News & Events

• CSUSM Sustainability Events:

• Fall 2024
  • Journey to Zero Waste Fair
    October 22, 2024 
    Help us reach our zero waste goal! Come get free swag and learn about zero waste.
• Spring 2024
  • Clothing Donations for Cougar Thrifts
    Now through April 15 @ ADM 4700
    Sustainability is accepting clothing donations now through April 15th! You can drop clothes off in the Administration Building (ADM) room 4700, 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday - Friday. 
    Donated clothes are given to students for free! 
    
    
  •  Carbon Farming and Food Justice in San Diego Research Seminar Series
    March 12
    12 PM - 1 PM @ Kellogg 1111
    Join us once a month during U-Hour for lunch and a research presentation about climate and sustainability research. Jointly hosted by the CSUSM Faculty Center and CSUSM Sustainability. This event series  will take place in Kellogg 1111 from noon to 12:50 pm and a light lunch will be provided by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research. 
    
    
  • Climate to Action Student Podcast Launch Celebration
    April 2, 2024
    12 PM - 1 PM @ U-Hall 100
    Join us in celebrating the launch of the Student Podcast, Climate to Action. Pizza nad fruit will be provided.
    
    
  • Sustainability Careers Panel
    April 3
    5:30 PM - 7 PM @ Markstein 106
    Explore sustainable career opportunities, learn from professionals, network with experts and students. Four guest speakers will be joining us for a panel discussion. Free food will be provided.
    
    
  • California Kelp Forests Research Seminar Series
    April 9
    12 PM - 1 PM  @ Kellogg 1111
    Join us once a month during U-Hour for lunch and a research presentation about climate and sustainability research. Jointly hosted by the CSUSM Faculty Center and CSUSM Sustainability. This event series will take place in Kellogg 1111 from noon to 12:50 pm and a light lunch will be provided by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research. 
    
    
  • Recycle Revival
    April 10
    5 PM - 7 PM @ USU
    
    
  • Weigh the Waste
    April 16
    11 AM - 2 PM @ Campus Way Cafe
    Join us at Campus Way Cafe on April 16 to guess how much food will be leftover for a prize!
    
    
  • Sustain-A-Fair
    April 22
    11:30 AM - 1 PM @ Forum Plaza
    Get ready for a day of eco-exploration and celebration! Join the fun with interactive activities, sustainable snacks, and exclusive swag. Join us at Campus Way Cafe on April 16 to guess how much food will be leftover for a prize.
    
    
  • Cougar Thrifts
    April 23
    11:30 AM - 1 PM @ Kellogg Plaza
    

    Join us on April 23rd, 2024, from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM to enjoy all the fun this event offers while giving back to the planet by employing the reduce, reuse, and recycle method with items donated by students and faculty, such as a variety of clothing materials, and essentially giving those new items a new purpose in life.

  • Sustainable Menstruation
    April 25
    12 PM - 1 PM @ USU 3200
    

    Understand how to save the planet while also taking care of you and your period.

  • Crash's Clean Out
    May 3rd - May 17th
    @ Quad, UVA, and North Commons
    

    Donate and give back to students in the fall. 

• Fall 2023
  • Environmental Studies Student Takes Garden to New Heights

  Tucked away on the east side of campus behind the Center for Children and Families, Cal State San Marcos’ garden commonly goes unnoticed by students. 

  “When I came to San Marcos, I was shocked when I found out there was a 7,000-square-foot garden space,” said Hali Scott, an environmental studies student. 

  Scott was first introduced to CSUSM’s garden in 2021. At the time, there were few plants due to the pandemic. With 15 years of gardening experience and knowledge of holistic medicine, Scott knew she could help revitalize the space into something great for students to enjoy.

  • E-waste Recycling

  In collaboration with Instructional and Information Technology Services (IITS), we are collecting old computers, iPads, phones and other electronics from CSUSM that are cluttering up your offices and would otherwise go to waste. Please take the time to decullter your on campus space and properly get rid of electronic waste.

  No need to take your E-waste anywhere, please use this link to schedule a time for pick up. This event is for E-waste generated on campus only.

  Starting on America Recycles Day, November 15 - November 22

  Examples include, but not limited to: 

  • Computers 
  • Printers
  • Cables/cords
  • Clocks
  • Flashlights (remove batteries)
  • Radios

  • Televisions
  • Copiers
  • Fax machines
  • Calculators
  • Phones
  • DVD players
  • Batteries

  • Stereos
  • Electronic games
  • Answering machines
  • Digital/video cameras
  • MP3s and CDs

  

   

   

  • Clean Air Day and Tree Planting

  Join us and take the California Clean Air Day pledge! We will be celebrating California Clean Air Day on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.

  Tree Planting: 10:00 am, across the street from the Public Safety Building, next to the University Services Building. We will be planting a grapefruit tree and a Blood Orange tree. 

  Take the pledge and get free pizza: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, outside of the USU near Chavez Plaza.

  • Journey to Zero Waste Fair

  Journey to Zero Waste Fair: Thursday, October 26, 2023

  11:00 am - 1:00 pm at Kellogg Plaza

  Help us reach our zero waste goal! Come get free swag and learn about zero waste.

  What's Free? Office supplies, churros, clothes, and zero waste swag.

  • Volunteer at the Journey to Zero Waste Fair

  We are looking for folks to volunteer and help us with our Journey to Zero Waste Fair.  This is a great opportunity to connect with the campus community and get first dibs on the free swag available during this event. We need help with set up, running booths and clean up. Please use this link to sign up.

  • Accepting Donations from September 20 - October 23, 2023

  We are accepting clothes donations now through October 23, 2023.

  Donate pre-loved clothing, shoes, and accessories for our upcoming Journey to Zero Waste Fair, happening on October 26, 2023. 

  • Crash's Free Store

  Crash's Free Store: August 23, 2023

  9:00 am - 12 pm at the Old Recycle Yard, accross from Upper Lot E

  Join us before school starts to get free office supplies. Through our Zero Waste efforts we have worked to divert office supplies from going to the landfill. You can save some money this semester by visitng our storage and grabbing some free supplies.  

  Click here for a map

• Spring 2023
  • Stories for the Planet: Inaugural Planet Mentorship exhibition at the Data Stacks

  Exhibition Launch: April 26, 2023 

  10:30am Kellogg Library 5400, Reading Room

  12:00pm - 1:00pm Kellogg Library Data Stacks (4th floor)

  Art by CSUSM Student Change Makers on Climate (In)Justice, Sustainability, and Society. Stories for the Planet extends from Barrio Logan to the beaches of the Pacific and reaches the waters of Burundi. This exhibition showcases art by the inaugural cohort of the Planet Mentorship program. Growing Future Change Makers: Restorative Pathways for Diverse Students and the Planet was created under the collaborative direction of the Sustainability Program and Juliana Goodlaw-Morris, the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Ariel Stevenson, and Center ARTES and Lucy HG Solomon. The program connects students success and curricular innovation around sustainability and social justice, paving the way for students of color to become change makers for the planet.

  Exhibiting Planet Change Makers:

  • Daisy Guiterrez
  • Luis Lopez 
  • Melline Nitunga
  • Alexis Vaughn

  • Niki Johnson
  • Aidelen Montoya
  • David Ramos

  

  • Earth Month:

  

  • Cougar Thrifts
• Fall 2022
  • Join us at the Journey to Zero Waste Fair this Fall! 

  • CSUSM Plants Tree, Makes Pledges on Clean Air Day

• Spring 2022
  • Spring Cleaning? Got Gently Used Clothes to Donate to our Cougar Thrifts event at Journey to Zero Waste Fair
  • This Way to Sustainability Conference 2022, use discount code csusanmarcos2022
• Fall 2021
  • Clean Air Day Event 2021
  • Sustainable Menstruation Event 2021
• Spring 2021
  • BIPOC & Green: Centering CS"U"SM in the Environmental Justice Movement Event
• Fall 2020
  • Climate Justice = Social Justice: Conversations Exploring the Intersections of People, Planet and Power
  • Free Composting Opportunity for Campus Community through our Partnership with The Compost Company
• Fall 2019
  • Support Cougar Thrifts: A Free Store for Students
  • CSUSM's Environmental Stewards Association Leads Campus Global Climate Strike 
  • Save the Food EcoChallenge
• Spring 2019
  • Support the Campus-Wide Grab N' Go Event April 22nd
• Fall 2016
  • Thank You For Recycling Day 

CSUSM Sustainability Efforts in the News:

• 2024
  • CSUSM Receives Arboretum, Tree Campus USA Recognition
• 2023
  • Environmental Studies Student Takes Garden to New Heights
  • Pilot Program Raises Awareness for Sustainability, Climate
  • President Signs Climate Leadership Commitment
  • CSUSM Part of Award-Winning Sustainability Effort
  • A Sustainable Solution: Compostable Wind Turbine Blades - Blades Made from Bamboo and Mycelium Could Keep a Growing Number of Wind Blades Out of Landfills
  • Student Team Competes in Marine Energy Competition
  • President's Outstanding Graduate Drawn to Special Path
  • ACS Student Chapter, Department Leaders Make Campus Green
  • The Unexpected Arboretum: CSUSM Benefits from Sustainable Approach to Water and Environmental Management
• 2022
  • Business Student's Passion Leads to Becoming Sustainable Entrepreneur
• 2021
  • CSUSM will participate in 2022 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition: Powering the Blue Economy
  • Upbringing Spurs Passion for Environmental Justice
  • University Earns Gold for Sustainability Achievements
  • Professor Leads Study of Pandemic's Effect on Farmworkers
  • Ask the Expert: Environmental Justice in Native Communities 
• 2020
  • CSUSM Launches Sustainability Minor
  • Environmental Studies Adds Minor in Sustainability 
  • Ask the Expert: The Scarcity of Water 
  • Post-Consumer Composting Underway at UVA
  • Physics Professor Receives Coast Grant to Study Plastics in the Ocean
• 2019
  • Transfer Student Makes Big Impact in Short Time
  • Plant-based Restaurant a Big Part of Alumna's Plot to 'Save the World'
  • Student's Grant a Boon to Outdoor Adventures 
  • CSUSM Honored for Environmental Justice Internship Program
  • CSUSM Receives Two Grants to Address Basic Needs on Campus
  • New CSU Single-Use Plastics Policy in Effect: Did you hear…Plastic Straws Are a Thing of the Past
  • Past Sustainability Club President - Excelling in Physics
• 2018
  • CSU Single-Use Plastics Policy Effective January 1, 2019
  • A Labor of Love for Business Dean
  • Bringing Students Together in the Name of Art
  • On the Road to Becoming a Zero-Waste Campus
  • CSUSM Receives $1 Million Grant Under Inclusive Excellence Initiative
• 2017
  • Cal State San Marcos' Living Laboratory Puts Sustainability into Action  
  • Melding Art and Science while Engaging Students
  • Student Team Takes Top Prize in Sustainability 
  • Solving the City's Problem
• 2016
  • Professor Ratiu Connects Business and Sustainability
  • CSUSM Latest to Use Zipcar
  • Campus Introduces Car-sharing Service to Reduce Car Traffic
• 2015
  • What Do an Auto Body Shop and a University Have In Common?
  • Burned Hillside Becomes Laboratory
  • CSUSM: A Sustainability Leader 
  • The Garden is His Classroom