Interview by Jennifer White (PR and Marketing Associate at BCS)
Jen: Can you give us a quick background of yourself?
Aaron: I was born in South Buffalo and grew up on the border of ski country and the Southtowns in Glenwood. I'm one of five kids and had to learn about the value of sharing and cooperation from an early age. I moved to Europe in 2009 for my grad school and to pursue a PhD, but moved back to Buffalo and into University Heights a little over a year ago. Life in Europe was great because I didn't have a car, I lost a ton of weight, and I really learned how to use public transit. When I moved back I wanted to see if I could live without owning a car. It's been working out pretty well so far.
Jen: Tell us a little about your education and your job, what you do at the Tool Library.
Aaron: I studied political science and environmental studies at UB as an undergrad. After my time in the SUNY system, I was fortunate to win a Clarendon Scholarship for grad school. I was at the University of Oxford for a while, where I completed a Masters Degree in Development Studies and a PhD in Geography. This period of my life took me to a lot of very different places, where I was able to observe and learn how different cities valued cars, public transit, bicycling, and walking. I visited and/or lived in the UK, Tanzania, Germany, Denmark, Portugal, Turkey, Kenya, Qatar, and Austria (to name a few). Everywhere I went, I was thinking "What can Buffalo learn from this?" After moving back to the region, I started a job as Director of Research and Public Policy with United Way of Buffalo & Erie County. Outside of work, I spend a lot of time working with the University Heights Tool Library, where I help staff the tool lending library and organize service events and activities that support community change.
Jen: Please tell us about how the Tool Library helps the University Heights Community?
Aaron: The University Heights Tool Library (UHTL) is a community service of the University Heights Collaborative (that's the umbrella organization that supports the work of the block clubs, the farmer's market, the garden walk, etc). It's a tool lending library and is similar to a public library, but instead of lending out books, people can take out hammers, saws, and lawn mowers. We provide students, renters, homeowners, and others with the tools they need to work on their homes, parks, and other public spaces. The UHTL has also been active in providing service opportunities for UB students and residents to work side by side on neighborhood improvement. Last year we worked on tree plantings, park cleanups, graffiti removal, and street art in the neighborhood.
Jen: How can people get involved with the UHTL?
Aaron: If you're interested in volunteering, you can go to our volunteer page. If you're interested in becoming a member, you can go to membership page. It's a $10 annual membership fee, and you need a piece of mail to verify residency, a photo ID, and two references.
Jen: Why did you decide to become a CarShare member and what do you use it for?
Aaron: I decided to become a CarShare member when I moved back, but wasn't able to enroll until this winter. When I started my job with United Way, I wanted to make sure I had transportation to the suburbs if I needed it. As I mentioned, I do most of my traveling via bike, bus, and train
—Buffalo CarShare is the best complement to that. I have access to a car whenever I need one, but I don't have to worry about insurance, gas, maintenance, or payments. I save a significant amount of money that way. Beyond the occasional job-related travel, I typically use CarShare to get to my grandparents' home in West Seneca for
Sunday dinners.
Jen: What do you for fun!?
Aaron: When the weather is nice, Buffalo is synonymous with fun. There is never a lack of activity when the sun is shining and Olmsted's parkways are calling me and my bike. In the winter, I've been spending a lot of time at some of the newer haunts around the city: The Lobby Bar at the Statler, Blue Monk Gypsy Parlor, Providence Social, Shango, etc. Beyond these, I think I'm like many other Buffalonians my age...I spend a *lot* of time exploring the area, finding old buildings, churches, industrial sites. There are some really incredible things that seem to have been lost to history.
