By Alex Buchholz

Weekends are a time for taking it easy and relaxing; they’re also a time for environmentalism – a subject almost unavoidable in today’s day and age. This past Saturday, Earth Matters’ second annual Sustainability Summit was in full swing. “The Summit” (as many NYU greenies have come to call it) built its program around the concept of collaboration. Speeches, workshops, and reflections all focused on the meaning of working together to better our world. Students, faculty, and professionals alike gathered in NYU’s Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life for the all-day event.

The event commenced with “Bagels & Chill,” a phrase that perfectly describes the informal comingling of breakfast foods and introductory handshakes. This communal mummer was hushed by an introductory address by ecological designer and architect Mitch Joachim. Mitch spoke about environmental threats to our planet and what he and his company, Terreform ONE, are doing to mitigate these problems. He presented images and blue prints for sustainable urban green space and, not to forget, futuristic cars made of soy-based pillows. His speech and presentation were fueled by obvious passion (and perhaps over-caffeination) and culminated in the idea that we all must work together to drive change. The room roared with applause and energy (or, as I call it: good vibes). At this point in the day, attendees split up between three small workshop groups to discuss topics of food, waste, and environmental action. Workshops were lead by student groups and industry experts and moved well beyond the lecture-style presentation to engage Summit participants. I attended the waste workshop (cleverly titled “Let’s Get Wasted”) and took part in polls on recycling and composting. The session also discussed ways to move towards a zero-waste lifestyle. The full group reconvened after this workshop period for a healthy, sustainable, and vegan-friendly buffet lunch – of course, accompanied by compostable plates and cutlery. After lunch, Summit-goers attended two more workshops – the first similar to the morning’s workshop, but this time focused on entrepreneurship, water, and collective liberation; the second period was devoted to brainstorming ways to influence change at NYU and in our greater community. And again, positive vibes. In true eco-hippy fashion, we all gathered at the end of the event to reflect and respond to what we discussed in our respective workshops. Every attendee was given a Post-It note on which he/she could write a pledge – a personal vow to make a difference. As we all funneled out of the door, we placed the Post-It notes on the wall – creating a growing monument of our community. As I quickly glanced over some hanging pledges, I felt certain of one thing: we will change the world.

New to Earth Matters and the environmental community at NYU, I found myself eager to dive right in. So, I volunteered myself to help facilitate and organize the event. I have always thought of myself as an environmentalist — I mean, I keep an organic vegetable garden and raise backyard chickens back home. But, I never could have imagined the collectivity that comes with an event like the Sustainability Summit. It is truly an overwhelming sight to stand back for a second and look out over a room full of people revved to better our planet.

So, my friends, I write this entry to solidify the impact of our second annual Sustainability Summit and our environmental community. This marks a huge step towards a sustainable future. Planning has already begun for next year’s summit. I couldn’t be more excited.

Peace and good vibes.

Alex Buchholz is an undergraduate student at NYU studying English Literature and Environmental Studies. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, rock climbing, cooking, and collecting vinyl records of all genres. He is originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.