Art of Sustainability speakers aim to help people understand sustainability

Energy was high at the fifth annual art of sustainability on Saturday at the Washington Street Arts Center.

Several speakers were there, including Rebecca Terk, Jess Johnson, Jennifer White and Chas Jewett, who came to talk about topics important to them regarding art and sustainability.

Morgan Carnes, the executive director of Greening Vermillion, has been organizing this event for the past five years. She said she was excited about this event because she thinks it is important to recognize holistic sustainability.

There were many reasons that this event was important to Carnes.

“We are having this event to celebrate promoting sustainability, to bring people together and to help people understand,” she said.

In order to promote sustainability, speakers talked about certain aspects of sustainability that were important to them.

Topics ranged from food justice to the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Speaker Rebecca Terk spoke about the food system and how food is grown, distributed and marketed as well as food justice.

“Food justice is a concept that the food system needs to do more than just feed people—frankly it’s not doing that,” Terk said.

One of the following speakers, Chas Jewett, felt very strongly about the Dakota Access Pipeline, and spoke about the necessity of keeping water clean.

“Water is life and we can’t fix water once it’s polluted,” she said.

Carnes said this year’s event was expected to be the best turnout in the history of the event.

Senior Myranda Kazos, political science and history double major, really appreciated the event.

“I care a lot about sustainability because I have a child—that makes it a bigger deal so that they can have a world. Sustainable products are just healthier overall,” she said.