The Wonders of Waste: Saying Goodbye To My Time As Waste Reduction Coordinator

As the semester wraps up and my time as the Waste Reduction Coordinator at Sustainable Campus (SC) comes to a close, I wish to share my final parting thoughts and reminisce about the time I’ve spent in this position.

I was introduced to the G4 (Garnet and Gold Goes Green) Program in my freshman year, Fall of 2023. I was bright-eyed and eager to explore all that campus had to offer, so, on top of G4, I was an avid participant in many other programs that both FSU and SC had to offer, such as volunteering at the Seminole Organic Garden, being a part of the Eco-Reps cohort, renting a bike through the reCycle bike program, and more. 

I took my first steps in the G4 program as both a volunteer and a G4 Ambassador under Carly McGovern, the previous Waste Reduction Coordinator, who would soon become a good friend of mine. I had applied to be a G4 Ambassador under her in fall 2023, and through this program, I cultivated my leadership style and became highly versed in the vast realm of sustainability.

Through her passion and love for sustainability, Carly taught me and the other Ambassadors what it meant to serve a greater purpose. Yes, the days could be hot, grueling, and long, but we would show up to recycle nonetheless for the greater sake of our planet. As I learned more about sustainability, I learned just how little we recycle in the world overall, and it was quite dampening to hear the state of recycling globally. However, Carly showed me that, although recycling may be low, it was much better than nothing, and that we also had the other two Rs that held greater importance in our journey to waste minimization: reduce and reuse.

I was encouraged by Carly to apply as Waste Reduction Coordinator as the Spring semester of 2024 was coming to a close. At first, I was apprehensive and nervous about stepping into a position of leadership after having only been at college for a year. However, encouraged by her, I applied, and soon, to my absolute surprise, I was notified that I had gotten the job!!

From learning how to lead tailgate recycling events, recycling at basketball games, scheduling and leading lake clean-ups, scheduling collaborations with community leaders, and more, this job opened my horizons in ways I never knew possible. I grew in all facets of myself. I wrote better emails, managed my time more efficiently, created new programs for students, learned how to take criticism and integrate that into bettering my program, and overall grew as a person. I would not be who I am today were it not for my time at Sustainable Campus.

Although I am leaving this role now, I will remain at Sustainable Campus as a volunteer for the rest of my time here at FSU due to the wonderful friendships I have made. I am so excited to see what the future has in store with the new skill sets I have as a result of my time as the Waste Reduction Coordinator, and I cannot wait to share them with the world. 

A big thank you to Alexa Anderton and Holly Smith for taking a chance with me to be their Waste Reduction Coordinator. An equally big thank you to all of my co-workers for being such amazing human beings. I am so grateful to know you and call you my friends. The future is bright for you all, and I hope to be there every step of the way.