Justin Wentworth is dual majoring in Environmental Sciences and Sustainability and in the class of 2026. He loves to bike, hike and snowboard. He’s also a Zero Waste Intern at the Sustainability Institute.
UNHSI: How and why did you get involved in sustainability at UNH?
Justin: My path started with the Sustainability Advocates. I was the representative for Haaland Hall my freshman year. I came to UNH looking for my next sustainability club, and quickly found it, sort of on accident! I hadn't yet heard of the program when I was nominated by members of my hall (back when it was a Hall Council position) and won the vote of my peers! It ended up being the exact push I needed. I worked on a variety of sustainability initiatives and got connected with a handful of folks at the Sustainability Institute, as well as peers that I still work alongside. This led to me applying for the Trash 2 Treasure program. My first round of collections was an amazing experience, and when it concluded, two of us were offered an internship the following year to take over the program. I was incredibly grateful and accepted without hesitation.
My time as a Zero Waste Intern has brought me not only experience and memories but taught me more about myself and my passions and given me newfound understanding of our interdisciplinary sustainability issues.
UNHSI: Tell us more about your internship, what you're doing and why the work you do is important.
Justin: My internship focuses on the Trash 2 Treasure (T2T) program. My partner in crime, Ben Kaminski, and I work throughout the year to offer our collections and sale(s) to the student body and larger public, front to back. This includes organizing spring collections, the primary fall sale, and any secondary events we host in the fall and spring. The rest of the year is more behind the scenes. Recruiting, interviewing, and training our incredible Core Team for the spring.
Responsibly disposing of any leftover material once our events have concluded is a several month process that involves a dozen different directions for the remaining items. Preparing and organizing summertime cleaning, sorting, and testing is a process that takes the entire summer. It can sound like a lot of work, but with each season is a new set of tasks, new opportunities to learn, and new periods of time to reflect on how to improve. During these retrospectives, we have seen the impact of our efforts.
We keep thousands of tons out of the landfill. We get hundreds of refrigerators, microwaves, and appliances to incoming students at a huge savings, along with a whole host of other items they may need. We provide an educational experience to those that visit our events; you're bound to reflect when you see that much diverted waste, all sourced by your peers, all of which still in usable condition.
UNHSI: What are your biggest take-aways from this internship?
Justin: A big takeaway that we have all had in the Zero Waste team these last two years is scope. On the surface, T2T is a direct, hands-on, back-aching effort to remove usable items from the waste stream and place them within the lives of incoming students, reducing waste and providing a savings to our community.
This is objectively a noble effort and is an energy that drew me to the program. I have learned where T2T fits into the bigger puzzle. We prevent waste, but there is a scope larger than that and one not encompassed just by our UNH campus. Why DO we have so much waste in our day to day lives? Why is it cheaper to buy new than to repair, clean, or repurpose? Why do items begin to breakdown so quickly, sometimes by the end of the school year?
These are questions that we have tried to answer, and problems beyond our solving, at least singlehandedly. We can cite a few reasons, but more important than placing blame, we have realized we must expand our output. Not only does it take our elbow grease, it takes educational outreach. It takes empowering and shifting a culture. It takes regulating the manufacturing of products to ensure higher quality production. It takes ensuring folks have access to quality goods! It can be overwhelming, and T2T is still a lovely start to creating positive impact, but we can't stop there. We still have a lot of work to do.
UNHSI: Why do you think an internship like this is important, personally and for future career?
Justin: This internship has been so important to me both personally and professionally. I have grown as a person, learned about my work and management style, discovered passion for a cause more specific than the word "sustainability", and gained perspective on the interdisciplinary and nuanced nature of issues as large as waste. It has deepened my understanding of issues that already fired me up, and given me marketable and memorable experiences to go and apply after my time at UNH. My gratitude for this opportunity with the Sustainability Institute is palpable.
UNHSI: Any advice you'd give to other students if they want to make a difference but not sure where to start?
We all have a thing, first and foremost, so don't worry if you haven't found yours yet. You must explore, both inward and around your environment. You currently are at UNH, a walkable campus with hundreds of student orgs and clubs, various programs, esteemed research staff and facilities... just to start.
Reflect on what has engaged any sense of passion for you, no matter how small. You'll know it when you feel it, and something has at some point. For me I knew three simple phrases about my passions: "sustainability", "climate change", "plants". That was all I had walking into UNH, and that's where I started.
I explored, found what worked, and what didn't. What doesn't work can be just as helpful, so don't be afraid to reach out there. Take initiative, advocate for and apply yourself, and keep reflecting often. If you follow that trail of breadcrumbs, it's bound to go somewhere good, and now is the absolute best time to do it. Above all, follow that which you love and are passionate for. Some will suggest certain things because of the money that's in it. If that's what works for them, that's fine, but it doesn't have to be for you. No one will know the details but you, so be true to yourself and go find what makes you, you! If making a difference and changing the world for the better is one of your filters in life, place that above all else, and everything else will fall into place.
