We’d like to introduce you to our newest Sustainability Champion: Teresa Bilinski! Every two weeks, we will be revealing more champions, so please visit the page and keep your eyes out in Horizon for the announcement. Help us give a big thanks to this eco-friendly individual, and let her inspire you to become more sustainable!
Teresa Bilinski, Assistant Professor of Biology: Sustainability plays a major role in both your personal and professional life. As an academic one of your research areas is water quality, and you’re currently finishing up a project to investigate the role of microbial communities in groundwater arsenic contamination in Bangladesh. You’re also continuing work on a project looking at the potential for biogas capture at a Costa Rican palm oil mill wastewater treatment plant. The environmental goal of this is capturing greenhouse gases emitted from ponds and converting it into energy. Several of your students are investigating the potential for native soil microorganisms to degrade commonly used pesticides, as well as researching the impact of water pollution caused by oil extraction. At home, your family composts all of your organic food waste, reuses all plastic bags and containers, and works hard to reuse existing items instead of buying new ones; this includes choosing reclaimed wood for household repairs. Both of your family vehicles are energy efficient (one is a hybrid Honda Insight) and you collect rainwater as well as excess water from showers or baths to water your plants. To top it off, you use insulation curtains to decrease energy loss through your windows. Keep up the great work, Teresa!