Apply now! Student Sustainability Coordinator STAP Position, 2021-22

Please consider applying for the paid Student Sustainability Coordinator STAP position for the 2021-22 academic year.

This is a paid position, 6 hours per week.

The coordinator works with faculty in ENVS and the Sustainability Task Force on-campus initiatives and efforts related to the environment and sustainability.

This position requires initiative, engagement, and passion – and is central to our sustainability efforts on campus.

A description of the position is below. Ask John Krygier if you have questions!

Apply before: Wednesday, April 7th at 11:59 pm

Apply here

Eligibility here

Student Sustainability Coordinator

The Student Sustainability Coordinator position plays a vital role in maintaining and developing sustainability efforts on campus.

The student will organize and lead the campus Sustainability Task Force and liaise with the Environment & Sustainability Department (Anderson, Krygier, Rowley). Students in the position will also work with faculty, staff, and students (including those in Geography 360 & Geography 499) on-campus sustainability projects. Typically, the student attends the 0.25 credit ENVS 100.2/400.1 Conversations Towards a Sustainable Future course and works with new ENVS students.

Students may engage with additional research projects with ENVS faculty, pursue environmental activism efforts, help manage OWU’s Green Week, May Move Out, and other initiatives. Two students who previously held the position were authors on research papers published in part based on work undertaken while in a STAP position. The last student to hold the position was recently awarded a PhD level graduate fellowship with full funding.

Candidates should be organized, enthusiastic, and work well with other people (students, staff, faculty). Experience with sustainability efforts on campus helps. Ability to maintain outreach and scheduling while working well without excessive oversight. Basic ability to use Google Drive apps, Doodle, etc. necessary. But who can’t do that?

Sustainability Task Force (leadership, organization, content) in collaboration with Anderson, Krygier, Rowley. Assist with organization of May Move Out, Green Week, campus habitat enhancements (Chimney Swift Tower, bird habitats, etc.), recycling issues, food issues, composting, liaise with WCSA, Tree House, Citizens Climate Lobby, regional ROAR collaboration (Otterbein, Denison, Kenyon, etc.), City of Delaware, MTSO, Stratford, Preservation Parks.

Students interested broadly in the environment and sustainability. Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Biological and Earth Sciences, P&G, Sociology, Nutrition, Psychology, etc. Future interests in environmental leadership, careers in the environment, graduate school.

This position, as described above, is literal career training in that it requires passion and competence while allowing the student to pursue and develop important, practical skills. In addition, some previous students have used this position to engage in research, publication, and use the experience as a springboard to graduate school. Responsibility, leadership, motivation, and working for the better good of the environment and sustainability on campus and beyond are central to this position.

Position is both Fall 2021 & Spring 2022 Semesters
 

This Week: OWU Event: Water Management Careers – Students hear from Professionals

Ohio Wesleyan, City of Delaware, Ohio EPA Hosting Free Three-Day Speaker Series

OWU and the City of Delaware will collaborate with the Ohio EPA for an upcoming grant-supported speaker series on water management careers.

DELAWARE, Ohio – Designed for high school and college students, you’re invited to participate in a three-day, online “Careers in Water Management Speaker Series.”

The free event will be held Oct. 5-7 and provide information about careers in stormwater, wastewater, watershed, and drinking water management, among other fields.


Contact Caroline Cicerchi for Zoom Details:

Careers in Water Management Speaker Series I

 Monday, Oct. 5 from 9:30 AM – 10:20 AM: 

  • Jeff Paetz, Phoenix Environmental (15 minutes)
  • Heather Sheets, Ohio Clean Marinas (15 minutes)
  • Caroline Cicerchi, City of Delaware (15 minutes)

Careers in Water Management Speaker Series II

Tuesday, Oct. 6 from 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM:

  • Sarah Orlando, Ohio Sea Grant (15 minutes)
  • Chad Spring, City of Delaware (15 minutes)
  • Erin Wolfe, Delaware SWCD (15 minutes)
  • Janelle Valdinger, Ohio Wesleyan University (10 minutes)

Careers in Water Management Speaker Series III

Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 11:50 AM – 12:40 PM: 

  • Christine Szymanski, ODNR Scenic Rivers (15 minutes)
  • Jeff Kauffman, Del-Co Water Company (15 minutes)
  • Chris Roshon, Preservation Parks (15 minutes)

The Delaware Run winds through the City of Delaware and Ohio Wesleyan campus. (Photo by Cole Hatcher)

The event is supported by a grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and presented by the OEPA in collaboration with Ohio Wesleyan University and the City of Delaware Public Utilities Department.

The speaker series will include panelists from both the public and private sector, and each session will conclude with a question-and-answer session.

Organizations confirmed to speak during the series include:

  • City of Delaware Public Utilities
  • Del-Co Water Co.
  • Delaware Soil and Water Conservation District
  • Ohio Clean Marinas
  • Ohio Department of Natural Resources: Scenic Rivers
  • Ohio Sea Grant/OSU Extension
  • Phoenix Environmental

The sessions – also part of the OWU classes Introduction to Environment and Sustainability 100.1 and Conversations Toward a Sustainable Future 100.2/400.1 – are scheduled for the following dates and times:

  • 9:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. Oct. 5
  • 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6
  • 11:50 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. Oct. 7

For access to the online Zoom sessions, email Caroline Cicerchi, Delaware’s watershed and sustainability coordinator, at ccicerchi@delawareohio.net. Learn more about Ohio Wesleyan’s Environment and Sustainability Program at owu.edu/environment.

OWU Sustainability Task Force: Climate Homework for September

At our first Sustainability Task Force (STF) Meeting for the Fall of 2020, we heard from Jess Wilber of the Citizens Climate Lobby. Jess provided us with some “homework” to do in the next month, nicely summarized on the graphic included in this post. Click on the image for a PDF file of the document.

If you missed the meeting, it was recorded and you can watch it here.

Efforts include joining the OWU and national CCL group, registering to vote, getting involved in calling campaigns (they work!), getting involved in letter-writing campaigns (they work too), and registering for climate-related events.

OWU’s student chapter is already hard at work on these efforts. The student chapter of CCL meets every 1st and third Sunday at 4-4:30ish for an hour or so, and has additional events planned for the Fall semester. Please contact us if you want to attend these Zoom meetings.

For our next STF meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 13 (6:30-7:30 pm, Zoom) Jess will rejoin us to see how we are doing, and we can talk about and plan more efforts for the 2020-21 academic year.

Please contact us if you have any questions.

See you at the next STF Meeting!

 

!!!Virtual Earth Day Week ’20!!!

Please Distribute and Share!

Follow us for details on vEarth Day ’20
Let us know what you are doing:
comment below, or
#OWUENVS, or
@OWUENVS Twitter: https://twitter.com/owuenvs

EARTH WEEK CHALLENGES 

SUN 4/19  Welcome to Earth Week! Earth Day 1: To start participating, follow #OWUENVS on Twitter and post a photo of the Earth – where you are – on Twitter, or Instagram (#OWUENVS) or email to John K. Do your best to share the stuff you do for the rest of Earth Day Week (social media or otherwise)

MON 4/20 Earth Day 2: Together, let’s #StopTheSpread of pollution and #FlattenTheCurve on CO2 emissions. Go to FootPrintCalculator to find out how many Earths it would take to sustain your lifestyle for everyone, and how we can all take steps to scale back. Share your findings with us. Questions? Ask Kayla.

TUE 4/21 Earth Day 3: Since we can’t march tomorrow, make a sign (out of used paper bags or scrap paper) declaring your commitment to the planet and put it in your window for your neighbors to see for the rest of the week, or try experimenting with found art. Questions? Ask Aayla.

WED 4/22 Earth Day 4: It’s the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day! Join us on Zoom at 8 pm EST for a screening and discussion of Anote’s Ark, a film documenting the struggle of the island nation of Kiribati, one of the first to face being wiped off the map by rising seas. Details to follow. Questions? Ask Dustin.

THU 4/23 Earth Day 5: Take action. Use Citizen Climate Lobby’s calling tool and our Green Stimulus Talking Points to reach out to your lawmakers and tell them that the environment must be included in the next COVID-19 stimulus package to protect public health and the economy in the long term. Questions? Ask Celeste.

FRI 4/24 Earth Day 6: Happy Friday, treat yourself to a great meal! From 5:30-7 pm EST, join us on Zoom as Chef Del Sroufe teaches an interactive course on sustainable plant-based cooking, and learn how the food you eat affects the world you live in. More details to follow. Questions? Ask Genaro.

Happy vEarth Day! Earth Day! Week!

The Ohio Wesleyan Sustainability Task Force & the Environment & Sustainability Program. 

Organized by students in ENVS 399: Sustainability Practicum

Do Something! OWU Volunteers Needed for Spring Cleaning & Planting

Last year President Trump and President Macron of France planted a lovely oak tree on the White House lawn. Sadly, the tree is now dead.

Let’s do better!

Tree planting and spring clean up opportunities abound. No big commitment. Please sign up soon and often:

A Scioto River Clean-up March 15th organized by a Buckeye Valley H.S. Student: Register here

OWA’s Earth Day Program April 4th at Delaware State Park: Register here

Blue Limestone Park Stream Clean-up from 4:30-5:30, April 15th: (weather back-up date is scheduled for April 16th same time and place) registration can be completed by emailing Caroline Cicerchi (here).

City of Delaware’s Earth Day Program April 22nd: Register here

The Scioto River if we didn’t do the river clean up every year:

 

 

Talk: Cria Kay on Environmental Work: Friday Feb. 28 @ noon

The Environment & Sustainability Program is very pleased to invite students to a pizza lunch with Cria Kay at 12-1 PM, Friday, February 28, 2020, in Science Center Room 207.

Cria has a Masters of Science in Environmental Informatics and Environmental Justice from the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, Comparative American Studies, and Geology from Oberlin College. She is now working at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago as the coordinator for the growing Urban Wildlife Information Network.

Cria will give a short presentation titled “Urban Studies and Environmental Work: Water and Wildlife” and then will answer student questions about graduate school and careers focused on the environment.

To learn more about Cria, go here.

Speaker: Ryan Zlatanova OWU ’17: Environment & Sustainability: Campus to Career (W, Nov. 6)

Wednesday, November 6
12 p.m. Science Center 207

Ryan holds a degree in Zoology and is a dedicated conservationist. Currently, he works in Activism and Outreach at the World Wildlife Fund, one of the biggest conservation non-profits in the world. During his time at OWU, Ryan engaged in various campus sustainability efforts that shaped his career path.

Live link conversation, using fancy technology.

All are invited.

Part of ENVS 100.2/400.1 Conversations Towards a Sustainable Future.

Promo poster below:

2nd Annual Delaware Run Watershed Walk: September 22, 2019

Mostly hidden and invisible, Delaware Run weaves itself through the fabric of the city and is often overlooked. The Watershed Walk on Sept. 22, 2019, will shed light on this important natural resource.

2nd Annual Delaware Run Watershed Walk: September 22, 2019

RSVP for this FREE event at Eventbright

Bring rubber boots or old shoes (and a towel for drying off)

Presented by the Boardman Arts Park and the Central Ohio Communities Project

When: September 22, 2019

1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.: Choices for level of involvement: a “short walk” (45 minutes), or a longer walk (90+ minutes), with 3-4 entry or exit points. Led by Local naturalists, historians, MAD Scientist Associates and others.

3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.: creation of a “Watershed mural”, Badminton and Bocce Ball, upcycle art creation, and other “earth art and sports” (non-fossil fuel fun!)

Mostly hidden and invisible, Delaware Run weaves itself through the fabric of the city and is often overlooked. The Watershed Walk on Sept. 22, 2019 will shed light on this important natural resource.

Participants can choose to do a deep exploration of the run or shorter jaunts along its course.

Local scientists and experts will lead our walks and will explore the history, ecology and geologic features of the stream scavenger hunt style. After the walks, we will meet at the Boardman Arts Park to enjoy refreshments, music and educational programming about the nature nearby.