Climate Change Conversation Culminates Annual Earth Day Symposium
Fullerton College held the 7th annual Earth Day Symposium on April 20 featuring internationally renowned geologist, science historian, and author Naomi Oreskes. The hybrid event was held in the Campus Theatre and livestreamed with more than 350 people attending in-person and online.
Dr. Oreskes led a conversation which referenced her new book, The Big Myth. Her writings speak to the influence corporations and political interests have had over the zeitgeist of 20th century America’s perceptions of the interdependence of capitalism and freedom. Oreskes details how these profit-driven perceptions of the free market have created a social stigma against corporate regulation, and helped to create a political environment which is unresponsive to climate change policies.
The 2023 Earth Day Symposium recording is available on Fullerton College YouTube.
The Earth Day Symposium was the main event for the College’s first Earth Week post-pandemic, which included three days of activities including a resource fair on the quad, opportunities to discuss alternative fuel vehicle ownership with faculty and staff, an outdoor documentary screening on a 27-foot movie screen, and the Symposium itself.
“Our Earth Week activities including the resource fair and the reception was excellent,” said Tyler Deacy, director of sustainability. “Our campus community was excited to play lawn games in the shade of our trees while exploring what all of our wonderful community booths had to offer. The event feedback mentioned that it was great to see lots of signs of activity in the quad, and that the students really loved to see what clubs and local organizations they could be a part of.”
Many local community partners and campus entities joined the activities on the quad including OC Conservation Corps, OC Animal Care, Friends of Coyote Hills, OC Department of Education, Xerces Society, South Coast Air Quality Management District, Eco Now, Orange County Transportation Authority, Wild Birds Unlimited Yorba Linda, OC Parks, CA State Parks, SoCal Edison, Republic Services, The Hanger Career Closet, OC Registrar of Voters, The Community Action Fund of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties, City of Fullerton Landscape and Tree Division, Pathways of Hope, the Fullerton College Food Bank, OC Bicycle Coalition, and Second Harvest Food Bank.
“Attendees appreciated the diversity of local resources available to them, as well as the opportunities to learn how best to live eco-friendly in the Orange County community,” Deacy said.
The College was especially excited to welcome several alumni back to campus in the newcapacities they hold in the community or as business owners, including staff of OC Parks Volunteering, Orange County Department of Education, Friends of Coyote Hills, Xerces Society, and Wild Birds Unlimited Yorba Linda.
“Their shared interest in transportation, resource management, and connection to nature belied a diversity of academic backgrounds including philosophy, communications, theater, and political science,” said Assistant Project Manager Megan Moscal.
Based on the popularity of the event with both students and vendors, a similar event is being proposed for the fall to introduce the campus to available resources at the start of the year. The Sustainability Committee at Fullerton College is seeking feedback on the Earth Week activities in order to better plan the proposed event. Students, faculty, and staff can complete this form to submit feedback.
