Not a buzzword, sustainability means change and community

I arrived at Stevens almost accidentally. On a whim, I attended an open house, took the GRE, and applied. I was astounded when I got the acceptance letter… then even more so to find myself in Hoboken just two months later. The process has made me feel like both a student and backdoor investigator but also provided a 360-degree perspective.

Since arriving, I’ve noticed that Stevens has various unique challenges. Graduate students lack resources, for instance, in housing and mental counseling. Inclusion and diversity, as well as politics, seem to run through many Stute articles. Physical space is limited, finishing construction projects is tough, and many departments are understaffed. I believe the biggest issue, however, is our lack of community. We’re disconnected.

There are undergraduate students. Graduate students. Staff. Then… you get the point. Each group doesn’t understand the others’ experiences. That’s unacceptable.

When I started designing the Stevens Sustainability Coalition’s (SSC) concept with my two cofounders, we had so many ideas. Our primary focus involved improving communication between groups so that they would develop, refine, and implement sustainability goals. The concept has blossomed and become much more.

Many would consider sustainability a catchall buzzword. Reparations! Minimum wage! Climate justice now! All of these would fall under “sustainability”: We need to maintain and improve today’s needs without compromising our future. Such a… buzzword.

After seeing each’s experiences and shared challenges, I realized what sustainability means for us. Sustainability is a force for change — a movement, even. When we work together, we create the Stevens Community. No more “life-as-usual” but rather “a new, better way of living,” under the auspice of “culture of sustainability.”

The SSC is your outlet and centre for change and community. Together, we will decrease food waste; get more underrepresented voices heard and included on-campus; improve our sustainability purchasing standards; treat Stevens’ acres of land as better environmental stewards. More importantly, we will carry out Stevens’ mission as the founders intended: Per Aspera Ad Astra — Through Adversity to the Stars.

Each Jewish New Year, we apologize for our sins and vow to be the best version of ourselves. Join me at the SSC’s first incubation event on Wednesday, October 16 at 6:30 p.m. in Fielding Room. Be challenged to identify causes behind food waste and deliver a concept on food recovery with others that won’t accept “life-as-usual.”

Are you ready to join the movement and change Stevens to the Stevens Community?

Alex Dubro is lead co-facilitator of the Stevens Sustainability Coalition (SSC), a network of involved, knowledgeable individuals actualizing sustainability and creating a culture of sustainability that will yield positive change. Contact him at ssc.sustain@gmail.com.