UC Riverside is continuing to make progress in reducing its carbon footprint, according to the 2020 Sustainability Annual Report.

The campus has met two of the University of California’s sustainability goals five years early with a reduction in both per capita waste generation and water use. 

Per capita waste is at 0.74 pounds, below the 2025 target of 1.04 pounds, while per capita water use decreased 45% from the 2005-08 baseline compared to the goal of 36% reduction by 2025.

“Addressing climate change is the defining issue of this era in human history,” said Fortino Morales, UCR’s sustainability officer. “The actions we take, or don’t take, will define the habitability of the planet for today’s youth and generations to follow.  At UC Riverside, it is an issue that students, staff, and faculty are all deeply engaged in, and many are working actively to find solutions to these pressing issues. The annual sustainability report captures many of the campus’s current efforts and points to areas of opportunity.”  

UCR has also reduced its greenhouse gas production while increasing its use of cleaner sources of energy. In 2020, solar generation provided about 9% of UCR’s total electricity usage. Plans are underway to add more solar panels to campus rooftops.

Read the full report here.