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University of California, Merced November 2011

Alliance to Save EnergysGreen Campus Program

CurrentProjects

Fall 2011

-Water Battle

Ends this month! 90,00 gallons of

water saved!

- QR Code

Ends this month!

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Take the Stairs: A Success!

By Dao Vang

As of October 07, 2011, the Take the Stairs project was completed. During thissuccessful month long event, students, staff, and faculty were encouraged to use

the stairs instead of the elevators was a success. Green Campus outreached to

more than a hundred people about energy savings and sustainable behaviors. Atotal of 31 people took the pledge to take the stairs and other sustainabilitypledges. From these pledges, a total potential savings of 7,044.55 KWh/yr and

$1,367.26 will be saved per year.

Although this project ended well, there were many challenges from this

event. The biggest obstacle was getting students and staffs to take the pledge.Many students were interested in this campaign at the tabling events; however,as soon as they left the table, they forget to go online to take the pledge. At sometabling events, students were able to take the pledge at the table, which solved

this problem. However, since the pledge was combined with the sustainability

pledge, the pledge was too lengthy, losing potential pledge takers waiting in line.I would recommend making any pledge as short as possible.

Overall, the Take the Stairs project was a success. Not only was itsuccessful in outreach and savings, but also the lessons learned that came along

with the project. Project leader Dao Vang learned that he needed to use hisresources, such as team members and faculties. The more team members that he

involved at tabling events, the more successful and the numbers of outreach. Dao

also came to realize effective marketing techniques. Ive learned a lot from thiscampaign and will incorporate this knowledge to excel future projects. Thank

you to everyone for all the support!

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Lorem Ipsum Dolor Spring 2016

The

Water Battle against the nice Valley Terraces is in itsfinal weeks. Students have saved about 70,000gallons of water a 15 % reduction rate. The Battlehas educated students how to save water in theirdorm by making simple behavior changes, such astaking shorter showers, turning off the water while

brushing their teeth, etc. With the participation of thestudents involved in the competition, Green Campuscreated a video that demonstrated ways residentscould save water in their hall. The video has beenaired during the competition on the campus-housing

channel and posted on YouTube. Green Campus hasalso had several outreach events where they tabledoutside the Cat Quad (a highly traffic area wherestudents pass through to go eat or go to class), withtheir bike blender giving free smoothies and tips tosave water and win the battle. With the new amazingtechnology now available to the UC Mercedcommunity, students were able to check theirprogress real time. They were able to see their totalconsumption of water (gallons/per day/ per student).Students were really interested and involved in the

battle and took the competition seriously. Some waysstudents were trying to avoid using water in theirdorms was by taking fewer showers, or showering atthe gym. This competition was an educationalexperience for all students, staff and faculty.Integrating other student groups on campus, and aWriting 30 Class, helped spread awareness efficientlyand made a significant impact on campus. Thecompetition challenged students for one month, andthe winning hall will receive a free pizza party, freecanteens, and 1,000 dollars to direct to any non-profit

organization of their choice. The awards night willtake place November 9, 2011, in the CA room from5-7pm. At the awards night students will receive theirprize, showcase several flyers created from thewriting 30 class, showcase the video created, andpresent the award to the non-profit organization.

WATER BATTLE UPDATE!By Martin Figueroa The PHANTOM Load

By Joseph Ortiz

Nov. 2011

Something in your dorm, office, andhome can be a real killer. With energy efficiencand technological breakthroughs on the rise, onwould think that developers of electronics wounot only reduce the amount of electricityconsumed during operation, but eliminate thestand-by consumption.

The Phantom Load is the consumptionelectricity when the device is turned off. This is

like the DVD player clock or the TV standbyindicator light slowly blinking, waiting for youturn it back on. These devices are sometimescalled vampires, since they suck electricity.Nationally, phantom loads make up 6% of ourelectricity. A one percent decrease in this loadwould result in a savings of $1 billion in energygeneration.

How can you avoid these phantom loadOne way is to use surge protectors or a smartstrip. With surge protectors, you can switch th

switch off to turn off power to all appliances.The Smart Strip is a device that has a masterplug in which you plug your TV, desktop, ormaster appliance. There are additional strips inwhich accessories like DVD player, monitor, ospeakers plug in to. When the strip senses themain appliance has powered down, it cuts powto the accessories. There are 2 extra outlets forappliances that need power when the masterisnt on, like lamps.

Smart Strips prevent phantom loads!

UCM Green Campus

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Lorem Ipsum Dolor Spring 2016

MARTIN FIGUEROA | mfigueroa2@ucmerced.edu

Team Manager/Project Coordinator/Metrics Coordinator

JOSEPH ORTIZ|jortiz3@ucmerced.edu

Treasurer/Project Coordinator

DMITRI MEDVEDKO| dmedvedko@ucmerced.edu

Project Coordinator/Public Relations

DAO VANG | dvan7@ucmerced.edu

Project Coordinator

CONTACT THE TEAM!

Funding can be a major drawback for students planning projects in sustainability. At UCMerced, that is a drawback of the past. With ASUCM Senate approving the Sustainability Council

bill, a dependent service now exists on our campus that can fund anything green. The criteria arefew, the process is simple. Any full time undergraduate student may receive funding from thecouncil. All the student must do is fill out two pieces of paper: an associate request form and afunding request. The forms are straightforward. The associate request form is a short essayconcerning what the student or organization the student represent have done or will do forsustainability. After an associates application is approved, an associate may request funding. Thefunding request form is simple too. Funds are allocated based on a ratio of dollars to peopleaffected by the proposal to carbon dioxide reductions in pounds that the proposal will have. Thelatter part might be a little tricky but plenty of resources for calculating a carbon footprint areavailable. If a simple Google search fails, the sustainability council has a Facebook atfacebook.com/groups/asucmsc and is happy to answer metrics questions.

The petition process and the entire council are geared towards behavioral change on apersonal and event wide level. The individual filling out applications must think about hisrelationship to the environment and quantify his ideas in terms of carbon emissions. Withmonetary incentives to think and behave green, the UC Merced community is bound to exhibit themindset of a sustainable community in their planning and events.

ASUCM Green FundBy Dmitri Medvedko

Nov. 2011UCM Green Campus

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