Small actions can have a big impact.
That’s my takeaway from an energizing meeting with this summer’s undergraduate fellows in the Hanley Sustainability Institute, where their desks by the window overlook Fitz Hall’s rooftop solar arrays.
That’s both symbolic and intentional. These students, all rising sophomores, are living a more sustainable, less disposable, lifestyle — and encouraging students, faculty, and staff to take steps to reduce their carbon footprint and strive to live zero-waste lives, too.
For instance, during Spring Move-Out, Shannon Dennemann helped divert an astounding 14,571 pounds of unwanted household items to Goodwill, instead of the landfill. Shannon and other student volunteers collected and donated another 5,000 food, beverage, and cleaning and personal hygiene items to the Food 4 Flyers Pantry and the Summer Appalachia Program. They’re now eying starting a campus thrift store.
This summer Shannon, a sustainability major, is working with Shane Geiger, a mechanical engineering major, to analyze energy usage in the student houses and recommend ways to improve energy efficiency during renovations and upgrades. They’re also looking at the viability of transforming a student house into a LEED-certified one that will serve as a model for sustainable living.
Meanwhile, sustainability major Anne Majka is working with Dining Services to expand the use of the Go Green reusable containers through increased promotion and education. As a vegetarian, she is also passionate about increasing the accessibility of plant-based menu options to all students on campus. At the same time, Lia Schmidt, a sustainability major, is running a pilot on the best layout and design of waste rooms in residence halls to increase recycling. She is working closely with Jack Wardzala, a graphic design major, on clear signage that will encourage greater use.
These efforts are just the tip of the iceberg.
Under the leadership of HSI Executive Director Don Pair and guided by staff mentors Cassie Austin and Sarah Richard, the sustainability fellows are teaming with other students and faculty on an array of initiatives — from helping UD Arena develop a plan to recycle much of the waste it sends to landfills to recovering more than 6,600 pounds of food waste from campus dining and catering events for donations to places like St. Vincent de Paul and UD’s food pantry. In collaboration with campus partners, they regularly bring volunteers out to our campus garden, educate students about nutrition and sustainability at the fall Flyer Farmers Market, and have an increasing number of student sign ups for the student neighborhood compost program. They’re also auditing labs for waste, educating students about plant-based diets, and reducing plastic and other waste across campus.
For years, students have encouraged the administration to bring carbon-free power to the entire campus. They were excited and proud that by the end of next year, through a pioneering partnership, we will reduce our carbon footprint overnight by 71%.
How are these students making such a profound impact? Changing habits starts with education and advocacy. Last year alone they reached over 1,000 of their peers through Flyers Go Green presentations, and they piloted a Green Office program that rewards offices for sustainable practices.
For these students, sustainability is not an elective class. It’s part of their life’s mission.