Chris Landaeta, a nearly lifelong resident of Gainesville, is super active in the local environmental scene. He finds joy in bringing people from UF and beyond together to work on the common goal of protecting the environment. Chris defines sustainability as a Venn diagram where environmentally friendly, economically feasible, and socially just actions overlap.

Valentina Padron-Rasines is a Sustainability Studies major who has a passion for social justice and preserving the environment. We talk to her about her internships as a LEED for Cities Intern and a Sustainability Intern with Alachua County. Her experiences have given her a positive outlook and an understanding of how to implement successful public policy!

Jess Mercier is the Assistant Director of Outreach and Marketing for UF Study Abroad. She’s dedicated to sustainable event processes, committed to exploring the intersection of sustainability and international travel, AND she’s running her own vintage and secondhand thrift resale business!

Mayssa Shalhoub hopes to serve as an example of how living sustainably can allow a person to tap into their personal creativity and connect with their community – and she’s doing a great job! Learn more and read her unofficial guide to sustainability at UF.

Jim Vignola, Project Manager for Planning, Design & Construction, is leading the way on new building projects at UF. Find out more about the awards his team won on the new Special Collections building and about the priority he puts on repurposing!

David Flores has it all – impressive internships, robust student involvement, experience in exciting sustainability courses as a dual degree student majoring in both Environmental Engineering and Sustainability Studies. You don’t want to miss his recommendations and advice for other sustainable Gators!

Elizabeth “Rocket” Walker is all in on supporting the local community here in Gainesville. Whether she’s trying to save the springs, fighting gentrification, teaching science to the next generation, or simply working on conservation projects – she’s ready to do whatever it takes to make an impact.

Dustin Stephany, Sustainable Building Coordinator, has done so much to help improve green building certification standards at UF. He also has tons of wisdom to share about how he approaches sustainability. Keep reading to hear more about the influence of his Native American identity.

UF Marine Sciences major Chloe Schwab looks back on her incredible experiential learning opportunities to perform research across the world! She also reminds us that there is always time for small actions that can improve sustainability.

When Anna learned the different ways you can be an environmentalist besides being a scientist, she really appreciated the lesson. “You can be a teacher, an artist, or a communicator. Anything can be tied back to protecting our planet,” Anna explains.