Students at Scripps’ 2026 Sustainability Fair
By Caitlin Antonios
- The new听听highlights measurable progress in water conservation,听waste management,听and other听eco-friendly听practices听to听ensure that听Scripps听thrives听for the听long haul.听
For听a听century,听Scripps College鈥檚听historic buildings听and serene听botanical听campus听have听become听a听second home听to the thousands听who have听lived听and听worked听here.听What鈥檚听lesser听known听is听how听the College is actively听preserving this听special place听through sustainable听stewardship.
Scripps鈥� Sustainability Report听is released each year听to听boost awareness听and听transparency around听these听efforts. The new听 highlights measurable progress in water conservation,听waste management,听and other听eco-friendly听practices听to听ensure that听Scripps听thrives听for the听long haul.
“This report allows our community to learn more about the progress we’ve made,鈥� Sustainability Coordinator Abigail Balais says. 鈥淚’m excited to use our findings as tools to help inform how we can continue to grow.鈥�
Key听Takeaways听from the 2025 Sustainability Report听
Among听Scripps鈥櫶齧ost significant accomplishments is a series of landscape improvements designed to conserve water鈥攁听crucial priority amid California鈥檚 ongoing听drought conditions.听听
At听Hibiscus Court and听Clark Hall, facilities crews converted planters听to drip irrigation, replacing less efficient watering methods with a system that delivers water directly to plant roots.听The听College also removed听water-intensive hibiscus hedges听to听reduce听overall irrigation demand.听New upgrades听to听irrigation infrastructure听now听meet California鈥檚 Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) standards.听
This year鈥檚 report also听showcases听annual waste diversion data, which details the amount of听waste听Scripps听successfully听diverted from landfills. The听information听provides a more听complete picture of campus operations while strengthening the accuracy of the College鈥檚 environmental reporting.听
The Future of Sustainability at Scripps听
Progress听isn鈥檛听stopping听here. With the announcement of听Scripps Forward,听the听College鈥檚 ambitious听campaign to raise听$100 million,听the College听will introduce more听innovative solutions to reduce carbon emissions and create shared ownership over the campus鈥檚听footprint.听听
Educating students on the importance of sustainability inside and outside the classroom is integral to creating a sustainability-conscious campus culture
For Balais, that involves integrating environmental action into daily life at Scripps, with students free to lead green efforts across campus. Last year, students helped orchestrate听Scripps鈥� 14th Sustainability Fair, a consortium-wide event advancing sustainable projects on and off campus.听听
鈥淚听aim听to expand the Office of Sustainability’s听campus presence through听student-led听workshops and collaborations with faculty to integrate sustainability into coursework,鈥� Balais says. 鈥淓ducating students on the importance of sustainability inside and outside the classroom is integral to creating a sustainability-conscious campus culture.听