Hi! I’m Sam and I’ve been interested in sustainability since I was little. In grade school, they taught us simple ways to help the earth like proper recycling. Since these were things that I did on my own, it made me believe that I CAN make a difference. My interest grew as I got older and went to summer camp surrounded by nature, teaching us to appreciate everything it gives us! Now I’m passionate about sustainable practices and am looking into more ways to make a difference, with the sustainability certificate being a great opportunity to start to do so!

What is your personal definition of sustainability?

To me, sustainability is the ongoing effort to create/make/do things that will foster a future for tomorrow. This can include being environmentally conscious, for example only using what you need, recycling, using clean energy, etc. to preserve resources and reduce pollution so the earth is in a good state for the next generation to thrive. This can also include however, building/creating new things properly and carefully that are meant to last a long time, for example when making a business decision, really thinking through the short and long term as well as potential issues to ensure its longevity.

What role do you see sustainability playing in your professional career?

In my professional career, I plan to use sustainability (specifically my second example from above) in every decision I make. It is always important to consider the long-term effects of decisions, plans, etc, to make the best decisions that will move a company forward. On the more eco-conscious side, I see myself in a position in the future with ESG initiatives at the forefront. I believe that this field is more than just PR for a company and something that more companies should internalize and root their business model and plans in. I think that without doing so, the ESG initiatives are less impactful and more of a short-term fix for problems. I think that a lot of companies right now will partake in sustainability practices as a form of CSR initiatives to make customers choose them, however, I would like to help move a company forward and grow with their customers increasing demand for companies to be socially responsible by implementing such initiatives that employees really care about and want to partake in because of their genuine interest, concern, and initiative, not because of their want for the company to grow its customer base and profit.

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?

I have not taken part in any specific sustainability projects; however, my past jobs have involved children, which will be the next generation and will experience the effects of today's current initiatives. I have worked at a summer camp since 2019, where it is virtually all outside, so we endorse being kind to the land and promote the importance of the outdoors. These young children can develop an appreciation and gain environmental knowledge that will carry with them through their lives and help drive their want to partake in sustainability. Although this is not specifically a sustainability initiative, looking back at my definition of sustainability, this is fostering a future for tomorrow. Everyone says that kids are the future and are counting on them to build their future. Although we also need to be accountable and take our own actions, I believe that working at my summer camp and helping these kids see the importance of the outdoors and the earth is also important, especially when they are growing up in a technological age, this outdoor experience will help kids see the urgency of sustainable practices and help motivate them to move forward thinking about the impact of their actions.