April 6, 2015
DeKeveion Glaspie
[email protected]
The Office of Sustainability will hold its third annual Sustainnovation on April 10 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Berger Hall.
This year’s theme is climate disruption, and the keynote speakers addressing students and the community will be James White, professor of geological sciences at CU-Boulder and Jenifer Cross, assistant professor in the department of sociology at Colorado State University.
The main focus will be how people can change their behavior to influence sustainability. There will be a faculty and student panel, faculty round table and research poster contest in addition to the keynote speakers.
“We continue to have more people participating and more interest from the community,” said Kevin Gilford, assistant director of the Office of Sustainability. “Changing topics every year helps expand the number of attendees.”
Along with the many other sub-events, students will have the opportunity to pursue internships within the sustainability field.
“We will have more community organizations that are looking for interns,” said Linda Kogan, director of the Office of Sustainability in an email.
“It is now a two-day event with a student summit to kick off the event,” she said. “There will also be opportunities to sign up to be part of a solar farm. This year we have a tour of the greenhouse and the new sustainability house.”
Kogan shared how students can utilize this event in their everyday lives.
“Our strategy for Sustainnovation is always learn, connect, act and that is how we design the event. We provide learning opportunities from the presentations, the booths and the posters. We provide connecting opportunities through networking, meeting people at your tables for lunch,” she said.
“What is also provided is the opportunity to act by providing concrete actions and organizations that students can get involved with.”
For those who are interested in the sustainability, Kogan explained the connection with other like-minded people is the most empowering part of the event.
Gilford mentioned a local organization website called 350.org. Students can learn how to engage climate change issues in their everyday lives and how to encourage others.
On April 9, a student summit to kick off Sustainnovation will start at 5:30 p.m. followed by a presentation from author Winona LaDuke at 7 p.m. The student summit will be in UC 302 and LaDuke will speak in Berger Hall.