A presentation of reporting tools and recent results will be shown.
Speakers:
Haggai Hisgilov, UCOP
Number of participants: 50 (max)
Join us for a conversation on the challenges and possibilities for addressing social equity on campus. How do we garner participation from broader constituencies given the existing structure of the university and its potential for evolution? What forms of leadership promote equity and how do we build coalitions across the historic divides between environmental and social movements? How do we communicate about social equity in a way that creates collaboration rather than deeper divisions? Community Conversations harness the collective intelligence of a group, foster mutual understanding and new insights by honoring and expanding our appreciation of diversity in all dimensions.
Speakers:
Hina Pendle
Number of participants: 50 (max)
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