Expanding the reach of environmental education and motivating people to take action for the Earth has long been in the Sierra Club’s mission. Joining in this mission is a team of 12 Cal Poly students leading the brand-new student committee within the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club. The students, brought together by a passion for environmental advocacy, come from many different majors, ages, and backgrounds, but share one goal: empower the next generation of environmental activists right here in SLO County.
It’s no secret how hungry our generation is for change. Most of our peers can relate to feeling helpless, lost, or useless amid the climate crisis and tumultuous political landscape we have grown up in. Meanwhile, we are at an age when we are looking for answers about what the world has in store for us and what we can contribute. The student committee is an opportunity to be part of finding answers for our individual purpose and the threats to our planet.
The student committee is special because it is led by students and for students, but also part of the Santa Lucia Chapter. Each student can focus on their environmental passions and interests, build new skills, and uplift each other throughout this work, while connecting to the wider Sierra Club strategy, mission, and resources. The club is a vehicle for students to co-create their futures and the future of the planet.
The committee brings guest speakers to campus, amplifies environmental action items to other Cal Poly students, and advocates for the environment on and off campus. Some students are building political experience by attending state lobbying meetings and helping lead the chapter’s political endorsement process. Other students are deepening their knowledge of climate and clean energy efforts in central California, including giving public comment on offshore wind and researching climate resilience solutions. Students can participate in the areas of their specific career interests, like policy work, lobbying, writing, education, social media, event planning, grassroots organizing, and so much more.
Students like Amanda Zorick, a Cal Poly second-year and one of the committee’s climate and clean energy liaisons, are building the foundational skills that support their aspirations.
“I joined the student committee because I wanted to learn more and get involved in local environmental advocacy work,” she told us. “The club is a vital resource that makes it so accessible for students to get involved and to explore our passions.”
Some student committee members serve on multiple chapter committees as the bridge between the student committee and the local chapter’s broader climate and clean energy, conservation, communications, and political committees. Getting involved in these committees gets students engaged in work with the wider SLO County environmental community, including attending committee meetings, participating in public hearings, doing research, promoting petitions, and more. This is an opportunity for students to develop their skills while applying them to real local issues alongside local leaders.
‘Knowing that I’m involved in a serious political organization lends me a sense of legitimacy that I’ve never felt before, and I look forward to being actively involved in pursuing the club’s goals.’
—Callum Graham, Sierra Club student committee member
Our committee is very new, and as student leaders, we are excited to be at the helm of shaping what the future of the student committee looks like. One of the most important drivers is that we are excited to work together. Many of us have backgrounds in environmental education, and we know that the best work for the Earth does not come from just one person. Collective action is stronger and, frankly, more fun!
Callum Graham, a third-year member and one of the committee’s political liaisons, said, “For me, being in the Sierra Club is all about being part of something bigger than myself. Knowing that I’m involved in a serious political organization lends me a sense of legitimacy that I’ve never felt before, and I look forward to being actively involved in pursuing the club’s goals.” The collective passion in the club keeps its members supported and engaged with each other and the issues.
As students, we want to take the bull by its horns and create the world we want to see—the Sierra Club is aiding each of us in getting there. In many ways, fighting to protect people and the planet is a privilege, especially having the time and resources to dedicate ourselves to a cause that is bigger than any school, any community, and even any country. Together, the committee allows us to pursue what matters, real change to protect our Earth, and support each other in achieving it.
Sometimes it feels like the world is full of people who are disconnected or don’t care about what is happening here on Earth. We at the Sierra Club are here to collaborate on changing that tide, one student at a time.
If you or someone you know is a SLO County college student and would be interested in joining the SLO Sierra Club student committee, please reach out to learn more: sierraclub.org/santa-lucia/student-committee. ∆
Aviana Amaya is the student committee leader and Gianna Patchen is the chapter organizer for the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club. Write a response for publication by emailing it to letters@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in July 16-23, 2026.
