Emily Cloyd, Student Services Coordinator for the South Florida campus, knows that every small action can make a difference and is an evangelist by example for the three R’s of waste management: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

As a Green Captain for the South Florida campus, Emily has made it her mission to educate her friends, family, coworkers and classmates about the easy ways to go green and aims to lead by example in her green endeavors. She has earned a reputation as the go-to green leader of the South Florida campus because of her passion and follow-through. For example, Emily’s classmates know that they can leave empty cans and bottles by her desk and she will take them home to put them in the recycling bins.

At home, Emily buys eco-friendly household cleaners, detergents, and toiletries—but her greenest activities involve recycling everyday items, such as plastic bags, and finding alternate uses instead of relegating them to the trash. “I have a collection of 20 reusable bags that I keep in my fiancé’s car, my car, at the office and in our apartment,” she shares, emphasizing that “keeping bags in multiple locations is a great way to have them whenever you might need them.”

An avid believer in reusing materials, Emily has taken the initiative at work to reuse the blank pages from printed material as scratch paper, cutting down on the amount of notebooks and notepads we use. She also brought into the office several ceramic mugs, plastic cups and silverware that her colleagues can use and reuse, reducing the amount of waste produced in the break room. And when Emily wants to get rid of old books or CDs , she uses Freecycle (www.freecycle.org), a grassroots organization that promotes reusing “good stuff” and keeping it out of landfills. Freecyle allows Emily to put items she no longer needs in the hands of people who need them most.

Emily also helps reduce energy consumption by encouraging colleagues in her department to turn off computer monitors and lights when they are away from their desks for an extended period of time. And when she finds a lit room or a lonely, humming monitor, she takes action and hits the switch.

Emily is optimistic that people will see the true benefit of making better choices for themselves and for the environment.

“I feel that if you have the choice of doing something that will have a lasting negative impact on the environment and something that will have no impact or a positive impact on the environment – the choice is simple. Why would you want to harm the environment when you have other options?”

Well said, Emily.

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