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CSUSM Sustainability Newsletter

March 2023

Happy March, cougars! This month is a busy one: we've got St. Patrick's Day, Spring Break (woo hoo!), the Climate and Justice Teach-in, AND this month marks the halfway point of the Spring semester! Where has the time gone??

With all this excitement may come some stress as midterm season is also upon us. Let this be your friendly reminder to make sure you take time for yourself, stay hydrated, and remember to breathe. You got this! 


Quiz of the month:
1) What are the three main pillars of sustainability?
2) What is one way you can eat more sustainably?
3) What are three items you can compost on campus?

(All answers are at the end of this newsletter)


In this issue:

Upcoming Events

The student-led group Environmental Stewards Association (ESA), in collaboration with the Sustainability Program, will be hosting a Cougar Thrifts event this month on Thursday, March 16! Cougar Thrifts is an event held here at CSUSM where individuals within the campus community can shop for clothing items donated by others in the campus community for FREE! 

For those interested in donating any pre-loved clothing items for this event, please feel free to drop them off in the Sustainability office located on campus in Administration Building 4700 (formerly Craven Hall) anytime from 8am-5pm, Monday through Friday. We will be accepting these donations from now until the day of the event. Otherwise, please contact our office at sustainability@csusm.edu and we will be happy to set an appointment up with you, or assist you with bringing in your donations!   

For the latest updates on this event, follow @csusm_esa on Instagram, or please feel free to contact them at csusm.esa@gmail.com
On Wednesday, March 29, CSUSM will participate in a global climate education teach-in involving more than 300 universities and organizations in over 50 countries! This Climate & Justice Teach-in event will be held in person at the Innovation Hub (in the Extended Learning Building near The Quad) with an additional option to join in via livestream. Food will also be provided.

Stay tuned for more updates as this event approaches! To do so, make sure you keep an eye on our next newsletter, as well as by giving us a follow on Instagram @sustaincsusm. For more general information regarding the Climate & Justice Teach-in, please visit Bard College's website. Any other immediate questions or concerns regarding this event can be directed to us at sustainability@csusm.edu

Tobacco, E-Cigarette, and Cannabis Waste Randomized Controlled Trial

The CSUSM/UCSD Smoke and Vape Free Scholars Program is now enrolling participants into a new sustainability-themed study focused on reducing waste from tobacco, e-cigarette, and cannabis products! It is called The Tobacco, E-Cigarette, and Cannabis Waste (TECW) Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) - TECW RCT for short. This study is funded by the California Tobacco Related Disease Research Program.

If you are interested in participating in this study (and receiving compensation for your time), please contact tecwrct@gmail.com for more information!

Sustainability Tip of the Month

International Day of Forests is on March 21! The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests. On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns.

In honor of this day, here's what you can do to participate all month long:

  • Organize or join other folks to plant some native tree species! The Guardian has a helpful article for tips/information on how to properly do this, including what should be planted, where it should be planted, and more. 
  • Go on a hike to appreciate the beauty of forest trees! There are lots of incredible forest trail spots all throughout San Diego County, including Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, Black Mountain Trail, and Elfin Forest. The website AllTrails has information on these locations and more for anyone interested in taking a (literal) hike!
  • Speaking of hikes, if/when you go, be sure to be respectful and leave no trace! As wonderful as it is to enjoy being in nature, we must also be considerate of the land we are on. According to the National Park Service, the seven principles of "Leave No Trace" are: 1) Plan ahead and prepare, 2) Travel and camp on durable surfaces, 3) Dispose of waste properly, 4) Leave what you find, 5) Minimize campfire impacts, 6) Respect wildlife, and 7) Be considerate of other visitors. For more details on what each of these principles entail, visit the National Park Service site! 

Sustainability Spotlight

Do you know someone (or a group of someones) on campus who has integrated sustainability/zero waste efforts into their work and want to give them the recognition they deserve? If so, email us at sustainability@csusm.edu and let us know so they can be featured in an upcoming newsletter!

CSUSM Zero Waste Donation Pickup Program 

Did you know that our Sustainability Program has an on-campus zero waste donation pickup program? If not, here's a little more info on it:

Our Zero Waste Donation Pickup Program allows the opportunity for offices, clubs, faculty, staff, etc. around campus to donate their unwanted/unneeded items to us so that we can store said donations and later gift them back out to the campus community during our annual Journey to Zero Waste Fair (JTZWF). These items range anywhere from office supplies to kitchen supplies to party supplies to clothes, and more!

If you or someone you know on campus is interested in donating any of the aforementioned items above, a form is available to fill out and submit on our website. Further questions or concerns can be directed to our email at sustainability@csusm.edu


Additionally, if you or someone you know on campus is in need of office supply items (such as binders, staplers, pens, markers, other office supplies, etc.) and would like to receive some for FREE, please contact our Zero Waste & Sustainability Specialist Marissa Acosta at macosta@csusm.edu.  

Quiz answers:
1) People (being aware of the impact of operations and products on employees, customers, and a community at large), planet (protecting the world that supports us and, if possible, improving the shape that it's in), and profit (encouraging companies to assess the feasibility of their direction, operations, and projects).
2) More than one answer; can include buying local produce, having at least one meatless meal per day, choosing sustainable seafood, etc.
3) Multiple answers; can include vegetable/fruit peels, soiled paper products, leftover cooked/uncooked food, coffee grounds, etc.
Follow us on social media and check out our website!
Instagram
Twitter
CSUSM Sustainability Site
Pinterest
Our mailing address is:

Safety, Health, and Sustainability
333 S Twin Oaks Valley Rd
San Marcos, CA 92096-0001


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CSUSM Sustainability · 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road · San Marcos, CA 92096-0001 · USA

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