Distinct environmental clubs echo a similar message of unity in the fight against climate change.
Despite differences in their approach to solving the climate crisis, the Environmental Students Association (ESA), Campus Cleanup Crew and the Energy and Environmental Policy Club all advocate for the need to work together against the climate crisis.
ESA focuses on education, holding weekly meetings where they bring in experts, set up pop-up thrift shops and occasionally build terrariums.
Vice President Riley Wenger said the group focuses on bringing people together from all majors and backgrounds.
“Sustainability is not something that is too complicated,” Wenger said.” It’s really open for anyone.”
ESA president Samantha Liu said the group’s meeting structure emphasizes building community. ESA makes it a point to collaborate with other clubs on campus, notably Net Impact, Respectacle, Students for Climate Justice and the Minnesota International Student Association.
“They do a really good job of tying into current events… and they do a great job of gathering in a more diverse student group,” Liu said.
Their reach also extends into the community. Their most recent meeting featured Tare Market, a zero-waste refill shop with a location in Como where environmentally-friendly food and supplies are sold.
In Dinkytown, Campus Cleanup Crew might also be seen sorting through trash along the sidewalks.
Campus Cleanup Crew has three meetings each semester, meeting at The Knoll, a park located outside Peik Hall.
“From there, we organize materials, go out and pick up garbage. [The club members] will come back and we’ll provide food for them,” Nz Gorham, the group’s president, said.
Gorham emphasized his hope for growth in club involvement in the future.
Campus Cleanup Crew has also collaborated with Project Dinkytown, a University student-led nonprofit active in Dinkytown, cleaning up trash each week.
Across the Mississippi River, the Energy and Environmental Policy Club provides a space for Master’s students studying science, technology and environmental policy to interact with each other and professionals in their industry. The group is primarily composed of students from the Humphrey School’s MS-STEP program and partners often with the law school for events.
The club meets every other week, often over coffee in Humphrey Hall.
This program prepares students to solve issues that shape human well-being, environmental sustainability and social justice in our world. Recognizing the complexity of these issues, the club’s vice president, Peter Miller, said he invites other student groups to join them in finding solutions to these problems.
“Deepening those relationships with folks who are going on a different but parallel trajectory is something that we’ve found a lot of value in,” Miller said.
Miller also said working specifically with other environmental clubs on campus is important.
“I think the more interaction and cooperation and collaboration between environmental clubs on campus, the better,” Miller said.
Miller said these collaborations not only help when it comes to finding solutions, but can also inspire students to take classes elsewhere and contribute to developing new ideas and relationships. He said the club often pairs with students in the Forest and Natural Resource Management and Natural Resources Science and Management programs.
