The Friends Of The Reef program held a Science Sunday presentation featuring UOG’s Sustainability Coordinator Phillip Cruz . Crus spoke about current issues about island sustainability on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018 at the T. Stell Newman Visitor Center in Santa Rita.

Cruz covered descriptions of sustainability practices, such as integrated systems to reduce the use of plastic bags on campus, banning of styrofoam products, reusable grocery bags that withstand repeated use, and encouraging recycling policies to retail vendors at campus events supporting the zero waste initiative. “The Zero waste initiative means 90 percent of wastes is diverted away from Guam’s landfills,” Cruz said.

Cruz informed the audience about UOG’s Green Army, and Center for island Sustainability’s  activities, such as volunteers practicing and learning new ways so sustain the enviroment and sponsored events focusing on the island’s model of sustainable technologies that meet the needs of our islands communities in broader areas of environment, economy ,society and education.

Cruz also described UOG’s cooperation with other institutions and the implementation of its zero-waste initiative to grow the island’s awareness and change outdated recycling processes. “Our island only recycles plastics one, Polyethylene Terephthalate most commonly used in water and pop bottles, and two, High Density Polyethylene, the stiff plastic used to make milk jugs, oil bottles and toys, in comparison to Japan that recycles all plastics,” Cruz said.

Science Sunday’s in conjunction with the U.S.  national park services, curates various research projects on Guam and throughout the Marianas. Marybelle Quinata is the Science Sunday program coordinator for Friends of Reef Guam.” There are different presentations every month on different environmental issues, island wide,” “It’s all for the same reasons, to sustain the environment,” Quinata said.

Friends of the Reef is a community monitoring program fostering opportunities for the community to get involved with protecting our coral reefs. Volunteers receive training to conduct biological surveys and document different species of corals, algae, and invertebrates.

Center for island Sustainability  focuses on fostering an island-based model of renewable and sustainable technologies. CIS researches  alternate and replicable systems to meet the needs of the present community, without risking the needs of future generations, they also help inform the legislature to make decisions on subjects such as invasive species, plastics and styrofoam reduction.

CIS also appealed to an invite-only network of universities and research institutes focusing on global sustainability issues. The Global Consortium for Sustainability Outcomes is an international organization that advances research development to implement healthier practices for the earth.

Established in 2009 , They have accomplished helping many organizations progress in sustainability methods.  Since then, CIS has launched a plethora of programs and strategies for more efficient energy, waste management and natural resources. Cruz also conducts outreach programs at schools and the Micronesia Mall to raise awareness to our island’s communities.

Center for island Sustainability is located at House 32 in the Dean’s Circle at the UOG campus.  CIS has retrofitted 36 former homes of the Deans Circle with energy efficient technologies, resulting in average of $14 a month power bill for all outfitted homes.