Sustainability Q&A: Matthew Baker

What is your year, position, and department?
1st year at Gonzaga. I work for Student Involvement supporting clubs and organizations, and advising both ZCore and SpikeNites.
What does sustainability mean to you?
Living with others in mind. Recognizing that my actions (and inactions) whether I am aware of them or not, impact the space between me and other people. It means caring for other people in the little things.
How have you been involved in promoting sustainability on campus?
The people in my office see me re-use items for future programs. Materials don’t really go to waste. I don’t ever really turn on my lights in my little office. When I need to purchase craft supplies, I try to buy them sustainably. I almost always commute in a way other than driving a personal vehicle. I’ve become a sustainability ambassador which included an extensive training and has developed into a cohort that is actively meeting and discussing sustainable practices. Sometimes I pull recyclables out of the trash and trash out of the recyclables and put them in appropriate receptacles.
What are some things you do in your personal life to live sustainably?
I grow much of my own food, and buy the other much locally. I drive infrequently and instead take the bus or ride my bike or walk. Recycle. Backyard compost. I occasionally buy carbon offsets. I write elected officials advocating for nature. I have a reusable water bottle. I’ve sewn my own cloth napkins. If I forget to bring my own silverware with me (I almost always have some) I’ll keep the plastic fork that I use, and I re-wash it and re-use it. … Who said single use things really needed to be single use? I re-use the thin plastic produce bags when I go to the grocery store. … you don’t need to buy special bags to re-use the bag you already have. I buy in bulk, and only buy what I will use. I eat everything on my plate. I use the same cell phone I’ve had for the past 5 years. Sometimes I take a cold shower, or I skip taking a shower.
How could Gonzaga continue to improve its sustainability efforts?
It’s a people consciousness thing. We gotta want to do it, and we gotta have faith that we can make a difference. We need to question the norms of consumerism that have gripped our ‘throw away’ culture and swim against the culture a little.
How will you continue to promote sustainability after you leave Gonzaga?
I just started here … don’t push me out the door yet! One day I will be a homeowner and will deck that puppy out with solar panels, a luscious veggie/fruit/flower garden instead of a green yard (bleh), and other sustainable accoutrements. I’ll keep riding the bus and riding my bike. (both of which also have great side effects of connecting me to other humans and centering my often too-busy mind. Try it out!)
