Michael Parent is the 2025-26 Undergraduate Student Government Sustainability Director. He is double majoring in Environmental Sciences and Economics with a minor in Environmental Earth Sciences. Notre Dame Sustainability sat down with Michael to learn more about him and his sustainability passions, and hear his platform for the academic year.
What initiatives are you looking forward to addressing in the year ahead with Student Government?
The department theme this year is Building Branches for a Brighter Future. Specific initiatives will focus on increasing awareness of sustainability in AI and emerging technology as we see rapid advances in these technologies integrating into our daily lives, promoting waste reduction in the dining halls and eateries on campus, and creating meaningful opportunities for students to engage with nature. I believe that one of the most powerful ways to inspire sustainable action is by helping students build a personal connection with the natural world that we are working to protect. I am also looking forward to building a collaborative network of sustainability organizations on campus that can amplify the initiatives and changes the department works towards throughout the year.
When did you first become interested in Sustainability?
I have always loved nature and being outdoors. A central part of my childhood included summer trips to Maine, which allowed me the chance to hike and explore nature. I then became interested in sustainability in high school as I realized the impact human actions have had on the natural places I loved. Since coming to Notre Dame, my passion for sustainability has been continuously reinforced through my involvement in the Student Government Department of Sustainability and the Campus Tree Care Plan Committee. My summers at the University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center, immersed in the woods, reminded me of my childhood and how connected humans are to the natural world. Through my work in sustainability, I hope to be able to conserve the environment that I experienced so that others, especially young people now and in the future, can have similar experiences and share a similar love of the natural world.
What is one sustainability action you would recommend people take in their daily lives?
The greatest action an individual can take to live more sustainably is to become aware of the impact caused by their consumption decisions. Calculating your carbon footprint and learning about product life cycles alters the way you make decisions every day. This awareness takes your action beyond simply recycling or having a reusable water bottle to understanding the resources saved when you avoid a plastic water bottle and choose second-hand clothes, giving good products a second life. With this perspective, sustainable decisions become a lot easier and subsequently reduces overconsumption through thoughtful decision-making.