Alyssa Burd
Student Writer
Photo retrieved from messiah.edu
Have you ever noticed the little office tucked in the corner just outside the Falcon? This office is for Sustainability and, although it may look small, it’s definitely accomplishing big things on campus!
According to their website, the Messiah College Sustainability Office serves to “…foster a sense of place at home while standing in solidarity with the international community as [they] create an interdisciplinary network that learns from natural processes to inform our thinking and practices on campus in order to create a more ecologically viable, economically strong and socially just institution.”
In the simpler words of Alisha Stoner, a junior Sustainability intern, “The purpose of the office is to serve as a connection between the academic and operational side of sustainability”.
The office is primarily responsible for the “Put Waste in its Place” campaign, (which involves separating campus trash into organic, landfill, and recycling categories), as well as the annual Sustain-a-fest, farm stands, and the Grantham community garden in addition to the expansion garden located across the train tracks on campus.
Although the Grantham garden is currently winding down for the year, students will have the opportunity in the near future to come to the garden and fill a bag with produce at a small fee in order to avoid waste of produce.
Students can apply to be summer workers in the garden and sustainability majors will also have the opportunity to apply for internships through the office.
The primary goal of the Sustainability office for the fall semester is to inform and educate not only Messiah students, but the surrounding communities of the college as well. For instance, the workers would love to make individuals more aware of composting and the waste system on campus.
“So many students don’t know what actually goes into the composting and waste system. We would love to inform people of what happens after they throw stuff away” said Stoner.
In addition, Lyndsey Feather, the student sustainability coordinator, stated “Another goal for the office is to make the actual office space more welcoming for students to come in with questions or just to hang out. We’re going to have office hours where our door is open to anyone who wants to come in so we can have education and hospitality”.
More student involvement opportunities will be available throughout the year; for more information on activities, goals, and ways to get involved, visit the Sustainability office website or contact office workers and volunteers.