From March 1-7, the Associated Students Greenfest committee hosted sustainability-related events on campus to help students and the community learn about eco-friendly options for living green. 

Greenfest started in 2009 as a way to raise awareness for sustainable practices among SDSU students and the surrounding community. Activities over the years have ranged from the Enviro-Fashion Show to keynote speakers.

This year’s celebration included a neighborhood clean-up, cultural stories surrounding the earth, eco-friendly tote bag decorating, herbal remedy practices and a concert featuring YG and student bands Silverbullet and KICKBACK. 

SDSU senior Isabella Juarez said she attended Greenfest because of the impact it left on her in 2022. 

“I love sustainability,” she said. “When I was younger, I used to sew and go thrifting on my own. I actually went to Greenfest when they had a clothes swap meet, and it was so fun. I swapped clothes with them, which is why I came this year, and to see YG.”

Students also attended Greenfest to learn about sustainability and help spread the event’s message. 

Melani Bistrain, a second-year majoring in education, said that promoting sustainability on campus is important because it helps bring awareness to younger generations. 

“It’s really important to me,” Bistrain said. “It’s good for the planet, so we should all know more about it.”

Mesa College student Julio Arellano said that Greenfest is important to raise awareness about sustainability. 

“We need to build awareness, so we can understand the current climate of the world and bring awareness to a younger audience,” he said.

Climate change in San Diego is showing up as hotter days, more wildfires, sea levels rising, coastal flooding and erosion, and extreme rainfall and droughts. Climate change awareness is important to help reduce the risk of climate-related disasters. 

How the University Stays Green

SDSU monitors its electricity and water usage. In an SDSU News article, Facilities Services Executive Director Daryn Ockey stated that the university currently runs on a cogeneration plant to warm and power the campus. A cogeneration plant uses thermal energy to help raise the efficiency of the plant; effectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving energy that could go to waste. 

As of April 2025, SDSU’s combined heat and power sat at 74.6% efficiency. According to the EPA, efficient use of combined heat and power ranges from 55 to 80%. 

SDSU’s 2025 Climate Action Plan Update states that since the 2017 Climate Action Plan, SDSU has increased their sustainability tracking, assessment and rating system from silver to gold. SDSU achieved many goals to increase this rating, such as adopting the 2017 five year climate plan, adopting a system-wide sustainability policy with the rest of the CSU system and setting a goal to be carbon neutral by 2050.  

According to the Climate Action Plan Update, other goals SDSU has completed since the last climate plan include installing over 100 hydration stations, expanding the sustainability major and minor to enroll more students and creating the Office of Energy and Sustainability. 

The impact of climate change in San Diego has shown up predominately in the form of wildfires and flooding. The 2024 fire incident report shows that the McCain fire in San Diego County burned 1,595 acres on July 1, 2024. 

In January and February of 2024, storms left more than 1,000 San Diegans displaced due to flooding.

Progressing in a Greener future

SDSU’s Carbon Neutrality Study states that the highest priority for carbon savings is to move away from the current cogeneration power system to an electrified or low-carbon alternative. 

The study states SDSU needs between $250 and $300 million to implement its decarbonization strategies, which includes clean energy acquisition, HVAC system upgrades and electric vehicle charging stations.