Sustainability at Rensselaer

Around campus there are many faculty, students, and staff involved with or interested in the concept of sustainability (loosely defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs).  Current vigorous discussions nationally and internationally about global warming and energy bring two aspects of the concept of sustainability to the forefront of the thoughts of many concerned individuals.  Energy and Environment is one of the strategic thrusts in the Rensselaer Plan.  However, on campus, generally we hear of this project or that initiative related to sustainability by word of mouth or in passing during casual conversations.  The concept of “doing something” with sustainability resonates with a large number of students, but there is a lack of focus (except individually), there is an absence of a central source for information or guidance, and programmatic initiatives seem to be on a one-off standing (e.g., individual classes). With this website, we hope to provide a hub that can give individuals an idea of what is happening on campus related to sustainability, energy, and environment.  Links to some academic programs (e.g., Design, Innovation, and Society) and student groups (e.g., Ecologic) are already provided.

We need help to populate this website with content.  Both static and dynamic content (through a blog input) are welcomed. If you have a program, a research initiative, and some event connected to sustainability, energy, or the environment, please send us information in such a form that we can link and/or include this information.  If we all work together, then we can build up this site to truly represent what is going on at Rensselaer.