SAN DIEGO– The San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) has passed a resolution to be fossil fuel free. Several climate groups, students, parents and alumni came to the school board meeting to voice their support Tuesday.

With the resolution passed, the district can get to work on making schools more sustainable.

“This is our future, this is our community and we know we have to act now,” said one district high school student.

SDUSD is going fossil fuel-free and electrifying everything.

“I’m glad they are showing leadership, I’m glad they are taking a step forward,” said Peter Sloan, Campaign Coordinator with San Diego 350 Climate Action.

The district will phase out fossil fuels by electrifying all district infrastructure, including buildings, maintenance vehicles and bus fleets. Plus, all new buildings will be powered by 100% electric energy.

Starting in 2024, campuses will have new electric car charges. The district also has a goal to achieve net-zero energy districtwide by 2035.

Click here to view SDUSD fossil fuel resolution.

“These technologies reduce air pollution and with this resolution SDUSD is taking a crucial step to protect students both from asthma now and from climate catastrophe in the near future. School should prepare us for our future, not endanger it,” said one district high school student.

“The elimination of fossil fuels from our school building and diesel fuel from our buses is essential in improving the overall climate of our community,” said another district high school student.

FOX 5 asked Sloan what kind of benefit the school district will have with these goals in place.

“When we talk about climate action, we are talking every single institute in our society changing the way they use energy to get off fossil fuels. Every part of society needs to be doing its part right now to decarbonize, to stop using fossil fuels,” Sloan answered.

Several students and climate activist groups said they want to see a closer deadline to becoming fossil fuel free.

Click here to view the petition from San Diego 350 on the call for SDUSD to become fossil fuel free.

“Personally I would love to see the target be 2030 rather than 2035. I hope the school board over the next few years updates the timeline to be more ambitious,” Sloan said.

Part of the resolution will develop a curriculum for students to learn about and prepare for future pathways in electrification and clean energy fields.