Name: Kendall Wald
Year: Freshman
Major: Environmental Science with Minor in Outdoor Adventure Leadership
On November 30, Sustain IC and the IC Eco Reps hosted a compost and sustainability themed event with a concert performance from local band Rot N Roll.
Her Campus Ithaca College: What was this concert for?
Kendall Wald: The concert tonight was to promote sustainable living theme. We have themes every month and this falls under the theme of composting. It’s called the Rot and Roll event, and the band that preformed actually write songs that go along with composting, and they played a lot of other music, like even songs that we know. We had the gardening club there, and there was a composting organization there showing people how to compost. We had a raffle that people could participate in. We raffled off reusable glass containers for food, a solar backpack, reusable straws for drinks, and reusable water bottles.
HCIC: What was the main message of this concert?
KW: It’s pretty easy to make a difference. People think that having a sustainable life means making lots of major changes, but there are a bunch of little things you can do to be more sustainable, and composting is one of them. You eat, obviously, and the leftover food you eat often goes to waste. When the food and plastic goes into landfills with all the other trash, it creates methane. But if it’s composted correctly, the leftover food decomposes into the ground and is used as a fertilizer. So, I guess the main message is that some small actions like composting can make a huge difference when it comes to our planet.
HCIC: How did you get involved with the Eco Reps?
KW: I went to an environmental middle school, and with that experience I did a lot of things outdoors. Because of this, I grew a huge passion for helping the environment. I’m an environmental science major and when I got to campus over the summer, I learned about the Eco Reps. I met with Rebecca Evans, the project coordinator, and she was there to speak to me about becoming an Eco Rep. I thought it was a great idea. I would do this job even if I wasn’t getting paid, and it’s awesome to be doing something that I really love and am passionate about. I think that getting other people involved around campus gives me a lot of opportunities for growth.
HCIC: What’s your favorite part about working with the eco reps?
KW: My favorite part is probably being involved with other students. A lot of the time, where I’m from, people don’t understand the concepts of being eco-friendly. Being around so many people that do understand and want to make a difference kind of connects the whole campus. Giving people reminders about living sustainable and sharing my own experiences adds to the experiences that come with college. I think that being an Eco Rep is a great way to meet new people and increase connections across the campus.