Arwen Handel
Arwen grew up in central Illinois, with parents who emphasized the importance of loving the outdoors from a young age. With her dad being a botanist, her household was always recycling, composting, gardening, and conserving energy when they could. She had an internship in high school that focused on environmental justice in local neighborhoods, and that’s when she knew she wanted to dedicate her college degree to helping protect the environment.
Now, she takes action as the Green Love Commissioner by planning sustainable events, spreading the word about sustainability, and being the student voice on committees like the President’s Sustainability Advisory Committee. An upcoming event she helped organize is the bi-annual A.S. Swap Shop! This is a great opportunity to practice sustainability on campus, and it’s happening October 14th from 12pm-4pm. She is also involved with the environmental honors fraternity, Epsilon Eta, as the graphics and marketing executive board member.
Sustainability Advice: Arwen encourages others to take baby steps when it comes to sustainability. She emphasizes how we put too much pressure and blame on ourselves, when no individual is the problem. Taking it step by step allows you to do your part while finding like minded people along the way, enabling you to find community and make a difference for the planet all at once.
If you’d like to get involved with sustainability on campus, learn more about green organizations below.
