Guest Blogger: Alexi Lamm

USU Extension Sustainability helps everyday people live more healthy, happy and sustainable lives. This is the twentieth of a series of posts that feature real people who are making real changes in their lives to be more sustainable.

This month we are featuring USU’s Sustainability Coordinator Alexi Lamm. Discover Alexi's thoughts about USU’s commitment to sustainability, the perks and struggles of her job, how sustainability impacts her everyday life, and more!

1. What is your favorite thing about being the Sustainability Coordinator for Facilities at USU?

The breadth and diversity of sustainability is incredible. It’s Planetary Thinking in the Curriculum, local bike to breakfast, LEED buildings, pre-consumer food composting, Energy Wars competition, Ecoreps sustainability practicum class, and the Commuter Club. Looking out for the future of people on earth is the best way I can think of to spend my time. I get to learn, teach, and do things that help people live healthier lives.

2. What struggles have you encountered as USU’s first Sustainability Coordinator?

People at Utah State have been thinking about sustainability for a long time. One of the first things I did was take the university through the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) to evaluate the state of sustainability at USU. The university came in with a silver rating the first time through the program, which shows just how much existed before I even arrived. In 2007 President Albrecht committed the university to becoming carbon neutral by 2050, and that timeline is in the lifetime and even work careers of many students and employees on campus right now. It’s an ambitious goal, and change is often gradual. Our challenge as a campus community is to act now in a way that is consistent with the university’s commitment for 2050.

 3. How would you rate USU in comparison to other Utah universities in terms of sustainability?

USU is rated silver in STARS. We’re part of a small percentage of eligible institutions that choose to go through the rating process. Among universities that do participate, about 50% are rated silver, so we’re doing well comparatively. It’s fun to share USU’s progress with people who think students in northern Utah aren’t concerned about environmental stewardship. We’ll need, however, all the people already thinking and working on sustainability, along with everyone else to make it a priority.

4. What are some major efforts USU is engaged in to be more sustainable?

USU’s commitment to become carbon neutral by 2050 started the Sustainability Council, so carbon neutrality is a priority. We want to be as energy efficient as possible and use renewable sources for the rest. All new buildings are at least Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Silver or higher and meet state high performance standards. Since those buildings will still be around in 2050, they are important to our sustainability plan. Commissioning teams look at energy performance in existing buildings on a five-year cycle, so our built environment is key. Transportation is also a big part of our impact. The university completed a transportation plan recently that facilitates many transportation options, including a better connected trail and bikeway system.

On the engagement side, we have Aggie Blue Bikes, Blue Goes Green grants, and events like RecycleMania, the National Bike Challenge, and the new Farmers Market. Also new this year, the Planetary Thinking in the Curriculum initiative helps faculty integrate sustainability into their classes because the university has a responsibility to prepare students for our changing planet.

5. How do you practice sustainability in everyday life?

It’s a process to live a more sustainable life, and I hope to get better as I go. Building a healthy community is important, so I volunteer with the Cache Clean Air Consortium to help improve the air we breathe. Bicycles contribute to Logan’s appeal as well. I can recognize several cyclists I don’t even know, which I can’t say when I drive a car, so the personal connection of active transportation feels meaningful. Cycling is also efficient because I get to exercise on my way to and from campus. Actually, only since I participated in the Bike Challenge did I think about cycling as recreation too. Cycling makes for a fun Saturday morning combined with the Gardeners’ Market.

6. Do you see sustainable living as a burden, a benefit, or both? Please explain your thoughts.

Sustainable living is a decision about values. The community is important to me, so I appreciate that planning for cyclists and pedestrians might mean buildings are closer together and people on sidewalks and in the streets. Using energy from the sun makes sense to me because the fuel is free, and once we construct the panels, we don’t have to continue to pump or mine the fuel indefinitely. I see sustainable living as a perspective on how to enjoy the world and how long we want other people to enjoy it also.