CSUSM Set to Launch Sustainability and Climate Action Plan
Sustainability has been woven into the fabric of Cal State San Marcos almost from the inception of the university.
Now, CSUSM is taking its biggest step yet in its mission to integrate sustainability into everything it does.
On Oct. 5, the university officially will launch the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (SCAP), a roadmap that will guide its sustainability and climate efforts for years to come. The occasion will be marked with a launch party from 2-3:30 p.m. in the USU Ballroom. The program will start at 2:30, and the event will feature ice cream sundaes.
“This plan represents more than a collection of goals and strategies,” said Leon Wyden, CSUSM’s vice president of Finance and Administrative Services. “It reflects our shared vision for the future of CSUSM. It is the result of extensive collaboration across the campus community, bringing together the expertise, perspectives and aspirations of students, faculty, staff and administrators.”
The SCAP is an outgrowth of CSUSM’s larger strategic plan – which was launched in 2022 and includes sustainability and climate justice as core values – as well as action that President Ellen Neufeldt took three years ago. In August 2023, she signed the Second Nature Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitment, a comprehensive guide for mitigating and adapting to a changing climate. Part of that commitment was a pledge to develop a climate action plan, which became the SCAP.
The SCAP includes four high-level commitments: climate leadership, transformative academics, sustainable campus operations and culture of sustainability.
“By integrating sustainability into campus operations, academics and the culture at CSUSM, we are creating opportunities for students to develop the knowledge, skills and leadership experience needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” said Juliana Goodlaw-Morris, director of sustainability and climate justice in the Office of Safety, Health and Sustainability. “This plan provides a bold framework for action while advancing a more sustainable and resilient future for all.”
The SCAP will serve as CSUSM’s guiding sustainability document through 2035. In addition to the Second Nature Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitment, it aligns the university’s priorities with other frameworks that include the California State University sustainability policy, the AASHE Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The plan was developed in close collaboration with the Sustainability and Climate Action Task Force, a group of CSUSM stakeholders who hold leadership roles aligned with the plan’sgoals.
CSUSM has made major strides in the area of sustainability since it created its first sustainability master plan in 2014. Here are some examples:
- The College of Business Administration plans to launch a specialization in strategic sustainability this spring; the program will be among the only ones of its kind in San Diego County.
- CSUSM has established a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045.
- The university achieved a 28% reduction in natural gas use from 2023 through 2025.
- Three-fourths of the vehicles in the campus fleet are fully electric.
- Five campus buildings are LEED certified.
- CSUSM received gold STARS ratings in 2020 and 2024, and has set a goal of achieving platinum.
- More than 83,000 pounds of waste have been diverted from landfills through Crash’s Clean Out program since 2018.
- About $2.7 million has been saved and 241 million gallons of water have been conserved through the campus irrigation well.
Media Contact
Brian Hiro, communications specialist
bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306