The true name of God. Yahweh. Now breathe in and breathe out. What is it you say when the air comes into your lungs and leaves?  Yahweh. As we observe World Environment Day, I’m reminded that the environment is sacred – woven into every breath we take, the ground we step on. Yet, we continue to desecrate the land that we were so graciously given, leaving it in worse shape than we found it. This sacred connection with nature is what grounds my belief in protecting the environment.   

 I’m a rising sophomore in computer science and mathematics, and being protective of the environment has always just made sense to me. Protecting it feels as natural to me as saying “please” and “thank you”. Don’t litter, clean up a little, recycle and maybe even compost if you’re feeling up to it. To me, protecting the Earth is a simple gratitude for life—a way to pass something better to the next generation.  

This mindset is part of what shaped my decision to come to Livingstone College. I came all the way from Wisconsin, initially drawn by the opportunity to further pursue track. However, after arriving, I was deeply inspired by Dr. Davis’s clear vision for change and felt compelled to be part of the exciting new opportunities unfolding on campus.  

 On our campus, I’ve had the opportunity to take part in greenhouse activities in which we cultivate plants and work on attaining more sustainable ways to cultivate food. I really appreciate that Livingstone even has a space like this, where students are given opportunities to experience sustainability in a hands-on way.  

Lately, we’ve been exploring hydroponics and aquaponics. Allan Lanton has a great hands-on teaching method, which has made many difficult concepts much easier for me to understand. One of the coolest things I’ve learned is the concept of aquaponics, where a closed-loop system recycles fish waste to help grow plants. These innovative systems grow plants without large crop fields, reducing the risk of land degradation.  

Through my involvement, I’ve not only learned but shared with others the importance of sustainability and how one small step can lead to a major change. Simple tricks can lead to better growing habits— and better fruits and veggies. When we invest time in learning how to grow with care, we’re not just nurturing plants—we’re nurturing the future. Let’s keep growing smarter, greener, and kinder to the planet! 

For those who wish to try and make an impact the simplest thing to do is compost. It’s something I practice and would gladly help others with. It doesn’t take much—just a quick YouTube tutorial, I promise.  (And if you don’t want to do it or are unable to, I would love to set it up!).  Composting is so beautiful because it lets us embrace the circle of life.  

Composting on campus doesn’t have to be complicated. You can start small with a bin in your dorm or even collect scraps to bring to a community garden. Some students can team up to make it a group effort, like organizing drop-off spots or talking to the dining hall about saving food scraps. The point is, you don’t need a farm to make a difference. You just need to care—and take the first step.  

All of this—composting, growing food, taking small steps, matters. But I’ve also come to realize that sustainability has to mean more than personal habits. It has to ask the harder questions too. Like: who gets to breathe in clean air? Who has access to green spaces? Who’s being protected—and who’s being left behind?  

That’s where environmental justice comes in. 

Environmental justice doesn’t affect everyone equally. While we all share the same planet, Black and Brown communities are often the ones who bear the heaviest burdens— from polluted air to unsafe water. A recent example that stuck with me is what’s happening in South Memphis.  

Typically, I don’t like watching or reading the news but when I stumbled upon this story on MSN, I couldn’t believe my eyes. A massive supercomputer facility backed by Elon Musk is being built in a predominately Black neighborhood, raising serious health and safety concerns. The NAACP is calling for an emergency shutdown, pointing out this area is already overburdened with environmental hazards. 

Justice must be a part of sustainability.  

That’s why the work we’re doing at Livingstone—like composting, greenhouse growing, and learning sustainable practices — feels even more meaningful. It’s a small step towards a future that’s not only greener, but fairer.  

Protecting our environment doesn’t require grand gestures. It takes small, consistent efforts from each of us. When many people contribute in their own way, those small actions grow into a powerful force for good.  

It doesn’t matter what kind of world we inherited; what truly matters is the world we leave behind. Our legacy is not in what we receive, but in the fruits of our care and responsibility. 

World Environment Day is a reminder of our shared duty to nurture the planet. It calls on us to build a healthier, greener, and more sustainable world not just for us but our sons and daughters that outlive us.  Let us breathe in Yahweh, breathe out gratitude— and leave behind a world as sacred as the breath we started with.