Member features

2011: Members of Minnesota GreenCorps

For the 2011-2012 program year, 26 people served 25 host sites as Minnesota GreenCorps members. Here are a few featured members and their stories.

2011: Member - David Donovan

A Green Infrastructure Urban Forestry member serving at Three Rivers Park District (Plymouth)

About me. I attended the University of Minnesota where I studied ecology and environmental policy. Previously I had the opportunity to intern with the state Department of Natural Resources to educate the public on aquatic invasive species.

About my service. As a Green Infrastructure Urban Forestry member serving at Three Rivers Park District, the work of my position is divided into two parts. The first half of my term has been dedicated to increasing the efforts of public outreach and environmental education for park users and residents of neighboring communities. For this I have been developing a number of learning materials such as a visual forestry display as well as a three-part workshop series. The latter half of my term is devoted to conducting a natural area tree inventory, during which I will be surveying a sample of the Park District forests to assess the benefits of the overall resource.

Why I serve. In college, I was very active in student groups focused on leadership and sustainable living. Through volunteering with a local advocacy-based environmental organization, I was able to combine my interests and develop a passion for interacting with and educating people on all things green. I decided to be a part of Minnesota GreenCorps because I see it as a unique opportunity to build the necessary knowledge and skills to enter into the environmental field and succeed, while at the same time making a measurable difference in an actual community or organization.

2011: Member - Anna Arkin

A Waste Prevention and Recycling Corps member at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.

About me. I grew up in Arlington, Virginia, right outside of Washington, DC. I came to the Midwest to attend Washington University in St. Louis; I graduated in 2011 with a BA in anthropology and environmental studies. Post-grad, I was looking for opportunities in the environmental and public health sectors in various cities. I found Minnesota GreenCorps, which sounded like an excellent opportunity.

About my service. I am a Waste Prevention and Recycling Corps member at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. I'm serving in the Recycling Program, which is part of Waste Abatement Services in Facilties Management. The University manages its own waste and recycling, which is pretty amazing. Our drivers pick up recycling from buildings on campus and bring it back to the Como Recycling Facility (where I work) to be processed (as detailed in a recent Daily article - "Raking in recyclables"). It's a big site, but it's tucked away on Como Avenue between campuses. My office in particular—six students, Recycling Coordinator/Administrator/Pioneer Dana Donatucci, and myself—maintains and develops the recycling infrastructure on campus, which includes over 20,000 recycling containers (the ubiquitous "quads"). More specifically, my projects include:

1. Conducting a pilot study of various initiatives to increase recycling, including expanding organic material collection across campus, partnering with the Custodial Program to improve waste collection, and educating the campus community.
2. Working with the Athletic Department to increase organic material collection at sporting events and team meals.
3. Creating an online waste guide for the University outlining best practices for disposal of a range of materials.
4. Managing a junk and duplicate mail reduction initiative at the Gabbert Raptor Center.
5. Introduced a program to recycle bottles and cans and collect organic materials in the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview Hospital kitchens, which will divert 80 tons of material per year from the waste stream.

Why I serve. Service has always appealed to me. For a long time, I considered applying to Peace Corps post-grad, but there's so much work that needs to be done here in the U.S. AmeriCorps and Minnesota GreenCorps in particular is a wonderful opportunity for civic engagement, to address the critical needs of our communities and, though this may sound corny, to serve our nation. It's also an excellent way to access professional development resources and gain valuable skills and experience.

2011: Member - Cristina Villela

A Living Green Corps member at Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (Duluth, Minn.)

About me. I grew up in the Twin Cities and attended St. Cloud State University where I majored in Environmental Studies. After graduating, I spent a year working at the Science Museum of Minnesota and volunteering at local schools. While I had the education and motivation to succeed, I was looking for an opportunity to gain experience and build connections within the environmental field; that’s when I found Minnesota GreenCorps.

About my service. I am serving as a Living Green member at the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District. WLSSD is a solid waste authority, wastewater treatment plant, yard waste/compost site, household hazardous waste facility, materials recovery center and more. The staff at WLSSD is knowledgeable and is great about sharing their experiences and helping me to learn and succeed throughout my service. My primary role is working with the many different schools in the Duluth area to improve their waste management programs. Day-to-day tasks range from delivering recycling bins to conducting classroom lesson plans. I’m also involved with organizing green teams, tracking and right-sizing waste habits, food waste diversion in cafeterias, creating educational resources and much, much more. It’s very exciting to have the opportunity to not only initiate programs, but to work through the logistics and measure the successes. It truly allows me to be a part of something that is directly making our community and environment a better place!

Why I serve. I originally joined Minnesota GreenCorps to gain work experience in the environmental field, but it has become much more. I’m creating connections with numerous individuals and organizations, learning new things daily and experiencing all aspects of the field. In addition, I am discovering my own strengths, becoming an active part of a community, and opening exciting possibilities for my future. It’s a great program and I’m happy to serve with Minnesota GreenCorps!

2011: Member - Brett Cease

A Living Green Corps member at Bemidji State University.

About me. I am originally from Bemidji, and I went to school in Minneapolis at Augsburg College. I benefited deeply from my educational experience there and felt nurtured as I pursued many different academic pathways before settling on a BA in Psychology. My work background prior to Minnesota GreenCorps has been primarily in the outdoor education field. I was the associate director of Camp Amnicon, a wonderful outdoor adventure camp on the south shore of Lake Superior.

About my service. My experience has been an absolute dream job! I love my host site, and my supervisor has been an amazing role model and facilitated excellent learning experiences throughout Bemidji. This opportunity has allowed me the chance to plug into my community in important ways that I was already beginning to do before being hired. While there is no such thing as a typical day, I spend a great deal of my time collaborating with other community members on a variety of projects. I am helping coordinate the MN GreenStep Cities framework in our city within our sustainability committee. I also co-plan a very popular weekly sustainability focused community education forum with the Indigenous Environmental Network here in town. Couple in a variety of projects with local schools and their waste reduction efforts, coordinating community garden participation, an upcoming watershed survey, and the many engaging activities Bemidji State’s Sustainability Office creates and every day is bursting with chances to spread sustainability!

Why I serve. I believe continuing to ask questions and find out more about how to realistically live sustainably is the central issue that our generation will face the rest of our lives. As we transition from a non-sustainable fossil fuel driven economy and way of life, many decisions and changes will have to be made. The more work we put into thinking ahead and taking effective preventative steps, the more responsible and socially just we will be for all of humanity and the entire world.

2011: Member - Wesli Waters

A Waste Prevention and Recycling Corps Member at Fairview Health Services.

About me. I graduated in 2011 from The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University with a degree in Environmental Studies and Hispanic Studies. In college I worked as a Recycling Assistant and was an intern for the Recycling Association of Minnesota. I also had the opportunity to study abroad in Viña del Mar, Chile.

About my service. As a Waste Prevention and Recycling GreenCorps Member at Fairview Health Services, I have worked on range of projects: from reducing junk mail, implementing a composting and recycling collection in a hospital kitchen, and creating creative marketing campaigns to reduce the amount of office paper employees print each year. I have also spent a large amount of my time working on implementing reuse systems at multiple Fairview locations to increase the reuse of office supplies and furniture.

Why I serve. My passion for the environmental fuels my motivations for serving with Minnesota GreenCorps. It is an excellent program that allows me to give back to the local community while also building my skills and obtaining valuable work experience. The positive impact I have on the environment during my service will not only benefit Fairview, but affects the entire community and future generations.

2011: Member - Nick Voss

Green Infrastructure Corps Member at Metro Blooms.

About me. I grew up in White Bear Lake, and graduated from Bethel University in 2010, studying Environmental Science and Reconciliation Studies, with a minor in Philosophy. After Bethel I worked as a Student Life Coordinator in Belize with Creation Care Study Program, a study abroad program focusing on Ecology, Sustainable Development, and Theology. This was an amazing opportunity in experiencing a creative and life-learning educational setting, as well as seeing the tropical world up close. Now in 2011 and back home, Minnesota GreenCorps has been the next step into a professional environmental career. I enjoy bird watching and bird banding, drumming, Capoiera and poetry. All of which are packed with personal growth opportunities that I'm excited and optimistic to implement into various corners of life in the years to come.

About my service. My position in the Minnesota GreenCorps Stormwater track is hosted at Metro Blooms, a non-profit in Minneapolis. Metro Blooms focuses on rain gardens and other eco-friendly landscaping techniques, making them into community educational opportunities. As a GreenCorps member I get to experience a variety of projects, from surveys to GIS to visiting schools. The year started with developing a "Blooming Schoolyards" curriculum to make rain gardens compatible with the Minneapolis Public Schools STEM (Science and Engineering) curriculum. In visiting several pilot elementary schools, I'm gaining valuable teaching experience plus the honor of helping lay the foundation relationships between Metro Blooms and Minneapolis Public Schools. Other projects include comprehensive GIS mapping for installed rain gardens associated with Metro Blooms (visible on the Metro Blooms website). Lastly, I’ve had a variety of outreach opportunities from community leaf clean-ups to social media. One outreach example is my work with surveys. I've had the chance to consult with an MPCA survey expert in developing surveys that target changes in land use practices surrounding rain gardens, followed analyzing and testing data from past Metro Blooms surveys. Other outreach efforts allowed me to utilize creativity and new connections through planting a courtyard at Sabathani Community Center, and helping promote Project 2012 by facilitating children in making film-canister "rockets."

Why I serve. During such a transitional time in life from college to the work world, Minnesota GreenCorps is literally the best opportunity for planning my next life steps. I've been able to develop my environmental passions for ideas such as water resources and community empowerment for environmental change. The resources I'm submersed in are simply astounding. From teachers to watershed staff to knowledgeable landscape design and plant experts, I've had ample learning opportunities both professionally and personally. With such close contact with these working professionals, I'm able to use this real experience in considering where my path leads after Minnesota GreenCorps. The facilitators and mentors at the MPCA are very supportive and really do care about the development of members. However, serving with Minnesota GreenCorps extends beyond me. Even halfway through my service year, I'm confident that my work is making a positive difference to the communities I've come in contact with, and to the environment to which they’re pinned.

2011: Member - Trevor Drake

Energy Conservation Corps Member at City of Rogers

About me. I attended St. John's University (Collegeville, Minn.), and earned a B.A. in Environmental Studies in 2010. I also attended the University of Oslo International Summer School's program on Energy, Environment, and Sustainable Development in 2010. In 2011 I served as an AmeriCorps member with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.

About my service. I am serving in Energy Conservation at the city of Rogers. I initially spent time gathering data on the city’s energy consumption in public buildings. Now I am using that data to implement projects that reduce the City’s energy footprint and improve its public infrastructure. I also provide training to staff members on how to monitor and reduce energy usage. I work with city staff, engineering companies, energy utility companies, and non-profit organizations that provide technical assistance to cities.

Why I serve. After studying energy and sustainable development in Scandinavia, I knew that I wanted to help Minnesota communities become more sustainable. Minnesota GreenCorps puts me in a position to serve local communities, make measurable sustainability improvements, gain practical work experience, and connect with nearly 30 like-minded service members throughout the state. I couldn’t dream of a better way to spend 11 months!

2011: Member - Emily Odlund

Living Green Corps Member at the Upper Sioux Community in Granite Falls, Minn.

About me. I grew up in the Twin Cities area and spent a lot of my childhood enjoying the wonderful natural resources the state of Minnesota has to offer. I attended Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) where I majored in Environmental Studies and obtained minors in Biology and Spanish. Just out of college, I moved to Oakland, Calif., and spent a year working in the vibrant social and economic justice movement before the Midwest called me home.

About my service. I am a Minnesota GreenCorps Living Green Outreach Member working with the Upper Sioux Community near Granite Falls. As a Dakota nation, there is a strong cultural importance of honoring and respecting Ina Maka – Mother Earth. A big part of my job is to work with the tribal enterprises and government offices to promote green business practices. I work with employee Green Teams to develop ideas and proposals on ways we can save resources and protect the earth in our day-to-day business. I really enjoy working with the Green Teams because in addition to bringing about organization wide change in areas like energy efficiency, I also see Green Team members grow as individuals and make changes to their lives to be more sustainable.

The other part of my job is to promote sustainable living with members of the Upper Sioux Community.  Through monthly newsletters with eco-tips, tabling at community events, and working with youth in after-school programs, I give community members the knowledge and tools to make changes in their lives to protect and respect the Earth. One of the bigger projects I am working on involves working with the youth on a garden to promote local foods and healthy living as a part of a bigger picture of a sustainable lifestyle.

Why I serve. From a very young age, I was instilled with a love of the outdoors; over time, this developed into a strong passion for the natural environment and issues of environmental justice. Serving with the Minnesota GreenCorps allows me to tap into that passion and work for a sustainable future while gaining valuable experience working in the environmental field.