Sustainability is a cornerstone for both employees and students at Portland State, and behind the scenes there are a number of individuals who contribute their time and skills to the cause of green living.
Acting as the anchor between Portland State and its sustainability goals is Jennifer Allen, the interim director of the Center for Sustainable Processes and Practices.
“I am responsible for leading the planning and implementation process for the Miller gift, in consultation with the provost and the vice president for university relations,” Allen said.
Working closely with Allen are several other members of the sustainability team, including Sion Zivetz, Shpresa Halimi, Beth Lloyd and David Santen, who specializes in sustainability communications.
Zivetz works as a graduate research assistant for Allen in the Center for Sustainable Processes and Practices.
“My primary tasks are working to engage more students in the academic and programmatic sides of sustainability on campus and working on the academic sustainability portions of the EcoWiki,” Zivetz said.
Allen speaks highly of those working with her. “I have the greatest team that you could imagine—they are creative, responsive, self-motivated and great at taking the initiative when something needs to be done.”
Across campus lies PSU’s other base for sustainability.
Though it’s hidden deep in the catacombs of the University Services Building, the Sustainability Office reaches the entire campus. They hold the keys to Portland State’s active sustainability projects.
“We track PSU’s environmental impacts, giving people the information they need to make better choices,” said Noelle Studer-Spevak, the office’s sustainability coordinator. “We also advocate for key investments that would set PSU in the right direction to prevent waste and shift toward a healthy, hopeful future.”
Noelle’s sustainability assistant, Heather Spalding, has high praise for Spevak.
“One of Noelle’s best qualities is her genuine interest in getting students excited and involved in their campus community,” Spalding said.
Along with Kelli Martin, Julia Persons, Sarah Horn and Emily Bowling, Spalding helps the Sustainability Office hit the ground running every day, and with every project.
“Over the past six months, I’ve been able to set up orientations, trainings and tours for student groups, freshmen, academic departments and resident assistants on behalf of our office,” Spalding said.
Spalding also coordinated the completion of the Sustainability Tracking and Rating System [STARS] in January.
According to Spalding, this is the first comprehensive look at PSU’s sustainability practices.
Recycling holds a special place in the mentality of PSU students and faculty, and there is an entire department dedicated to the practice.
Located in a separate section of the Sustainability Office, Christel Eichner, Josh Cousins and several other part-time student-employees lead PSU Recycles!
“I manage the PSU Recycles! Program, and engage in short- and long-term planning to improve services to the campus in the areas of campus recycling infrastructure,” said Eichner, the Resource Management Coordinator.
According to Eichner, the goal of PSU Recycles! is to ensure that all materials generated from the university are reduced from their current levels and re-used to their fullest extent.
Though Portland State’s sustainability departments are currently separated by at least a few blocks, preliminary plans are in place to create a central location, where all things sustainable will have a home.
Each team member is in agreement that the contributions of the group outweigh the contributions of any single individual.
As Kipling said, “the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.”