FOOD
At UNE, one major bioregional asset is being situated at the mouth of the Saco River. Here we have access to both salt and spring water. This also means that we have a variety of marine ecosystems near us, from freshwater, to estuary, to ocean. In addition to our aquatic ecosystems, UNE also owns 363-acres of forested upland and wetland. This plot of land is home to many vernal pools – which are vital areas of habitat for wood frogs and spotted salamanders. Pieces of this land are under conservation easements, so they will always be protected for their ecological significance. Having this forest so close to campus provides great habitats for research and it is just another place student’s can explore. Another bioregional asset of UNE is the school size, which creates a tight-knit community.
Over the past 24 hours, almost all of the plant-based foods I’ve eaten at the dining hall have been whole foods. I think this is the case because I tend to pick out whole foods rather than processed foods. I’ve eaten whole broccoli, apples, bananas and cauliflower but I’ve also eaten tomato soup, and a wrap in a spinach tortilla. For the most part, I think UNE does serve plenty of whole foods. Personally, the whole foods are what I tend to eat in the dining hall, like cooked veggies, rice, and potatoes. However, the school does not provide students with any information about nutritional values, except for the occasional calorie count.
Both this academic year and this year, the dining providers have had several ethnic food lunches or dinners. I am also aware that UNE switched food providers between the 2018-19 and 2019-2020 academic years. The switch from Sodexo to Parkhurst was driven by students, especially those in the Student Affairs office who created a dining hall committee. This committee had a wide variety of students and faculty. There were students representing undergrad and graduate students, UNE President Herbert, members of his board, and athletic coaches. The significant concerns were about the quality of the food – from taste to nutritional value. This is an example of how small campuses can benefit the student body. Since student’s voiced their concern, and faulty listened, an important change was made. UNE and Parkhurst insist that all food is made from scratch, and they focus on seasonal items that are consciously sourced. They also focus on sustainable seafood (which is not a big part of our cuisine on campus, following the Monterey Bay Seafood guidelines) and also making sure at least 20% of the food is purchased locally. One of my roommates was on the dining hall committee last year, and she said there was no discussion about growing more food on campus besides what we already have. The living green wall in the Ripich Commons is a great idea, but UNE could also increase their efforts. The living wall provides kale, swiss chard, basil, oregano, and more. It is a great start, but it’s time to start thinking of other categories of food that can be grown locally. If UNE takes these extra steps, the sustainability of our food can increase and our carbon footprint will as well. Buying locally grown food will significantly decrease the transportation required for food; cutting costs and emissions. Thomashow stated that setting, climate, or endowment does not necessarily matter when it comes to growing food on campus (Thomashow, 44). I believe that UNE can implement more food-growing initiatives, especially if they really want to do as they say. I do like the saying “Innovation for a Healthier Planet”, but I would like it even more if our school took that motto seriously.
Some of humanity’s best lessons about sustainability come from learning more about our food sources (Thomashow, 47). There is a lot of time and energy spent growing and/or producing the food that ends up on our plates. Many of us do not stop and think about where or how our meals were sourced before we eat them. I think if you take the time to really think about this big aspect of your lift, your views may shift radically. This chapter left me wondering how humans have become so disconnected with the organisms they eat. When did this start? Was it after the rise in industrial agriculture? Is there any going back?
WELLNESS
Throughout this chapter, Thomashow’s main point is that “the future of humanity and the biosphere share a common destiny”, so personal well-being is also connected to the well-being of the planet (Thomashow, 126). From reading Thomashow’s chapter on wellness, I believe the primary link between wellness and sustainability is the search for a good life. This is because the health of our ecosystems, directly and indirectly, affects the health of individuals. When humans are not aware of ecosystem processes and continuously keep piling human waste in ecosystem sinks, these same sinks can no longer serve human needs. This is what Thomashow is trying to demonstrate when he talks about how ecosystem processes and human flourishing are connected through a “reciprocal, co-evolutionary relationship” (Thomashow, 126).
“Many of the most effective sustainability initiatives emphasize the convergence between ecosystem health and daily life practice” (Thomashow, 133). Although it might not be obvious, campus wellness can be directly tied to involvement in sustainability issues. For example, while making sure that a dining hall provider is supplying nutritious foods, one may also look to make sure that the school is aware of where the food is coming from, how it’s grown, and how it’s distributed. This immediately made me think of our switch to Parkhurst, and I am curious how much this has impacted students’ well-being. When students are comparing this year’s Parkhurst to last year’s Sodexo, switching Parkhurst was definitely the right decision.
One point that I failed to consider was how cultural diversity can benefit the well-being of a campus. By accepting and integrating students from other counties, students need to become open, tolerant, and respectful to each other, and subsequently, they open themselves up to new cultural experiences (Thomashow, 136). The same can be said when colleges integrate their local species into their campus life. By learning more about the local flora and fauna, students will quickly come to learn that their campus community includes more than just people. I also believe that when people learn more about the ecosystems around them, they will practice more stewardship to the land around campus. This could be anything from restoring damaged habitats, engaging in community conservation, or just going out to enjoy the surrounding landscape.
I think simplicity is an important component of both sustainability and wellness. However, thinking of simplicity alone may hinder sustainability action. Often people tasked with sustainability issues at universities are being pulled in all different directions, making it difficult to maintain and balanced work life. This is because sustainability staff seems to have a never-ending list of tasks, which are all urgent and demanding. Even with all the demanding work, sustainability has the same associated values like cutting consumption, uncluttered living, civic virtue, and more. I think to maintain personal wellness, simplicity is key. However, how people choose to balance their lift is a personal decision, and there is no perfect way for someone to do this.
I think that if you are studying or working in the sustainability sector, people are always going to hold you accountable for your actions (as you should hold yourself accountable, too). As Thomashow stated, people are going to scrutinize everything you do or say – especially if you are an advocate for sustainable living (Thomashow, 144). However, I recognize that no one is perfect. With knowledge of how to live sustainably, I think it’s important to be a role model for the rest of the world. On the other hand, I think it’s unfair to expect sustainability role models to live a totally sustainable life – there are just some things that are out of your control. For example, if you are someone who preaches sustainability to others, you should not be at fault for slip-ups or factors that are unmanageable, like driving to work or buying a snack wrapped in plastic when you are on the go. I do believe that we all have the responsibility to act in a sustainable manner at all times, and maybe sustainability role models have more responsibility than others.
CURRICULUM
Before reading this chapter by Thomashow, it had never crossed my mind that a college or university could have too many majors. However, this made sense once Thomashow went on to explain how Unity College once had more majors than faculty members, with little distinction between them (Thomashow, 150). After revising Unity’s curriculum, Thomashow was able to provide the school with 18 well-defined majors. A college’s curriculum reflects the institution’s most important values and can affect how students understand, internalize, and practice sustainability ethos.
I believe Thomashow is right: you need sustainability co-curriculars to really make sustainability a central theme at a school. A curriculum that requires and focuses on sustainability is great, but it’s also important to have sustainability initiatives out of the classroom that are integrated into daily life (Thomashow, 151). Sustainability initiatives are more suitable for students to participate in if their major is not related to sustainability. This is an important point because students will be less inclined to take a sustainability class that will not count towards their degree.
At UNE, I think that some sustainability efforts may go unnoticed or do not make an impact on the entire student body. For example, I know each student has the ability to sign up to use the compost bin, but not everyone does. Consistently, I notice the same people participating in these sustainability initiatives, many of whom also focus on sustainability in their chosen areas of study. As we are increasingly faced with climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, every graduate needs to be knowledgeable about how to cope with these challenges, no matter their major.
Learning by doing is an important factor in all areas of study, especially sustainability. This is because the sustainability ethos requires life skills, which are best incorporated by hands-on experience. One important point that Thomashow made was that it is essentially meaningless if you are being taught about energy efficiency at an energy-inefficient school, or if you are discussing food distribution systems at a school that does not have locally-grown food (Thomashow, 162). For most college students, they are leaving home for the first time and becoming who they want to be – including how they want to live their lives. During this age, people are figuring out the routines that will follow them throughout their lives, so it’s important to be in a place that practices sustainability. By thinking of a campus as a “design studio” for sustainability, students can become much more involved by creating a campus-wide dialogue.
Thomashow pointed out that all campus planning processes should involve students. He also pointed out that the best way for a community to learn about sustainability is to design building layouts and the landscapes that they will be living and learning in. I know of many school-wide decisions that have involved a community of students, but I wonder if UNE involved student’s when designing our newest buildings, like the Ripich Commons, Featherman Hall, and the Forum. These three buildings are where a lot of students spend their time, so I am curious about what sustainability ethos were in mind during the designing and construction processes.
