Sustainability Groups

Campus Sustainability Committee

In 2010, the Sustainability Committee was created as a means for all areas of the campus community to engage in dialogue regarding campus sustainability. This committee helps provide a centralized forum by which students, faculty, and staff can examine how to continue improving and fulfilling the university principle of fostering leaders for the creative coexistence of nature and humanity.

Current Sustainability Committee Student Chairs

  • Aarohee Bhattarai (Class of 2023)
  • Michelle Boralessa (Class of 2023)
  • Nugnandini Chhetri (Class of 2025)
  • Kiyomi Hamaguchi (Class of 2023)
  • Jackie Jiang (Class of 2024)
  • Ayumi Otsuji (Class of 2024)
  • Victoria Souza e Robles (Class of 2025)

Student Sustainability Educators

The Student Sustainability Educator’s (SSE) role is to foster a culture of care for both people and the planet among students. 

  • Image of a student posing with greens grown in the SIG.

    SSE Objectives

    The SSE will receive training and resources to become a leader for sustainability; organize activities, projects, and educational communications that support environmental awareness and social justice at SUA; establish relationships and connections with students in order to create awareness about their role in their community; create programs and events to assist students in learning relevant and easy strategies for living sustainably on campus; and conduct research about a different topic along with strategies to share.

  • A picture with 5 students standing shoulder to shoulder, smiling at the camera

    Current Student Sustainability Educators

    The current student sustainability educators are Ngoc Doan (Class of 2025), Jackie Jiang (Class of 2024), Ayumi Otsuji (Class of 2024), and Vitória Souza e Robles (Class of 2025).

Other Sustainability Groups

  • Students demonstrate with signs encouraging climate action

    Climate Reality

    Climate Reality Club is an offshoot of the Climate Reality Project, an international organization that works to progress sustainability and fight the global climate crisis. At Soka, Climate Reality Club members work to engage the student body in educational events and climate activism in the community. The club is also working towards the goal of Soka consuming 100% renewable energy by 2030.

  • Student Sustainability Committee

    Student Sustainability Committee Chairs (SSCC) coordinate with students and the administration to strive towards the goal of making Soka more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Acting as a voice from the student body, the SSCC organizes initiatives such as the Tupperware Box Program to address sustainability-related issues on campus.

    The SSCC researches the current activities and management systems that take part in student life and analyzes their sustainability aspect. At the same time, the SSCC meets with school faculty, staff, and administration to bring their expertise to figure out solutions. Finally, the SSCC coordinates with students to take initiatives on implementing plans and organizing activities regarding sustainability.

Select Sustainability Achievements

  • California Native Plant Garden
  • Turf conversion and increase in drought-tolerant and native plants used in landscaping
  • Soka Instructional Garden (SIG)
  • Implementation of Waste Diversion Program
  • Transition to Integrated Pest Management
  • Improved recycling program
  • Addition of electric hand dryers to replace paper towel usage
  • Installation of water bottle filling stations in the library
  • Conversion from gas to electric operated facilities and landscaping equipment
  • STARS Silver Rating