Name

Dorota Hajdukiewicz

Location

Leeds, UK

What was your ‘eureka’ moment for getting into sustainability?

I've started my Business degree because I was undecided in what direction exactly I wanted to go after I graduate. In the first couple of weeks, I've found and then approached one of the sustainability lecturers, just to ask about his interests in animal welfare. He's helped me realise that I can perfectly link my environmental and social interests with a business degree! This was a huge trigger of change in my, so far boring life of working in a warehouse where I didn't have much of a say. Since then I have been looking up all the information about sustainable development and business. I started to question other lecturers how to link sustainability to what they teach in other modules and when they couldn't answer, I have spotted the need to lobby the university to incorporate sustainability aspects in all courses. Currently, the Business School is finalising an audit of sustainability in all modules.

What have you been doing on sustainability since?

I have established a students' society called Students for Sustainability. So far, I've gathered 16 students to work on projects, such as 'Towards a Low Carbon Kirklees' conference, COP21 vigil at the university, Fossil Free campaign, Fairtrade Breakfast, among other activities like stalls and film screenings. Currently, with the same tutor who inspired me in the beginning of the course, I work on society's Social Food Enterprise. With his help, we have convinced the university to let us use the forgotten greenhouses they own and the university agreed to cover the repairs cost. We even had a lovely visit of Natalie Bennett who has shown a lot of interest in this project.

What’s your vision for reaching a sustainable future?

My vision of sustainable future involves resilient communities, empowered to take the responsibility and ownership for the local environment and society, where there are changed priorities from consumerism and constant competition to collaboration and equality. In this future, people are environmentally aware and ready to change their everyday habits, such as animal consumption, or driving a car. I find an apathy and conformism to be the main obstacles in a change process, as well as media influence and meaningless entertainment. Engaging the community of all ages to participate in environmental or social projects, working from the bottom of the society to the top, may be the way to reach the sustainable future sooner.

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