Sustainability Council | LaGrange College

Hall Opening Calendar Activities and Service LIFT Servant Scholars

Mission Statement
As members of a caring and ethical community, we are committed to integrate core principles of sustainability throughout and beyond LaGrange College. These principles include the health of all current and future species; the fairness, equity, stability, and security of cultures and social systems; economic opportunity for all; and ecological diversity and integrity. This continuing process of integration will be accomplished through resource management, community education, and increased curricular emphasis.

Academic Engagement
The Oikos Program
The Oikos Program is an interdisciplinary minor program sponsored by the departments of Biology, Political Science, Religion, and Sociology & Anthropology. Oikos is the Greek word for "house." It is the root word for both ecology and economics, and thus points to the dual aspects of ecological and social and responsibility that are central to the mission of the Oikos Program. The uniting theme across disciplines is how we might contribute to a just, sustainable, and peaceful future.

Accomplishments

President's Climate Commitment
Water-Saving Measures
In this time of record drought, LaGrange College has taken some measurable steps to decrease total water use on campus. This includes the installation of aerated faucets, low-flow showerheads and low-flush toilets.
HVAC installations
Focus the Nation
The Sustainability Council sponsored several events as part of the national "Focus the Nation" event on January 30, 2008. These events included an interactive webcast and a joint meeting of area civic clubs where the Sustainability Chair, Dr. Sarah Beth Mallory, spoke on "Global Climate Change: Fact or Fiction?" Finally, LaGrange College students engaged in a "Choose Your Future" activity, where faculty and students offered a wide range of solutions to the problem of climate change. At the conclusion of the event, audience members voted on the five solutions they prefer, which included Building Green:Carbon Neutral by 2030; Supporting Stronger Forests; Cleaner Cars, California Style; Getting Efficient—Cut Energy and Save Money; and, Jumpstarting Low Polluting Biofuel