California Lutheran University’s Center for Global Engagement held their fourth annual Earth Day Sustainability Fair on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
“We try to raise awareness of our students for our planet Earth and for the environment, what choices they can do to help make this planet healthier place for everyone,” said Azar Amir-Mokri, assistant director of the Office of Education Abroad and lead in educational outreach programs for the Center of Global Engagement said.
Amir-Mokri said it is important to raise awareness about Earth Day now more than ever due to climate change and its resulting effects.
“It seemed like hosting a fair, that is something to celebrate the beauty of our world. All of the enriching and positive factors of earth, but also to recognize that there is a lot that we need to do as a society in order to protect and ensure the sustainable nature of life on Earth,” Associate Provost for Global Engagement Christina Sanchez said.
The event was hosted in Kingsmen Park and featured local sustainable vendors, as well as a table specific to the Cal Lutheran Sustainable Edible Education Garden.
“I think Earth Day is so important because it’s one of, if not, the most amazing holiday to ever exist. And it shows respect to the earth we live on,” First-year student and SEEd Garden Volunteer Rachel Glynn said.
The SEEd Garden table had flowers grown in the garden that students could make bouquets out of as well as dried herbs and flowers to make tea bags.
“The event today was all about sustainability and taking care of the Earth. And to take care of the Earth, we have to live sustainable, which means that we have to be able to redo what we’re doing into the future and for our future generations or sowing the seeds for future generations to also enjoy the Earth as well as we do,” said senior and SEEd Garden Volunteer Mari Facunla.
Facunla said the SEEd Garden is always asked to table at this event, and that they are more than happy to give back to the community to spread awareness about sustainability efforts.
Along with the SEEd Garden, Amir-Mokri said the Office of Education Abroad has built relationships with local vendors who have heard about the event and asked to participate.
“We try to reach out to a broader community and broader circles to invite also other projects and other environmentally interesting subject matters to our campus,” Amir-Mokri said.
Outside vendors included Ascension Lutheran Fair Trade Ministry, Malibu Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project, and Plant Fruit, an organization supporting Uganda’s Batwa tribe.
According to Facunla, students can stay involved in sustainability efforts beyond Earth Day by taking initiative to make changes, no matter how small, in their own daily lives. Facunla said she personally takes initiative by supporting small businesses at local farmers’ markets and by bringing her own bags to grocery stores to reduce her personal carbon footprint.
“Sometimes just being cognizant that there is an Earth day, that there is sustainability initiatives, that there are steps and actions that we can take in our daily lives, … they can make a long term impact and difference,” Sanchez said.
Facunla, Sanchez, and Amir-Mokri all said that the goal of this event is to spread awareness of Earth Day initiatives to the Cal Lutheran campus and its community.
“I believe when students are aware about, you know, what they can do as consumers, as future entrepreneurs, as future leaders, as citizens even who vote, who have the right to vote. If they are aware of the problems, if they are aware of the, you know, the actions they can take, they will create a better future for everyone,” Amir-Mokri said.
Sanchez said students are “the leaders of tomorrow” and that it is important for youth to take initiative in making the necessary changes for our Earth.
“We just invite and encourage anyone who wishes to participate in the future to certainly outreach to us,” Sanchez said. “We will welcome the input, the ideas, and the involvement from our community at Cal Lu.”
