Northern Michigan University student Meghan Maas is helping advance sustainability efforts on campus after earning $5,000 to support an expansion of post-consumer compost collection at NMU.
On June 24, Maas represented NMU at the Michigan NextCycle Accelerator Showcase in Traverse City, the culminating event of the NextCycle Michigan Accelerator. The showcase featured 15 teams pitching reuse, recycling, recovery and recycled-content projects to potential investors and partners while competing for monetary awards.
Maas, a senior in the Outdoor Recreation and Leadership Management program, pitched a project to expand compost collection opportunities across NMU's campus and adopt more sustainable waste management practices. Her presentation highlighted how campus composting efforts can drive meaningful environmental change and demonstrated the impact of sustainability initiatives in rural communities.
Maas represented NMU with professionalism and passion, earning funding to advance the project.
“A lot of what I stand for is rural leadership and proving that small communities can still make sustainable change,” Maas said. "I am most proud of how I've been able to bring all of my passions together in one place. I've worked on Northern's Compost Crew, at The Sustainability Hub for Innovation and Environment, and at Partridge Creek Compost throughout my past semesters at Northern, sometimes all at the same time! This grant money from NextCycle Michigan proved to me that I've truly been making a difference the entire time, and I found it to be rather inspiring.”
Jes Thompson, NMU's Assistant Vice President for Sustainability, shares in the excitement about what this funding can do for the university community.
"When NMU was selected for the NextCycle Accelerator program, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect or how we might develop a competitive pitch to increase compost collection on campus, but with expert coaching and Meghan's passion, we put together a winning proposal,” she said. “This funding will help us invest in smart bins that can help passersby quickly determine whether their waste is compostable or recyclable - or if it needs to go to the landfill. This is just the beginning; once this project is fully funded and implemented, we'll be on our way to being a zero-waste campus.”
To learn more about Michigan Next Cycle, visit nextcyclemichigan.com/. To stay updated on NMU's sustainability efforts, visit nmu.edu/shine/sustainable-nmu.