Students Using Sustainability for Teaching And Innovation (SUSTAIN) is a new club on campus that aims to increase awareness of humanity’s affect on the environment among Jewell students as well as to provide solutions to some of these issues on campus and beyond.
The club was started by Ayana Curran-Howes, junior and biology major, who noticed the lack of awareness and resources needed to attain a sustainable and environmentally-friendly campus.
“I have long been an environmental activist myself and have been dissatisfied with current recycling practices on campus and the lack of interdisciplinary action between departments for a cause that concerns all of us,” Curran-Howes said.
Future plans for the club include fundraising for the addition of solar panels on campus, creating a Monarch Butterfly garden to help their diminished populace and planting and growing food in the school’s garden directly off campus.
For students who would like to live a more sustainable lifestyle, Curran-Howes has a few tips.
“Recycle your Starbucks cups. Get a two-bin system going and recycle in your own room. Purchase a reusable water bottle. Be conscientious of your water usage: limit your showers to 10 minutes, make sure the faucet is off before you leave and never leave it on when you are brushing your teeth,” Curran-Howes said.
As well as conservation strategies, SUSTAIN holds events for their members, such as tending to the school’s garden and cleaning up areas of the community. Their most recent group project was taking an afternoon to clean the Missouri River area.
“Project Blue River Rescue was a great way for our new group to help out the local community and getting to know other members. SUSTAIN is not just for STEM students, it is for anyone who wants to make a more efficient community at Jewell and in the greater Kansas City area,” said Johanna Alpert, sophomore and biology major and current member for SUSTAIN.
Curran-Howes assures that the time commitment needed to participate in the club is low. She plans on holding meetings once a month, where members will snack on food and discuss ideas or upcoming events. Students can “like” SUSTAIN’s page on Facebook for information on the dates for these meetings, or email howesa@william.jewell.edu for any further information about the club.