Sustainability at Berea College is “the capacity of the college society to meet current needs without degrading the ecological, social, and economic systems on which the college will rely for meeting future needs.” Sustainability at Berea College is more than a commitment to the environment, its a collaborative mission that attempts to answer the question of "How can present needs be met, if at all, without compromising the ability to meet future needs?" The president of Berea College Dr. Larry Shinn, feels that sustainability has to do with the health of the natural world we bequeath to our grandchildren...it is a question of their health, the worlds "health". Sustainability is closely connected to the college's mission of "simple living" and education for the 21st century. With a foundation of leadership committed to the "greening" of the Berea College Campus, numerous sustainable practices and programs have been implemented to promote a more sustainable lifestyle.
Sustainable Campus edit
Ecovillage edit
The Ecovillage is a small campus community that strives to maintain a unified sense of environmental health by residents taking part in projects to improve the environment around them. Residents also have the opportunity to live in housing that helps to protect the natural environment as well. Each housing unit has indoor natural lighting, water efficient washers, energy saving ceiling fans, energy saving fluorescent lighting, stack ventilation windows, concrete thermal floors, and clothes lines instead of dryers. All of these environmentally safe items make the Ecovillage a more simplistic yet environmentally friendly place to live.
Child Development Laboratory edit
A state of the art Child Development Laboratory (CDL) opened in the fall of 2004. The CDL classroom cabinets and carpets are made from recycled materials, and the linoleum floors are “fume free”. The Nurse’s station within the CDL has controlled air circulation that brings in fresh air so the germ infested air will go out. The exterior was built with “Green” building materials including structural insulated panels that were used in compiling the roof of the CDL. The building was designed to be more energy efficient than regular buildings, with the installation of large windows and lots of them, natural lighting plays a huge role in energy reduction. The building itself isnt the only feature that supports the campus wide commitment to sustainability. Educationally the CDL strives to promote an environment where the children interact and develop habits that help sustain their world through gardening, recycling, and composting.
SENS House edit
The SENS house or the Sustainability and Environmental Studies House, combines the use of modern day solar power technology with simplistic living. The house itself has solar generated heating, and electrical power, as well as, solar water heating. There is no central heating or cooling within the SENS house. All solar power is attained through the use of a 1500 watt photovoltaic array, which is connected directly to the house. Rain water is collected to suppliment water in the house, and sanitation process concerning waste water occur naturally as well. The used water goes through a series of aquatic plant filtration that is called the greywater treatment system. This system cleans the water that is used in bathroom sinks and showers, to where it can be safely reused. Other waste is decomposed in the Sun-Mar composting toilet.
Sustainable Education edit
Course Offerings edit
SENS 100 Sustainable Environment Study
SENS 215 Sustainable Appalachian Communities
SENS 310 Ecology
SENS 320 Intro-Geographical Information Systems
SENS 340 Intro to Ecological Design
SENS 345 Ecological Architecture
Timeline of Sustainability edit
July 1992 Full-time recycling coordinator position approved
Spring 1994 Sustainability Conference organized by Interim Appalachian Center Director Helen Lewis
Summer 1995 Solid Waste/Recycling student labor department approved and installed
Summer 1996 Being and Becoming published and included as one of four paired learning goals: “We seek to understand the interconnectedness of our natural, fabricated, and human worlds. We seek to understand the workings of our natural environment and the consequences of human interventions. We seek to reflect seriously upon the benefits and limitations of scientific and technological creativity
August 1997 Berea Agricultural Summit (notable guests included Wendall Berry, Dean Freudenburg, and David Orr); Low flow shower heads placed in residence halls; Student Life began recycling furniture when halls are renovated
Sept. 1997 Full-time Solid Waste/Recycling Coordinator hired
Fall 1997 Student Life began collaborating with Facilities Management on sustainability efforts
Jan. 1998 SPC created and charged Subcommittee on Sustainability (SOS)
Fall 1998 Each residence hall assigned a recycling point person Campus Environmental Audit
March 1999 College Faculty approved the establishment of a program and minor Environmental and Sustainability Studies (SENS) to “focus on the integration of sustainability and environmental themes into areas of student experience through teaching, curriculum development, faculty development, and the creation of co-curricular programming,” as proposed by the SPC in collaboration with its Subcommittee on Sustainability
May 1999 Board of Trustees approved the establishment of a program and minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies (SENS)
Fall 1999 College hired a SENS Director, SENS minor began, and SENS Advisory Board Established
Spring 2000 Chair in Ecological Design funded by the Compton Foundation
May 2000 Retreat with selected Berea College administrators, faculty, and staff, the Ecological Design Institute, and the Rocky Mountain Institute to begin the process of designing an “Ecological Village” and replacing the Berea College heat plant
Fall 2000 Ecological retreat; task groups began work; Ecovillage charrette “Perceptions of Growth and Development: A Survey of Madison County Residents” by SENS student researchers participating in a collaboration between the EKU Department of Geography & Planning and the Berea College Sustainability and Environmental Studies Program
May 2001 1st Independent SENS major approved
Fall 2001 Compton Chair in Ecological Design hired
April 2002 Public presentation of final plans for Ecovillage (including site maps, sketches of buildings, and sample floor plans) by Ecovillage Subcommittee
June 2002 Public groundbreaking ceremony/celebration for “Ecovillage” project
Sept. 2002 “Ground-sweeping” ceremony held for the new Ecovillage Child Development Lab
Fall 2002 Draper Hall reopened as a green building, and Berea College Energy Master Plan is adopted with a commitment to cut campus-wide energy consumption by 40%
Fall 2003 Lincoln Hall reopened as another green building on campus; Students moved into the Ecovillage; Student Life encouraged students to unplug all electronics before leaving for winter break
Fall 2003 Ecological Machine in the Ecovillage completed
August 2003 AC approved one-time funds for the “Journey to Excellence Summer Leadership Program” Team’s proposal to include recycling bins in every resident’s room
Fall 2003 Ecovillage Commons House opened
September 2003 Berea Utilities approval of net-metering
November 2003 Solar panels installed at Ecovillage SENS House and first trees planted for the Ecovillage food forest
February 2004 SENS House opened
Fall 2004 Child Development Lab opened
Dec. 2005 1/2 Time Sustainability Coordinator position created and filled
Feb. 2006 Full Time Sustainability Coordinator position implemented
Spring 2006 "Greening the Office" Workshop
Spring 2006 Eco-Olympics (energy conservation and recycling competion)
Fall 2006 AASHE Campus Sustainability Leadership Award received by Berea College
Spring 2007 Berea College Student Megan Maseman received AASHE Student Sustainability Leadership Award
Summer 2007 Pearson Hall "green" renovations completed
Year 2015 Goal: 45% reduction in overall campus energy use
Resources/Bibliography edit
Interim Report of the Subcommittee on Sustainability, 1998, p.3.
[1], ESE Annual Report '05-06, Tammy Clemons, 2006.
2007-2008 Berea College Course Catalog Berea College. 2007
[2], SENS House Poster
[3], Ecovillage Apartment Poster
[4], Child Development Lab Poster
External Resources edit
[5] Business Officer, April 2006
[6] Facilities Manager
[7] University Business, November 2006
[8]Inside Higher Ed
[9] Christian Science Monitor
[10] University Business, June 2007
[11] AASHE Bulletin
[12] Berea College Magazine