Elect Mira for Sustainability Chair!
I’m Mira, and I’m running for Sustainability Committee Chair! In 2016, I committed to never using a plastic water bottle again, a rule that I have followed since. To make big changes for sustainability, it is important to be dedicated to commitments that we make. As USG Sustainability Chair, I will show the same dedication to endeavors on campus. In high school I worked extensively with administration to push for sustainability measures, including replacing single-use plastic trays with reusable plates. Ensuring project feasibility taught me the importance of working with administration and remaining dedicated to a cause, for stopping after initial administrative pushbacks would have resulted in negligible impact.
Growing up in the Colorado mountains, I developed a love for nature alongside a deep obligation to practice sustainability. I worked to make changes in my hometown’s school district, including adding solar panels to buildings, requiring sustainable guidelines for construction, and replacing single-use trays with reusable plates. I intend to make similar impacts at Princeton, including creating a guideline of sustainable practices during future construction (including but not limited to mandating permeable surfaces, implementing energy-efficient lighting, and using reclaimed water).
My Top Priorities
- Reducing food waste on Princeton’s campus
I will work with students and Campus Dining to develop strategies to reduce food waste on campus and expand locally-sourced food. This includes both programming around sustainable food practices and policy-based efforts to reduce food waste at all stages.
- Advocate for fossil fuel divestment, reduced emissions, and affordable housing
In 2022, Princeton University committed to divesting from publicly traded oil and gas companies. However, in June 2026, they walked back this decision. USG taking a more proactive stance on this sort of policy may have prevented the decision from being made or at the very least allowed the students to have a larger say in the ultimate reversal. I will advocate for fossil fuel divestment as Sustainability Chair. I will also advocate for the construction of affordable housing in the Princeton community to reduce emissions and advance environmental justice.
- Semesterly sustainability conferences
I would organize sustainability conferences each semester to bring members of the community together to learn about sustainability at Princeton and discuss new avenues for pursuing sustainability. This would build on the work of my predecessors in the role, who have organized a similar event.