The UC Davis campus, so long known for its eco-consciousness, devoted Oct. 24 to celebrating all things local and organic for the second annual Sustainability Day.

This year's Sustainability Day demonstrated the university's approach to green living — and everything that entails — with a series of events on campus aimed at education about and promotion of sustainable practices.

The day kicked off with a national sustainability webcast at the Activities and Recreation Center, entitled "Building a Durable Future: Community, the Campus and Deep Economy." Hosted by the campus Sustainability Advisory Committee and the Society for College and University Planning, the 90-minute presentation featured experts such as environmentalist and author Bill McKibben, who discussed the environmental pros and cons of transitioning to a society that emphasizes supporting local "deep" economies.

Next was the campus premiere of Sustaining UC Davis. The 20-minute video, produced under the direction of the campus Sustainability Advisory Committee, takes a look at the steps UC Davis has and will take down the path toward a sustainable college community.

Vice Chancellor of Administration Stan Nosek introduced the video, which shows how students, staff and faculty are learning each day how this campus can reduce its contribution to global warming. Whether it is heating or cooling, incorporating energy efficiency in the design of our buildings, producing less garbage, purchasing new products or using alternative means of transportation, UC Davis is working to reduce its impact on the environment. The video was produced by University Communications. Paul Pfotenhauer of the campus News Service was the reporter/producer, and freelancer Ken Zukin was the videographer and editor.

The vendor fair, held in the ARC Ballroom, followed the multimedia presentations. Contracting Services sponsored the fair, featuring a variety of businesses and programs showcasing their environmentally preferable products, to further support environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP). A strategy seeking to procure products and services with a reduced or minimal environmental impact, EPP is one of many ecologically friendly practices supported by UC Davis.

Among those working at the booths was Camille Kirk, associate environmental planner in the Office of Resource Management and Planning. Kirk's booth promoted the upcoming Focus the Nation, a daylong national "teach-in" meant to "focus on global warming solutions and intended to move beyond a debate about the science behind global warming. "We want to talk about solutions at a variety of scales," Kirk said, "from personal to campus to regional and beyond."

Kirk said that UC Davis' Focus the Nation events, scheduled for Jan. 31, 2008, at the ARC and Freeborn Hall, will be an indoor version of the well-known UC Davis Picnic Day, where students, faculty, staff, and community members can come together for an all-day program on global climate change solutions. She said that several speakers specializing in an assortment of topics would be leading discussions to educate people about climate change solutions.

Back at Campus Sustainability Day, the East Quad Farmers Market did brisk business with offerings of fresh, local produce. Students browsing through the stands of grapes, persimmons and lettuce also received free, energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs from the California Public Interest Research Group (CalPIRG) Campus Climate Challenge. While handing out the energy-saving bulbs, the CalPIRG student volunteers also presented an award of recognition to Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef for being a "Distinguished Sustainability Leader" committed to "creating a climate-neutral UC Davis."

The final event for UC Davis Sustainability Day was the Farm to College Night meal hosted by the UC Davis Dining Services at the Tercero, Segundo, Castilian and Oxford dining facilities. James Boushka, marketing director at Sodexho Campus Services, described the all-you-care-to-eat buffet-style meal as "local, organic produce." The dinner, Boushka said, was "geared to connect the community to the farmer by offering food of a sustainable nature." Menu items included grass-fed beef, free-range roasted chicken, organic greens, locally grown fruit and organic white rice.

As part of its commitment to eco-conscious living, UC Davis Dining Service counts recycling and composting as important elements of its operation.