Ellen Lansing CC’26 has always known she’d pursue a career related to the environment. She took a class in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology (E3B) as a first-year, and early on had a feeling that the program would help her get on the path to a Ph.D.
“It was just, ‘Oh yeah, this is what I want to do, for sure,’” Lansing said. “I’ve taken many more ecology classes since then, and I’m still very passionate about climate change and environmental science.”
That passion led Lansing to join Columbia University EcoReps, which enlists students in leading sustainable initiatives and promoting environmental causes through campus events. She’s been a co-chair for the group’s annual Youth Climate Summit, which brings high schoolers from across the city to campus each spring for a day of climate activism programming, and a co-president of the organization. In both roles she’s had close friend Ashley Young CC’26 by her side as co-chair and co-president. Lansing said the friends she’s made through the club have been one of the most special parts of being in the group.
“It’s been great to have a community of people who are excited about sustainability and want to make Columbia a better place,” she said. “Everyone involved is so sweet and passionate; it’s just a lovely group.”
Lansing shared more about the group and the events that that she helps produce.
This year’s Youth Climate Summit is on April 18. What goes into planning it?
It’s a lot of reaching out to speakers and schools, booking spaces and managing other logistics. But all of the planning is worth it on the day of the summit. I went to a lot of these types of events in high school and always found them to be super empowering — they helped fuel my passion for protecting the planet. It’s really rewarding to pay it forward to other students and to show them the importance of climate change’s effects and ways to get involved beyond working in climate science and policy.
How do you get the word out?
It requires a lot of work on social media and flyering around campus. Engaging with the outside community involves reaching out to other sustainability or climate activist organizations. To find guest speakers and high school attendees, we rely on our network. This is our ninth year hosting the summit, so we have a list of high schools that have participated and that we continue to reach out to. Group members who grew up in the city help us get connected to their high schools. Our work every year is building on what the club has done and continuing to build on what we have planned.
What’s your favorite part of the summit?
You meet so many high schoolers who are excited and passionate, and have done so much at a young age. You also meet students for whom it’s their first time at a conference or learning about different climate solutions. We have everyone do a Climate Action Plan, where they design a project or event they can do at their school or [in a] nearby community. My favorite part of the day is the Action Plan presentations, because they are always so passionate.
What else does EcoReps do on campus?
The event we’re most known for is the Green Sale. At the end of the Spring semester we collect mini fridges, furniture, appliances, clothes and textbooks that students leave in the residence hall lounges before moving out — items that would otherwise be thrown away. We store them over the summer and then sell them to other students at a discount during Move-In Weekend.
What’s been your favorite class so far?
This past winter, over break, I took a four-credit class, “Tropical Biology,” with Dustin Rubenstein and went to Kenya for two weeks. We lived in tents at a campsite on the African savanna; I got to see so many incredible animals. I don’t think I’ve ever learned that much in such a short period of time –– we did four research projects, and had two exams and one paper presentation. Experiences like this one solidify that I’m studying the right thing, and that I learn so much better when I’m outside in the field.
What is your favorite restaurant near campus?
I really like Saiguette; it’s a Vietnamese restaurant at 106th and Columbus Avenue. It has the best banh mi, and it’s affordable, too.
How have you taken advantage of being in NYC for college?
I love the access to live music here. I don’t even know how many concerts I’ve been to over the last four years. I’m from a small town upstate, so we have to go into the city to see any big artists. I’ve really enjoyed being able to go to concerts more easily.