UCSB, with the assistance of Brightworks Northwest, is developing the Campus Sustainability Plan (CSP). The plan's approach is based on The Natural Step framework. Developed in Sweden, this approach to sustainability has been successfully used in a number of west coast communities, including Santa Monica, Portland and Whistler, BC.
The planning process involved about 75 “change agents” from around campus. Change agents were selected as a diverse group of sustainability champions from around campus and included students, faculty, and staff. The seventy-five change agents, divided into nine groups— Academics and Research, Built Environment, Energy, Water, Food, Land use/Landscape, Procurement, Transportation, and Waste— participated in four full-day workshops. This four part planning process provided change agents with a solid understanding of the principles of sustainability and how to implement those principles on a university campus.
Workshop “A” Awareness: A training session on sustainability and the use of The Natural Step Framework.
Workshop “B” Baseline: Where is UCSB in terms of sustainability? What does it do well? Where and how does it violate the Natural Step system conditions?
Workshop “C” Clear and Compelling Vision: A session to examine and imagine a fully sustainable UCSB.
Workshop “D” Direct Action: Each change agent group begins to craft their goals using the knowledge gained from the past four workshops.
Sustainability PowerPoint template - 2/9/2006
Goals from the change agent groups
Notes from relevant past meetings
Workshops were held to assist the campus in developing the Sustainability Plan. Description of Workshops
Request for Qualifications for Campus Sustainability Plan
Overview of Campus Sustainability Initiatives at UCSB (May 2, 2005)