UC’s systemwide sustainability policy, adopted with the help and enthusiasm of students, make it a trendsetter in higher education, but as far back as the 1960s, student advocacy and activism have been a driving force behind UC’s green policies.

Sustainability encompasses not only environmental issues but also touches upon economics, engineering, science and social justice, topics that appeal to a broad range of students.

“The reason why people get so excited is because there are so many different issues that you can latch onto,” said Lauren Jabusch, a UC Davis student and operating team co-chair of the California Student Sustainability Coalition. “Regardless of what you’re interested in, there’s probably a little part you can tie into that is near and dear to your heart.”

Students lobbied for green programs and policies at UC long before the term “sustainability” became associated with environmentalism. Some early efforts included an organic farm created at UC Santa Cruz in 1967 and a student-run public bus system started in 1968 at UC Davis. Read more at UC newsroom.

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