History of Sustainability at Pomona

Praween Dayananda and Ada Aroneanu started the Pomona College Campus Climate Challenge chapter in 2006, completing the College's first carbon emissions inventory.
2002
Board of Trustees adopts the College's first Environmental Policy via work on the Environmental Policy Task Force.
May 2003
Board of Trustees adopt the College's Sustainable Building Guide, which requires that all new construction or major renovations be completed to LEED Silver Certified-equivalent standards.
2004
The Richard C. Seaver Biology Building is the first on campus to receive LEED certification. Its variety of green building features earn it a Silver certification.
Aug. 2006
Two students start a Pomona College chapter of Campus Climate Challenge, intending to bring climate change and carbon control issues to campus.
Aug. 2006
President Oxtoby establishes the President's Advisory Committee on Sustainability (PACS) to oversee sustainability efforts for the College.
April 2007
President Oxtoby signs the Presidents Climate Commitment, committing the College to creating an emissions audit and a climate action plan within the coming years.
April 2007
PACS produces its first report cataloging current sustainability efforts and establishing goal areas for moving forward. Major recommendations include doing a campus sustainability audit (broader than just an emissions audit) and the need for a full-time Sustainability Coordinator.
April 2007
Campus Climate Challenge releases its preliminary greenhouse gas inventory.
Spring 2008
PACS begins to interview consulting firms to complete the campus sustainability audit and begins the process to hire a Sustainability Coordinator.
Summer 2008
Consulting firm CTG Energetics works with a team of six students to complete the data collection and analysis for the campus sustainability audit.
July 2008
Pomona hires Bowen Patterson, a Class of 2006 alumnus, as the College's first Sustainability Coordinator.
Sept. 2008
The College submits its emissions audit, only one small part of the entire campus sustainability audit, to the Presidents Climate Commitment.
Oct. 2008
The final draft of the campus sustainability audit is released.
Oct. 2008
The Trustee Sustainability Task Force begins updating the College's Statement of Environmental Policy.
Nov. 2008
The Sustainability Coordinator launches the Sustainability Action Fellowship for students to be integrally involved in sustainability planning on campus.
May 2009
The Sustainability Action Fellows finish their reports for Phase I of the Sustainability Action Plan process.
May 2009
The Board of Trustees approves the College's new Environmental Policy, kicking off Phase II of the Sustainability Action Plan process and officially naming the Sustainability Integration Office.