Message from the Director
From the 1970s through the 1990s, there was a raging debate about whether or not the threat of global climate change was real, and whether or not it was the result of human activity. The verdict is in. The scientific community has come to a consensus that it is real, and we are part of the cause. Perhaps, even more important, the public has also reached a tipping point and joined the scientific community in its consensus and concern. The question is no longer whether or not the threat is real, but what can we do about it? Our response requires new ways of thinking and acting, in other words, a new paradigm, a sustainability paradigm.
Sustainability is typically defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Fundamental to the new paradigm of sustainability is what is sometimes referred to as the “triple bottom line,” people, prosperity, and the planet, the necessity of bringing into harmony the environment, the economy, and society. Rather than seeing the three at odds with one another as was typically the case with the old ways of thinking and acting, the sustainability paradigm encourages us in all we think and do to aspire to be ecologically friendly, economically sound, and socially responsible.
Here at the Center for a Sustainable Future, we are helping to develop this new paradigm through our teaching, our research and creative activity, and our civic engagement. We are creating a curriculum in Sustainability Studies that will prepare our students to enter the workforce as sustainability professionals eager to help their businesses and organizations develop and pursue their own sustainability action plans. Our faculty members are exploring the new frontiers of sustainability research. We are reaching out to the government, business, and the not-for-profit sectors to help develop a regional sustainable economic and community development network. We are committed to the pursuit of sustainability in our classrooms, in the laboratory and the library, and through campus community collaboration. We hope our website will help you to find the resources you need to join in the sustainability revolution.
If you are interested in learning more about our Center, would like us to offer a sustainability workshop at your business or agency, or would like to find out how you can help support our efforts, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email.
