Come Check out our Sustainability Cafe Meetings
Interested in great food, great speakers, and great conversation? Check out the Sustainability Caf茅, hosted once a month at the Freedom Caf茅 by faculty, staff and students of the Sustainability Institute. Focusing on connecting students and faculty of all backgrounds, the caf茅s offer a chance to hear from speakers on sustainability related topics, and enjoy informal discussions and connect with people interested in sustainability.
This week, I attended the February caf茅 with the topic 鈥淭rash Talk - Ethics of Waste鈥 with Alex Freid of Post Landfill Action Network. Alex spoke on some of the issues facing the waste industry, such as the ability to make zero waste accessible. He asked a great question: 鈥淚f we have a receptacle for trash everywhere we turn, how can we develop an economy and world where accessibility and convenience are sustainable?鈥 Students were invited to discuss their ideas following the conversation.
Alexandra Vergara, a student intern at the Sustainability Institute was also part of the speaker panel. She shared her personal challenges with feeling the need to do more for sustainability but feeling like it was hopeless in light of external factors. Alexandra talked about her realization that systems are made up of people, and that鈥檚 where change happens. Watching students collaborate afterward demonstrated her point.
The Caf茅 series will continue next month, featuring Dr. Cameron Wake and Larry Hamilton on climate. Students are invited to drop by to join the discussion and share their thoughts 鈥 and enjoy free fair trade tea, coffee and snacks.
