Auburn University has recently undergone many changes to accommodate the need for sustainability and environmental awareness on campus and in the community.
A pronounced step toward a more sustainable campus for the University has been the addition of a permanent Office of Sustainability on campus.
The Office of Sustainability has many resources available to students. They offer fall internships to juniors and seniors that are interested in promoting sustainability, said Mike Williams, program manager of the Office of Sustainability.
One of the most progressive additions is the availability of a 15-hour minor in sustainability. The requirements include, introduction to sustainability, senior capstone in sustainability and nine hours of electives within the categories of environment, social justice and society and markets, the official Office of Sustainability Web site said.
"We wanted it to be a minor so that it could be applied to any major," Williams said. "It's the first minor that is available to the entire campus. Usually minors are housed in one department. Sustainability education has been on campus for awhile but it hasn't been cohesive. We're trying to get everyone on the same page."
Students and faculty are looking for ways to incorporate sustainability into each department, Williams explained. He said there have been representatives from each department interested in including the minor in their study.
The last course requirement for the major is a senior capstone, which includes applying sustainability to some problem, determined by the student, in their area, Williams explained.
"Right now space is limited to between 37 and 40 students per class," Williams said. "If there is a continual increase there will be adjustments made to accommodate for the larger number of students."
He said that the waiting lists are full for classes in the fall but if a student is interested in minoring in sustainability, they can declare the minor without taking any classes, which will give them a better chance of being added to classes that are already full.
"Students are asking for it because they see that's where the job markets going," Williams explained.
In February, the on-campus housing department and the Office of Sustainability supported a competition, called Sustain-a-Bowl, between the hill and quad dorms to see which dorm could reduce the energy and water they used and the waste produced in the month of February compared to the average for that same building from 2006-2008, Williams said.
"The winning dorm reduced their energy by 20 percent and their water usage by 25 percent," the Office of Sustainability Web site explained. "The calculated savings for February 2009 for all 22 residence halls was $5,506 for electricity and $2,785 for water (total= $8,291)."
Williams also said that the SGA is forming a permanent environmental committee.
"They're really gearing up and beginning to look at ways to make all SGA events and meetings sustainable," he said.
The Office of Sustainability also offers resources for teachers and faculty. They provide teachers with a list of ways to make a classroom fully sustainable.
"Every summer we offer a workshop to help professors figure out how to bring sustainability into the classroom, " Williams said. "For example, English composition classes are using themed sections in their curriculum and the most requested theme is sustainability."
The Sustainability faculty offers a day-long workshop for professors interested in incorporating sustainabland (what?)documentaries that are recommended for use in the classroom.
The newly established Speakers' Bureau has been posted on the Web site as a standing offer to come and speak to a classroom at any time. The Web site provides professors with names of potential speakers and a short description of their topic.
President Jay Gouge signed a contract committing the campus to a carbon-neutrality plan, Williams said.
"We are going to form eight or nine committees in the fall to more closely examine ways that we can do things better," Williams said. "The contract is couched in carbon-neutrality, but it will also help the University save big bucks on utilities. Right now, Auburn spends about $21 million per year on utilities, with $12 million of that on electricity."
The Office of Sustainability is connecting the community into their plans for Auburn by asking students to buy locally grown food at the Farmers' Market. The Web site provides a local listing for the on-campus Farmers' Market and Local Meat. The Sustainability office is also encouraging Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).
"By joining a local CSA you are assured a weekly supply of in-season and locally grown produce," the Web site explained. "CSA produce is often organically grown, and vegetables, fruit, eggs, honey, milk and meat are usually available."
Auburn has already taken many steps toward a sustainable and environmentally friendly campus through projects, curriculum, availability of resources and research but there are still areas that need more attention and Auburn is in the process of accessing these needs through studies conducted by the Office of Sustainability, to compose a plan that will satisfy Auburn generations for years to come.
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