Martin Ossewaarde – A green warrior at AUCA

May 4, 2015

Always cleanly dressed, he can be seen from time to time hunched over recycling bins, checking if the recyclables have been thrown in the appropriate place. Martin Ossewaarde settled in Bishkek 17 years ago. Assistant professor at the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, he is teaching sustainable development, a topic he is passionate about.

From the Netherlands, he graduated in economics and public administration from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam. Very open about his environmentally friendly life, he also has a quick sense of humor. His deep seeded belief in a cause to make AUCA students more environmentally aware is what makes him a real green warrior. More than a teacher, he is an environment activist, a green warrior.

What does sustainable development mean to you?

It is a lifestyle, an approach that is not focused exclusively on me and on the short term or how I meet my material needs, but also on the impact that my production and consumption causes other people and for the earth in general.

 

When did you become passionate about sustainable development?

I can’t really tell you exactly when I converted, sometime in the mid-1980’s probably... I was still a student, and an elective class on environmental studies I was taking outside the faculty of economics made quite an impression on me. The term ‘sustainable development’ had not even been created yet.

Later, in the mid-90’s, while I was working for the Dutch climate change ministry, the subject broke into the public sphere. We had to fight all the skeptics against the assumption that there was not enough evidence and that it was too expensive.

 

You hold a Master in economics, what does it have to do with the clean development class that you developed for AUCA?

‘Clean development’ is a general introduction to the thinking of sustainability. It is interdisciplinary and combines knowledge from economics, social sciences, marketing, leadership theory and others. It prepares students for a lifelong learning in sustainability so they can become a part of the solution, rather than remain part of the problem. For me, education is the Key.

 

When did you start the green movement at AUCA?

I concentrated on my courses before I ventured to start the first Earth Club. In late 2011, with the project of the new AUCA campus and the decision of making it sustainable, there was a unique opportunity to make a major step towards more ‘greening’. So we started a movement that would be ready to green the whole community by the time we reached the new campus.

 

With your students, you have you started a Green Campus Weekly page online, why?

One of our biggest challenges is that students, staff and faculty at AUCA are already very busy with different clubs or their jobs and break into their world is quite difficult. The internet and social media help reaching them. 

 

What changes, good or bad, do you see at AUCA?

For instance, 10 years ago, when I started to teach in this university, almost every beverage was served in glasses. It changed over time to plastic cups and then to plastic bottles. Plastic was quite rare and you had to buy plastic bags if you wanted any. Now, it is everywhere, not just at AUCA but in Bishkek. There is clearly more waste around the city and on its outskirts. We have created a problem that is now very hard to contain.

With the arrival of President Wachtel, many positive steps have been taken. The university invested an additional one million dollars in the construction of the new AUCA campus to make it environmentally sustainable. But some ideas have not made the cut. There is no real institutional policy, no public declarations, and no attempt to incorporate sustainability in every area of operations in the university. 

 

What could the administration do to make AUCA more sustainable and environmentally friendly?

Give introduction classes to all students independently of their major. Students still graduate knowing nothing about sustainability. Every program should integrate sustainable thinking. Opening a bachelor so students could specialize in sustainability is another option. Professors still need the incentive to learn and include sustainability thinking in their courses.

 

Going back to the AUCA administration’s priorities in making AUCA totally green with the new campus, your thoughts?

There is not enough critical mass among students and professor for the administration to act in order to implement every plan and policy. The lack of grass roots pressure means slow progress or no progress at all. You can’t change things over night but sustainability is about continual improvement. 

 

What advice would you have to AUCA students to live a greener life?

First, enjoy and appreciate nature’s gifts. Second, learn more about where the goods you consume come from and the environmental impact they have. Finally, take action to correct the mismanagement of resources wherever you see it.

Also, learn about what are the most worthwhile issues to devote your attention to and take action. Don’t be passive, don’t put the blame on others, because a good clean environment begins with you.

 

And at local level, what could Kyrgyz leaders do in order to make Bishkek a greener city?

It begins with vision, dialogue, public participation and ‘out of the box’ thinking in terms of building coalitions and achieve set goals. Traditionally, in this part of the world, there is thinking in terms of zero sum game; if you win then I lose, so I must win. Let’s find win-win solutions! Let’s make this city attractive for the kind of businesses that will bring clean development!

 

The article was originally written by Mahmud Khalili for the course on Effective Storytelling from the JMC department.

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