Gustavus Adolphus College was recently named to the U.S. Department of Education’s list of 2018 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees. Gustavus is among the 46 schools, six districts, and six postsecondary institutions across the nation being recognized for pioneering efforts to increase health and wellness, diminish environmental impact and utility costs, and ensure effective sustainability education.
“This award recognizes the everyday decisions and actions by Gustavus staff and students that make our campus more environmentally sustainable. Many people are responsible for this recognition,” Gustavus Director of Johnson Center for Environmental Innovation Jim Dontje said.
“I commend each school, district and institution of higher education for their efforts to create a healthy, safe and cost-efficient learning environment for students, faculty and staff,” U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said in the release. “These schools have done innovative work to help prepare students for the challenges of the 21st Century while also teaching them how to be good stewards of the environment.”
Dontje attributes Gustavus’ success in this aspect to several specific areas, including the Gustavus Dining Services, the student-run Big Hill Farm, and the Kitchen Cabinet advisory group; the Gustavus Facilities Management division, which has sustained energy and water conservation efforts, the Gustavus Environmental Studies Program, which began in the 1990s and supports both formal and informal education on campus; and the programming efforts of the Linnaeus Arboretum.
The 2018 honorees were named from a pool of candidates nominated by 25 states. To learn more, visit the U.S. Department of Education website.
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