UH creative writing and media production student Caroline Cao is the proud owner of a new Swagway after winning the #SustainableCoog social media contest hosted by the Office of Sustainability.

The contest was part of Sustainability Fest, held Nov. 17 in the Rockwell Pavilion at M.D. Anderson Library. Festival participants were encouraged to take pictures against a photo backdrop of coastal tallgrass prairie at the UH Coastal Center. To enter the Swagway contest, the pictures were posted to their social media accounts with #SustainableCoog and a caption about living sustainably.

Cao’s photo and caption framed her as a “gardening vigilante” who would plant seeds in people’s gardens at night that would produce healthy, organic produce by morning. She also included in the caption some practical advice about sustainable living by recycling, buying second-hand items, cooking her own food and using a reusable water bottle.

“When I saw my picture, ‘vigilante’ was the first thing that popped into my head. I naturally thought of something silly to go along with it,” said Cao. “The guidelines asked us how we could be sustainable, so I decided to give both a humorous and practical answer.”

UH Facilities Services, which was a platinum sponsor for Sustainability Fest, donated the Swagway for the contest.

Cao says this will be her first experience using a Swagway, and she’s looking forward to riding it often.

“I’m sure I’ll love the experience of riding it,” said Cao, “but first things first, I have to get through the manual.”