News & Events

• CSUSM Sustainability Events:

• Fall 2025
  • CA Clean Air Day
    September 30, 2025,
    11:30 AM-1:00 PM @ Chavez Circle
  • San Diego Climate Week
    October 2, 2025
    5:30-7:30 PM @ Innovation Hub- ELB 102
    
  • Journey to Zero Waste Fair
    October 28, 2025
    11:30 AM- 1:00 PM @ Kellogg Plaza
    Help us reach our zero waste goal! Come get free swag, food, clothes, office supplies and learn about zero waste!
    
  • Arts and Lectures Series: Valley to Coast Speaker Series: Protecting and Restoring Regional Waterways
    October 28, 2025
    6:00- 8:00 PM @ USU Ballroom
    This public panel discussion is aimed at educating and connecting the campus and North County communities around the protection and restoration of local water bodies. Hosted by CSUSM's new Climate Action and Sustainability Center, the event reflects the center’s mission to foster climate action and sustainability through community partnerships and student engagement. San Diego Coastkeeper's Executive Director Phillip Musegaas and Jack Gilbert of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, key partners in this effort, will contribute regional expertise in water quality and climate resilience, along with CSUSM faculty experts, Professors Shannon Swanson and Elinne Becket, to explore collaborative solutions.
    
  • Sustainable Menstruation
    November 6, 2025
    11:45 AM- 1:00 PM @ Women Gender and Equity Center- USU 3500
    Breaking down stigmas around menstruation as well as discussing how sustainable menstruation can affect the environment when going on Outdoor Adventures.
    
  • The Cigarette Surfboard: An Environmental Surf Documentary
    November 19, 2025
    5:30- 8:00 PM @ USU Ballroom
    

    In this film, Taylor Lane, an impassioned surfer, creates a functional surfboard with 10,000 littered cigarette butts collected from California beaches. “The Cigarette Surfboard” takes Lane around the world to learn from professional surfers who are working to protect and restore the health of the oceans through science, education, art, business, and political activism. Inspired by this global cast of characters, Lane returns home to California and uses the board to generate uproar on the environmental, human health, and economic impacts of cigarette butts. This immersive documentary gives viewers an up-close experience of the ocean through surfers' eyes to amplify a message of urgency and possibility regarding the well-being of our oceans. A moderated Q&A with Lane and filmmaker Ben Judkins will follow the screening.

• Spring 2025
  • Big Belly Signage Competition Deadline
    Due April 8, 2025- using link to submit.
    Help us redesign our Big Belly Signage seen across campus. We are picking several new designs and want your help! Check out our Instagram to see some previous designs.
  • Sustainable Style  
    April 08, 2025
    12 – 1 PM @ Women Gender and Equity Center USU 3200
  • Uplift & Unwind: Planting Peace
    April 10, 2025
    12 – 1 PM @ Women Gender and Equity Center USU 3200
  • Weigh the Waste 
    April 14, 2025
    11 AM – 2 PM @ Campus Way Cafe Swing by Campus Way Cafe during lunch hours to guess how much food will go to waste. We will be collecting the leftover food from guests’ plates to weigh up at the end of lunch. Whoever’s guess was the closest wins a fun Sustainability Swag Bag! 
  • Cougar Thrifts Sorting
    April 17, 2025
    12 PM – 1 PM @ Lot F Recycling Center
    Volunteers are responsible for sorting donated clothing, determining whether it’s wearable, and sorting based on sizes. Volunteers also get first dibs on any free clothes they see and want! If interested in volunteering, please sign up with this link.
  • Earth Day Fair
    April 22, 2025
    11:30 AM - 1:30 PM @ Kellogg & Forum Plaza
    This event is all about celebrating the beauty of nature that surrounds us and encouraging others to practice sustainability to reduce harm to our planet. Sustainability is putting on this event with ASI (Associated Students Incorporated) where we will be tabling and also holding a free pop-up thrift store of clothing and accessories for students and faculty! 

  • Cougar Thrifts
    April 22, 2025
    11:30 AM - 1:30 PM @ Kellogg Plaza
    Students and faculty will donate their clothing (as seen above) to us, where we sort through damaged clothes ensuring everyone gets the best clothes possible, then set up our free thrift store to give back to students! Our goal is to get rid of all the clothing that has been donated to us, so make sure you come by and grab some free clothes! 
• Fall 2024
  • Journey to Zero Waste Fair
    Oct. 22nd, 2024
    11:30 AM - 1 PM @ Kellogg Plaza
    Help us reach our zero waste goal! Come get free swag and learn about zero waste.
  • Clothing Donation for Cougar Thrifts
    Now through Oct. 9th @ ADM 4700
    Sustainability is accepting clothing donations now through Oct. 9th! 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! 
  • California Clean Air Day 
    Oct 1st, 2024
    9 AM - 10 AM between University Services Building and Police Station
    Join us for tree planting: Come help us plant trees and make our air cleaner!                  11:30 AM -1:00 PM Kellogg Plaza Join us in taking a pledge to help make California's air cleaner. Free pizza will be served at 11:30
  • Community Climate Conversations
    November 19th, 5:00-7:30
    ELB 102 Innovation Hub 

    Join us in Community Climate Conversations to learn more from panelists about their experiences with safe and active transportation to school programs.

    This event will have free food, a raffle, interactive and educational activities, and an expert panel of community leaders!

• 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:

• 2025
  • Saving a giant oak tree | Preserving a piece of history at Cal State San Marcos | cbs8.com
  • Climate Action Lesson Connects Students With Young Learners
• 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