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What UCLA is doing

Over the past 75 years, UCLA has evolved from being a campus of some four buildings to one now encompassing over 190 buildings and parking structures, and yet has preserved a garden-like atmosphere.

Today UCLA accommodates the largest campus population (almost 60,000 people on the average week day) on the smallest general campus area (419 acres) in the UC system.

For over a decade UCLA has been diverting wastes and becoming more energy efficient. In 2005, UCLA took campus greening to the next level by establishing the sustainability committee. The UCLA Campus Sustainability Committee is committed to creating and advancing a culture of sustainability within the UCLA community. Learn more »

Student Initiatives

Operations

Academics

 

Quick Facts

  • UCLA Software Central coordinates a campus-wide initiative to recycle old CD, CD-ROM and DVD disks. Visit www.softwarecentral.ucla.edu for more information.
  • UCLA has purchased recycling distillation equipment and is recycling alcohol from the clinical labs. In 2006, 2,424 gallons of alcohol were recycled.
  • UCLA Health System has eliminated all mercury-based instruments, which helps prevent mercury from getting into waterways, contaminating the food chain, and posing a threat to human health.
  • UCLA's hospital cafeterias replaced all Styrofoam cups with biodegradable, paper-insulated cups, which will save hundreds of thousands of pounds of waste material every year.
  • The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) will raise $200,000 per year for UCLA greening projects.
  • 1.9 million vehicle trips are saved each year from UCLAs investment in transportation which equals nearly 5,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions
  • 38% of UCLA's fleet are alternative fuel vehicles
  • 4 high-rise residential buildings on campus have solar water heating
  • A significant portion of new dormitory furniture has Forest Stewardship Council certified wood
  • All new construction and major renovations commit to divert 75% of construction waste from landfills.
  • All of UCLA's computers are Energy Star rated and standard configurations for desktop computers and notebooks/monitors are EPEAT certified gold and silver respectively
  • New Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Modernization will reduce UCLA's carbon footprint by 17,000 tons/year
  • Over the last 6 months, UCLA's purchases of copier paper with post-consumer product has increased from 26% to 80%
  • The new UC Police station and Life Sciences Lab building are designed to achive LEED 2.2 green building standards with a "silver" rating target
  • UCLA has installed over 112,000 energy efficent bulbs and 3,600 low energy exit signs
  • UCLA's energy consumption per sq. ft. has continued to drop over the last 8 years
  • UCLA's staff and faculty drive-alone rate has reduced from 69% in 1990 to 55% in 2007 (compared to 74% in Los Angeles, overall)