Student Clubs & Other Campus Environmental Organizations
UCSB offer a seemingly endless number of ways for students to get involved on campus, with many active student clubs and other environmental organizations that operate at UCSB and in the surrounding communities.
The Associated Students Bike Committee is a group of student advocates that builds and maintains bike infrastructure on campus, and promotes bicycle ridership and safety.
Instagram: @ucsb_bikecomm
Email: as-bikecomm@ucsb.edu
The Associated Students Department of Public Worms (DPW) turns food waste into compost to be used to grow fresh produce for fellow students at UCSB, thus creating a closed-loop food system on campus. DPW practices and promotes sustainable agricultural techniques while educating the community about the importance of composting and gardening.
Instagram: @ucsbdpw
Email: asdpw@as.ucsb.edu
The mission of the Associated Students Environmental Justice Alliance (EJA) is to amplify the awareness of and action towards environmental justice. EJA serves UCSB and local communities by maintaining respectful interactions, by collaborating with organizations and communities, and by raising attention towards local, national, and global environmental injustices. EJA encourages intersectional awareness and inclusion with the environmental movement and other related movements by prioritizing the safety, experiences, and viewpoints of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and people of diverse gender and sexual identities in its decisions, events, and activities.
Instagram: @ucsbeja
Email: environmentaljustice@as.ucsb.edu
The Associated Students (A.S.) Food Bank provides free produce, pantry staples, and basic care products to the diverse UCSB community. Led by a group of passionate students, the A.S. Food Bank aims to tackle food insecurity on campus while continually raising awareness on issues surrounding food, sustainability, and social justice. The A.S. Food Bank offers a safe, inclusive space for all students— as well as confidentiality in our services.
Instagram: @ucsbasfoodbank
Email: ucsbasfoodbank@as.ucsb.edu
Associated Students (A.S.) Recycling aims to reduce waste at UCSB both through direct collection and through education and information sharing. A.S. Recycling is deeply committed to the day-to-day recycling, composting, and electronic waste collection services that have helped make UCSB a state and national leader in waste reduction.
Instagram: @asrecycling
Email: recycling@as.ucsb.edu
The Associated Students (A.S.) Zero Waste Committee is comprised of a group of students dedicated to designing and implementing projects to help UCSB achieve the UC-wide Zero Waste goal by 2020. The Committee collaborates with other environmental groups on campus to increase public awareness through events. They work with various entities on campus to help eliminate sources of waste and encourage zero waste habits.
Instagram: @ucsbzerowaste
Email: zerowaste@as.ucsb.edu
BeeCampus UCSB is committed to conservation and education. BeeCampus works to create habitat for our native pollinators, hold service opportunities, and educate others through events and outreach.
Instagram: @beecampusucsb
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The mission of the Birding Club is to make birding more accessible to younger people. The goal is to introduce young people to birding and encourage more use of the outdoor spaces Santa Barbara has to offer, while connecting students to the avian wildlife which inhabit them.
Instagram: @ucsbbirding
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CALPIRG Students is a statewide, student-directed, student-funded nonprofit organization that works to protect the environment, address food insecurity, and increase civic engagement. CALPIRG Students works on issues including clean energy, toxics and pesticides, clean air and water, addressing food insecurity, e-waste, consumer protection, voter registration and youth voter engagement -- and more!
Instagram: @ucsbcalpirg
Email: info@calpirgstudents.org
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) at UCSB aims to provide free training and certifications to students and campus community members in preparation for emergency and disaster situations. They provide free educational resources and classes to students on fire safety, basic medical aid, search and rescue, and so much more. By empowering community members and students to protect themselves and our campus environment from climate-related disasters, CERT is building a more resilient campus community in the face of climate change. They hold free quarterly classes, offering volunteer hours on top of the certifications. The CERT mission is to educate and empower volunteers to take ownership over their safety, and improve disaster preparedness skills long-term.
Email: james.caesar@ucsb.edu
The Edible Campus Program aims to address local food insecurity by repurposing underutilized spaces for sustainable food production, turning waste into food, and engaging students as growers and producers. The program train students in practices that address social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability and help them to reclaim their personal connection to the land and their food.
Instagram: @ucsbecp
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Education+ is a local organization run by UCSB students passionate about promoting educational equity in the Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Carpinteria areas. They aim to close the gap between in-school learning and after-school educational opportunities so every student has the chance to thrive.
Instagram: @education_plus_sb
Engineers Without Borders at UCSB is a student chapter of this international NGO. The club is a mix of undergraduate and graduate students from different departments at UCSB who are applying our diverse skillsets towards building both relationships and infrastructure that enhances global communities. Engineers Without Borders develops responsible leaders to represent our university abroad, who are citizens that serve local, national, and international communities. The UCSB chapter of EWB-USA has teams currently working on projects in Rwanda, Panama, and around the Santa Barbara area.
Instagram: @ewb.ucsb
The goal of the Environmental Affairs Board (EAB) is to promote environmental, social, political, and economic sustainability. EAB coordinates with decision makers, local organizations, and student groups to advocate for improvements to environmental standards at all levels. EAB also provides students with environmental education and encourages a culture of eco-friendly habits in order to shape their lives at UCSB and beyond.
Instagram: @ucsbeab
Email: as-eab@ucsb.edu
The Environmental Law Club (ELC) has a mission to understand and utilize the law to protect people and the environment. ELC aims to educate the student body of UCSB as to how we may take our future into our own hands and build a more sustainable future using the legal system. The ELC prioritizes environmental justice issues by advocating for traditionally marginalized communities, primarily within California, but extending to a national scale when necessary.
Instagram: @ucsbelc
The Excursion Club is a student-run, volunteer organization that is committed to getting people stoked on the outdoors. The Club connects individuals by providing gear and opportunities to partake in outdoor activities as inexpensively as possible. Excursion Club connects those who already enjoy the outdoors, as well as provides those with little to no outdoor experience with the knowledge, resources, opportunities, and support to step outside of their comfort zone and experience the great outdoors.
Instagram: @excursionclubucsb
Email: info@excursionclubucsb.org
The Isla Vista chapter of Food Not Bombs provides free vegan and vegetarian meals to locals. The chapter works alongside local businesses such as the Isla Vista Food Cooperative and various farmers market vendors to obtain produce and other food under the guidelines of the Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, which permits the offering of grocery products to nonprofit organizations for distribution to needy individuals.
Instagram: @foodnotbombsislavista
Email: foodnotbombsislavista@gmail.com
The mission of Gauchos Go Green is to foster a sustainable future by promoting environmental awareness and action within the Isla Vista community. They are committed to empowering individuals to make conscious choices that reduce their ecological footprint and contribute to a greener world.
Instagram: @ucsbgauchosgogreen
Email: ucsbgauchosgogreen@gmail.com
Goleta Coast Audubon Society Student Conservation Chapter is UCSB's birding and bird conservation club. They are a registered campus organization at UCSB and an official campus chapter of the National Audubon Society. They are comprised of both undergraduate and graduate students, and host bird walks, conservation projects, and advocacy initiatives. Their mission is to protect wildlife and the habitat it needs to thrive, while engaging and educating students and the public on science and conservation issues pertaining to birds.
Email: goletacoastaudubon@gmail.com
Isla Vista Compost Collective (IVCC) is a community composting initiative focused on providing access to composting in the Isla Vista community. The IVCC’s mission is to promote sustainable waste management and resource recovery by diverting organic waste from landfills and transforming it into valuable soil amendments.
Instagram: @ivcompostcollective
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Isla Vista Surfrider is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans, waves, and beaches for all people. Isla Vista Surfrider has nine committees: policy; education; Ocean Friendly Restaurants; Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; Concert for the Coast; events; social media; Blue Water Task Force; and Rise Above Plastics. The application to be a Surfrider Core Member is open during the first two weeks of the school year.
Instagram: @IV Surfrider
Email: islavista@clubs.surfrider.org
Isla Vista Trading Post is a student-run sustainable fashion organization at UCSB dedicated to recirculating clothes through free clothing events. Promoting style, community, and sustainability on campus.
Instagram: @ivtradingpost
Email: Ivtradingpost@ucsb.edu
Off the Grid is an outdoors club for women and nonbinary people aimed at increasing diversity in the outdoors. Formerly Backcountry Squatters.
Instagram: @offthegrid.ucsb
Plant Futures aims to educate and engage with students passionate about sustainability, specifically plant-centric food systems, and provide a network through which they can apply this passion to better both their own lives and engage in meaningful professional development and career exploration.
Instagram: @plantfutures_ucsb
Email: plantfutures.ucsantabarbara@gmail.com
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The Science Communication Club brings together passionate minds from all disciplines to learn how to make science clear, engaging, and impactful for everyone. Build your network, explore exciting career paths, and level up your skills through hands-on workshops with science communication professionals!
Instagram: @ucsbscicomm
Email: science.communication.club.sb@gmail.com
The mission of Scuba and Freedive Club is to introduce as many people as possible to the ocean in our backyard! No experience necessary, come join a community of ocean lovers full of opportunities to learn freediving, spearfishing, photography, art, and more.
Instagram: @scubaucsb
Email: scubaucsb@gmail.com
The goal of SIDES is to support minority students who are majoring in Environmental Studies. The club works by maintaining a safe space for all students during our weekly meetings. During these meetings, SIDES plan academic and social events that support students in their journey of completing a degree in Environmental Studies.
Instagram: @sides_ucsb
Sprout Up! teaches children concepts in Environmental Science, Sustainability, and the unique ecosystems that surround them. During the earliest stages of their educational development, Sprout Up! encourages kids to think in new ways about the world around them through activities, experiments, and discussions, inspiring them to bring the message of environmental stewardship home to their families and friends. In this way, Sprout Up! cultivates the next generation of passionate caretakers of the Earth and promotes sustainability from the youngest members of society up.
Instagram: @sproutupucsb
Email : directorsb@sproutup.org
Take Back the Tap is an initiative that aims to highlight tap water as a resource that is safe and reliable for all UCSB students, faculty, staff, and our community. Take Back the Tap believes that water is right and something that should be accessible and affordable to all.
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Instagram: @take.back.the_tap
Email: sa-takebackthetap@ucsb.edu
The Real Food Challenge is leading the way towards sustainable, ethical, and fair food!
Instagram: @therealfoodchallenge.ucsb
The mission of The Wildlife Society is to promote wildlife-based stewardship among students by educating them about wildlife and environmental issues, exploring local natural habitats, and fostering an enhanced sense of ecological responsibility in our community.
Instagram: @ucsb.tws
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Thrive hopes to highlight services and resources to help students, staff, and faculty access and choose healthy food options.
Instagram: @ucsbthrive
Email: basicneeds@sa.ucsb.edu
Turtle Up UCSB aims to protect marine wildlife and foster sustainable communities along Ghana’s coast, and raise awareness worldwide. Turtle Up is dedicated to the conservation of Ghana’s sea turtles through a holistic, community-based approach. Their initiatives focus on conservation, education, community transformation, and sustainability. Turtle Up is dedicated to inspiring global action by transforming knowledge into practice and championing healthy marine ecosystems with a specific focus on sea turtles.
Instagram: @turtleup_ucsb
UCSB Adventure Programs are open to everyone - students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members. Push your limits with something new or take advanced classes to improve your skills. UCSB Adventure Programs provides a wide array of activities so everyone can get a regular dose of adventure and keep life amazing! Whether you’re a new Gaucho joining our First Year Outdoor Adventures, or you're looking to get SCUBA certified, Adventure Programs has you covered!
UCSB Adventure Programs is proud to offer gear and equipment rentals for UCSB students, staff, faculty, and community members who are at least 18 years old. You can rent individual gear or sign up for an Adventure Pass, which gives you unlimited personal access to one of each rental for only $59 (Students) or $199 (Non-Students) per year.
Instagram: @ucsbadventure
Email: adventure@recreation.ucsb.edu
UCSB Sustainability is a collection of efforts from staff, students, administrators, and faculty across the campus. UCSB Sustainability works in a decentralized manner through partnerships in an informal network to implement changes and improvements.
Your Children’s Trees is a student community-based non-profit organization working to restore Santa Barbara's local ecosystems through planting trees, educating Santa Barbara students and residents, and caring for the surrounding environment.
Instagram: @yct_ucsb