Beth Sang’s student‑to‑student approach drives sustainability engagement at UNC Charlotte

As an EcoRep, senior Beth Sang is one of the students most actively shaping sustainability engagement at UNC Charlotte. She spends much of her time talking with students at tabling events, giving class presentations, sharing volunteer opportunities and connecting peers with campus resources.

“I want to build real connections with students and make sustainable living feel easy and fun,” Sang said.

Interactive outreach is central to her work. Sang helps lead activities such as spin‑the‑wheel trivia and Sustainability Heads Up, which draw students in and spark conversations about sustainable habits. She also promotes tools like the campus Waste Wizard, which helps students determine whether items should be recycled, composted or disposed of.

Another popular activity is the Green Living Guide dry erase board, where students, faculty and staff share everyday sustainable habits — a snapshot of resourcefulness across campus.

“Seeing peers’ and professors’ answers side by side often sparks ideas people hadn’t thought of before,” Sang said. “Like reusing jars, air‑drying laundry or unplugging devices overnight.”

Sang is especially proud of her work on the pop‑up clothing swap, which has grown into the upcoming Reuse Rodeo featuring clothing and book swaps. She says promoting zero‑cost, circular thrifting during high‑consumption periods has been rewarding and that the campus community has embraced the initiative.

During Campus Sustainability Month, she hopes students will participate in Campus Beautification Day, on Thursday, Oct. 22, to help plant trees and clean up green spaces. She also encourages students to join a zero‑waste sorting event after a home football game to earn volunteer hours and help advance campus waste‑reduction goals.

“By figuring out the best ways and places to engage with students, we can keep planting the seeds for sustainable habits they’ll carry with them long after our interactions,” Sang said.

Sang’s commitment to sustainability began at home. Raised in an immigrant household, she learned early not to waste and to repurpose everyday items. Camping with her Pathfinder club reinforced a “leave no trace” mindset that continues to guide her approach to resource stewardship.

Majoring in health systems management and minoring in public health and health and medical humanities has also shaped how Sang views sustainability and environmental health. Examining the U.S. healthcare system — including its costs, waste and disparities — has shown her how sustainability principles can improve both environmental outcomes and patient care. She sees opportunities for preventative care, policy improvements and smarter resource use to reduce waste while improving health outcomes. After graduating, Sang plans to pursue a career in healthcare management, with an interest in revenue cycle management. She hopes to begin in backend administration or supply‑chain operations to understand daily processes and identify where sustainable practices could help strengthen the fragmented parts of the healthcare system.

Written by: Jennifer Howe
Photos courtesy of Beth Sang