Elizabete

I come from Latvia and I am a third year bachelors student at University College Utrecht, where I study Chemistry, Earth and Environment and Religious Studies.

I wanted to be part of Duurzaam Utrecht 2030 because I want to get involved with the local community and help improving the lives of people living in lower income communities. Sustainability often has the reputation of being too expensive and only accessible for well off people - with the speed at which climate crisis is accelerating this is not enough and all people deserve the opportunity to live a sustainable and healthy life. That is why I am proud to work with Duurzaam Utrecht 2030 for the following months.

Giulia Malisani

Hello, I am Giulia Malisani, a 21-year-old originally from Italy and now living in the Netherlands since last August. Currently, I'm pursuing my Bachelor's degree in Biology and Environmental Sciences at University College Utrecht.

My interest for sustainability has been a constant in my life. I was fortunate to be educated by my parents about the importance of environmental responsibility, social justice, and the significance of our individual actions in shaping our world. Last summer, I had the privilege of participating in a biodiversity conservation project, where I witnessed the critical importance of preserving our environment. Now, I'm excited to broaden my horizons and explore the social aspects of sustainability, complementing the scientific dimension I've previously encountered.

As an intern with Duurzaam Utrecht 2030, my role revolves around engaging people in sustainability themes. I'll be involved in evaluating strategies for creating dialogues, including interviews, surveys, and brainstorming sessions in collaboration with our partners, such as other NGOs and community centers in Utrecht. Our goal is to understand how people envision living more sustainably and work toward implementing their requests.

Throughout this internship, I aim to learn how to effectively engage people in sustainability, actively participate in impactful initiative, and gain practical experience with organizations and professionals in the field. I'm excited to be part of the team and look forward to contributing to our collective mission of making Utrecht a more sustainable and socially just place to live.

Ollie Köhn-Haskins

My name is Ollie Köhn-Haskins, and I’m a second-year bachelors student at University College Utrecht from New York and Berlin. I’m currently studying Literature, Philosophy, and Anthropology - with a specific focus on the environmental humanities, specifically non-human animal and climate justice. 

Although I love what I learn at university, it was definitely time to apply all that theory to something more tangible! I am so grateful to have the opportunity to intern with Duurzaam Utrecht 2030 as a communications strategist and learn how to better connect with my community to organize change (no matter how small). As climate justice has been a big concern for me my whole life (as it has been for many people my age and older), I am passionate about this initiative, and excited to learn and grow with it. It has been wonderful to connect with people who are just as passionate about saving the planet, starting right here at home. If you are reading this, this is a sign to get involved in your community - whether it be at an organization like Duurzaam Utrecht 2030 or just starting with your neighbors - and try to make a small difference!

Duurzaam Utrecht 2030 stood out to me because of its unique bottom-to-top approach: working and connecting with the people of Utrecht to understand how to help people live sustainably and then helping to influence governmental policy using this community knowledge.