San Marcos City Council has commissioned the creation of a sustainability committee to protect San Marcos’ natural and created environments.
The committee will consist of three City Council members: Jocabed Marquez, Mark Rockeymoore and Lisa Prewitt. The committee will also consist of non-voting members who have yet to be selected. The committee will enforce and follow initiatives set forth by the sustainability plan. 
The executive summary of the plan states that chapters lay out opportunities in the following areas: Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases, Energy Efficiency and Renewables, Water Quality and Conservation, Land Use and Habitat Conservation, Green Purchasing, Budget and Finance, Education and Outreach, Workplace Safety and Wellness and Culture and Diversity.
The sustainability plan states it established the committee to implement programs and best management practices that protect the natural and built environment and enhance the quality of life in San Marcos.
Assistant City Manager Steve Parker said the committee will contribute to long-term sustainability practices within San Marcos.
“The City Council wanted to create a committee to look at a lot of different issues, maybe not even just with the city but how do we get the whole community involved in sustainability,” Parker said. “Whether it’s recycling or building standards it’s to ensure what’s the most overall way to be sustainable.”
Jocabed Marquez, voting member of the committee, said her goal is to bring in more organizations to work with the committee regarding sustainability.
“My big thing is to bring different stakeholders from the community including the university and university students. I think university students are very interested in this,” Marquez said. “My goal is to bring in those community organizations. My goal is to push our city to be the leader in sustainability.”
Marquez said she has already visited campus organizations and works with university administration.
“I have connections from work that I did at the university previously. I do have several students working with me on the San Marcos New Green Deal, so they will be able to spread the message.”
Robert Eby, sustainability coordinator for Texas State, said he has been authorized by university administration to work with the committee but has not been formally invited to the committee by City Council.
Eby said if he was invited and admitted to the committee, he would like to bring more renewable energy to the campus.
“One thing I would like is to get more renewable energy for campus. That’s a very tricky situation because there’s a lot of issues with implementing on site renewable energy,” said Eby. “I really do want to work with the city and represent the campus.”
The sustainability committee is still new, so it has not yet taken any serious initiatives. The committee is waiting for its next meeting to decide what actions they will plan to pursue.