Information on Sustainability

• Sustainability •

Sustainability is a very broad term denoting the the goal of overcoming many environmental and land use issues facing the world in hopes of a "sustainable" future. At our current pace, the human race is using up resources faster than it is replacing them. A key example of this is in (especially American) agriculture. Conventional farming employs the use of many different types of artificial chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides in attempt to gain the highest yield possible. The result is land erosion, threats to public health, and dependence on petroleum-based chemicals.

Our agricultural practices are sustainable because they are pesticide and chemical free. We use companion planting and natural compost on our garden to achieve bountiful yields. Sustainable also means that we use products right here on campus as inputs to our land. For example, the student dining facility offers an excellent source of compostable materials for our garden; materials which otherwise get disposed of in a landfill.