Hey Cyclones!
The beginning of this semester has been very exciting for us as the new Live Green! Campus and Community Engagement Interns! As we work to plan the events that will take place this year, we have been greatly inspired by the excitement toward sustainability initiatives around campus, and in the Ames community. We are so incredibly proud to share with you what has taken place this semester already, as well as what we have in store for the rest of the year!
We would like to first introduce ourselves as the new Campus and Community Engagement Team for the 2023-2024 school year:
My name is Grayson Adickes, and I am a senior studying Environmental Science. I joined the Live Green! team because I wanted to get more involved in sustainability projects, and I saw how much it was making a difference at ISU. Promoting sustainable practices is very important to me, not only to show how capable students are at creating change, but also as a community. Being on this team has encouraged me and has highlighted the importance of every individual action toward elevating sustainable practices. I’ll do my best to make sure everyone feels they have a place and a role in our plans to drive a sustainable future.
My name is Saumya Balaji, and I’m a sophomore majoring in Environmental Science and Global Resource Systems. I was interested in working at Live Green! because they prioritize the incorporation of student voices in so many of the sustainable initiatives. Being a member of the Campus and Community Engagement Team has given me the wonderful opportunity to interact with the Iowa State University campus and Ames community to promote sustainability in the world around me! So far, the highlight of my internship has been planning our first event, Campus Sustainability Month Celebration, which came together really well! I am really looking forward to the rest of my year with Live Green!
Every October, Iowa State University, along with other colleges and universities around the world, celebrate campus sustainability as a part of the greater Campus Sustainability Month (CSM), implemented by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). CSM celebrates, promotes and educates students about sustainability both on their campuses and in their communities. Visit the AASHE website to learn more about this international campaign and AASHE’s many initiatives supporting sustainability.
This year, the Live Green! Team and Office of Sustainability hosted the 13th annual Campus Sustainability Month Celebration on October 23, 2023, on the South Library Lawn. Campus and community organizations united together to promote a sustainable future for ISU. More than 350 students, faculty and staff participated in Campus Sustainability Month Celebration and were able to talk with a diversity of social, economic and environmental organizations about their initiatives, upcoming events, volunteer opportunities and how they were making a contribution to building a sustainable future.
Attendees each had the opportunity to win sustainability-minded prizes by completing a prize card, which could be filled out by interacting with organizations and by completing sustainable activities. Participants were especially excited about the opportunity to win infuser water bottles, compostable sponges, metal sporks, mini sewing kits and reusable insulated coffee mugs. Hot tea and locally-sourced apple cider was provided by ISU Catering and available to those who brought (or earned) a reusable mug. In addition, 88.5 KURE, Iowa State’s student-run radio station, provided lively tunes for the event. The Campus Sustainability Month Celebration was further supported by a generous donation from HyVee, furthering both engagement and excitement about campus sustainability. Finally, ISU Recreation Services provided free bike tune-ups.
It was so exciting to see the many people who were interested in learning about the sustainability practices that are taking place across campus and the Ames community. It was also very impressive to see how many groups both on-campus and throughout the community were adopting sustainability goals and implementing sustainable projects and initiatives. We all had an opportunity to come together, learn from each other and make a difference.
The 2023 Campus Sustainability Month Celebration could not have been made possible without the many student organizations and businesses who dedicated their time to share their efforts with the Iowa State campus community. If you would like to learn more about these organizations, please visit their website at the following links:
Additionally, we would like to extend our appreciation to the many campus and community partners who helped with logistics, materials and promotions:
ISU Central Stores, Copyworks, Iowa State University Event Management Office, Iowa State University Facilities Planning and Management, and Iowa State University Parking Division.
With our first event of the semester completed, we are already looking forward to Sustainapalooza February 27, 5-8 p.m., in the Memorial Union Great Hall. Save the Date!
Campus and community sustainability-related organizations will have the opportunity to showcase their work and connect with students, faculty and staff in a multi-faceted way. As well as sustainability networking, participants will be able to take part in a variety of Green-It-Yourself centers, enjoy local ingredient/locally-sourced refreshments and engage in a clothing swap.
If you are interested in being on the Planning Committee or volunteering at the event, please reach out to us – Grayson Adickes gadickes@iastate.edu or Saumya Balaji sbalaji@iastate.edu. We look forward to working together!
Live Green! 