Environmental issues have increased in recent years and are creating more social, economic, and political problems. These problems affect people of different backgrounds in a variety of ways and impact students and their campus community as well. Zero Hour Binghamton is an environmental justice organization that works with Binghamton University and organizers in the tri-city area of Vestal City, Johnson City, and Binghamton, to tackle the many injustices that are exacerbated by the climate crisis. To learn more about their President of Zero Hour Binghamton and Education Club, and this organization, please read below.
Tell me about yourself.
My name is Stephen Corbisiero and I’m a senior majoring in environmental studies and geography and minoring in education and digital studies. I enjoy going for long walks and spending time outside, as well as watching and playing sports in my free time. I always have way too much energy and am a huge fan of the mornings and getting up early!
What are you passionate about?
I would say that my biggest passions are sustainability, mental health, and education. I feel that as humans, we have a collective responsibility to protect the land and planet that we live on, and thus we should make sustainability and clean energy a top priority. As someone who has experienced tough times with my mental health in the past, I believe that breaking the stigma surrounding mental health and making mental health resources equitable and accessible to all is extremely important to our well-being. In addition, I feel that a strong education is vital for everyone, and I think that our education system could use some significant reforms to measure student achievement in other ways than standardized testing. These three causes have motivated me to take direct action on campus and become very involved in the organizations where I serve on the executive board.
As a student leader, how important is it for students to be involved on campus?
There are so many incredible benefits and opportunities available by becoming involved in clubs and other extracurricular activities on campus. I’ve met so many amazing people and made several close friends through my campus involvement, I’ve also gotten the chance to build relationships with professors and other individuals involved in community organizations, which have given me great professional development and networking opportunities. I find getting involved to be extremely rewarding and a lot of fun as well!
What skills have you gained by being a member of this Executive Board?
As President of Zero Hour Binghamton, I’ve made tremendous progress in my leadership and communication skills. While managing an executive board and leading a club seemed like daunting tasks at first, I now feel confident in my ability to be a strong leader. I’ve gotten a vast amount of public speaking experience, to the point where presenting is easy for me. I also feel strong about my event planning and community outreach skills, thanks to the numerous events I’ve planned from the ground up and community organizations I’ve had the chance to work with over my time on Zero Hour’s executive board.
Why did you first join this organization?
I joined Zero Hour Binghamton to learn more about climate justice and meet other people who share a similar passion for the environment as I do! Initially, I was extremely worried about fitting in with the other members of the club, but I found the e-board and general body members to be super welcoming and friendly! I wanted to build connections within the environmental science industry and receive advice from other ENVI students about how to approach internships and jobs, and that’s exactly what I found within Zero Hour! And they had (and still do have) free pizza at every meeting – can’t beat that!
How does your organization help students on campus learn about environmental injustice and its impacts on different groups?
Zero Hour has an open committee format, meaning that the general body members help brainstorm, plan, and execute events at a commitment level of their choice. This allows interested students to gain many of the same skills that one would on an executive board, while maintaining a level of commitment that best fits their own schedule. We also host guest speakers and community organizations who can speak more in depth about environmental injustices in Binghamton and beyond and how they may be affecting different people in different ways. At our general body meetings, we try to instill a sense of climate optimism – that there are doable solutions to the climate crisis, we just have to come together and unite behind those solutions to create positive and meaningful change! We allow students to express climate optimism both through outreach and artistic means, giving them freedom to contribute in any means they feel comfortable.
