Pitzer College
PRE-2: Points of Distinction

The Robert Redford Conservancy for Southern California Sustainability (RRC) is only the fourth higher education structure in the world to achieve ILFI zero net energy certification and the 15th zero energy certified project in California, as well as LEED Platinum. The RRC is an adaptive reuse of a 1930s infirmary and the surrounding ground that was repurposed into a teaching, learning and research building environment for students, faculty, staff and community, including for ceremonial events by our Tongva Indian tribe community partners.

In addition, the Redford Conservancy hosts a vibrant set of local and state-level partnerships and engages in research and curriculum building with partners, faculty, staff, and students. Our research has been quoted in many major newspapers, including Bloomberg, the Guardian, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Economist, and Reuters, to name a few. We have conducted climate vulnerability assessments along with our students for two cities as well as doing a climate project for the Port of Long Beach--one of the largest ports on the planet. We have received a major grant for agricultural research in which our students and courses will be involved as researchers. We also work with frontline community partners on air quality issues, water justice, climate justice, and land conservation, involving students in these advocacy efforts. As an environmental center, our goal is to infuse environmental sustainability throughout the curriculum, and we provide funding to faculty to develop courses in a diverse array of field groups (departments). We are a hub on our campus, supporting vibrant partnerships with other centers and programs on campus, including Keck Science, the Community Engagement Center, and CASA Pitzer. For example, we began an eco-documentary course with the Intercollegiate Media Studies Program that has produced 12 short ecodocumentaries over the last two years that represent the work of multiple community partners of the RRC. Our community-based in partnership with environmental justice groups has been featured in Bloomberg, the Guardian, The Economist, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, NPR, KCAL 9 News, KQED, and The San Bernardino Sun. Our students have had RRC research quoted in the LA Times and the Guardian, and one of our Environmental Analysis majors published an op ed in the San Bernardino Sun. The RRC have funded 24 courses in 12 disciplines at Pitzer over the past two years. Our courses have had students have written two climate vulnerability assessments for Inland cities and we have funded 10 senior thesis awards for students whose project are aligned with environmental projects in Southern California or with the priorities of the RRC.

Pitzer has the largest energy producing selection of cardio equipment in higher education on the entire west coast. 4 treadmills, 2 arc trainers, 2 recumbent bikes, 2 upright bikes and 4 ellipticals combine together for a full gym of human powered energy production. There is also a monitor that tallies all the energy produced since we installed them and shows how much carbon has been averted and then translates that into cars off the road as well as trees planted. Users can also view personal metrics on each machine as they use them including energy generated. Below is the vendor website detailing each machine.

Connecting different centers and programs at the Pitzer campus, the Adelanto Water Justice Coalition Project brought together the resources of the Community Engagement Center, Keck Science, Critical Action and Social Advocacy Pitzer, and the Robert Redford Conservancy for Southern California Sustainability. Students created a major water report, working with multiple community partners, translated everything into Spanish, presented before City Council, argued for a community-based ad hoc committee, which was approved by City Council.