By Vic Cox

More than 600 registered participants at last month’s higher education-oriented Sustainability Conference 2006 cast a buzz of activity in and around Corwin Pavilion and the UCen. So many vendors wanted space at the UCSB-hosted event that tents were set up in Storke Plaza instead of the usual area next to Corwin.

This scene differed from four years ago: UCSB hosted the first statewide conference on campus sustainability in 2002, and drew about 150 people, organizers report.

“Much of the conference growth is due to our focus on what constitutes ‘best practices’ on campuses; that and attracting staff members who actually make the changes,” says Katie Maynard, a sustainability coordinator for UCSB and this year’s conference coordinator. “Word of mouth is a main reason for this conference’s growth.”

Noting that rising utility costs influence the pragmatic approach of the conference, Maynard says participants “pick from among the options” for solutions that address common problems. Networking opportunities abound as participants from the community college, California State University, and UC systems rub shoulders.

Plenary sessions and lunch discussions this year highlighted general topics, such as how to meet green standards for campus projects, but much of the practical information came out of workshops that followed eight theme tracks. These workshops looked at elements as distinct as water, energy, and food to broader areas, such as “institutionalizing sustainability” and “recycling.”

For example, the audience for the “Next Steps Toward Full Sustainability” workshop heard Matthew St. Clair, from the UC Office of the President, describe Chico State and UCSB as “the two flagship universities” in their respective systems’ drive toward sustainable practices. Geographer Mark Stemen from Chico and administrator Marc Fisher from UCSB detailed how sustainability has been incorporated into planning physical projects. They underscored the important role students could play in raising sustainability awareness.

To a question about motivating fellow students, Stemen responded, “Start small and try to institutionalize every activity.” Fisher added they could “lead by example.”

St. Clair, UCOP’s first sustainability specialist, has already helped several campuses organize sustainability programs.