UOG GREEN
WE TAKE THE LEAD IN ISLAND By Sheena Jose SUSTAINABILITY Several years ago, I decided to pursue an internship to support University of Guam’s initiative to promote island sustainability. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, sustainability can be defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability for future generations to meet their needs.
So what does sustainability have to do with going green? Living a sustainable life means using products of nature in a way that will not permanently destroy them for future use. To ensure that our future generations will have all the necessities they need, we must discontinue damaging the environment or depleting natural resources at such a rapid rate. If we act sustainably by recycling and saving energy, we can begin to minimize the damage on the environment and conserve natural resources. UOG Green’s goal is to develop a sustainable campus environment that can serve as a model for our island and the region. Along with my fellow interns, I want to inspire the community to embrace sustainable practices. A big part of the UOG green internship involves reaching out and educating the community. The interns participate in numerous presentations to educate students of all ages about sustainable living. We presented in many classes
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at UOG and traveled around the island to present at various public schools, including Talofofo Elementary School, Inarajan Middle School, Simon Sanchez High School, John F. Kennedy High School, and more. During our presentations, we begin by educating students about what sustainability means and emphasize why sustainable practices are important for our island and future generations. From there, we help students learn how to develop sustainable practices and implement them at home, school, and work. We try to keep our presentations educational yet fun by allowing students to participate in various activities that involve recycling, composting, and conserving energy. Sometimes we have the students test miniature-sized solar cells by taking them outside in the sunlight to see how they function. Because these students are our future, it is my personal goal to inspire them to live sustainably and to save our planet and its resources for years to
come. Green interns also participate in outreach events held at the Westin Hotel Resort & Spa, Agana Shopping Center, Guam Premier Outlet, 5K runs and more. We always look for opportunities to spread awareness of sustainability. Another big part of the UOG Green internship is recycling on and off-campus. As a student of UOG, I care about the condition of our campus environment. I want to attend a school that is litter-free which is why the UOG Green interns and I work diligently to maintain campus cleanliness. Every Friday, the UOG Green interns do campus cleanups and recycle plastic bottles and aluminum cans. Every year, there are many fun filled community events, but unfortunately, these events generate so much waste and don’t incorporate recycling. The UOG Green interns attend these events to ensure that people are recycling properly. It is CONTINUED NEXT PAGE