UCSB has a rich environmental culture. Students engage with many on-campus organizations that are affiliated with environmental justice, environmentalism, and/or sustainability. Below is a list of some of those organizations.
The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF)
Website: https://www.sustainability.ucsb.edu/tgif
Email: jewel.persad@ucsb.edu
The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) provides funding for projects which “green” our campus and reduce the University’s impact on the environment. TGIF allocates funds to projects that increase the amount of renewable energy used on campus, increase energy efficiency, and reduce the amount of waste created (GHGs) by our University. Portions of the fund will support education initiatives, student aid (via return to aid), and internships. TGIF is administered through a student-majority governance board. TGIF was the first green fee in the UC system. It was created by students in the spring of 2006 with a charge to “reduce the University’s impact on the environment.” Students voted with an overwhelming majority to pay $3.47 per quarter, contributing approximately $170,000 a year towards TGIF. The same fee was renewed in the spring of 2010, 2014, and 2018 for another four years each.
The Sustainability Internships and Community Resources Department
Website: https://www.sustainability.ucsb.edu/sustainability-internships-and-community-resources-department
Email: kcmaynard@ucsb.edu
The Sustainability Internships and Community Resources Department provides a support system for students that are interested in creating lasting impacts on campus and in our community. We work in partnership with community members, campus staff, faculty, and other students to identify community ideas, needs, and challenges. Based on this guidance, our students develop and seek feedback on proposals, develop feasibility studies, engage additional partners, and propose implementation plans. Throughout this process, students receive mentorship on how to be effective changemakers, how to build strong partnerships, and career skills.
The Wildlife Society
Facebook
Email: ucsbwildlifesociety@gmail.com
This organization is the student chapter of a larger national network of wildlife professionals. Our main goal is to work to prepare students for a career in the wildlife profession. Alongside this primary goal we aim to promote environmental stewardship, provide opportunities for jobs, internships and volunteer positions within the wildlife profession and gain a wholesome knowledge of local wildlife.