Green Success Stories shines the Green Spotlight on Olivia Boerger of the Rapid City Standing Committee on Sustainability.
Tell us a bit about the product or solution you offer.
I serve as the only youth member on the Rapid City Standing Committee on Sustainability in Rapid City, South Dakota. On behalf of Rapid City’s Standing Committee on Sustainability, we offer collaboration to make meaningful change to local and national governments. The committee brings sustainability to an area that tends to have an apathetic view towards environmental issues, and educates citizens on the benefits of environmental sustainability. We partner with the South Dakota School of Mines, Western Dakota Technical College, pollinator advocacy groups, Electric Co-ops, and local businesses to lead large-scale sustainable efforts. Ultimately, the Sustainability Committee serves as the center of environmental sustainability within the Rapid City area that a plethora of impactful projects branch from.
Share a Green Success Story with us – how have you helped customers or other businesses in the fight against global warming?
I have helped organize efforts to encourage conscious consumerism and recognize local businesses for their sustainable endeavors. The Sustainability Committee takes pride in organizing an annual Earth Day Expo for our community- in which local businesses are encouraged to hold booths and promote their ideas. The event attracts hundreds of individuals as notably one of the most popular sustainability events in the area. Furthermore, we have an epicenter of sustainable products and lifestyle changes to promote to eventgoers that help to make sustainability a reality for people of all levels of expertise. Beyond the Earth Day Expo, the committee awards local companies, nonprofits, or groups in front of the City Council up to four times a year to express our support for sustainability in business.
What would you do with $1 billion dollars?
I would put 10% of the money towards my family and friends- to fund educations and give back to those that have supported me the most. Some of the money would fund my love for green tea and gut-healthy soda of course!
I would put some of the money towards my future career development: whether that be graduate degrees or resources to start up my own sustainable business in the future. In this scenario, I would be well-equipped with the knowledge, experience, and money to create a long-lasting impact on the sustainability sector.
I would invest the remaining money into sustainable companies. I believe that investing is critical not only for personal finance, but also as a medium to support a greener future. Where you put your money is a signal of what business practices you support, and I always want to signify support for companies that I believe will take society one step closer towards sustainable economic practices.
What do you envision your industry looking like in ten years?
I picture the role of collaborative groups in environmental sustainability expanding amongst the next ten years. As we get closer and closer to the climate “tipping point” I can only envision more people becoming concerned with the climate crisis and seeking a way to get involved themselves. The long-held notion that the climate crisis will be solved by someone else will dissipate as individuals take a degree of self-responsibility for environmental wreckage. I see more youth getting involved in the climate crisis and pursuing careers in environmental science, environmental policy, etc.
What message would you like people to take away from this article?
I want individuals to feel inspired to take action in the climate crisis regardless of their age or qualifications. In this sphere, there is truly a place for everyone to get involved- from local advocacy groups to large research projects. Tackling the climate crisis requires individuals from a breadth of demographics to collaborate for the betterment of society. I have attended countless meetings in which I was the youngest and “least qualified” to be in the room, yet I have gained critical knowledge and experience from these situations, while also offering my own unique perspective and expertise to fellow collaborators. Involvement in the fight against climate change is involvement in one of the largest issues that our society has ever faced, and every person willing to make a difference should find their place in the movement.