When most people think of the UMD Stores, they probably think of university apparel, books, and knick-knacks. However, when you buy something at UMD Stores, there’s a big way you can give back.
It's called the Wooden Nickel Program, and it was set up by Store sustainability hero Ann Pellant. It works when people don't take a bag. Instead, they are given a wooden nickel, which they may drop in the Store’s collection box, in support of a charity. The nickels are then tallied and a donation is given to the charity that receives the most nickels. One project helped buy trees for the Bagley Nature Center which was hard hit by a big storm in 2016.
These steps for less waste and mindful action have been long in the making, and it hasn’t always been easy. Pellant started her sustainability efforts about 10 years ago when she wanted to help the Store go bag-free. Students and student Store workers became more and more interested and helped to propel the green minded campaigns, including going bag-free.
From the outside of the bookstore one can even see the “Bag Monster,” a model of an estimate of the amount of plastic bags just one shopper uses. Things like that can be attributed to the Sustainability Club Pellant formed with students. Student Life Office of Sustainability graphic designer Jordan Woodland even designed the reusable Chico Bags sold at the Store to promote going bagless. Getting the students involved is one of the best ways, Pellant says, to promote sustainability; it’s implementing it into a “self floating” store that can be really tough.
“Retail is hard when you try to mix in sustainability when you’re taking in costs of everything. Sometimes you have to sell things people want that aren’t the best decision for the environment. The Store is self floating so it can be hard to stay alive. All of the plastic water bottles are hard to get rid of and convenience is something hard to work with when trying to keep of that in mind,” Ann said.
Trying to buy more and more sustainable products helps to propel the more economic friendly products to become a norm at the Store. Sometimes however, when it’s a matter of needing to keeping the Store alive, having to weigh the pros and cons of the on-the-go passersby is what it comes down to. Small setbacks don’t get in the way of Ann though.
In the spring of 2017, a helpful nudge and recognition came with a nomination for the 2017 UMD Sustainability Inspiration Staff Award for her efforts. Pellant doesn’t do the work for the recognition though, sustainability is something she believes in and the students’ help that believe in it too. “The students and the cause keep me motivated" she says with a smile.
Ultimately, Ann just has one goal for UMD, “General education about what sustainability really is and environmental things. It doesn’t always mean you have to give up things; it’s just what works best for everyone. I think if everyone understood it better, I think we would have more people on board.” By spreading the word, people like Ann Pellant are creating a lot of great change.