Newswise — -Think UC San Diego has one of the coolest sustainability programs around? Now there's a way to let everyone know. The campus is taking part in the nationwide Chill Out competition organized by the National Wildlife Federation.

Voting is easy: just watch UCSD's video and other contest submissions and vote for the strongest entry. Winning submissions will be featured in the Chill Out multimedia broadcast April 2009. Successful projects also will earn grant money.

"I just think it's the greatest video in the world," said Maggie Souder, UCSD's campus sustainability coordinator of UCSD's entry. "What I like most about it is that I hope we'll gain some recognition for UCSD programs on a national level." The contest also is fun because it lets students talk about what their campus is doing, Souder added.

In UCSD's video, eight students explain the university's green initiatives. One bikes into the frame on a bicycle laden with bags full of aluminum cans while taking about recycling. Another speaks about energy conservation from inside a special container designed to house computer servers and cut back on the amount of power needed to cool them. Yet another walks on the beach by the Scripps Pier and explains the campus plans to use seawater as a cooling agent.

"These are students that are very, very passionate and that passion came through in the video," Souder said.

Shooting the video was probably the most fun she's had all year, she added. Students and the film crew had to climb up a ladder up to the roof of the Powell building, which is now covered with solar panels. A student got stuck in the mud while collecting algae, which she calls "pond scum" in the video and which UCSD scientists plan to use to create biofuels.

Staff members considered giving the video a more playful tone, but students insisted on being serious, Souder said. In the video, students tout the campus achievements with conviction.

"At UC San Diego, we divert 13,000 tons of waste every year," said Mike Pritchard.

"In 2007, our scientists shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore," said Ashley Ferrer.

Students go on to describe several initiatives that the campus plans to put in place in the future, or that have just been implemented. The university has signed a power-purchase agreement that will bring two fuels cells to campus next year. The cells will produce 2.4 megawatts of power and will be powered by renewable methane. The campus also installed one megawatt worth of photovoltaic solar arrays atop campus buildings and parking structures.

"Being a part of the sustainability movement on campus, I figured it's my responsibility to inform people," said UCSD senior Michelle Kizner.

She is involved with several campus groups, including one that composts food waste from UCSD's dining halls and another that produces biofuels. So, she said she felt it was fitting that she talked about alternative fuels in the video. She's the one who got stuck in the mud while collecting algae. It took two people to get her out. "I just sunk in," she said, matter-of-factly.

"I always think more can be done," Kizner also said. "There's a pretty dire need for quick change. But I am impressed at how fast things changed since I've been on campus."

The other students appearing in the video are Erika Kociolek, June Reyes, Samer Naif, Yuki Murakami and Victor Placio.

To view UC San Diego's video, visit http://www.gogreentube.com/watch.php?v=NDc4OTQ1. To view the Chill Out website, visit http://www.nwf.org/campusecology/chillout/.

MEDIA CONTACT
Register for reporter access to contact details