In celebration of Earth Week, we’ve rounded up the best of Cal in environmental news this week.
Living for the City
The remote locations of tech company campuses have provided certain benefits for employees and a creepy setting for every techpocalypse novel and film EVER, but they also have their drawbacks, as a recent UC Berkeley study concludes.
“The report highlights a seeming irony: Despite pioneering innovations in their products and work spaces, they house their lava lamps and free cafes in suburban corporate campuses with seas of parking lots. It’s a form of office that took shape in the middle of the 20th century. Google, Apple and Facebook’s offices are all more than 3 miles from the nearest rail station.”
Science Marches On
Scientists are swapping their lab coats for picket signs this Saturday at the March for Science. UC Berkeley graduate and UCSF professor Kishore Hari is helping organize the event, which will take place in over 500 cities nationwide and is endorsed by more than 220 official science organizations.
“Saturday’s marchers are not just scientists and engineers, but ‘everyday people — parents, teachers, farmers and factory workers — who feel facts and evidence have value in their communities, as well,’ said Hari.”
Sustainability at Cal
It ain’t easy being green, but UC Berkeley is trying. The campus will be showing off its sustainability efforts in a series of lectures and events on Saturday, which is both Cal Day, the university’s annual open house, and Earth Day.
“Earth Week, which starts today, is being celebrated with a variety of hands-on events on and off campus that highlight active transportation, local and organic food, climate action, reducing waste, saving water, environmental justice, renewable energy and other aspects of sustainability”
Green Screen
It’s easy to look away from a problem you don’t understand. The University of California and Vox—a news site founded by D.C. journalist and juicebox mafia boss Ezra Klein— recognize this. That’s why they’ve launched a series on climate change that aims to make it easier for viewers to tackle the issue, which is as important as it is mind-boggling. Watch the first video in the series: