Media release - April 19, 2003
Greenpeace and Students from University of California (UC) campuses have kicked-off a 10-day tour of California this week with the "Rolling Sunlight" solar truck to press UC officials to pass a comprehensive clean energy and green building policy.
Greenpeace and Students Power up Earth Day Events with "Rolling
Sunlight" Solar Truck
San Diego, CA, April 19, 2003 - Greenpeace and Students from
University of California (UC) campuses have kicked-off a 10-day
tour of California this week with the "Rolling Sunlight" solar
truck to press UC officials to pass a comprehensive clean energy
and green building policy. The solar truck will be powering up
Earth Day events including rallies, student concerts and Earth Day
parties, with clean energy across the state, from San Diego to
Santa Cruz.
This week's events, organized with the student-led California
Student Sustainability Coalition, will mount pressure on UC
officials to end their delays on green policies. Since last fall,
Greenpeace and students across UC campuses have been campaigning
for the university system to become a clean energy and green
building leader. Organizers are urging the UC to end delays;
officials are currently planning to make a policy decision this
summer.
"The UC is positioned to become a leader in clean energy, but
bureaucracy is threatening to delay and possibly dilute these
initiatives that the UC needs now," explained Greenpeace Clean
Energy Now! campaigner Kristin Casper. "Students across the UC want
their university to be an environmental leader, not laggard."
The UC Board of Regents will be meeting next month. Greenpeace
and the California Student Sustainability Coalition is calling on
the UC Board of Regents to adopt a policy of:
- Twenty-five percent on-site, renewable energy for all new
buildings (this will be met primarily through solar energy), and an
additional purchase of 25 percent clean energy from power
companies.
- Silver LEED certification for all new and renovated buildings.
LEED is a green building guideline developed by the U.S. Green
Building Council.
The
Rolling Sunlight is a Greenpeace demonstration and educational
vehicle showcasing clean energy technologies. It features 256
square feet of solar photovoltiac (PV) panels and supplies enough
energy to power three energy efficient homes. This energy can be
used to power concerts, events and meetings without creating any
pollution.
Learn more about Greenpeace's
Clean Energy Now! campaign in California