Hearing about polluted stormwater and flood risks that plague communities can be depressing! However, the future is not entirely bleak—as you read this, there are students and teachers collaborating around the globe to work towards a cleaner future!
I myself began my journey into the environmental and compliance field because of my undergraduate experiences at Alma College and graduate studies at Oakland University: shoutout to Dr. Borrello, Dr. Insko, and Dr. Gilson! Specifically, because of the 2023 Climate Summit that Oakland University hosted, I was inspired to prevent pollution in my own community. I was able to network with leaders in sustainability efforts and was encouraged to take an interdisciplinary approach to the world around me– I have a vested interest in golfing, and was fortunate enough to not only attend the Golfing for Glaciers golf outing in 2023 but even sponsor that event earlier this year through my role at Clean Stormwater (check out the picture here!).
Institutions of higher learning are able to dedicate time to research their passions through funding, and it makes students more competitive in the job market. Indeed, students gain valuable experience while also investigating topics other scientists may not be able to pursue! In the classroom, pupils are encouraged apply their skills to the real world while exploring ideas that may be more out-of-the-box and/or encompassing multiple disciplines, leading to a “living lab” of sustainability developments. They can troubleshoot why something does or does not work without facing pressure from employers or concerns over wages.
Looking at stormwater specifically, it is clear to see just how much progress has been made in understanding how to manage stormwater and ways of increasing nature-based solutions. Campuses can be quite large with a lot of impervious surfaces, so being able to directly study the impact of incorporating green infrastructure is invaluable to then implement these systems in other communities. Furthermore, students are able to look at alternative solutions to things like road salt to limit the salinity deposited in bodies of water by tracking pollutants. More often than not, these studies are the forerunners to developments that keep people safe and healthy.
Intersectionality and collaboration are the keys to remediating environmental injustices, and colleges and universities truly provide a bubble where students can shine and rely on personal experiences and other disciplines. Having professors that care about their subject material (and students) fosters advancements in the world while also inspiring these same students to return home and improve their communities.
I wanted to take the time to write a positive article commending the scholars out there while paying homage to my personal journey. However, it needs to be said that earning a degree is not the be-all, end-all solution to preventing pollution and achieving a cleaner world. Some people’s journey in life may not take them to secondary schooling, and that is more than okay! Volunteering in one’s community or advocating for justice through grassroots campaigns or attending townhalls can be just as powerful as submitting an article to a scientific journal, if not more. Every person has a voice to speak out with, and a story to be told. The best way of preventing pollution is to collaborate and actively listen with everyone we meet!
