Central Sustainability

Did you know that shopping at small businesses contributes to sustainability?

It's not just about supporting local economies; it's about investing in a more sustainable future. Every purchase from a small business is a vote for ethical production, community empowerment, and environmental consciousness.

Gardening is more than just growing plants; it's a hands-on lesson in sustainability. Our team member Jessica has been experimenting with gardening this summer. Did you know that this is what garlic looks like when it is grown?

Through gardening, we learn about the importance of nurturing our environment, conserving resources, and supporting biodiversity. Let's dig in and grow a greener future together! 🌿🌼

🌊 Happy World Ocean Day from Central Sustainability! Our oceans are vital to the health of our planet, providing us with oxygen, climate regulation, and a home for countless species.

Help protect the ocean by practicing sustainability!🌍💙

Happy Birthday Zoey!🥳

Zoey has been a Central Sustainability team member since Spring 2024, and she has helped out with many projects, including the recent Beaver Island Project! We hope you have a great day Zoey, thanks for all you do!

🌍 Celebrate World Environment Day with Central Sustainability! Let's unite in our efforts to protect and preserve our planet. Every action counts towards a greener, healthier future. 🌿💚 "

Happy National Trails Day!

Did you know that we have a lot of great trails in Mount Pleasant?

These are some of our favorites:

-Mill Pond Park
-Chipp-A-Waters Park
-Viet's Woods Park

Go check out these trails to celebrate National Trails Day!

This week, team members Jessica, Zoey, and Claire had an amazing opportunity to fly over to Beaver Island and participate in education, engaging with community partners, and brainstorming sustainable solutions for a unique issue: island waste management.

The team of three made a report on suggestions on how Beaver Island Community School can be more sustainable and reduce waste. The school flew the three of them on Island Airways to stay at CMU's Biological Station on the island. They gave presentations to classes about sustainability, interviewed students and staff, and organized activities to get students involved in learning about sustainability in unique ways.

They also stopped at the Transfer Station on Beaver Island, which is where they collect recycling on the island to sort, process, and package it for it to be taken back to the mainland for recycling. They used the information learned from this visit to make suggestions to the school on how to make the processes between them and the transfer station work smoothly and efficiently.

This was a great opportunity for our team, and thank you to Beaver Island Community School for your collaboration on this project!

Our team has been enjoying their time outside this summer, and we hope you are too!🌍🌱

Spending time outside allows us to have more appreciation for the earth we are trying to protect! It also allows us to get active and is great for mental and physical health.

What is your favorite way to spend time outside?

Did you know that Central Sustainability hosts sustainability walking tours each semester?

These walking tours are a great resource to learn all about how the many pillars of sustainability show up on our campus. Keep an eye out for fall tour dates and join us to learn more about environmental, cultural, social, financial, and other types of sustainability right here on CMU's campus! 🌱🌍

Did you know that all recycled materials in Mount Pleasant are sent to The Isabella County MRF?

All of these materials are hand-sorted by employees and separated into categories that allow them to be condensed and sold to companies to be reused. This allows for resources to have another life, and avoid lifetimes in the landfill.

Each county has different recycling rules and regulations, so be sure to become educated about what the rules are in your county of residence.

Today is Bike to Work Day!

By engaging in modes of motorless transportation, you can greatly reduce your carbon emissions. Try out motorless transportation today for Bike to Work Day!

A reminder that when you go on summer adventures, be conscious of how you are impacting the environment. This sign is a great reminder of how we can interact with green spaces positively!

Microtrash refers to tiny pieces of litter and debris that are often overlooked but can have a significant impact on the environment, especially wildlife. This includes things like cigarette butts, bottle caps, plastic fragments, and small pieces of paper or packaging. While individually small, when accumulated, microtrash can pose serious threats to ecosystems and the animals that inhabit them.

One major concern with microtrash is its ingestion by wildlife. Many animals, such as birds, fish, and marine mammals, mistake these small items for food. When ingested, microtrash can cause internal injuries, blockages in digestive systems, and even death. Additionally, some materials in microtrash can leach harmful chemicals into the environment, further endangering wildlife.

Microtrash also contributes to environmental pollution. These tiny particles can be carried by wind and water, spreading pollution across vast areas. They can also break down into smaller pieces over time, becoming microplastics that are even more challenging to remove and can enter the food chain, posing risks to human health as well.

Therefore, it's crucial to pick up microtrash and properly dispose of it. This helps protect wildlife, preserve ecosystems, and prevent further pollution of our environment. Individuals can make a significant difference by being mindful of their waste and participating in clean-up efforts in their communities.

On the recent Alternative Break, students participated in service that often involved the removal of microtrash in many locations such as Grand Canyon National Park. You can do your part by picking up any microtrash you may see throughout your day!

Team members Kelsey and Zoey are on an Central Michigan University Alternative Breaks trip this week in the Grand Canyon. They are participating in service and learning more about how sustainability is present in the national park. 🏜️📸🌎

Congratulations to our team member, Claire DeBlanc for graduating!

Claire graduated with honors with majors in environmental studies and political science, and a minor in environmental science. She has been such a valuable member of our CS team, launching projects such as the reusable cup incentive program, expanding the campus composting systems, co-coordinating the 2024 Hackathon Reimagined to be sustainability-focused, and passing legislation to restrict the usage of single-use items at campus events, and helped with regular programming.

She is most proud of "working with an incredible team to get more people involved in sustainability and increasing access to sustainability projects and programs within the campus community."

Claire plans to pursue her passions in sustainability through her role as a Sustainability Intern for Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.

Congratulations Claire, you will be so missed!

Congratulations to our recently graduated team member, Meghan VanDamme!

She graduated from Central Michigan University with a major in environmental engineering and a minor in leadership. While attending CMU, Meghan was involved in the Leadership Institute and many student organizations across campus. She has worked on many projects with Central Sustainability, including expanding the composting program on campus, planning the campus race to zero waste, creating a sustainability map for campus, and conducting purchasing audits for the University. She is most proud of helping create a community on campus that is more knowledgeable and caring about sustainability-related issues. She plans to work as an Environmental Engineer, and continue shifting perspectives and educating others about sustainability.

Congratulations Meghan, you will be missed!

Three of our team members have become graduates!

Thank you so much to Claire, Meghan, and Ava! Their hard work has streamlined many sustainable projects on campus, and their positive impact has made a lasting mark Central Michigan University.

As these students turn to graduates, they have exciting plans ahead. Congratulations to our graduates! Great things are ahead of you!

As the school year comes to an end, we want to celebrate all of the hard work that our team has done. The office of sustainability has been busy at work this year, and we can't wait to see you next semester!

Our team members Zoey and Jessica tabled at Dow High's Earth Action Expo yesterday! Thank you for having us!🌎♻

Yesterday, members of the Central Sustainability team attended the Diversity Gala! Thank you for inviting us, and for continuing to work toward a more inclusive and sustainable campus environment!🌎

Yesterday, members of Central Sustainability presented at CMU's Diversity Symposium! The Diversity Symposium is a chance to celebrate and make better known the research efforts conducted nationally, centered around equity, inclusion, belonging, and social justice. Thank you to the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for giving CS the opportunity to present!🌎

Thank you for celebrating Earth Month with us! We had a great time this month engaging with the campus community and celebrating our Earth through events and education!🌎♻☀

If you're interested in learning more about sustainability at CMU, contact [email protected] or visit Central Sustainability in Dow 275!

We had a great Earth Day, and we hope you did too!🌎

Britt Way and Laura Schmidt fostered great environments for learning about climate change at our events yesterday!

Happy Earth Day from the Central Sustainability team!🌍🌱

Join us in celebrating this wonderful day by attending our Earth Day events and following our Story Takeover .

Earth Day Events:

Plachta Auditorium Workshop with Britt Wray and Laura Schmidt @ 2 p.m. & Keynote Speaker Britt Wray: Coping with Climate Change, Panel to Follow @ 8 p.m.-Britt is an author and researcher working at the forefront of climate change and mental health. She is the Director of CIRCLE at Stanford Psychiatry, an initiative focused on Community-minded Interventions for Resilience, Climate Leadership and Emotional Wellbeing in Stanford's School of Medicine. Stop by these events to hear her speak.

We can't wait to see you there!

Check out our Story Takeover today on the page!

CORRECTION- The workshop event is at 2 p.m.

Join us for these events tomorrow, Earth Day, April 22!

Plachta Auditorium Workshop with Britt Wray and Laura Schmidt @ 2 p.m. & Keynote Speaker Britt Wray: Coping with Climate Change, Panel to Follow @ 8 p.m.-Britt is an author and researcher working at the forefront of climate change and mental health. She is the Director of CIRCLE at Stanford Psychiatry, an initiative focused on Community-minded Interventions for Resilience, Climate Leadership and Emotional Wellbeing in Stanford's School of Medicine. Stop by these events to hear her speak.

We can't wait to see you there!

We had a beautiful ceremony yesterday to raise the Peace Flag!

Thank you to all of our speakers, all who helped organize, and all who attended this annual event.

#

We had a great turnout last night for our speaker, Jim MacInnes!

Thank you for all of the support for this event, and be sure to mark your calendar for all of our Earth Month events!

Come join us for Central Michigan University's annual Peace Flag raising ceremony outside of Warriner Hall this Friday, April 19 from 1 to 2 p.m.!

CS members are speaking at this event, which is hosted by the Cora Di Brazzà Foundation. This event honors the work of
E.C. Warriner – the fourth President of CMU – and his dedication to
world peace.

The ceremony is an opportunity for participants to
discover CMU’s past relationship with the Peace Through Law
movement.