Often, the hardest part about being an environmental studies major is not sinking into a climate change-induced depression. Not to be too doom-and-gloom, but our world is literally on fire. And as the effects of climate change are becoming more and more apparent — from the L.A. wildfires to extreme weather events across the country — it doesn’t help that our elected president withdrew from the Paris Agreement and elects people like Chris Wright (an oilfield CEO who doesn’t believe in climate change) to head the Department of Energy. But one thing that helps me cope with climate anxiety is striving to live as sustainably as possible. After all, while a lot of things seem out of our control, one thing that we can control is our own actions and personal relationship to our environment.

Luckily for us, Lafayette has an amazing Office of Sustainability that helps students make an impact at an individual, institutional and community level. I started to get involved with the Office of Sustainability in my freshman year, and since then, I’ve taken on a variety of roles and projects that have helped me pursue my passion for environmental education, such as when I planned and led a sustainability-themed summer camp for the local YMCA. However, you don’t have to intern for the Office of Sustainability in order to make a difference. There are a variety of ways to live more sustainably, and you can even take the Sustainable Living Certificate survey from the Office of Sustainability to learn about how your daily habits impact the environment and the specific actions you can take to live more green.

Beyond that, you can attend the monthly sustainability community meetings to feel connected to other students, faculty and staff who are also passionate about protecting the planet. You can compost your food scraps at the dining hall or your residence hall in order to reduce food waste and create a sustainable food loop, giving your scraps a new life as compost at LaFarm. Or, you can volunteer at LaFarm, getting some surely much-needed stress relief. To reduce packaging waste, you can take a clamshell to the dining hall instead of ordering Lower or Gilberts. You can join an environment-focused club like L.E.A.P, LaFFCo or the Eco Reps! The possibilities are endless. Coming to Lafayette and getting involved with the Office of Sustainability has shown me the fulfillment and joy that individual sustainable actions can bring. Furthermore, by participating in the actions I mentioned, I gained a sense of control and personal responsibility. I started to feel excited about making a difference — however small it may seem — instead of adopting a hopeless or defeated attitude. In our rapidly warming world that our generation is tasked with caring for, why not give it a try too?

Ashleigh Lustgarten ’26 is an intern for the Office of Sustainability.