March 7, 2016

By Jasmin Hampton

Junior Rachel Haggard understands the importance of preserving the environment.

“The environment affects everyone,” Haggard said. “We are a part of an ecosystem. Sustainability practices allow future generations to live in a way that is economically profitable and socially beneficial to a community atmosphere.”

Haggard, a member of the Environmental Leadership Office event staff, is part of the team organizing the Sustainability Symposium, which takes place 6–8 p.m. March 15 in Leadership Auditorium.

In past symposiums, ELO ambassadors have presented on topics like pet sustainability and soil conservation practices to show how broad sustainability can be.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, sustainability is the way “to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.” Though sustainability involves the environment, it also includes the economy and people groups.

“It is so much more than recycling,” ELO advisor Amy Eultgen said. “We are stewards to the environment, meaning we work in sync with what’s happening around us.”

The main goal of this semester’s symposium is getting students to think about their role in the environment. For the first time, the ELO is involving other organizations in the symposium, specifically Sustain Mizzou and Mizzou Energy Action Coalition.

“I think the fact that students are seeing their peers being interested, passionate and educated on this topic is really important,” Eultgen said.

Because many of the student presenters come from different majors, Eultgen and Haggard hope that students will learn from the different perspectives and understand the environment’s deep connection to many aspects of life.

“It’s motivating if you’re surrounded by people who want to make change and to educate people about sustainability topics,” Haggard said. “Educating and discussions are how you make change happen.”

_Edited by Waverly Colville | wcolville@themaneater.com_