Spring 2022
Committee:
Regional Affairs Committee
WHEREAS, aggravation of wildfires by climate change and their health repercussions are described by the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health including “advantaged families who cannot afford to live in urban areas are rendered at greater risk of dangerous wildfires that may impact their health and further exacerbate socioeconomic inequities” [1] ;
WHEREAS, California community colleges serve a student population that is 69% of diverse ethnic backgrounds and minorities, many of whom are affected by health disparities due to environmental inequity and climate change [4, 6];
WHEREAS, green initiatives passed by both the California State Assembly and the California State Senate have committed towards statewide sustainable practices and annual reduction of the state’s carbon footprint, reducing the usage of plastics with SB 270(2014) [8]; and
WHEREAS, California community colleges' effective energy survey and audit funding supplements community colleges with funding to conduct energy surveys and audits, promoting sustainability and conscientiousness towards sustainable development clarified by Proposition 39 [7]; now, therefore, be it.
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community College urge individual colleges to provide easily accessible, transparent sustainability audits and surveys to the student body associations through online platforms and shared governance meetings, and that decisions for sustainable implementations include student representatives;
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community College urge individual colleges to institutionalize practices in priority to provide equity towards marginalized groups who are directly impeded by the impact of climate change;
RESOLVED, that California community colleges maintain proposals, provide more equitable resources to students (energy-friendly chargers, etc.), and implement sustainability and environmental justice education in their curriculum; and
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community College stimulate collaboration between community colleges to expand sustainable practices and projects as well as installing green investment systems such as Green Revolving Funds on their respective campuses.
Citations: 1. Association Between Outdoor Air Pollution and Risk of Malignant and Benign Brain Tumors: The Multiethnic Cohort Study https://doi.org/10.1093/jncics/pkz107
Citation 2. Disproportionate Impacts of Wildfires among Elderly and Low-Income Communities in California from 2000–2020 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18083921
Citation 3: Climate Change and Health Profile Report Orange County https://scag.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/chpr059orange_county2-23-1 7.pdf?1604524089
Citation 4: 2021 State of the System Report https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/Reports/2021-sosreport-final-a11y. pdf?la=en&hash=3BE193227EBC64C5FD666A0D9C8F6DC40F599E49&hash=3B E193227EBC64C5FD666A0D9C8F6DC40F599E49
Citation 5: The Board of Governors of California Community Colleges Resolution on Climate Change and Sustainability Goals and Policy https://www.rccd.edu/admin/bfs/fpd/Documents/planning/2019-05BOG_Item%20_ Resolution_on_Climate_Change_Goals_Policy.pdf
Citation 6: CALIFORNIA’S FOURTH CLIMATE CHANGE ASSESSMENT
https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/Statewide%20Reports-%20S UM-CCCA4-2018-012%20ClimateJusticeSummary_ADA.pdf
Citation 7: Proposition 39 Implementation Guidelines https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/About-Us/Divisions/College-Fina nce-and-Facilities-Planning/Programs/Sustainability/REVISED-Prop-39-Guidelines Addendum-JAN-2014-FINAL.pdf?la=en&hash=33781C6AA10D2383BA656294E56
463F960D78BDD&hash=33781C6AA10D2383BA656294E56463F960D78BDD
Citation 8. SSCCC Sustainability Toolkit https://ssccc.org/what-we-do/sustainability-toolkit.html
WHEREAS, California community colleges serve a student population that is 69% of diverse ethnic backgrounds and minorities, many of whom are affected by health disparities due to environmental inequity and climate change [4, 6];
WHEREAS, green initiatives passed by both the California State Assembly and the California State Senate have committed towards statewide sustainable practices and annual reduction of the state’s carbon footprint, reducing the usage of plastics with SB 270(2014) [8]; and
WHEREAS, California community colleges' effective energy survey and audit funding supplements community colleges with funding to conduct energy surveys and audits, promoting sustainability and conscientiousness towards sustainable development clarified by Proposition 39 [7]; now, therefore, be it.
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community College urge individual colleges to provide easily accessible, transparent sustainability audits and surveys to the student body associations through online platforms and shared governance meetings, and that decisions for sustainable implementations include student representatives;
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community College urge individual colleges to institutionalize practices in priority to provide equity towards marginalized groups who are directly impeded by the impact of climate change;
RESOLVED, that California community colleges maintain proposals, provide more equitable resources to students (energy-friendly chargers, etc.), and implement sustainability and environmental justice education in their curriculum; and
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community College stimulate collaboration between community colleges to expand sustainable practices and projects as well as installing green investment systems such as Green Revolving Funds on their respective campuses.
Citations: 1. Association Between Outdoor Air Pollution and Risk of Malignant and Benign Brain Tumors: The Multiethnic Cohort Study https://doi.org/10.1093/jncics/pkz107
Citation 2. Disproportionate Impacts of Wildfires among Elderly and Low-Income Communities in California from 2000–2020 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18083921
Citation 3: Climate Change and Health Profile Report Orange County https://scag.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/chpr059orange_county2-23-1 7.pdf?1604524089
Citation 4: 2021 State of the System Report https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/Reports/2021-sosreport-final-a11y. pdf?la=en&hash=3BE193227EBC64C5FD666A0D9C8F6DC40F599E49&hash=3B E193227EBC64C5FD666A0D9C8F6DC40F599E49
Citation 5: The Board of Governors of California Community Colleges Resolution on Climate Change and Sustainability Goals and Policy https://www.rccd.edu/admin/bfs/fpd/Documents/planning/2019-05BOG_Item%20_ Resolution_on_Climate_Change_Goals_Policy.pdf
Citation 6: CALIFORNIA’S FOURTH CLIMATE CHANGE ASSESSMENT
https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/Statewide%20Reports-%20S UM-CCCA4-2018-012%20ClimateJusticeSummary_ADA.pdf
Citation 7: Proposition 39 Implementation Guidelines https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/About-Us/Divisions/College-Fina nce-and-Facilities-Planning/Programs/Sustainability/REVISED-Prop-39-Guidelines Addendum-JAN-2014-FINAL.pdf?la=en&hash=33781C6AA10D2383BA656294E56
463F960D78BDD&hash=33781C6AA10D2383BA656294E56463F960D78BDD
Citation 8. SSCCC Sustainability Toolkit https://ssccc.org/what-we-do/sustainability-toolkit.html