topic

Committee on Sustainability

Building a Sustainable Future for SU

It began with an audit measuring energy usage, food waste and recycling on campus over a five-year period. Once the SU Committee on Sustainability knew where the university had been, its members could blaze a greener trail into the future. So far, the committee has helped the campus community use less paper, recycle more and embrace bicycling. And that’s just a start.

Kathy Straub, associate professor of geology and environmental science at Susquehanna, originated the committee. "We've made suggestions on bulk paper purchases for the Print Shop, the placement of new bike racks, cutting down on the number of paper copies of the faculty/staff/student directory and lots more," she says.

The group pressed for the new science building’s earth-friendly features and got the nod to hire a new Sustainability Service Scholar. They’ve produced a map of local food sources and helped start an organic vegetable garden at nearby Yoder Farm.

The committee has three faculty members, two students and five administrators. True to their energy conservation mission, they “meet” via e-mail instead of in person.  But their influence goes far beyond cyberspace. Each year, Susquehanna picks a theme for ongoing exploration, and for 2010-11, it’s “A Sustainable Future.”