The word “sustainability” refers to how a process or group can be remain functioning at a certain rate or level, forever. Resources and energy are reinvested in future projects, further ensuring the livelihood of the group. This is something Sustainability Council strives to achieve in everything we do, but the lack of a constant presence in the Organization threatens the monumental progress made over the last 3 years.
Sustainability Council is one of the fastest growing Organizations on campus, with ~30 active members, 1000+ social media followers, and numerous events throughout the year. Our Garage Sale at the beginning of the year saved over 1000 pounds of waste from entering the landfill, while providing inexpensive essentials to students and faculty alike. The new Choose to Reuse program with Sodexo continues to grow, with close to 50% of meal plan participating students actively using the reusable containers. The first ever Westslope Climate Rally drew over 300 students, faculty, and community members to demand swift and decisive climate action from community leaders. This event was a part of the Global Day of Action, during which over 4 million young people across the globe rallied for change.
All of this was accomplished through the action of an incredibly motivated and dedicated group of students. Our progress over the last 3 years has put the Organization into position to reach the next level, from which falling is impossible.
Every successful University has a program dedicated to promoting sustainable practices, and not only because of the positive image boost. The enormous “brain –drain” created by an ever shifting Executive Team and member base in Sustainability Council is the direct cause of the high and low pattern, and a Sustainability Coordinator, armed with a repository of knowledge
essential to the Council would put a stop to the cycle. As our climate changes, and students look for universities to attend, environmental acumen is increasingly becoming a more significant piece of the decision making process. Hiring a Sustainability Coordinator would broaden the appeal of CMU to an even larger group of students, helping to increase the diversity of ideas, cultures, and backgrounds represented by CMU. Not only would the position increase appeal, but the economic benefits are numerous. Environmentally friendly initiatives can, and do, go hand in hand with fiscal responsibility. Decreased energy and water use saves money, reduced waste cuts hauling costs, and the rapidly falling costs of renewable energy provides an even bigger inventive to go green.
Hiring a Sustainability Coordinator is the next logical step in our campus’ evolution, and will provide the base for sustainable expansion of the University into the future. It will be good for the University, good for students, and good for the community, so what’s holding us back?
Signed,
Ian Thomas
