If you are walking around Greenlake, eating at a restaurant in the Chinatown International District or even out exploring in Bremerton, chances are that some of the businesses around you have been visited by a pair of WM Recycle Corps Interns. Ava Wygant, Keagan McMurray and Annissa Tan are all members of UW’s Program on the Environment, and have spent the past nine weeks as interns at WM. The WM Recycle Corps internship is an award-winning program focused on recycling outreach and education across Western Washington.  While interns complete a wide variety of projects throughout the summer, the bulk of their work consists of site visits to commercial properties, apartments and condominiums, and tabling at local community events. Interns are challenged to be quick-thinking and adaptable environmental communicators. They might be engaging with restaurant owners in the morning and apartment complex property managers in the afternoon. These conversations and interactions highlight the importance of community connections and the positive impact that individual action can have. Each of the interns gained valuable hands-on experience that will further their academic and professional careers within the Program of the Environment and beyond. 

Annissa Tan:

For me, the most impactful part of the WM Recycle Corps internship has been the unique opportunity to meet an incredibly diverse group of people. I spoke to hundreds of business owners, managers and community members this summer. While having these conversations was not always easy, it has been extremely rewarding to make these connections in an area I have begun to call home. I have been energized to discover both the existing passion for recycling throughout the community and the potential for expanding that passion. I wanted to make a positive difference through this internship, and I feel fulfilled by the work I have completed. I have also found excitement through the intern cohort, all of whom have taught me more than I could have imagined and created a supportive environment where we can grow in our environmental careers together. 

As I go into my junior year in the PoE, I am confident that the environmental communication, problem solving and organizational skills I have gained as an intern will transfer into the classroom and my career. I recently learned that the CEO for the local zero waste company I have a part-time job with was also a WM Recycle Corps intern in 2013. There is no better example of how this experience can help propel me into my future.

Ava Wygant:

Prior to this internship, I rarely gave thought to where my garbage and recycling went. This has completely changed over the past nine weeks. My experience at WM has shown me the complexity of recycling, and why it’s so important to do it right. If we’re lucky, many of us were taught to recycle, but that’s just the first step to taking action. Our outreach has shown me the common gap of knowing about recycling and actually putting that knowledge into practice. Each customer is different, and each one shows you that sustainability is not one-size-fits-all. 

Visiting hundreds of businesses has shown me that to keep people recycling, you need to approach them not only with good education, but also with empathy and a problem-solving attitude. I am confident I can bring these analytical and communication skills forward into my capstone project in the PoE and in my future career.  

Keagan McMurray:

Many would call me crazy for spending a summer looking inside dumpsters, but I can assure you, working for WM has been profoundly influential on my professional journey. The commitment within WM to building professional connections and fostering a network for us interns was evident from the  beginning. More established members of the WM community were consistent and resolute in their attempts to make us interns feel heard, valued and welcomed. Outside of WM, my  experience was no different. Throughout the 9 week internship, we met with several different city staff members within the environmental services industry to connect and learn about their career journeys. Our interactions were inspiring and reassuring.

It would be naïve to suggest that landing a job in the environmental field right out of school is a simple task. The current environmental job market can be described only as unpredictable and highly competitive. However, the combination of fieldwork and networking during my WM internship has equipped me with confidence as I enter into this uncertain chapter in my life. My central takeaway from the past 9 weeks is that despite the very real uncertainty, there is an undeniable sense of hopefulness and resilience that is tangible within the sustainability and environmental industry. Professionals in the community are not discouraged by the consistent financial and ideological attacks on their work, but rather empowered and invigorated by the opportunity to make a difference. In my experience, this was especially true amongst folks working for WM. People within the industry are consistently willing to help young people get involved, and I hope to utilize this willingness to spur my entry into the sustainability community in the Seattle area.