Green Success Stories puts Christina Snitko, Project Manager of EcoEngineers, in The Green Spotlight. We discussed her passion for environmental science, her innovative and collaborative work with her team solving complex issues related to renewable fuel and energy markets, her devotion to making the world a bit better one action at a time, and more.
Tell us a bit about your sustainability journey.
I think my sustainability journey (unbeknownst to me at the time) started off when I was 9 years old. I grew up living right next to a cornfield in the heart of the Midwest. One day, I was playing outside with one of my neighbors, and we were running around in that corn field (after it was mowed) and couldn’t help but notice all of the “fly away” trash that was stuck and left behind in that field. It did not bother my friend as much as it bothered me, but I thought of the idea of asking her parents for some gloves and a trash bag, to see how much trash we would be able to pick up. (My friend was not too thrilled at all with this idea, but thankfully, she went along with it) and for two kids, we picked up two large trash bags of trash. At that point, it was the first time that I was truly exposed to the fact that we are all stewards on this planet, and that we have to take care of our planet, collectively, through our own little actions, in order to make small, but hopefully large differences on the planet. After that instance, surprisingly, I did not think about environmental science and sustainability all that much, until it was time for me to decide on a major in college. I was very interested in biology, (but did not want to go down the medical field route) and decided to take an environmental biology class as an elective (and to see if that was a place of interest). I ended up LOVING the class and never looked back. I majored in environmental science in college, where I started off my career in government administration, working on sustainable initiatives and programs for local government. From there, I was exposed to many different sustainability-focused and renewable energy projects, which brought me to my current role as Project Manager for a consulting services and advisory firm, focused on the renewable/biofuels industry.
Tell us a bit about the product or solution you offer.
I work for EcoEngineers, which is a consulting, audit, and advisory firm with an exclusive focus on the energy transition. I’d like to think of my amazing company as a group of “engineers” working on solving the most complex issues and problems related to climate change. We also are “innovators” and look for many different ways to support renewable energy, in support for a more sustainable planet. We offer feasibility studies, market analyses for different fuels, educational content and outlooks, regulatory guidance and consulting, life cycle analyses, auditing services, and so much more! I help organize and manage our educational content within our company, EcoUniversity, so we can help our clients get up to speed on different ways that they can enter the renewable fuels market, and monetize their commodities. I love being a part of such an amazing group of people, that are not only insanely intelligent, but also so passionate for making the world a bit better, one action at a time.
Share a green success story with us – how have you helped customers or other businesses in the fight against climate change?
A green success story that I would like to share was with my previous job/role at Will County, Illinois. I used to work for the Will County Land Use Department, as a Senior Energy and Conservation Specialist. My role was to work on energy efficiency initiatives and development of green programs, as well as making an extensive update to the 2012 Energy and Conservation Plan. Aside from drafting the 2021 Energy and Conservation Plan (which was a massive feat in itself!) I was given the opportunity to be the Project Manager of the Will County Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Plant Construction Project. This RNG plant, was only the second of its kind in Illinois (at the time), and was built at the County Owned landfill, where the sole purpose was to take the methane that was generated as a natural result of the decomposition process at the landfill, and convert it to compressed natural gas (CNG). This renewable natural gas can then be used to power fleet trucks, such as large-scale buses or transportation vehicles. I am not only super proud of being able to manage this type pf project, but to also be a part of turning something that would have otherwise been flared off as a natural process, into something that can be used again. It was great to be working on initiatives that help lower our environmental impact.
What would you do with $1 billion dollars?
Wow, what a question! I do not think I have ever had the opportunity to think about it! If I had a billion dollars, I would try to eradicate world hunger. There are so many world issues that I would like to solve, but I think world hunger is one I wish could have been eradicated already. Hunger is a byproduct of poverty, which is a much larger and more encompassing issue. Poverty in general is also an environmental concern, due to use of resources (unsustainably) and population growth. So eradicating world hunger would be my first step, but solving poverty would be the general goal.
What do you envision your industry looking like in ten years?
We as a nation and society, run on energy and fuel. Without it, we would not be able to go about our day-to-day activities. So I truly believe that we have to invest and pay attention to the renewable fuel and energy markets. If I had to guess, I see the renewable energy and fuel space to be not only very prominent, but also exponentially becoming more innovative and sustainable. We see the airline markets investing in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to be more environmentally friendly, as well as other renewable fuel programs that are subsidized by governing bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air and Resources Board (CARB). I do also see/envision the industry eventually moving more towards the electric grid and electrifying vehicles (which we are already seeing) but on a larger scale.
What would you like readers to take away from this article?
I think the main thing that I would like readers to take away from this article is that you never truly know where you are going to end up when it comes to your career. Sometimes you end up in rooms or with certain opportunities that you have never even thought of! The best piece of advice that I can give the readers reading my story is to have an open mind when it comes to the opportunities that are presented to you, and to not be afraid to take on something that may scare you. I have been so fortunate in my life, to be presented with amazing (yet unbelievably challenging) opportunities. While I am human and can full-heartedly admit that I have doubted myself, I still took advantage of those opportunities. But upon taking those opportunities and completing them, it has brought me to further growth and career success that I would have never envisioned was even possible!
How should readers get in touch with you and/or your organization?
Readers can get in touch with me via Christina Snitko, MAOL | LinkedIn
Or email: csnitko@ecoengineers.us
At our organization: Contact Us – EcoEngineers
Kudos
Many thanks to Brighton Heard and Westervelt Ecological Services. Green Success Stories is happy to support and highlight your efforts! We invite you the reader to do the same.
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