Sustainability at Luther College
As inhabitants of this planet, we are constantly interacting with the natural world. With populations swelling and technologies advancing, the impact that humans are having is greatly straining the world’s limits.
Sustainability is a concept that tries to study that impact in order to promote a healthy relationship with the earth and other humans.
The most widely used definition of sustainability is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Brundtland Commission). Using that definition, sustainability can be broken down roughly into three components: social equity, economic prosperity, and environmental preservation. All three areas need to be addressed in order to truly achieve sustainability.
Sustainability, then, is about taking a long-term look at the impacts our actions have; it’s about realizing the intricate connections between all parts of our lives; it’s about a consciousness of not only our generation but also the generations that follow.
Luther College acknowledges the importance of sustainability, both in its operation and in the education it offers. The College is committed to changing its own practices to minimize environmental harm while using its role as an institution of higher learning to instill in its students the concepts of stewardship and universal respect.
On the left above are links to web pages about Luther's sustainability efforts. These pages include information about Luther's institutional commitments to sustainability, highlights of the college's sustainability initiatives, additional completed sustainability initiatives, and 2008-09 objectives.