Sustainability Summit News

The Collegian did a small story on the Student Sustainability Summit in today's paper.

The university already has a green building policy, uses renewable energy and has a composting facility, Foley said, but it wants to continue going green -- which is where the sustainability statement becomes important. Because of the number of groups at the summit, the statement will make an impact, he said.

"It's the students demanding a lot of the resources, so if the students demand green, then green is what we get -- in our labs, our residence halls, our parties and our classrooms," he said.

Ideas for the statement included using local food in dining commons, making campus more bike-friendly and requiring freshmen to take an environmental course.

But there was so much more to this than this reporter got. We presented and exchanged so many ideas and ways of being from the "Green Economy" to a mural to our Manifesto to community gardening to climate legislation to the inheritance of our great-great-great-grandchildren. Let me say, as the emcee and a participant, I found it energizing to learn what others are doing and want to do.

When we get the Sustainability Manifesto, you will see it here.