California community college districts statewide are championing environmental stewardship in alignment with the Chancellor’s Office Vision 2030 and the updated Climate Action and Sustainability Goals. Through comprehensive sustainability tracking and strategic purchasing decisions, these institutions are demonstrating how educational organizations can become powerful drivers of environmental change while serving nearly 2 million students across the state.

As part of California’s ambitious climate goals, community college districts throughout the state will be required to meet rigorous sustainability benchmarks through the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS). STARS offers a standardized framework for measuring everything from energy consumption and waste reduction to sustainable transportation and procurement practices. Most importantly, it creates a standardized way for institutions to measure their progress and share successful strategies with others, amplifying the impact of individual campus innovations across the entire system.

Palomar College in San Marcos is a shining example of how community colleges can transform their environmental impact through strategic planning, sustainable procurement practices, and community engagement. Under the leadership of Dennis Astl, Manager of Construction and Facilities Planning, the college has embarked on a simple but effective approach to launching a sustainability strategy rooted in the STARS framework. 

Inspired by a session on the Board of Governors’ Sustainability Goals, Palomar began its STARS journey by building a cross-functional team and focusing on small, achievable goals. The college earned a STARS Bronze rating, uncovering hidden strengths along the way—like its certified Level 2 Arboretum, a 203-acre botanical collection initiated by students in the 1970s. Palomar College’s success offers a roadmap for other institutions looking to improve their environmental impact and illustrates how STARS can be used as a catalyst for innovation and collaboration.

CollegeBuys, a program of FoundationCCC and the official purchasing and contracting hub for California’s community college system, supports sustainable procurement practices. By centralizing procurement decisions, CollegeBuys enables districts to leverage their collective buying power to secure better pricing on sustainable products (potentially boosting their STARS rating), while ensuring consistent environmental standards across the system.