Leila Tjiang on running for Sustainability Commissioner

What position are you running for, and what are the responsibilities of this position?

I am running for Sustainability Commissioner! The responsibilities of the Sustainability Commissioner include all things sustainability at Vic, with a particular focus on advocating for student sustainability interests with the administration and on holding programming geared towards environmental education.

Can you summarize the key points of your platform?

If elected as the next sustainability commissioner, I will act on climate change and for our futures, increase the presence of the commission to foster a culture of sustainability, and engage the student body to put your priorities first. In particular, I would like to formalize sustainability practices through trainings and policy, while also focusing on the expansion of advocacy and activism efforts in a manner that directly involves commission members and the Vic community, because climate action must be a collective and unified effort.

More specifically: I will work to ensure that Vic takes climate action in an intersectional, equitable, and urgent manner. I will expand external collaborations with organizations (UofT and beyond) in order to address the climate crisis in the wider community. I will establish sustainability training for VUSAC, clubs, levies, and Dons because I believe we need to establish a baseline understanding of sustainable practices and theory. I will increase sustainability representation in all Vic bodies by producing clearer and more highly regulated sustainability policies. I will survey students to understand how you envision sustainability and climate action at Vic through a sustainability forum.

Why do you want to run for this position, and what makes you best suited to fill this position?

When I was younger, I had a lot of irrational fears. Of course, you get over most of those childhood fears after you realize they’re unfounded and silly. But when I first learned about climate change, I realized that it was not an especially irrational fear. Fear is one of the primary things that drives me in my sustainability efforts [but] one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from being on VUSAC this year is that there is also immense hope. It is the absolutely incredible Vic community that gives me hope that we can overcome this fear to produce tangible change. I believe that I can help to foster and strengthen that hope at Vic, and lift up other members of the Vic community to overcome these fears and realize the marvelous hope, joy, and ambition that surrounds them at Vic.

I believe I am best suited for the commissioner role because I have the drive and passion for sustainability, but also because I have the vision and experience to effectively and efficiently organize sustainability efforts at Vic. Serving as the Sustainability Co-Chair this past year has not only educated me on the inner workings of how change occurs on campus and how the commission operates on a day-to-day basis, but has refined my vision of sustainability at Vic for the better. I have a clear vision of what sustainability efforts should take place on campus next year, and I am well prepared to advocate for and implement these efforts.

What goals do you hope to accomplish if you are elected to this position?

While I believe that programming and student services are extremely important, I believe there are more efficient ways we can foster a culture of sustainability at Vic. The following are ways in which I believe the commission can cement sustainability into the Vic culture. There are four initiatives I’d like to focus on if elected. One, develop a curriculum for sustainability training for VUSAC, clubs, levies, and Dons in order to establish a pool of sustainability knowledge within the Vic community. Two, formalize sustainability policies for VUSAC, clubs, and levies to ensure that there are clear guidelines and regulations for how Vic groups can sustainably use students’ fees. Three, establish a sustainability forum in order to develop a detailed understanding of what students know, want, and need from the sustainability commission. And finally, to implement more long-term services for students, because not every student has the time to attend sustainability commission events, and services such as the continued Diva Cup sales or vegan options at Ned’s Cafe would be more pragmatic for the many students in their everyday lives.