Like superheroes, the members of the Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) club operate more like modern-day student Planeteers than an ordinary college club.
The club embodies the spirit of Captain Planet and his message of environmental conscientiousness that was such a big part of the early morning Saturday "edutainment" series. Together, the members of the club aim to help improve the quality of life on Earth using innovative and practical solutions during a period of climate change and dire energy crises.
"[The world is] not going to fix itself," said Calvin Holic, the ESW vice president and a senior computer engineering and mathematics major.
Sustainability is important in today's global condition, according to Holic. He is just one of many members whose academic interests as a computer engineering major do not directly correlate with those of the club's.
However, he still manages to donate his time to this cause. Holic has worked with 50 other members during his year and a half with the club. He has participated in projects that affect everything from local parks to oceans.
Holic's experiences have provided him with the opportunity to work with other engineers from all scopes of the field.
Many of the club's activities also involve collaborating with other local and national organizations. Through collaborations, ESW has provided groundwork to many of the visionaries.
"We've had lots of community participation," said Emily Nudding, a project leader and a senior environmental engineering major. "All these people walk by...and they're always like ‘We really like what you're doing'…so I really hope to continue to do this…I like that this project is a permanent contribution to the area."
Recently, ESW has worked with local block clubs and community members on projects such as The Community Park and Garden Project. The project involved purchasing plots of land downtown and turning them into community parks and public spaces.
Projects like these utilize sustainable methods and materials such as natural and untreated wood, and can take up to two years to complete. The projects require significant dedication, and yield results that resonate with the community.
However, not all projects are long-term. There are some projects that make a large impact, even if they only take an afternoon to complete. With projects such as Re-tree WNY, ESW members work alongside other organizations and volunteers in Western New York to plant trees throughout Buffalo.
The Buffalo River Keepers Project involves going out and participating in river cleanups, which significantly boosts morale and property values in the budding communities. The project also encourages joint community participation from kids and adults who are excited to see efforts revitalize their community.
"Being in ESW…taught me a lot about how you have to coordinate with your team…and how you can complement each other's talents so that you can magnify the power of the entire team," said Ziyun Jo Zhou, a junior aerospace and mechanical engineering major.
Zhou has been an active member of the club for more than a year, and has shared the same invaluable experiences of teamwork and humanity. ESW expanded her experiences as an engineering major and has even paved the path toward her future of working in a field in energy and power.
The club has been heavily involved in programs that promote sustainability, such as the Home Energy Conservation Kit (Project H.E.C.K.). This project is the combined effort of ESW, local community members, and several other political organizations and trades who work together to effectively weatherize homes of low- to moderate-income families.
Last year, over 20 households were made more green and more energy efficient; this year the aim is to affect even more.
With such a résumé, it comes as no surprise that ESW has won the UB Student Organization Award for Excellence in Academics and Service for two years in a row. This award recognizes clubs that take what they learn in the classroom and apply it to assist others.
"I've been here for 23 years and I've never worked with a group of students that works as well as this group works together," said James Jensen, a civil engineering professor at UB and three year faculty advisor to the club. "ESW shows what all student clubs can be, they've extended what they've learned in the classroom, they've gotten involved with people from all walks of life outside of UB. To me, that's what student life is all about."
The club aspires to expand beyond local rejuvenation. Whether it's a thirst quenching solar powered slushy cart, or the fresh air emissions of a solar powered cargo ship, ESW members are aiming for the sky in order to help save the Earth.
UB students can check out these innovations during ESW's national conference Oct. 20-23. This is the first year UB is hosting such an event.
Hundreds of ESW members from all over the nation will be coming to Buffalo to discuss and exhibit several tracts of sustainability practices.
Email: features@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Kimco Realty / Wikimedia Commons
