Climate change and the impact humanity has on the world has been of interest to me for as long as I can remember. Even in elementary school most of my school projects that I got to choose the topic for were about the environment. In my home state of Colorado there are also prevalent issues with invasive species, and so learning about invasive species and what we can do has been a consistent part of my life. When I started middle school I joined my school’s Green Club where I got to learn more about sustainability and some simple changes that I could make at home to begin living more earth conscious.

In my daily life I try to buy reusable items when I can and do my best to properly sort anything that I can’t. I’m also passionate about energy efficiency and renewable energy so I try to be as aware of the energy that I’m using as I can. When I first came to Champlain and learned about the Eco-Reps and the work that they do I knew I wanted to be one. Since joining, even though I had a fair amount of knowledge about environmental topics beforehand, I have learned a lot about local and global environment issues and how to be more sustainable. My tips for someone just starting to get into sustainability is to check out local resources and education groups like the Eco-Reps, go to any events that you can and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Written by Holly Meissner, April 2023