Environmental Advocacy Conference to highlight composting, sustainability strategies Feb. 1


sustainability

Recycle bins located in a Merrill Hall Residence Hall laundry room. 

The Central Michigan University Sustainability Coalition aims to inspire a culture of sustainability through on-campus collaborations and action with an Environmental Advocacy Conference Feb. 1. 

The conference will feature discussions on composting and student-led sustainability efforts Friday from 3-5 p.m. in the Biosciences Building, Room 1010. 

Last year, the first-ever conference hosted by the coalition, "Sustainability, CMU and You," attracted 45 attendees and participation from eight registered student organizations. 

Port Huron senior Chase Delor, one of the event's organizers and sustainability assistant for Facilities Management, is expecting further success with the conference. 

"I think our only real downfall was the fact that we planned it very quickly," Delor said. "It was a lot of rushing around and (we) weren't always quite sure how to organize it." The previous conference was brainstormed, organized and put on within only two months, he said

This year, the conference will be highlighting composting methods on campus and how individuals can become more involved in recycling efforts. 

Such strategies include the expanded use of a pizza box composting program in residential halls and Green Teams, where residents collect and organize recyclable items in their hall. 

Another main feature of the conference will be highlighting CMU's full-cycle partnership with Morgan's Composting. Representatives from the establishment will be providing a presentation.  

"All of our compost goes to them and then all of our soil additives come from them," Delor said, emphasizing any non-eaten foods from the dining halls are sent to be transitioned into elements used to improve and nurture the grounds on campus. 

Mason graduate student Samantha Fogle, co-founder of the coalition, said the event will hopefully serve as a device for bringing students and faculty together and become more aware of what's going on. 

"We want the entire community to know more about points of pride and really cool things our campus does to promote sustainability," Fogle said. "We also want people to leave wanting to talk about other issues and topics and feel welcomed to share them with the coalition." 

The organizations that will be presenting at the conference include: 

  • The Student Environmental Alliance 
  • Take Back the Tap 
  • Student Advocates for Vegetarianism and Veganism 
  • Community of Future Environmental Scientists 
  • Parks and Outdoor Recreation Coalition 

"I don't know about any other environmentally focused events like this," Delor said. "Certainly not ones that try to invite all of the groups involved in making things work on campus. I think just having all of the people in one room is probably the most special part about it." 

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Samantha Shriber is a staff reporter at Central Michigan Life and is a Saint Clair Shores ...

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