Sustainability
In light of concerns over global warming
and the end of the oil economy, we will need to build into our educational
program and our own decision-making attention to and concern for environmental
and economic sustainability. As much as possible, this commitment should
not be embodied in a set of activities that operate separate from our
other programs, but should be integrated into what we do already, so
that the topic cannot be avoided. We anticipate that this commitment
will likely require the following initiatives:
- Programmatic Emphasis: Integrate education about environmental sustainability into all aspects
of the program, as well as offer specific coursework in environmental
science. This educational programming should address the economic
as well as environmental aspects of sustainability, and the relationship
between the two.
- Campus Design and Operation:
Commit to design the operation of the school and the campus as fully
sustainable environmentally and financially, and to move towards that
goal in a planned and purposeful way.
- Leadership Role:
Use a variety of outreach techniques to make Putney’s leadership in
education for sustainability a model for other schools and communities,
and to make this a recognized part of the Putney identity.
Indicators of progress:
One to Three Years
- Completion of a master
plan that includes a carbon inventory and full facilities audit, and
that points to a clear path towards increased campus sustainability.
- A commitment by the board
and administration to The Natural Step or other framework for decision-making
about sustainability.
- A commitment by the board
and administration to the highest environmental standards for all new
construction.
Three to Five Years
- A curriculum that integrates
the natural and social sciences and experiential learning to give students
a full and functional understanding of the human interrelationship with
the natural world.
- A regular and ongoing sharing
of information with other schools about both curriculum and operations.
Visibility on the web of Putney’s environmental leadership.
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