During the colder months, the greenhouses on campus are used as prepping space for upcoming planting seasons; like germinating seeds, and even live animals.
Shepherd University’s Tabler Farm is even teaching the community about sustainable agriculture by allowing people to rent/buy a space on the farm to grow vegetables and other plants, as well as having workshops for beginners to learn.
Tabler Farm has many programs for different groups of people, like “Veterans to Agriculture” allow student veterans to learn skills and how to manage a sustainable farm. The farm also allows federal work study students to work on the farm.
Brooke Comer (PhD in horticulture, focuses in soil health and local food systems), professor of Environmental Studies and Sustainable Agriculture at the university, works with Madison Hale (pictured above) as two of the many people trying to make our community more eco-conscious.
Dr. Comer said that being sustainable means “being able to go beyond sustainability,” to keep trying to make the world healthier for everyone.
How can students be more sustainable at Shepherd University? How can we help teach others about a more sustainable lifestyle? Dr. Comer says that one must “be more aware of the effects of one’s everyday life.”
Everyone must be aware of the effects their everyday life has on the present and future of our environment.
Small changes like less meat in a day or skipping it for the day and using a more sustainable protein, online shopping less and buying from local shops, thrifting instead of fast fashion like Shein, and shorter showers can make those differences the environment needs.
Though it is difficult to live a completely sustainable life, it can be expensive but also can save one money, sometimes one cannot control certain situations, and not everyone is perfect.
We are humans, we all make mistakes, but if we all try our best to make our planet healthier, it will help our quality of life and the life of others. Many small steps in the right direction are what need to be done in order to start making the earth a little better.
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