“Sustainability to me is making the best use of the resources that are available and being open to utilizing alternative forms of energy, because we can’t use coal forever”

“I'll be walking in the middle of Tappan Square and it's like an oasis...for a moment I am in Central Park in New York City”

“If you give your kids a sense of empowerment, I think those kids have a much better chance that they’re going to be sane, happy and healthy, members of their community”

“My students are constantly doing community service and we interact with organizations like the Public Library and Oberlin Community Services”

“The community was just the kind of community I liked; not a big city, not a real small town, and once I got here, that’s it. Here to stay!”

“Love and compassion is a much better motivator than fearfulness”

“From not having high sugar food and fried food, the kids’ energy is more consistent, they sleep better, they eat better, they play better, they learn more”

“To me sustainability is being one with your environment, being a part of it in that your actions have responses and nature affects you”

“I’ve learned that resilience is imperfect and collaborative. It’s about patching holes when your boat is sinking, and then helping friends and neighbors do the same”

“Nature is everywhere. By the roads, next to houses. It's a part of our community”

“Leading activities for students is rewarding because everyone walks away having learned something, like proper recycling”

“Oberlin as a town and as a college is progressive, forward-thinking, pushing the envelope”

“What made the climate strike great is that College students supported Highschool students and vice versa”

“The more people show that they care about the climate, the more likely legislation is to pass”

“As you live in a community, you should think about what you do and how it affects other people”

“We're not gonna depend on forces outside of Oberlin. We’re gonna see what we can do inside of Oberlin to create something sustainable”

“African American history and culture are particularly rich in Oberlin. And now we are leaders in sustainability”

“There needs to be an understanding of how to encourage nature, and allow nature, and do more personally to make this place look nice”

“I remember in Prospect Elementary we would have all the lights off during Ecolympics - and we would always win the electricity competition!”

“My experience interviewing Oberlin community members showed me that students can play a strong role in the communities they are a part of”