Hipsters, Millennials and Sustainability: What do they mean in Kalamazoo?

On par with hipster and millennial, sustainability has become a buzzword. From high profile environmental and socioeconomic discussions all the way down to the “Top 10 Power Foods to Eat Before a Workout” type articles you scroll through on BuzzFeed, it seems pretty unanimous that sustainability equals success. With the increasing use of the buzzword as a description, the term sustainability seems over used and under explained. I figured the best way to break it down is to look at what exactly sustainability means and might look like right here in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

When you type any of the three words into your Google search bar, collectively you get precisely one billion, seventy million, seven hundred thousand results, in about 2.5 seconds. This puts Encarta to shame, as cutting edge as it was in ‘96, Ask Jeeves stole the show. I think it’s safe to say we all knew “Encarta it” would never be a thing. Hipsters and millennials, like many other cultural and generational groups, have gained somewhat negative stereotypes. One article entitled “Millennial Generation aka Generation Me,” questions whether Millennials are self-entitled narcissists or open-minded do-gooders. This seems like a harsh generalization to apply to a whole generation of people born between the years of 1981 and 2000. Contrary to popular belief, we don’t all take selfies with our dinner plates just to post on Instagram.
Hipsters have inherited similarly bad stereotypical raps.

Disregarding the negative labels for a moment, looking at the overall intentions of the interrelated groups, it is my belief that they have a very powerful and relevant message to share. Millennials and hipsters alike have been recognized as not accepting what is or has been, but rather looking at current issues and challenging the conventional with fresh and progressive perspectives. I am not saying that this way of thinking and living is exclusively of one generation or group of people. I would simply like to draw the parallel between the current cultural trends and how they are moving swiftly into a direction that fosters sustainability.

So other than being recognized in pop-culture how does this all tie together to promote sustainability, specifically in Kalamazoo? The thriving locally sourced culture is embraced by Kalamazoo in several ways. Starting with the hops that are grown for the beer that is brewed here, Kalamazoo Valley will take locally sourcing to the next level and launch its Sustainable Brewing Degree Program.

We’re not the new kids on the block when it comes to sustainable programs in Kalamazoo. The nationally recognized Kalamazoo Promise scholarship is a "Proper" example of community coming together to make education sustainable. Sustainable and innovative thinking and living shouldn't be limited as a generational movement but instead, an all-encompassing mindset that all communities should adopt.

In the spirit of sustainability, we want to talk about what’s relevant today and keep the conversations going. What does sustainability mean to you? Follow our new blog at kalamazoovalley.blogspot.com Thanks for reading.

Alex Claus, writer of this post is the marketing intern at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.