We hosted a two-day summit at Claremont McKenna College and Cal Poly Pomona. OnEarth Day, student leaders joined campus administrators, a transportation expert and academia at the Kellogg Ranch for a full day of discussions around finding sustainable solutions to campus challenges. Participants also enjoyed two campus tours – one at the Lyle Center, where students and faculty explore the integration of natural processes, community action and human behavior, and the second, at the 165,000 square-foot BRIC, a newly built LEED Gold-certified recreation center. Later in the afternoon, students broke into small groups to brainstorm local solutions for Cal Poly Pomona’s challenge of balancing vehicle parking and the growing demand for alternative and cleaner transportation.

At Claremont McKenna College the following day, students heard from experts in sustainable technologies, environmental justice, activism and public policy. In his keynote address, California State Treasurer John Chiang spoke about the state’s investments in renewable energy and education, and how through the investments, California is serving as a role model for climate action to other states and countries. Students also listened to a discussion featuring former White House CEQ chair Nancy Sutley, who is now leading sustainability and development efforts at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the largest municipal utility in the United States. The summit concluded with a set by the indie rock group, Von Grey, who are among Defend’s top fans!