Sustainability's Featured Student-Athlete: Denise Devlyn
December 04, 2020 | Sustainability
Q&A with UW Student-Athlete, Denise Devlyn
Question: What does commitment to sustainability mean to you?
Denise: I think commitment to sustainability is about changing the way we view things, from very human-centric to very intertwined with nature and the environment. I think claiming to be sustainable is honestly a really cool declaration and a way to be like: "I am conscious of the resources and materials I use, and I want to lower my impact and my carbon footprint." In order to do that we have the change the way we view resource consumption.
Q: What are some simple steps you take to live more sustainably on a daily basis?
D: The first one in the past year I've become very aware of is buying clothes. I really try not to buy new clothes as much. Thrifting is so fun and it's a great way to get new items without contributing to new materials and new resources. There are a bunch of super cool apps now where it's basically like online shopping for thrifting. I think that's a cool new avenue where people can reduce their consumption. I also personally choose to not eat meat when I can. Lowering meat consumption is a good daily step too.
Q: What originally inspired your passion for sustainability?
D: I was born in Mexico City, but I grew up in Texas. When I would go back to Mexico City, I'd see what a polluted city and it was kind of sad, I think, to visit in that manner. In Austin, Texas, I was always outside, and it was never really an issue, but when we would go back to Mexico City you can't drink water from the tap, and you don't really want to exercise outside for too long because the air quality is really poor. Growing up, I always had a hyperawareness of places and issues in terms of environmental damage going on. I don't think it was until I was in high school when I really dove more into what exactly is happening and why there is a difference. I was on Netflix one Saturday or Sunday and came across this array of environmental documentaries. They were all about the oceans and I was blown away. It really shook me because if this is out-of-sight, out-of-mind and if it's not discussed, no one's going to learn about it.
Q: How would you describe your experience as part of the student-athlete sustainability group (SAUWS)?
D: What's really cool about the group is it's really exciting to see a bunch of different people from different sports come together and I think collectively as athletes we can have a pretty big voice and influence on these issues. Athletics gives us a really great platform to discuss and bring things to the forefront for the whole school. Sports can play a role in why people are passionate about the environment because a lot of people in their sports are outside a lot and travel a lot. Hearing people's stories and why this is something they're passionate about is really interesting.
Q: How can other students at UW get involved and advocate for sustainability?
D: For people who want to get involved and maybe don't know how, reaching out to SAUWS is a fun way. Also, just having conversations about the topic of climate change is a good enough way to bring this issue to people's attention. Living with a roommate or living in a house, your lifestyles overlap a lot and if you can present a healthy, sustainable lifestyle and show them that there are small steps you can take in your life that can make a difference; it shows the people around you that their actions can make a difference.
Q: As a rower, has your sport and the amount of time you spend outside influenced your interest in sustainability?
D: I'm out on the water all day, every day. I think that has always brought issues of water quality to my attention. When I'm a body of water, I notice trash just piling up on the shorelines. Getting the opportunity to row in a bunch of different places and seeing similarities across them has been a reality check sometimes. Some of my most peaceful and incredible moments outside have been on the water and it just reminds you how beautiful and worth preserving it is.
Q: Aside from rowing and academics, what other hobbies and interests do you have? Have these interests impacted your passion for sustainability, or vice versa?
D: Growing up, my family was always very outdoorsy. We'd go hiking all the time and being in the Pacific Northwest makes hiking super easy. Our community is very passionate about preserving the environment and nature, so hiking a being outdoors makes you realize that saving these areas is very important.
Q: What do you hope people who read this profile will come away with?
D: A lot of people sometimes don't think about how their individual actions can make a really big difference. I find inspiration when my roommates come up with a cool idea to maybe not throw away a jar, and they use it instead as a pencil holder. Small things like that really inspire me to think about my use and my consumption. I've realized that, yes, your individual actions are really powerful and talking about these issues is really insightful and powerful. Continuing those conversations and learning from each other is a really great way to combat these issues.
Question: What does commitment to sustainability mean to you?
Denise: I think commitment to sustainability is about changing the way we view things, from very human-centric to very intertwined with nature and the environment. I think claiming to be sustainable is honestly a really cool declaration and a way to be like: "I am conscious of the resources and materials I use, and I want to lower my impact and my carbon footprint." In order to do that we have the change the way we view resource consumption.
Q: What are some simple steps you take to live more sustainably on a daily basis?
D: The first one in the past year I've become very aware of is buying clothes. I really try not to buy new clothes as much. Thrifting is so fun and it's a great way to get new items without contributing to new materials and new resources. There are a bunch of super cool apps now where it's basically like online shopping for thrifting. I think that's a cool new avenue where people can reduce their consumption. I also personally choose to not eat meat when I can. Lowering meat consumption is a good daily step too.
Q: What originally inspired your passion for sustainability?
D: I was born in Mexico City, but I grew up in Texas. When I would go back to Mexico City, I'd see what a polluted city and it was kind of sad, I think, to visit in that manner. In Austin, Texas, I was always outside, and it was never really an issue, but when we would go back to Mexico City you can't drink water from the tap, and you don't really want to exercise outside for too long because the air quality is really poor. Growing up, I always had a hyperawareness of places and issues in terms of environmental damage going on. I don't think it was until I was in high school when I really dove more into what exactly is happening and why there is a difference. I was on Netflix one Saturday or Sunday and came across this array of environmental documentaries. They were all about the oceans and I was blown away. It really shook me because if this is out-of-sight, out-of-mind and if it's not discussed, no one's going to learn about it.
Q: How would you describe your experience as part of the student-athlete sustainability group (SAUWS)?
D: What's really cool about the group is it's really exciting to see a bunch of different people from different sports come together and I think collectively as athletes we can have a pretty big voice and influence on these issues. Athletics gives us a really great platform to discuss and bring things to the forefront for the whole school. Sports can play a role in why people are passionate about the environment because a lot of people in their sports are outside a lot and travel a lot. Hearing people's stories and why this is something they're passionate about is really interesting.
Q: How can other students at UW get involved and advocate for sustainability?
D: For people who want to get involved and maybe don't know how, reaching out to SAUWS is a fun way. Also, just having conversations about the topic of climate change is a good enough way to bring this issue to people's attention. Living with a roommate or living in a house, your lifestyles overlap a lot and if you can present a healthy, sustainable lifestyle and show them that there are small steps you can take in your life that can make a difference; it shows the people around you that their actions can make a difference.
Q: As a rower, has your sport and the amount of time you spend outside influenced your interest in sustainability?
D: I'm out on the water all day, every day. I think that has always brought issues of water quality to my attention. When I'm a body of water, I notice trash just piling up on the shorelines. Getting the opportunity to row in a bunch of different places and seeing similarities across them has been a reality check sometimes. Some of my most peaceful and incredible moments outside have been on the water and it just reminds you how beautiful and worth preserving it is.
Q: Aside from rowing and academics, what other hobbies and interests do you have? Have these interests impacted your passion for sustainability, or vice versa?
D: Growing up, my family was always very outdoorsy. We'd go hiking all the time and being in the Pacific Northwest makes hiking super easy. Our community is very passionate about preserving the environment and nature, so hiking a being outdoors makes you realize that saving these areas is very important.
Q: What do you hope people who read this profile will come away with?
D: A lot of people sometimes don't think about how their individual actions can make a really big difference. I find inspiration when my roommates come up with a cool idea to maybe not throw away a jar, and they use it instead as a pencil holder. Small things like that really inspire me to think about my use and my consumption. I've realized that, yes, your individual actions are really powerful and talking about these issues is really insightful and powerful. Continuing those conversations and learning from each other is a really great way to combat these issues.
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