Student's sustainability essay wins University Writing Center contest

The construction industry must develop a culture of sustainability to meet a moral imperative to preserve the Earth, wrote Texas A&M construction science student Rebecca Curry in an essay earning honorable mention in the University Writing Center's 10th Anniversary Writing Contest.

The committee who reviewed Curry's essay, said she communicated her argument well and in a way that was accessible to those outside the construction industry, said Nancy Vazquez, a writing consultant for the Writing Center.

Curry won a certificate and a T-shirt from the UWC, which partnered with The Association of Former Students to sponsor the contest.

The fact that we have to share the Earth, wrote Curry, creates a moral imperative to use it gently.

“Because of this moral imperative, construction professionals must find a way to incorporate sustainability into the culture of our industry to ensure that this duty to each other is met,” she wrote.

The benefits of sustainability, she wrote, include better indoor air quality, increased labor productivity and reduced pollution.

“Owners and construction professionals who are not building green will soon find themselves the exception instead of the rule, left behind by their competitors,” she wrote.

Valeria Balester, UWC executive director, said the contest was held to mark the center's decade of helping students communicate more effectively.