Cool Campus Challenge

Project Overview

The Cool Campus Challenge was initially created at UC Berkeley to make a challenge between all ten UC campuses to see which students are more sustainable. The inter-campus challenge engages students to take individual actions toward sustainability by reducing the usage of energy and minimizing the carbon footprint.

The Cool Campus Challenge in 2023 “Cal vs Davis Sustainability Challenge” was between UC Davis and Berkeley. In CCC team consisted of the Associated Students of UC Davis, EPPC, and students at Cal Berkeley with HADSA (Housing and Dining Services). The students use an online dashboard called Cool Campus Challenge (CCC) which allows them to track their climate-friendly actions. Examples are using sustainable transportation, reducing food waste, and conserving water. The competition was in the spring quarter at UC Davis and the spring Semester at Berkeley and one campus would be named “The Most Sustainable Campus” for 2023.

Goals and AIM (Audience, Intention, Message):

Early in the planning stages of the Cool Campus Program, the two teams developed an “AIM”- Audience, Intention, and Message. This was crucial in conceptualizing what exactly it was that the program wanted to achieve from this effort. This became the guiding principle as the program moved forward. An early meeting finalized the AIM as:

Audience:  Undergraduate students, staff, and faculty at UC Berkeley and UC Davis Students helping students.

Intention:  Priority on EDUCATION. (EMPOWERED INDIVIDUAL ACTION)

  • Eg. what happens if I/a group change x habit… at scale or over time?

Message:  Learn about the personal environmental impact that you have on the world… Doing it for college students (young adults) sets a foundational understanding that students can carry into their later careers and adult lives, a higher consciousness around our relationship with the environment. Specifically, the 3 utilities (energy, water, waste), combined with a pledge/points system, will drive direct action for students.

 

At its heart, this project primarily focuses on outreach and education. The educational portion has the intention of informing people about how their individual action translates into cost-savings, as well as carbon reductions. This message was broadcasted throughout the outreach campaigns, especially while tabling, reaching out via newsletters, and through social media. For example, the educational approach helped inform people about how much energy they can save if they close the windows at night and reduce their use of A/C or heating. How much do we save by turning off the water while brushing our teeth or taking a shorter shower? How much energy do we waste by keeping the lights on all night? How much carbon is emitted by our use of Amazon shipping? These questions and more were touched on by the CCC dashboard, and those who participated were able to learn about their personal impact on the planet. Participation in the program pushed them towards making personal changes in their lifestyle, bringing sustainability to the forefront of their mind.

Results from “Cal vs Davis Sustainability Challenge”

UC Davis succeeded in garnering the most support in this year’s challenge, totaling 145 students, 521 actions, and 85,931 points. This was a major success, defeating Cal by over 100 participants. The rate of participants who actively engaged with the dashboard averaged around 33.5%. The marker of 700 alludes to the use of the Cool Climate Calculator which is worth 500 points and is the easiest way to gain points without exerting too much effort. 

Davis:

  • 145 participants
  • 521 actions
  • 54 people at least 700
    • %36.6
  • 34 active participants
  • 521 actions
  • 85,931 points

Berkeley:

  • 40 participants
  • 9 people over 700
  • 43 actions
  • 3,840 points

Total:

  • 185 participants
  • 62 with 700 points or more
    • %33.5
  • 36 with over 700 points
    • %19.5
  • 564 actions
  • 89,771 points

Conclusion: The CCC was a complex endeavor requiring months of planning, preparation, and coordination. Human capital was key, as was a connection to outside organizations. Perhaps the most compelling difference between the two campaigns was the stark contrast between a grassroots campaign and a campaign led by an integrated institution. 

Social Media 

Sustainable UC Davis 

More information is available on their website! CCC Sustainable UC Davis 

Social Media

Follow us on our Instagram for current updates! DavisCoolCampusChallenge 

UC Berkeley 

CCC was started in 2013 at Cal to fuel interest for all ten UC campuses to participate in a sustainability challenge. The history of CCC can be found on their website! Cool Campus Challenge