Impact

Turning Green’s motto is dream and do. And they truly live by it every single minute of every single day, always reminding me that anything is really possible if we first imagine the world that we want to live in and then take action to make it so. They effectively couple both the learning aspect of environmental issues and mobilization of students to take action based on what we have learned. TG essentially paves the way and shows students how easy, simple, fun and empowering it is to ignite positive change in our communities so that we can do it on our own whenever and wherever we go. I am one of those students. And with all that I have learned from TG, I have become a positive changemaker in my community.

I’ve been involved with Turning Green for my entire college career, and this organization has impacted my life in such a huge way. Every day I am conscious about how my actions affect people and the planet elsewhere. Despite being just one person on a campus with tens of thousands of students, I feel like I am making a real difference by engaging everyone I know in conversations about consumption and food and waste and everything else that Turning Green has taught me. I never would have had the confidence to make my voice heard if I hadn’t participated in Project Green Challenge as a freshman. Without even realizing it, Turning Green paved the way for my future by installing a deep passion for environmental and social justice that I can’t ignore.

Empowering. Moving. Meaningful. Necessary. Life-changing. These words encapsulate my experience with Turning Green. When I embarked on my journey with the organization, a passion and newborn vibrancy ignited inside me and a new chapter of my life filled with a social mission and purpose unfolded. I am no longer someone who simply just knows the facts. I am a driven, passionate global citizen who wants to develop ideas, mobilize others, and change the world in the best way that I can.

As I explored the challenges each day, I broadened my knowledge of environmentalism. Every challenge was a door to a new passion. The Fair Trade challenge inspired a new empathy for people all throughout the world. The Biodiversity challenge helped me find links between my own life, and all the things that make it great, and the world around me. I feel an indescribable sense of connection with the plants and animals around me. And the support that the Turning Green Team provided made me feel fearless in advocating what I believe in. PGC helped me gain perspective on my own life. It helped me connect to my principles and spurred me to envision the world that I want to live in.

The Conscious College Road Tour resulted in excitement, friendships made, and networking between clubs. There is undoubtedly a student interest in changing behavior on campus to be more sustainable and healthy. It is wonderful to report that as a result of all the effort of Turning Green, the WVU Office of Sustainability, and student participation, a student chapter of Turning Green was formed and many ideas are being planned so we can hit the ground running in the fall semester!