The more people I talked to, the more it became clear that the University is very seriously and deliberately moving towards a more environmentally conscientious campus. I read the May 2008 draft of the strategic planning committee's addendum to the 2004 Strategic Plan on "Environmental Education and Sustainable Living".
I learned that among many admirable goals "the University shall be a place of reasoned discourse among academic disciplines and between academia and the wider community." - I'M part of the wider community! I'm very reasonable. I want to help!
Also of note to me, "we should launch a bold sustainability campaign based on the Plan. It is important to get broad support from all stakeholders: students, faculty, staff, administrators, Regents, Trustees, and the larger Sewanee community. We should raise awareness and establish an ethos of sustainability that is immediately palpable to all who come to Sewanee. We should motivate our campus and community through education, communication, promotion, and collaboration. " I love Sewanee. I love the University. This is something I believe in and want to be a part of!!
While I realize that these are proposals and recommendations rather than final plans, number 2 of the following was of particular interest:
"RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Provide students with classes and internships that use food production as a means to rigorously explore the relationship between people and the environment.
2. Facilitate local sustainable food production by leaseholders by a) continuing and adding new community gardens; b) lifting the current blanket ban of livestock on the Domain.
3. Extend campus dining services? commitment to local and organic foods.
4. End the throwaway culture for catered events.
5. Change the name of the new ECO House to GreenHouse to suggest a new focus on sustainable food production by students in a nearby central campus garden.
6. Build a new FarmHouse on or near the site of the Old Dairy with a large organic garden."
I am so proud to be part of a community that is thinking this way. We are all in the business of educating people - even ourselves.
I learned that among many admirable goals "the University shall be a place of reasoned discourse among academic disciplines and between academia and the wider community." - I'M part of the wider community! I'm very reasonable. I want to help!
Also of note to me, "we should launch a bold sustainability campaign based on the Plan. It is important to get broad support from all stakeholders: students, faculty, staff, administrators, Regents, Trustees, and the larger Sewanee community. We should raise awareness and establish an ethos of sustainability that is immediately palpable to all who come to Sewanee. We should motivate our campus and community through education, communication, promotion, and collaboration. " I love Sewanee. I love the University. This is something I believe in and want to be a part of!!
While I realize that these are proposals and recommendations rather than final plans, number 2 of the following was of particular interest:
"RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Provide students with classes and internships that use food production as a means to rigorously explore the relationship between people and the environment.
2. Facilitate local sustainable food production by leaseholders by a) continuing and adding new community gardens; b) lifting the current blanket ban of livestock on the Domain.
3. Extend campus dining services? commitment to local and organic foods.
4. End the throwaway culture for catered events.
5. Change the name of the new ECO House to GreenHouse to suggest a new focus on sustainable food production by students in a nearby central campus garden.
6. Build a new FarmHouse on or near the site of the Old Dairy with a large organic garden."
I am so proud to be part of a community that is thinking this way. We are all in the business of educating people - even ourselves.
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1 comment:
Yay, sustainability! Good luck with the chickens.
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