REFINE Issue 3: Letter from the Founder
By Sarah Madaus
A year ago, the inaugural REFINE staff was putting the finishing touches on the first ever issue of the magazine. I was at the helm, attempting to direct and manage the creation of what was, perhaps, my biggest legacy at Temple. I knew the REFINE brand and mission would serve an important purpose on Temple’s campus, and that made every sleepless night and stress pimple worth it. To this day, I’m in complete awe that we started a magazine...and that it still exists.
This week, the incredible staff finalized “The Sustainability Issue,” led by the fabulous and talented Francesca Furey. I was thrilled to see this year’s staff unite around sustainability and climate change –– a cause that is close to my heart and should be close to the hearts of everyone. The editorial staff has carefully ensured that everything that goes into the issue somehow relates to being good stewards of the Earth, and the result is breathtaking.
While we know that the vast majority of waste and emissions come from massive corporations (71 percent to be precise), it’s still important that we look inward to our own sustainability efforts, because every little bit counts. In the past year, I’ve done just that. I took the time to learn how to recycle correctly, I taught my parents how to compost, and I’ve cut down my use of plastic significantly.
I challenge you to look at the world through the lens of sustainability. You’ll soon see the overabundance of single-use plastic, how much extraneous packaging materials come in your online orders, and how capitalism has taken notice of this eco-conscious movement and marketed “sustainable” products that just fuel our consumption-driven society and create even more emissions from corporations. As depressing as these facts can be, it’s necessary that we recognize them, because awareness leads to tangible change.
Thankfully, there are bright spots. The zero waste movement isn’t just for hippies anymore, cosmetic and household products have begun creating cleaner formulas (but be wary of greenwashing), and the saturation of environmental awareness has made energy efficient appliances more accessible for lower-income folks. You also see far more news coverage of the climate crisis than ever before, and, based on my Boomer-filled Facebook timeline, fewer climate change deniers (!!!).
We have young people like Greta Thunberg and Jurwaria Jama standing up for our future and doing far more than just making noise. All in all, someone has stir up change, and if it isn’t going to be the people that created this mess, it might as well be those who still have the majority of their lives ahead of them.
With that said, the Sustainability Issue couldn’t have come at a better time, and I can’t wait to kick back and read it over the holiday. As always, I’m utterly floored by the professionalism and talent that comes from the REFINE staff. I offer my highest praise to everyone involved, especially when most of them have full academic course loads, part-time jobs, and internships.
As for me, I’m currently in my first full-time job as an Editorial Assistant at SELF Magazine under Condé Nast. I’m a cycling instructor for Equinox, and I freelance for Town & Country magazine and Eat This, Not That. I live in Brooklyn and spend my free time exercising, watching too much TV, and hanging out with my plants. If you want to keep tabs on my life, you can find me @sarah_madaus on Twitter and Instagram.
Happy reading!