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Sustainability includes, but is not necessarily limited to, energy and resource management, conservation and stewardship as affected by systems, campus culture, transportation, the built environment, individual actions and behaviors, etc. for the long term benefit of the environment.
--CSAC, 2008
On the following pages, you will find details of the current and ongoing efforts toward promoting sustainable practices on the MSU campus and the greater Gallatin Valley through the facilitation of dialogue and the development of collaborative action between students, student groups, MSU staff/faculty, local governments, community members, and public schools. The purpose of this site is to inventory projects, catalogue information and contacts, and elucidate progress made in minimizing MSU’s negative environmental impacts and reaching the goals outlined in the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.
With President Gamble’s signature of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment in December of 2007, the ongoing development of a comprehensive Campus Sustainability/Energy Policy in MSU’s five-year vision document, and a newly appointed Campus Sustainability Advisory Council, Montana State University, as an institution, is committed to reducing its ecological footprint by promoting sustainable culture and activities across the MSU campus and the greater Bozeman community.
Current Trajectory
In accordance with the initial tasks outlined in the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, the university is taking steps toward indexing and cataloging the individuals and organizations perceived to be key players in MSU’s effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and become a model of sustainable practice for the local community, region, and for universities across the country. MSU is currently documenting the past activities, ongoing efforts, and future plans of these key players. Furthermore, the university is facilitating dialogue between these entities—fostering collaborative and cohesive efforts by building positive personal relationships.
Numerous student organizations, MSU faculty and staff, and students are among those involved in ongoing development of an institutional framework for promoting, planning, and guiding sustainability initiatives. As MSU undertakes this endeavor, carefull consideration is given to the level of structure necessary for efficiently addressing the goals outlined in the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment. The university acknowledges the value of top-down organization as a means for creating common goals and evaluating efficiency and is concurrently aware of the internal energy and momentum that grass-roots efforts provide.
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