Christopher Jorgensen

CNI Fellow
Undergraduate Student, Biology
UC Merced

Project Description

Since 2012, UC Merced students associated with Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) and the Yosemite Leadership Program (YLP) have been constructing a self-sustaining community garden fixed with a solar powered watering system, alignin with the University of California's Global Food Initiative. Christopher proposes to combine his current project with the Carbon Neutrality Initiative by increasing the food diversity and crop yield of the community garden. Instructors and students alike will be able to participate in the science, engineering, and social aspects of reducing global emissions by implementing sustainable, local agriculture. The goal behind this proposal is to grow more sustainable and drought resistant crops on a larger scale, which would be able to assist the dining commons' need for fresh, local fruits and vegetables. By growing and harvesting foods directly on the campus, we can achieve zero carbon emissions due to reduced transportation and packaging, while having UC Merced's community become more actively involved.