1.0Sustainability Annual Report 2025https://sustainabilityreport.ucop.edu/2025sarahhttps://sustainabilityreport.ucop.edu/2025/author/sarah/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="mnk8ZonQsH"><a href="https://sustainabilityreport.ucop.edu/2025/locations/uc-santa-cruz/">UC Santa Cruz</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://sustainabilityreport.ucop.edu/2025/locations/uc-santa-cruz/embed/#?secret=mnk8ZonQsH" width="600" height="338" title="“UC Santa Cruz” — Sustainability Annual Report 2025" data-secret="mnk8ZonQsH" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); /* ]]> */ </script> https://sec-1127-sustainabilityreport-multi.pantheonsite.io/2025/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/2025_UC_SantaCruz_ElectricConstruction.jpg20001340Climate Change, Sustainability and Resilience is one of the five pillars in Leading the Change, the campus-wide strategic plan UCSC completed in 2022. A plan goal is to decarbonize UC Santa Cruz to create an equitable, accessible and fossil-free future. FOOD There was a large rise in cost of animal proteins due to factors like the avian flu outbreak and the shift to higher-quality products through partners like Real Good Fish and Cream Co. This caused plant-based spend to decrease as a percentage of total spend, even though the amount of animal protein purchased actually decreased. Green building Three buildings were constructed, occupied, and received their LEED rating in 2025: ​​Rachel Carson College Dining, Kresge Academic Building and Kresge Residential Halls. 10 Gold, 8 Silver and 2 Certified Healthy Vending Healthy vending is defined as meeting UC’s Healthy Vending Guidelines. Data is from 2023–24. Approximately 50% of food and 18% of beverages met healthy vending criteria. The campus’s MeFit vending machines include beverages and snacks. Beverage metrics include data from Pepsi and MeFit. Since MeFit did not provide cost data, the campus used averages from other data sets to estimate percentages. procurement The University reports on green spend, as defined in the Sustainable Procurement Guidelines, and reached out to suppliers for spend data in four product categories for this year’s report. Green spend is defined as meeting preferred or minimum criteria in UC’s Sustainable Procurement Guidelines.Suppliers reporting: Electronics (7), Furniture (4), Cleaning supplies (3), Office supplies (4). UC Systemwide Spend Analytics category data provided by CalUSource. Sustainable Building & Laboratory Operations The Green Labs team recertified two labs, certified 15 new labs and provided thousands of dollars in incentives for freezers and fridges. Transportation UCSC has focused on the installation of electric vehicle charging this year and will bring on multiple new ports to support the purchase of additional zero-emission vehicles next year. Sustainable vehicles are defined as electric (zero-emission), plug-in hybrid or clean transportation fuel Single-Use Plastics Phase-Out Complete Phase-out* Partial Phase-out Starting Soon *Complete phase-out of single-use plastics may include exemptions where reasonable alternatives to plastic do not exist. UCSC has completely phased out single-use plastic bags and is in the process of phasing out single-use plastic non-water bottles and catering serviceware. Awards UCSC maintains a STARS Gold rating. A full list of awards is featured on the UC Office of the President’s website. AASHE STARS Gold rating