University of California–Berkeley

Former President Dynes of the UC System signed the Presidents Climate Commitment, and UC Berkeley adopted the Statement of Our Commitment to the Environment in 2007. The sustainability office employs two full-time staff and the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS) promotes sustainability on campus.

Chancellor Birgeneau has committed the campus to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2014. In 2006 the Cal Climate Action Partnership performed an emissions inventory. The Campus Energy Efficiency Program directs campus infrastructure improvements and is expected to reduce energy consumption by a cumulative 40 million kilowatt-hours by 2011. The student union utilizes a photovoltaic array.

Through a partnership with one of its main suppliers, dining services purchases from 15 to 25 farms, spending over 20 percent of its annual budget on local foods. In addition to 100 percent organic salad bars, the school serves fair trade coffee, cage-free eggs, and a variety of organic products. All dining locations use biodegradable to-go containers. Berkeley has a comprehensive recycling and composting program, with a 57 percent diversion rate.

As per UC System policy, all new construction must meet LEED-certified specifications. UC Berkeley policy requires projects to outperform state energy code by 10 to 20 percent. The Early Childhood Education Center is certified LEED Silver.

The CACS offers many opportunities to students, including internships, research grants, and an Eco-Rep program. The Sustainability Team hosts an annual Earth Week celebration and manages a weekly local produce stand on campus. The Green Campus Program runs a variety of energy conservation initiatives, including a lightbulb exchange and an energy competition.

Fifty percent of staff and 89 percent of students use alternative transportation to commute to campus. In addition to a campus shuttle, the New Directions Program provides many incentives to use alternative transportation, including subsidized and free transit passes and a guaranteed ride home program.

The UC Berkeley Foundation makes a list of endowment holdings available to trustees, senior administrators, and other select members of the school community. The foundation does not have access to its shareholder voting record as its investment managers handle the voting process.

The foundation aims to optimize investment return and is exploring, but not currently invested in, community development loan funds. The investment committee is having discussions with its investment managers about environmental and sustainability issues.

The foundation asks that its investment managers handle the details of proxy voting.