The East Lansing Commission on the Environment has gone green.
In hopes to bring in a fresh perspective, the environment commission - the cities task force on the local environment - has added Kyle Tisdel, an international relations senior at MSU.
“I basically joined the commission in hopes of gaining experience for myself in terms of how local governments work,” Tisdel said, adding that he wanted to bring a student, and thus younger, perspective to the commission.
The commission, which focuses on environmental issues in East Lansing, has had students volunteer on the commission since it began in October 1989, Councilmember Sam Singh said.
“Students are an active part of the city,” he said. “We are trying to get a diverse group of people on the commission and hard workers.
“Kyle filled both of those well.”
Although Tisdel has never been part of a specific environmental group, he has worked hard to make himself aware of environmental issues in the area.
Tisdel also plans on heading to law school when he graduates in May 2002, so he can one day work in environmental law.
“I’m going to sit on the commission until I graduate,” Tisdel said. “I don’t plan on staying in the area, but if I do I will stay on the commission until I leave the area, or until they kick me off.”
Tisdel said the commission members were glad to have a student voice at the meetings, saying “they all kind of met me with open arms.”
Dave Smith, an environmental specialist for the city, said in the three years he has been with the commission, there have been two other student members who have brought different opinions.
“Obviously, student perspective is the most critical,” he said. “I think students are much more in tune to issues that are important to other students. Kyle can bring those issues to the commission that other members who are more prominent in the community are not aware of.”
The commission is currently working on drafting a wetlands ordinance for the city. And Tisdel said he is excited about the opportunity to see how city officials draft a local ordinance.
“It is definitely something that I am interested in getting involved in,” he said. “As far as drafting an ordinance, that takes a lot of time and work. But it is definitely something I look forward to being part of.”
Singh, who helped sort through the applications for the commission, said Tisdel’s environmental schooling and work ethic will only enhance the commission.
“I felt that Kyle brought two things to the commission,” he said. “He is very concerned about environmental issues, and he is willing to put in the extra mile and work hard for the commission.”
