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Carbon Neutrality by 2025

In November 2013, President Janet Napolitano announced the Carbon Neutrality Initiative, which commits UC to emitting net zero greenhouse gases from its buildings and vehicle fleet by 2025, something no other major university system has done. SERC is committed to assisting the UC, particularly UC Berkeley, in achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2025.

Currently, Dante Gonzales, the CNI Engagement Fellow for UC Berkeley, is working to achieve CNI’s goals through the SERC Project Team called Carbon Crew. Striving towards the goal of guiding the UC Berkeley campus towards Carbon Neutrality by 2025, this team is working tirelessly to change campus infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions, and educate campus members on the goals of the Carbon Neutrality Initiative.

Check out our awesome team members below!

Campus Engagement

Fall 2018: During this semester, our awesome Campus Engagement team designed Carbon Neutrality Initiative stickers and buttons, and tabling on Sproul Plaza. The Campus Engagement tabled with the intent of informing UC Berkeley students on the goals of both the Carbon Neutrality Initiative and Carbon Crew as well as sharing 2025 goals with our fellow bears on our community tree. Lastly, this team has also created the long-term photo campaign #whatcarbonneutralitymeanstome. This photo campaign can be found here.

Hello! I am Anjika Pai and I am a first year Environmental Sciences major in CNR. I came to Berkeley from Philadelphia to take advantage of UC’s environmental education. As a part of the Campus Engagement Team for CNI, I hope to bring awareness to the goals of the Carbon Neutrality Initiative and to challenge students on campus to live more sustainably.

Anjika Pai
Hello! My name is Jillian Shaw and I am a third year Environmental Economics and Policy major. I grew up in a small rural town in the South Bay and spent most of my childhood outdoors. Hiking, working with animals, community service, and sustainability are some of my passions. I hope to use my Carbon Crew position to build awareness about reducing carbon emissions so we can all work together to protect the beautiful planet we live on.

Jillian Shaw
Hi there! My name is Kaylee Holland and I am a third year Molecular and Cell Biology major with a focus in Neurobiology. I grew up in the Central Valley with my five younger siblings. I love my home, but I have witnessed the negative implications of poor air quality due to pollution throughout the years. I am excited to use my position as a CNI engagement fellow to work with everyday students towards a carbon neutral lifestyle and educating on the health impacts carbon emissions have.

Kaylee Holland
Hey! My name is Kiely Chanelle Reyes, and I am a second year intended Environmental Economics and Policy/ Business Administration major. Born and raised in Monterey County, known for its agriculture and close proximity to a national marine sanctuary, it was inevitable for me to be passionate about ocean conservation and environmental justice. I am excited to be continuing my passion here at Berkeley and advocating for the progression of having the UCs carbon neutral by 2025 as part of CNI campus engagement. It all starts with us, so let’s be the change to make a change!

Kiely Chanelle Reyes
Hi! My name is Sarah Dillemuth, I’m a Junior working towards a major in Environmental Economics and Policy, and a minor in Chinese. I was born in Boston, grew up in Texas and Shanghai, and settled in Southern California. My activism began when I joined an environmental club at my high school, but taking environmental policy related courses at Berkeley is what really sparked my enthusiasm towards environmental issues. I hope to use my platform as part of SERC to spread awareness about the Carbon initiative and to create ways to engage the Berkeley community in the mission to become Carbon Neutral by 2025.

Sarah Dillemuth

CO₂ RE (CO₂ Reduction and Education Team)

Fall 2018: During this semester, our fantastic CO₂ RE team developed carbon neutrality curriculum for grades K-5. This team also had the privilege, thanks to our community organizer Jed Lee, to teach one of these lessons to 25 third graders at Hoover Elementary. At the end of their lesson, CO₂ RE gave these students the opportunity to make carbon reduction pledges and create a beautiful sunflower for their classroom! Pictures of this lesson can be found here.

Hello! I’m Angie Wong, a third year studying Environmental Economics and Policy and Cognitive Science (with a strong passion for CS)! I was born and raised in downtown Oakland, where air pollution runs rampant, especially because I lived right next to the freeway. At UC Berkeley, I have been given the platform and resources to start working towards resolving the root of the problem: carbon emissions. Currently, I’m working on creating curriculum for K-12 students (who will both inherit and solve these problems) with the hopes that carbon neutrality is within their grasp.

Angie Wong
Hello beautiful people! My name is Elizabeth Reyes, second-year Environmental Economics and Policy major with possible Conservation and Resource Studies minor. I was born and raised in Bakersfield, California and have developed a profound interest in environmental education. So much, that I am hoping to work with my peers at SERC to develop a curriculum that can be implemented into K-12 schools in order to motivate and inspire our future’s leaders towards Carbon neutrality.

Elizabeth Reyes
Hello! My name is Jocelyn Sumi and I am a first year Molecular Environmental Biology major. I am from San Francisco, where I grew up with my parents and my little sister. I have been passionate about wildlife and environmental conservation since elementary school and have worked on environmental projects as a Girl Scout. In my day to day life, I am working to reduce my personal carbon emissions by eating less meat, relying on natural light instead of artificial light, and taking shorter showers. I am excited to be a part of SERC and work on projects that will help to make UC Berkeley carbon neutral.

Jocelyn Sumi
Hi! Hello! I’m Kelia Liang and I am an intended Environmental Earth Science major and CalTeach minor. I grew up in Salinas, CA and lived just a mere 10 minutes away from Monterey Bay, home to all of the cute sea otters and glistening ocean. Because of my up bringing and close proximity to the ocean, my appreciation for the intrinsic value of nature is innate and I want everyone to be able to experience the same joy I have felt. I am excited to start my journey here and work with my team members to push for a Carbon Neutral environment.

Kelia Liang

Food Team

Fall 2018: In partnership with the Cal Dining Sustainability Team, our wonderful Food Team created and executed their very first Sampling Event at Foothill Dining Hall. Chef David made an amazing Loaded Sweet Potato Bar, highlighting sweet potato and chickpeas as ingredients that are not only less carbon intensive, but also healthy and tasty. The Loaded Sweet Potato was tasted by approximately 110 students and received an average rating of 8.6! Food Team also discovered that about 97% of participating students asking for more plant-forward dishes incorporated in our menus. Check out our first sampling event here. Going into the next semester, our Food Team is attempting to host weekly sampling events at breakfast, brunch and dinner shifts. At the end of this academic year, this team will be presenting their results to the Cal Dining Menu Planner in the hopes of incorporating more plant-forward dishes that are innately healthier and less carbon intensive, bolstered by positive student responses from our survey.

Hi! My name is Adeline Leung and I am a first year Architecture student. I was born in Hong Kong and lived there before moving to Irvine, California. Transitioning from a dense city with lots of public transportation to a spacious one where the primary source of transportation is by private cars has shaped my interest in environmental sustainability – especially pertaining our use of carbon. I hope to combine the efforts of CNI regarding food and food waste on campus with other environmental clubs on campus to spread awareness of the impact our food choices and food waste has on our carbon emissions.

Adeline Leung
I’m Erika Page, a third year Global Studies student. I grew up in Berkeley but have spent the last three years abroad; this fall I came back to the Bay Area as a junior transfer. I’m a huge supporter of Cal’s Carbon Neutrality Initiative and psyched to be part of the cause as a member of the food team, working to make vegan and vegetarian meals a more mainstream choice on campus.

Erika Page
My name is Grace Gau and I’m a first year Environmental Science major! Growing up in a coastal town in Southern California, I developed a passion for conserving our environment which is why I joined Carbon Crew’s food waste and campus engagement teams! I hope to help educate my peers on the issues facing our environment today and advocate for sustainable behavioral changes so we can work to make UC Berkeley carbon neutral!

Grace Gau
Hello! My name is Isabella Farinelli and I’m a fourth year Society and Environment major with an emphasis on US Environmental Policy and Management. I grew up in both Santa Barbara and Los Gatos, California, where I was fortunate to spend my free time at the beach and in the redwoods. I have a passion for habitat conservation, environmental justice, animal rights, sustainable planning, and achieving carbon neutrality. This semester, I am working with the Food Team in hopes to incorporate delicious plant-based dishes into UC Berkeley’s dining halls.

Isabella Farinelli