USD recycling coordinator wins sustainability award

USD graduate student and campus recycling coordinator Anna Moore won an emerging leader award in sustainability from the Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability. This award was given to Moore at the organization’s annual conference at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.  

“I recognize that I had this position and I had this opportunity to go around and look at how could USD become more sustainable with our materials management and other aspects. And then kind of be the contact person in a way for anyone on campus who’s interested in working on improving sustainability,” Moore said. 

Moore has been the recycling coordinator for the past two years. The position has been flexible, allowing for freedom to work on other projects, Moore said. 

“The creation of this position allows me to branch out from day-to-day recycling operations or basic recycling operations, letting all sorts of other people on campus work together and connect with each other and start new programs to improve other things on campus,” Moore said. “So, I do see this award as an award that has come to USD because USD, as a community, has really started something, trying to connect with each other.”

Programs Moore has worked on include the move out program, which helps students recycle and reuse things after moving out; the Green Initiative Fund, which offers funding for sustainability projects on campus; the Atlas Assessment, an assessment helping USD define their strengths and weaknesses regarding sustainability; a roundtable conference that brought all the leaders of campus sustainability together and the residence hall recycling program.

Moore said there are so many passionate students at USD that care about sustainability. She said the roundtable and other sustainability projects made her realize that.

“It really feels like a celebration. I feel like since I’ve gotten here, I’ve seen the opportunities and the potential, and I’ve been… working on connecting people, working on starting projects, working on building and the recycling team,” Moore said.

There’s an entire USD sustainability team here at USD and they all work together, Moore said.

“Sustainability involves everyone,” Moore said. “That’s what I think about with this kind of recognition and just in general this kind of work on campus is.”

Mark Sweeney, USD environment and sustainability professor, nominated Moore for the award.

Moore has been responsible for expanding USD’s recycling program, Sweeney said. He said her work is invaluable, significant and exceptional.