Author: Juhi Saxena

Furman prides itself in its ability to achieve much of its accomplishments while maintaining a healthy relationship with the environment. Though environmental efforts on campus are lead unsurprisingly by the Environmental department, several other departments aide in environmental friendly campus notion. Such efforts can be seen in the Biological and Chemical sciences, Health sciences and other various departments. Dr. Kelly Frazier is in an exemplification of unity of sustainable efforts and other thought fields. In her work, she unifies not only sustainable efforts, but the community as a whole. In conjunction with local food ministries and homeless, drug addiction, and abuse shelters she promotes healthier eating with each given situation and decrease food wastage while maintaining sustainable practices. I often volunteer with a local Free Clinic and find similar programs enabling those in need with healthier and sustainable practices that are approachable. Loaves and Fishes, in addition creates neural-like network between the such organizations to provide much needed supplies and preventing wastage.

 

It’s a proud moment, indeed to be a part of communities that finds utter joy and happiness by developing mechanism to aide not only our surrounding community, but our surrounding environment. The only change that can be evoked is that derived from true intent, such intent is readily available campus-wide.

 

Furman not only preaches sustainability, but quite frankly sets a standard of practice that should be noted. It is here, that multiple disciplines are capable of uniquely in cooperating their scholarly passions with pertinent environmental causes and the surrounding community.

 

On another note, as the semester wraps up, so does my time with the greenbelt community. It was such a lovely experience and has broaden my horizons further than I could ever imagine. Through the experience, I have gained a sense of urgency to be the type of person who chases a problem and not just address it, but rather solves it.

 

This may be the last blog, but trust me, we are just getting started.

J. Saxena

Imagine waking up every day to the sound of birds chirping, the smiles of friendly visiting, and a view that one could only dream. Every day I find myself falling deeper in love with the cottage I now call my home. I mean how can you not love waking up to the sound of chirping birds, smiling visitors, and a beautiful campus. The friends I have made and the community is simply irreplaceable. I can’t imagine my year without them. They are your personal cheerleaders—standing on your side telling you “you can do this” and keep the momentum going. Within the first weeks there, I found out quickly how important the community feel would be. Whenever I was in need of help, I could easily look to my neighbors to help solve or aid me. For instance, recently I injured myself—as always— and neighbors kindly provided a band-aid. Shout out to my neighbors! It is a beautiful thing having a group of people who have connected sheerly on location. I look up to every single one of them— mostly because I’m 5’2, but eh why not.

Besides the community, I have found that living in an eco-cabin has sprouted much intrigue from my friends on what exactly “living in an eco-cabin” implies. By no means, am I a poster child for eco-friendly living—I don’t typically fit into the “eco-friendly housing” mold so many have sculpted. I didn’t like short showers and unfortunately, to my dismay, I didn’t know what exactly was recyclable and what was not, but Eco-housing are not only for those already eco-friendly being— no— I would argue anyone who has the will to change fits the eco-cabin mold. Having adaptable mindset is all that is essential. I came in being a terrible resident of the planet earth and now I have compromised with our lovely planet. I take a 7-minute shower now (sorry 5 minutes is still too short), I know the differences in recyclable materials, and arguably I feel more eco-friendly in nature. Change is good they say and for the most part, they are right. Change is good when it is for the better.

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–Juhi S.