CSUSM Cougars

Out of the solutions explored on this website, I was surprised to not see CCAs, Community Choice Aggregations. There are 24 CCA programs in California and they provide for more than 11 million people. But, if I had to choose between which renewable energy source; I would say it depends on climate, region, and what works for that community....

I was unaware that there were fish advisories based on states and regions. I just knew that if you were pregnant, that fish weren't advised due to mercury levels. And I knew about microplastics and bioaccumulation, but I was unaware of these resources. After watching the documentary "Seaspiracy" I have been more conscientious of what...

Here at CSUSM, we participate in LEED Certifications of some of our buildings. The PSB is LEED Gold. SBSB is LEED Silver. The USU is LEED Gold. And, the SHCS building is LEED Gold. I believe we are also retrofitting or re-surfing Craven Hall this year. Our campus is working hard to reach more sustainable goals and work towards a platinum AASHE...

The most interesting fact I learned is that the Mall of America uses body heat to warm the building. Does that mean that there is no air flow? I'm curious as to how that works. I think it's great they made bike paths better in Vancouver. It increased bike traffic by 60%. I l believe if our bike paths were better in our city, more people would...

I went down the rabbit hole of videos on hemp. It's insane what can be made out of hemp. I love seeing creative ways people have found to use agricultural waste. I wasn't too into the rice straw building products, but the hemp builds were super cool. The architecture in me was inspired and in awe. 

Reading this reminded me of a documentary I have saved called: Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story. I haven't watched it yet, but I find that there is a lot of confusion when it comes to labels on packages and food. And I've heard of the Ugly Fruit Movement and my family has participated in purchasing Imperfect Foods. We found that in purchasing...

How to make a climate action plan equitable and socially just? For my capstone project, I created a website and did a presentation on green roofs and green spaces. So, when I saw "green gentrification" it sparked my interest. It reminded me of a documentary I watched about a South Central Los Angeles garden community. Where,...

In order for a sustainable community to work, we as Americans and as humans would need to change our way of thinking and our lifestyle. We live in a culture where consumption without reason is the norm. Convenience has been made to override education and knowledge of our impact. But, a lot of it could be due to a lack of knowledge, a lack of...

No, I have not heard of silvopasture before. I think the biggest advantage of silvopasture is the overall benefits to the cows. When foraging they are fed a more enriched grass. They have shade and cover. And they said in the video that the milk production and overall size of the cows are larger. It is better for carbon emissions, for the cows,...

I used to purchase soap from Bath & Body Works in bulk at the end of the year, but I recently purchased glass soap dispensers and go to a refillery to fill them with soap! It's great because the soap is much more concentrated, doesn't dry my hands out, and I can add essential oils to them so that they smell however I want them to! (I am...