Sustainable Oxy / Eco-LA

Talloires Declaration.

On Earth Day (April 20) 2000, Occidental joined over 250 other universities and colleges in the world by signing on to the Talloires Declaration, pledging to develop curricula, research initiatives and outreach activities to support an environmentally sustainable future.

Council for a Livable Campus

Convened in 2000, the Council for a Livable Campus at Occidental College brought together students, faculty and staff members in order to improve energy conservation, increase campus recycling, and address other important environmental issues. The Council is currently on hiatus but discussions are underway to re-establish it as coordinating body for campus greening efforts.

New Residence Hall

Occidental recently broke ground on a $29 million, 273 bed residence hall. The new dorm will be built with a number of environmental design features. The college's Board of Trustees decided not to have the building officially certified under the LEED Green Building Rating System. Read a memo that the Stewards, Environmental Club, and UEPI sent to the Trustees on this issue.

Campus Master Plan

Occidental recently approved a new Campus Master Plan to guide future development of the college's physical environment. If implemented, the Plan will reuse and adapt existing building, focus new construction within the existing core of the campus, promote pedestrian and bicycle access, create green buildings and landscapes, and promote neighborhood compatible development. Read comments on the plan from the Environmental Stewards Class

Recycling at Oxy

Learn more about the Facilities Department's recycling program at Oxy here.

Sustainable Oxy / Eco-LA

Environmental Steward Composting
(2004)

The Sustainable Oxy / Eco-LA program was created in 1999 to bring together Occidental students, faculty, and staff to enhance the campus’s environment and to link Occidental with community partners interested in urban greening initiatives. The underlying premise of the program has been a campus and community-based learning process where research informs action, and action in turn shapes the research agenda. Goals include:

increasing the environmental knowledge and expertise of students and community residents;
empowering students and other project to have a positive impact on the places where they live, work, and play;
developing tangible urban greening benefits that could serve as a model for addressing the built environment and the materials and resource uses of the campus and community.

The program includes:

Course Work at Occidental College, including ENV246/247, "Environmental Problem Solving," which has evolved into the Environmental Stewards Program.
Project-Based Research and partnerships linking campus and community.

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