Howard Students Create Ingenious Ways to Protect the Planet

As Howard University marks Earth Day 2025, student environmental advocates are leading a range of environmentally conscious initiatives focused on sustainability, conservation, and community awareness. They have used their creativity, ingenuity, and collaboration skills to illustrate their commitment to the longevity of the planet. From planning a festival to promote awareness to creating sustainability strategies, student activists are making their voices head and their impact felt. Projects span a range of interests, from animal advocacy to eco-friendly fashion to international environmental service.  Here’s a snapshot of the growing environmental movement at the Mecca. 

Early Earth Day

Howard students couldn’t wait for the official Earth Day to get to work. Believing that every day must be an Earth Day, organizers hosted Howard’s Earth Day Festival at the end of March, designed to foster education, encouragement, and enjoyment for the community. Among other highlights, it featured informational tabling, interactive activities, and opportunities for the student body to actively participate in diminishing waste. 

Howard University’s First and Only Pre-Veterinary and Animal Club 

Founded by Thalia Williams, a junior biology and Spanish double major, the Fostering Animal Understanding, Nurturing, and Advocacy organization, or FAUNA, aims to build a community of students interested in veterinary careers and animal welfare, while also providing support for those who want to become pet owners. 

FAUNA connects students to the environment by encouraging compassion for the creatures we share it with. In addition to promoting responsible pet ownership, the organization focuses on peer education and advocacy for animal therapy. 

“There’s no such thing as a starter pet,” Williams says. “There are no resources for first-time pet owners, and there’s a lot of work that goes into any pet that you get.” 

NAACP’s Sustainable Fashion Swap 

Howard University is known for its vibrant fashion scene. The campus chapter of the NAACP’s Environmental Committee brought sustainability into focus through a student-led clothing swap.  The exchange offered Howard students a way to express themselves creatively while reducing textile waste and promoting affordability. 

 “Having to pay for college is something that’s not easy for a lot of students, and keeping sustainability in mind can alleviate a lot of those issues,” commented junior Nahdia Parks, a member of the committee. “With such a prevalent culture of fashion on Howard’s campus, efforts such as clothing swaps can allow students to expand their wardrobes while minimizing their waste and decreasing their expenses. 

Sustainable fashion at Howard isn’t just about consumption — it’s also about creation. At the festival, mechanical engineering senior Anthony Lockett, founder of the Christian streetwear brand Geniosis, shared how he incorporates sustainability into his business model. For Lockett and others, mindful fashion can also be mission-driven. 

“Instead of being wasteful and throwing out excess fabric, I decided to order additional hoodies to make better use of the materials and reduce overall waste,” he says.  

Environmental Outreach: Howard University Water and Environment Association 

The Howard University Water and Environment Association (HUWEA) is working to extend its reach far beyond the borders of the Hilltop. The organization encourages students to explore environmental outreach through study abroad programs. Through HUWEA, Howard students have traveled to Peru to clean rivers and plant trees in the Andes.

Senior Hailey Morris, Environmental Studies major and president of HUWEA, said the club’s presence played a key role in her decision to attend Howard. Members of the organization also emphasize that environmental studies are relevant to every discipline, from engineering to business. 

As she moves on from Howard and HUWEA Morris stated, “I love Howard, but there are some things we could definitely improve. Obviously, you know, there are the things that everybody has a case for: more recycling bins, more compost systems, less plastic, more ways for us to be sustainable.” She continued, “Food-wise too, like diet wise, there needs to be more vegan options. They just got rid of the one vegan spot.”

Howard’s environmental advocates make up a vibrant community of students from different disciplines, backgrounds, and interests. Sophomore biology major and HUWEA member Aminah Coleman commented on the applicability of environmental studies to every major. 

“If you think about it, whether you’re biology, political science, engineering, or even business, all those places have a space in environmental science,” Coleman said. “We have a marketing major who taught us in the last general body meeting about companies and carbon credits.”

Many student activists hope their efforts will lead to permanent environmental awareness. They hope students will stay encouraged about their potential impact. Despite challenges related to the environment, a lively community of students and advocates across our campus are committed to protecting our planet. No action too small to take. Change is made in series and collections of small steps. The activists feel that it is important not to be dismayed, discouraged, or deceived because there is hope for the planet.