Earth Day Celebration kicks off new environmental ethics program

The Environmental Group of Ripon (EGOR) will celebrate Earth Day and kick off the Ethical Leadership Program's (ELP) new certification in Environmental leadership Sunday, April 22 with a dinner and symposium. The sustainable dinner will take place at 5 p.m. in the Heritage Room, invite-only for trustees, staff, and students. The Earth Day Symposium, open to everyone, will follow the dinner at 6:30 p.m. in Great Hall.

The symposium will feature keynote speakers Dave Newport, environmental director at the University of Colorado at Boulder and pioneer in sustainability. Joining Newport is a senior representative of the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters, Stan Gruszynski, director of the Global Environmental Management Education Center at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point and Chamomile Nusz, executive director of the Citizens Energy Cooperative.

These kenoters will highlight the importance of keeping the Earth clean and how organizations like EGOR and the new Green program within the ELP can help promote these ideas both on the Ripon College campus and in the community.

"We hope to generate support for a green campus initiative that will include discussion of alternative energy, a variety of sustainable practices Ripon might consider, and a curricula-based approach for students in this arena," says sophomore Emily DeVillers, member of EGOR.

The main purpose behind the event is to advance environmental awareness in Ripon. EGOR also hopes to promote the new Environmental Leadership program.

The program is open to all students, but is especially suited to those who wish to enter a career directly involved with environmental and conservation issues.

"Students completing the certification will be especially cognizant of the personal contribution each is capable of as an ethically and environmentally minded individual," says DeVillers.

Ripon's program does not stand alone. There are many universities and colleges working to promote environmental education and activism.

"Institutions across the country are moving to create environmentally friendly, or green, campuses," says senior Hilary Smith, member of EGOR.

Although Ripon has made great strides in the realm of environmental awareness, the college is still catching up to other institutions.

"Let's face it, we're behind the curve," says Ryan Gustafson, member of EGOR. "As an institution of higher education, we should be the forerunners of environmental change in our community."

Gustafson claims that it is obvious from simple observation of what is thrown into the "recycling" receptacles of the college that the effort to conserve is weak.

"All we need is a small investment in some reasonable recycling and the students to be pro-active about it," says Gustafson.

These simple changes are the beginnings of what EGOR hopes will be a movement towards a "sustainable" campus.

Sustainability is a multi-tiered project that involves recycling, reducing pollution, alternative energy sources, green buildings, nature conservation, energy conservation and more.

A widely accepted definition of sustainability comes from former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, who defined it as development that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

"Sustainability begins with projects such as sorting trash, setting up a co-op with the local farms," says Gustafson.

These types of projects are popular at many colleges around the nation.

For example, Cornell University has recently made a commitment to move toward Carbon Neutrality.

Carbon Neutrality works to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and offset what is left, to the point where net emissions reach zero.

"I can just envision the day when people are responsible enough to keep track of their greenhouse net emissions," says Gustafson.

The Earth Day celebration and Environmental Leadership program are important steps toward the ultimate goal. EGOR hopes to continue to build momentum in their sustainability efforts.

"We just have to find a way to get people to care," says Gustafson.