So you’ve decided to start on a journey to help the planet. You can call it low-waste or sustainable living or what have you, but the end goal is the same - to decrease your impact on the environment. Like any other lofty goal you’re eager about it, you make a new Pinterest board, join a Facebook group, follow some Instagram influencers, and check out a few books from the library. Next thing you know, you’re staring at all this new information, all these people on social media showing off their thrift finds and how they’ve bought all their groceries from a local farmer and you’ve done it; you’re in overload. Just like that gym membership from your New Year's Resolution in January, your goal to save the planet begins to gather dust. We’ve all been there. Starting any new habit can be hard and something as big as living sustainably can be intimidating as you strive for perfection. In this blog we’re going to take the scary out of sustainability and put you on the path to saving the planet (beginner edition). The first thing to know is that you are not going to do it perfectly or even do all you want to right away. Low-waste living is both a learned skill and a habit, both which take time and patience to build. The second thing might be harder to bear… Your Midwestern dad was right. A lot of sustainable living are the small habits such as turning off the lights when no one is in the room, making sure doors and windows are closed tightly if the air is on, throw on a sweater instead of turning up the heat, or turning off the faucet as you brush your teeth. If you already do these things, great, keep up the good work! If not, you can try to be more intentional about these habits. It really does help cut down the burning of fossil fuels and the amount of water used - and it is pretty great for saving money. So thanks, Dad, for apparently caring so much about the environment, but mostly your wallet. Green living is currently a major trend. Lots of products are advertising about how green they are or that their products are made from recycled materials. This is great; we love to see companies lowering their impact on the environment. But here’s the thing, as great as all the shiny new, green, stuff is, it’s not going to be as good as just using what you already have. If you recall from your school days, you may have learned “reduce, reuse, recycle” and it was drawn in a triangle.

Hello! My name is Caedyn Wells, and I am beyond excited to be serving Severson Dells as the Community Science AmeriCorps member! This May, I graduated from Beloit College with an Environmental Biology degree with a Geology minor. Before accepting my Americorps position, I managed the Beloit College boathouse for three consecutive years. During that time I connected college students to nature through canoeing, kayaking, and outdoor activities. Additionally before ending my college career, I took a field seminar in Puerto Rico. Throughout this seminar I studied and gained an understanding of severe weather events that affect the island and people. Taking a holistic look at the Geology, I made connections between tectonics, sedimentology, stratigraphy, and paleontology, in order to better understand earth history and ways Geology and sea level rise influences society. I am passionate about connecting people to nature through my role in community science because it gives people unique insights into local ecosystems, and helps us better understand how to protect and enjoy our environments and others. Being from Beloit, WI I understand the importance of green spaces in thriving cities, and I am excited to work on a variety of projects with Severson Dells and partner organizations. I hope to see you all in the field, and exploring nature very soon!