The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education just awarded CSUDH a Gold rating in its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS). Sustainability Manager Ellie Perry credits CSUDH’s success in this area to the university’s commitment to social justice. “If we care about people, we should care about the planet we all live on,” Perry says.

We’re not just doing it for the awards, though. Sustainability is a core feature of the university’s Strategic Plan, which recognizes that communities of color are inordinately burdened by the effects of climate change. The university’s Climate Action Plan commits CSUDH to carbon neutrality by 2045.

Perry has also kick-started a campus-wide food recovery program and sustainable food production at the Campus Urban Farm. With the help of student volunteers and interns, the farm produces hundreds of pounds of fresh produce each year, which is distributed free of charge to students experiencing food insecurity.

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