Alex Floyd on Embracing his Roots in Environmentalism to Advocate For Responsible Investment

• What year are you? & What is your major?

I am going to be a senior this fall and my major is Sustainable Built Environments with a landscape emphasis.

• What organizations or groups are you involved in on campus? How did you get involved in these?

I’m the president of UAZ Divest, a grassroots student organization of climate activists that wants more responsible investment practices from our university.

• What environmental issues are you most passionate about?

My focus on responsible investment is at the forefront of my attention right now but I think environmental justice is all encompassing so I try to keep involved however I can.

• What has been your biggest success as a climate activist?

The most tangible success I’ve been a part of was the agreement to protect much of the Granite Dells in Prescott, Arizona. I lived there for a few years so protection of the unique landscape and varied biodiversity from being destroyed for high value real estate was personally important to me. 

• What advice do you have for other students hoping to get involved in the environmental space on our campus?

When I started here I was searching for an activism group on campus and got lucky enough to have a past member of UAZ Divest speak in one of my classes. In general, I think engaging with tabling events held by Students for Sustainability that feature many different organizations is probably the best way to get involved. Of course if anyone reading this wants to learn more about our organization they can follow our instagram @uazdivest.