The CU Youth Sustainability Committee, which is made up of local high school students, hosted their first CU Youth Sustainability Summit on Saturday, October 13th, 2018. This summit focused on Climate Change and the importance of Local Sustainability. Youth from the age of 14 to 19 were welcomed, and then invited to engage with the various presenters throughout the day. The full day event hosted speakers from the community and included breakout sessions geared towards the student’s specific interests. The topics listed below are what the Summit was centered around, with everything from a local to worldwide impact in mind.

A follow-up service event was hosted by Sola Gratia, a local produce farm in Urbana, IL. Sola Gratia donates a portion of their produce to support regional hunger program. They hosted the students as they spoke on local sustainabile agriculture and local pathways. Then, students volunteered for two hours on their farm.

Topics

What is Climate Change – How is the world and Illinois affected by it?

Building Local Power – I’m just one person, what can I do to effect change in my community?

What is Environmental Justice – How are communities impacted by environmental disasters?

The Buzz is all about Sustainability  - We’ll be thinking out loud about what it means to live in a sustainable city and envision a sustainable future. 

Learn more about renewable energy, sustainable food and agriculture systems, clean transportation, conserving water and resources, and reducing waste and recycling.

This event was sponsored by The City of Urbana, ISEE, CCNET, Students for Environmental Concerns, and iMatter.