Sustainability

The local, organic produce served at Humboldt State's main dining hall is fresh. In fact, if you're eating a salad in The J at noon, there's a good chance the lettuce was picked that same morning.

There’s a moral of sorts to this story, but it’s a little tricky. Last semester, Professor David Campbell, a psychologist at Humboldt State, taught two online courses: Psychology of Critical Thinking (PSYC 100) and the Senior Seminar (PSYC 485).

Arcata – A team of Humboldt State University faculty and graduate students has won a $620,000 federal grant to develop water management solutions in the face of soaring population growth and rapid changes in water and land use in the rural West.

The Humboldt Energy Independence Fund committee recently awarded $68,000 for three student-designed projects.

The Full Belly Project and Humboldt State University’s Introduction to Design course hosted an open house from 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at HSU. The event marked the public unveiling of seven student team designs that improve and adapt the internationally acclaimed Universal Nut Sheller (UNS) as part of an international service learning partnership.

Ocean waves are a promising source of renewable electric power for the Redwood Coast, but the policy issues are complex and will force political tradeoffs, according to a state-commissioned white paper co-authored, in part, by experts from Humboldt State.

Humboldt State University's Green Campus Program recently entered a video in the National Wildlife Federation's "Campus Chill Out" competition. Students, staff, faculty and members of the HSU community can vote for the video online, increasing the chance the video is selected as the competition's winner.

Eureka — After five years of searching the Humboldt Bay Sustainable Living Center has found a home along the Eureka waterfront, near Halverson Park. The center will feature an eco-hostel, a conference center, office space for green businesses and non-profits as well as a 100-mile café.

Arcata – Humboldt State University has established two solar energy initiatives as part of a joint program with "California State University":http://www.calstate.edu/ and the "California Department of General Services":http://www.dgs.ca.gov/default.htm to generate eight megawatts of solar photovoltaic power and reduce the human carbon footprint.

Arcata - The student-financed Humboldt Energy Independence Fund (HEIF) will award $100,000 this semester for student-designed energy conservation, generation or education projects. A request for proposals (RFP) is posted on the HEIF website and the HEIF Committee hosted a brainstorm kickoff on Thursday, Sept. 18 in the South Lounge, University Center, to spur student collaboration and proposals.

If Green Wheels ruled the world, B Street would become a public space with green space for people to hang out, walk, and ride their bikes and boards. On Thursday Sept. 25 Green Wheels will have their wish granted for one day.

For three decades, the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology (CCAT) has been Humboldt State’s live-in demonstration home and education center spreading the message of sustainable living and design.

Arcata – Humboldt State University expects to save almost $60,000 and cut 253 metric tons of campus greenhouse gas emissions annually through two new projects funded by the Energy Efficiency Partnership with California State University and the University of California.

Humboldt State University’s new hydrogen fueling facility is the first rural station on California’s ‘Hydrogen Highway,’ and a crucial link between renewable energy and transportation fuel that started with a handful of engineering students.

Peter Johnstone and Kristen Radecsky set out before dusk everyday for a month to walk through Kenya’s marketplaces. The two Environmental Systems graduate students were busy collecting data on kerosene lamps and collaborating with Kenyans on a safer, more economical alternative.

When examining ideas like world ecological degradation and an impending dark age it’s comforting to know there’s still a flickering light of hope at the end of the tunnel.

Arcata - Jessie Misha Cretser-Hartenstein traveled back to Humboldt County from the Middle East and Vanessa Vasquez is taking time off from grad school, both of them inspired to help organize the Fourth Annual Organic Planet Festival in Eureka.

The Campus Center for Appropriate Technology (CCAT), Humboldt State’s demonstration home for sustainable living, recently sent former co-director, Jeffrey Steuben to accept its award for Best Practices in Student Sustainability Program for the California State University (CSU).

Arcata - Rebecca Menten, a Humboldt State graduate student in the Energy, Environment and Society program, has been awarded a prestigious Switzer Environmental Fellowship worth $15,000.

By the end of fall semester solar panels, signage, and student art will adorn Music Building A (the Old Music Building) thanks to the Humboldt Energy Independence Fund (HEIF), a student funded energy initiative.

Humboldt State University has taken delivery of a hydrogen-powered Toyota Prius that will use clean hydrogen fuel produced and dispensed at a new fueling station built by the campus's internationally recognized Schatz Energy Research Center.

More than 20 HSU geography majors, accompanied by department chair Joe Leeper, professors Joy Adams, Stephen Cunha, Dennis Fitzsimons and Chris Hayne, attended the California Geographic Society's 62nd annual Conference. Adams chaired a panel discussion on “Strategies for Mentoring and Supporting Female Students and Faculty,” along with geography students Anna Leeper, Diana Muncy, Corinne Cogger and Angela Crane. Adams was also elected to the CGS board of directors. Leeper presented “Challenges Confronting Humboldt County Agriculture” and Cunha presented “The Changing Face of Vietnam.”

Arcata - Humboldt State University undergraduate Rani Ram will receive a $3,000 scholarship as one of 23 winners statewide of the 2008-2009 William Randolph Hearst/California State University (CSU) Trustees Award for Outstanding Achievement.

The Department of Forestry and Wildland Resources celebrated their 10th Annual Spring Banquet in the Kate Buchanan Room on Thursday, May 1. The event was beautifully catered by Twyla Henderson and her staff from University Dining Services.

Humboldt State University alumnus Michael Crooke (’90), a world leader of socially responsible business and former chief of Patagonia outdoor equipment, will be the Commencement speaker at all three Humboldt State University graduation ceremonies on Saturday, May 17 in Redwood Bowl.