"In this picture, I am working alongside two rural Bolivian community members (and a llama), collaborating on the design of a water system. The community had no running water, phone service only on hills, cut plastic liter bottles in half for gutters, and still gave me soups and meals as a welcoming and thankfulness. Their kindness, harmony with the land around them, and joy radiated, deeply resonating with my idea of how to live a sustainable, happy life. Sustainability is not buying a reusable water bottle…every 3 months because a new, better, more cool version is here. It is living in gratitude and simplicity with the people and nature around you." Taken by Megan Oleksik. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Contest.
"This photo was taken in Paulding County Ohio. In the back ground is Haviland Tile and their new small ethonal plant. All bringing sustainability together." Taken by Jamie Merriman. Submitted to Sustainability Photo Contest.
"This is a picture of a cave in Chillagoe, a town in Queensland, Australia. My study abroad group learned that Indigenous people used to take shelter here, and there are still some art on the walls. Also, the caves are made from limestone, which is made from coral, which means this whole area was once a shallow ocean that was compressed and pressurized over time. The connection between people using the caves as shelter and the vast amount of history connects to sustainability because of how it all ties together. I care about these caves because it’s proof of how the environment continues to change and evolve, and how people continue to properly use and maintain it. From oceans for fish to shelter for the Indigenous people to an educational tool for us, the environment always provides and we should continually work to preserve it." Taken by Shreya Mishra. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Photo Contest.
"A compostable outhouse made from recycled/reused wood and aluminum, built with tools fueled by solar and biodiesel." Taken by Ashley Murphy. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Photo Contest.
"On top of a Sustainable World: this photo shows the view from the top of Volcan de Pacaya just outside of Antigua, Guatemala. In the background a set of windmills can be seen and just at the foot of the volcano is an eco-turism hub that uses hydroponics to grow produce in the volcanic soil. I paused when taking this photo to pause and think about what a sustainable built environment could look like with windmills replacing non-sustainable power plants, agriculture and local food production becoming a norm, living locally with access to public transportation, and equal access to opportunities." Taken by Mikayla Carey. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Contest.
