JESSIAN CHOY
Age: 21
Home: Santa Cruz, CA
Project: Campus Greening
Jessian Choy founded the Student
Environmental Center (SEC) at the University of California,
Santa Cruz (UCSC), to promote ongoing campus greening on a variety
of issues, rather than
continue the style of short-term, single-issue campaigning that
loses steam when student leaders
graduate. "My project was prompted by the unwillingness
of the U.S. to ratify the Kyoto Protocol," Jessian said.
"When I learned that some universities committed to the
Kyoto Protocol, I wanted UCSC to take leadership in involving
students in planning campus policies that protect the environment.
I also wanted to bring diversity to an area in which students
of color are under represented." SEC's diverse coalition
of students has advanced 15 campus greening projects, including
pesticide reduction, integrating LEEDS green building standards
in campus construction,
and a ballot initiative to permanently fund the SEC through student
fees.
