By: Sofia Galvan

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) – The Arkansas Union Sustainability Team at the University of Arkansas hosts an Insight Forum every month to help students understand sustainability causes and environmental initiatives across Northwest Arkansas.

During each session, a student from the Union Sustainability Team first presents data on the weight of recycling and composting gathered from the previous month’s forum. Then, the team considers new initiatives and challenges before introducing a guest who’s familiar with environmental initiatives or businesses.

Lance Grigsby, assistant director of operations at the Union, says the forum’s purpose is to address what is stopping environmental progress in developed countries.

“The insight forum is where you can come and learn what sustainability causes, initiatives, and businesses are operating in Northwest Arkansas,” Grigsby said. “Then you can take that information and apply it to your everyday life as a college student, and take it beyond that for the rest of your life.”

The City of Fayetteville’s Environmental Sustainability and Resilience team, the Arkansas Extension Office, groups focused on e-waste, and the Boston Mountain Solid Waste District have all been past guests at these monthly forums. Gigsby says that the goal is to bring a variety to the region’s sustainability industry to the campus.

“Our goal is to get the sustainability industry of Northwest Arkansas, which is growing and rare in the United States,” Grigsby said. “It’s to come here and show people what they could do in these worlds.”

The Arkansas Union Sustainability Team is part of the Office for Sustainability. Their focus is mainly on waste diversion, environmental education, and community outreach.

For more information, contact unionst@uark.edu