Building a more sustainable environment and addressing critical climate issues will take cooperation and community involvement, experts said at Cal State Fullerton’s fourth annual Energy and Sustainability Summit.
Sponsored by Southern California Edison, the Oct. 23 event featured a fireside chat with Bob Archuleta, who serves on the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee. Archuleta shared insights on the future of renewable energy sources such as hydrogen in California.
The summit also included discussions with CSUF community members, local officials and representatives from Edison, Orange County Fire Authority and OC Conservation Corps.
“As evidenced by last year’s devastating fires, the reality of climate change is clear and urgent. It is imperative that we work collaboratively to protect the health and safety of our communities,” said Kimberly Shiner, vice president for university advancement.
The summit touched on steps the university, Orange County, and local fire and utilities officials are taking to meet climate-related challenges. Students also shared their research on the outlook for trees in the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton.
A collaboration between OCFA and Edison helped buy water-dropping helicopters that can dump 3,000 gallons at once. They’ve prevented hundreds of wildfires from spreading since the partnership began, said Matt Olson, OCFA’s chief of staff/assistant chief of corporate communications.
Speakers said engaging the community will be vital to achieving a greener future. Buena Park Vice Mayor Connor Traut said his city created mascots like Lumi the LED lightbulb to inform residents about environmental issues and invited kids to design artwork for the city’s trash trucks.
Titans also are helping advance climate goals. Collaborating with faculty experts, CSUF students design and conduct research on such topics as sustainable transportation, wildfires, nutrition and climate change.
At the summit, students presented what they’d learned studying the arboretum’s trees and how different species are likely to fare as the climate changes.
Working as part of the arboretum’s Climate Impact Assessment Team, students used a climate assessment tool and checked the trees’ physical health, looking for pests or signs of disease, said public health majors Vivian Castillo and Samantha Garcia.
The climate team, part of the arboretum’s internship program, gives students hands-on research experience. Their findings will help guide future tree plantings.
“I like the idea that we’re making a change, and we’re able to start this work now,” Castillo said.
In the region, progress has been made on several fronts, with more efforts underway. By year’s end, Edison expects to have 7,000 miles of overhead electric lines covered with fire-resistant insulation, and it’s also putting roughly 200 miles of lines underground to lessen fire risk, said Ted Gribble, a principal manager at Edison.
Orange County is reducing carbon emissions and recycling organic waste at John Wayne Airport, and officials are seeking funding to build charging stations for electric trucks as part of the switch to a zero-emissions fleet, Orange County Fifth District Supervisor Katrina Foley said.
CSUF offers nearly 900 courses on sustainability, which helped the university achieve a gold rating from the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System, Shiner noted.
The university also was listed in the 2025 edition of the Princeton Review’s Green Colleges for measures such as installing 100 electric vehicle charging spaces on campus and following green building standards for new projects.