Ella Sears- Spring 2020, Natural Resource Conservation

"The biggest factor in people not wanting to be sustainable is 1) they don’t think their actions matter in the grand scheme of things and 2) they think they will have to completely change their lifestyle. Neither of these are true obviously and being sustainable is shown both in your actions and your mental state! The hardest step is addressing the issue of climate change, the beef industry, deforestation etc.. the easy part is saying I can not eat meat for one day a week."

2017 Climate March in Amherst, MA

What kind of language/stereotypes prevent people from thinking of themselves as environmentalists?

"Stereotypes can be a deterrent for sure. Generally I think people see environmentalists as perfect vegetarians/vegans or people who only bike to work. Being an environmentalist is hard, and all of us are far from perfect. I still eat meat, drive my car, i don’t buy everything in reusable packaging because that is not feasible for my life. Being an environmentalist is often doing what you can and educating others to do what they can. You'll be posting loads of engaging content, so be sure to keep your blog organized with categories that also allow visitors to explore more of what interests them."

How can you apply sustainability in a creative way?

"A really cool way to apply sustainability in a creative way is to DIY some of your products! You can make homemade face/body scrubs, acne treatments, toothpaste, and tons more. Not to mention this is way better for your skin. My favorite way to be creatively sustainable is by thrift shopping."