“The vast possibilities of our great future will become realities only if we make ourselves responsible for that future.”

“Conservation is the foresighted utilization, preservation and/or renewal of forests, waters, lands and minerals, for the greatest good for the greatest number for the longest time.”

Gifford Pinchot (left) and Theodore Roosevelt.

Gifford Pinchot’s love for being in the woods led him to become Chief of the Division of Forestry in 1898. He first graduated from Yale, but when no school in the United States had a Forestry degree went to Nancy, France to learn more on the subject.  When he returned to the U.S., he worked at Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Forest Estate and was involved with the National Forest Commission where he traveled to the west looking for possible forest reserves. It was these events that led his friend President Theodore Roosevelt to name him Chief of the Division of Forestry. In 1905, when this division was moved to the Department of Agriculture and given a new title of Forest Service, it was only natural that Gifford Pinchot be named chief. Pinchot changed the way the national forests are managed with the utilitarian philosophy “greatest good for the greatest number.” He also emphasized that conservation is for the long term not just today. While he served as the Chief Forester of the U.S. Division of Forestry from 1898 to 1910, forest reserves tripled in land size. He is known as the “father” of American conservation.

by Jennifer Lefebvre

This winter season has already broken records in some areas of the country and with winter weather forecasts still looming, there are sure to be even more snowfall totals.  Even though it seems like a rough winter, there are still ways that we can be green and conserve energy while contending with harsh winter weather.

GreenerTrends.com reports on trends in sustainable business, technology, and consumer goods.  You can sign up to receive their weekly newsletter, Weekly Green Tips, for even more tips to stay green.  The following winter tips are from a recent edition of the newsletter. 
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by Beth Gray

It seems that many in the world today are seeking ways to make their lives more sustainable and “green.”  As individual citizens begin taking “green bags” to the grocery store and implementing carpools, businesses are also beginning to address the issues of climate change that are arguably reaching crisis levels.  The higher education industry has also begun seeking ways to make a difference in the realm of climate change.  Members of the higher education community have started to recognize the unique position they have in educating the nation’s next generation of leaders to be environmentally responsible citizens of Planet Earth. 

To this end, some 662 college and university presidents have signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).  This binding commitment speaks volumes to the dedication of signatory presidents to affect meaningful change in the way their institutions do business and educate students on the dangers of climate change. 

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by President and CEO, Wallace E. Boston, Jr.

In September 2007, I signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) on behalf of American Public University System (APUS).  My decision to sign this commitment was an acknowledgement that an institution of higher learning should be committed to measuring and minimizing its environmental impact, particularly in a world with depleting natural resources.  As required by the commitment, in January 2009 APUS completed its Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory.  Since that time, the school has taken several significant steps toward effectively addressing its overall carbon footprint.  APUS has established a Sustainability Committee comprised of interested employees who are dedicated to the goals we have established.  The Committee researches and develops proposals for additional mitigation and education strategies.  This blog is one such effort.

Members of the Sustainability Committee will contribute the majority of the articles that will be published here, but from time to time, the Committee may publish articles from guest authors.  This blog is intended to serve as a mechanism for sharing ideas and generating dialogue related to sustainability efforts at APUS, issues of sustainability as they relate to higher education, and topics of sustainability in general. 

I hope that you will find the information posted here interesting and educational.  The Committee welcomes your comments and suggestions and I encourage you to engage in what I hope will become an ongoing discussion about how higher education and individuals can effectively address the problems associated with climate change and the depletion of natural resources.