‘A drop in the bucket’: Upcoming Chapman events promote environmentalism on campus

From lectures to decathlons, members of the Chapman community are hosting events to stress the urgency of addressing climate change. Unsplash

When asked about the importance of environmentalism on campus, Kayla Asato, a first year Chapman graduate student in the leadership development program, had a simple answer: “We need to be prepared.”

Asato, who is also the redistricting campaign organizer for the advocacy group Orange County Environmental Justice Educational Fund (OCEJ), juggles being both an activist and a student. She said the connections she makes through these roles serve as opportunities to introduce new voices to the movement for environmental justice.

“I put a huge emphasis on (getting people involved) … that’s always the problem of organizing,” Asato said. “You (have to) get people to see, ‘Oh, this is affecting me and my family.’”

A recent report by the Pew Research Center found Generation Z to be more politically engaged than previous generations, both online and offline, in addressing climate change.

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report echoes this urgency, noting that many current changes in climate are “unprecedented.” Similarly, Bill Gates wrote a blog post Aug. 4 warning readers that climate change will soon exceed the damage wrought by COVID-19.

“(Orange County isn’t) too far away from rising sea levels,” Asato told The Panther. “We have forests surrounding us … if those catch fire, that’s very stressful.”

At Chapman, several upcoming events will share this prioritization of environmentalism, with an additional emphasis on the intersection of racial justice. 

Alongside Project Director Patricia Flores, Asato will speak at a Sept. 15 lecture with OCEJ about the organization’s mission to empower environmentally vulnerable communities and address forms of environmental racism. For example, sacrifice zones — areas that have been environmentally exploited at the cost of local communities — and redlining — the practice of denying services to specific areas based on race or ethnicity. 

Six days later is a Sept. 21 discussion with Robert D. Bullard, who has been coined the “father of environmental justice” for his advocacy work against environmental racism.

Jessica Almos, lead marketing assistant for Student Engagement, worries such events won’t reach individuals who need to hear the information most. 

“It feels like tunnel vision,” Almos told The Panther. “The people who are already committed to this cause are the ones attending (the lectures).”

Both Almos and Eva Stanton, an employee at the Office of Sustainability, are seniors majoring in environmental science and policy at Chapman, and said they believe environmentalism should become a mandatory part of the curriculum — like the Healthy Panther Initiative or a First-Year Focus Course.

Although Chapman has yet to implement such a requirement, the university’s engagement with organizations like OCEJ provide some direct volunteer connections for students. 

“Climate Change: An Introduction,” hosted by the Grand Challenges Initiative Sept. 10, was the semester's first lecture event on environmentalism, featuring Presidential Fellow of Ecosystem Science Joshua Fisher.

The presentation covered a wide range of topics from the history of climate change to modern innovations in sustainability. Fisher emphasized the potential to combat climate change on all fronts, whether those efforts come from the average consumer or the U.S. military.

Throughout the event, Fisher also stressed the devastating weight of climate effects, such as  increased disease rates, natural disasters and failing infrastructure. Wildfires, Fisher noted, have been an especially prevalent struggle for some individuals he knows personally.

The event ended on an uplifting note, with Fisher encouraging students of all backgrounds to use their talents in the fight against climate change.

Another local event, the Orange County Sustainability Decathlon, will provide similar opportunities for students to tackle environmental issues in 2023.

Helmed by Chapman political science professor Fred Smoller, the competition will allow teams from California universities to design the most sustainable, affordable and aesthetically appealing homes. The event will also feature an expo where people of all ages can explore the latest in renewable technology and consumer products.

“When the world thinks of sustainability, they should think of Orange County,” Smoller said. “(The decathlon) would open up enormous opportunities for students, not just to make a living, but to better the planet.”

When considering how to encourage public interest in environmental initiatives, Smoller said the most important aspect is raising people’s comfort level.

“We have to educate people before we just pass mandates,” Smoller said. “I would say my event is only a drop in the bucket. We need to have a million more events like it.”