About Us
Turning Interest Into Action
Students for Sustainability is a student-lead organization based in Omaha, Nebraska. We are committed to fighting for sustainability and environmental action, especially at the local level. In the past this has included hosting meet and greets at locally owned coffee shops to share our message with the community, organizing city-wide demonstrations on behalf of our environment, and testifying at city council meetings.
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The organization itself is a broad representation of the student population in Omaha. We are comprised of studets from all over the metro and from many different schools including Millard Public Schools to Omaha Public Schools, and local private schools. Through activism like the events mentioned above, we as an organization have been campaigning for four key demands which we will fight for until met.
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Our Four Demands:
1. Pass a State Climate Action Plan
2. Transition to Regenerative Agriculture
3. Harness Our Renewable Energy Potential
4. Say No to the Keystone XL Pipeline
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For more information on what we do and who we are, feel free to reach out to us, either by contacting one of our members or via our listed email.
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"We are a coalition of youth from across the city of Omaha fighting for our planet."
Cate Kelly, Students for Sustainability Founder
What We Fight For
Bringing Change
Climate Justice
Climate Justice means ensuring that the planet and all its inhabitants are treated with respect and care, and that anyone who does intentional damage to the earth is held accountable for their actions. Climate justice has a foundation of Indigenous rights and legacies as well as racial justice and the acknowledgement of intersectional environmentalism. We work to meld these values into our organization and promote the rights and equalities of all people.
Equity
Climate change will surely impact the most marginalized and impoverished among us. We fight to ensure that these communities are heard, seen, and included in the fight for the planet. We also want to make a just transition to sustainable practices one of our utmost priorities.
Holding Leaders Accountable
Truthfully, our elected officials have been aware of the impending climate crisis for decades now, and have done little to nothing to prevent it, nor have they prepared in any way for the ecological disaster that their constituents will soon be subject to. We believe in holding politicians accountable, talking and acting with them to put planet over profit.
Local Sustainable Change and Improvement.
Real change begins at the grassroots level, and that is exactly what we are doing in Omaha! Our mission is to interact, advocate, and encourage our community to be more sustainable in every way. Our local actions are contributing to a larger global crisis that we all must fight to stop.
Advocating for Environmental Policy & Legislation
We know that using reusable straws and biking everywhere isn’t enough- we need systematic change, change that doesn’t allow for fossil fuel industries and corporations to continue to destroy our planet for their own greed. We support policy and legislation that will allow our city to be not only sustainable, but a happier and healthier place to live for everyone.
Four Demands
Four Specific Demands we have for the State of Nebraska and it's leadership
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Pass a State Climate Action Plan
Building Sustainable Policy
Students for Sustainability have been fighting since their founding to pass a state climate action plan in the state of Nebraska. A state climate action plan is a plan that oriented towards addressing climate change and its effect, especially that ways in which the Nebraska contribute to climate change and focusing on issues which will directly effect Nebraska. Nebraska is one of 14 states without a state climate action plan.
Transition to Regenerative Agriculture
Protecting the Environment and our Food Supply
Nebraska is one of the leading producers of agricultural products in the United States. In order to address this industry and the environmental footprint of agricultural production, Students for Sustainability are fighting to transition to regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is an approach to farming and other food systems that incorporates environmental conservation and preservation in order to safeguard the future of the industry and the people it serves.
Harness Our Renewable Energy Potential
Playing to Our Strengths
According to a report posted by WINDExchange, in 2020 Nebraska is has the 7th highest wind energy potential capacity and the 5th highest wind energy potential generation, but had only about 2100 installed wind power capacity--or about one fifth of Iowa's installed wind power capacity. On the potential side however, Nebraska actually has almost double the wind energy capacity and generation potential of Iowa. This disparity, along with the environmental benefits of wind energy, illustrates why Students for Sustainability are committed to fighting for furthering usage of renewable energy in Nebraska with a focus on what wind energy can do for the state.
Say No to the Keystone XL Pipeline
Protecting the Environment and America's First Peoples.
The Keystone XL Pipeline is an oil pipeline that passes through Canada and the United States. There have been plans proposed to expand the pipeline through northern Nebraska near Neligh and through land owned by the Ponca Native American Tribe, which has already had so much land stolen by the United States Government and its people. Students for Sustainability is committed to opposing this pipeline not only because of its potential environmental drawbacks, but also to protect the land of the Ponca Tribe.
Club Leaders
Students for Sustainability
Camille Beaulieu
President
Camille Beaulieu is the President of Students for Sustainability. She is a member of the class of 2021 at Omaha Westside High School where she is the president of Warrior Planet. Camille is also involved in Show Choir and Students Council. She hopes to study Environmental Studies after her graduation from Omaha Westside.

Aidan Chapman
Vice President
Aidan Chapman is a part of the Creighton Prep class of 2021 where he leads the school sustainability club. He played an integral part in the introduction of composting to the school in 2019. Some of his other involvements include running with the school Cross Country and Track teams and as participating in the school literary Journal, Ink Inc.

Kate McGill
Head of Social Media Committee
Kate McGill is a member of the class of 2021 at Marian High School. Along with her role as the head of the social media committee at Students for Sustainability, she has helps lead the Marian sustainability club. She is also involved in the Forensics club at Marian as well as helping in the production of the plays and musicals.

Emily Salzman
Head of Public Outreach Committee
Emily Salzman is a member of the Marian High School Class of 2021. Along with heading the public outreach committee for Students for Sustainability, she also plays an important role with the Marian High School sustainability club where she managed to implement composting as part of the Marian lunch program. She also runs with the Marian Track and Field and Cross Country teams, as well as participating in the student journalism club.

Chlöe Johnson
Head of Recruitment Committee
Chlöe Johnson is the Head of the recruitment committee at Students for Sustainability. Her main goal is to increase the representation of the Omaha Public Schools within Students for Sustainability. Chlöe is a member of the Omaha Central High School class of 2023 where she also participates in the art program and swims with the swim team, along with being a very active member of the school's environmental club.

Noemi Gilbert
Writer
Noemi Gilbert is in the class of 2023 at Omaha Central High School. She is active in the drama department, performing and working backstage for shows. She is on the improv team as well as the the drama leadership board. Noemi also writes for the school newspaper, The Register. Noemi participates in both local and regional Jewish youth groups and hopes to become an English teacher. At Students for Sustainability, she writes for the blog and is particularly interested in addressing the intersection between environmentalism and other social justice issues.

Bridget Neville
Writer
Bridget Neville is part of the Millard North High School class of 2021. Bridget participates in competitive speech along with her role as the front page editor for the school newspaper. She plans on becoming a doctor without borders so that she can teach people around the globe about health issues they face, as well as administering life saving medicine. She also plans on incorporating sustainability into her work in some way. At Students for Sustainability, she is excited to represent Generation Z and the future of the human race in an effort to save the planet from those we have inherited it from.
