CHICAGO, IL (October 11, 2007) \u2013 A new Office of Sustainability (OS) at North Park University will help the school assess and improve its environmental practices, says Paul Johnson, who will coordinate the effort.<\/p>\n
Johnson says that a sustainability assessment committee will be formed over the next several months. The committee will include interested individuals, employees from the physical plant department, and Aramark, the company that provides the school\u2019s food service.<\/p>\n
The assessment will include an analysis of the school\u2019s \u201ccarbon footprint\u201d as well as needs to convert departments to better practices. The committee also will establish benchmarks and goals for the school to achieve in areas that include its recycling program and the use of renewable energy resources.<\/p>\n
The OS will sponsor activities and events for members of the campus community to learn about, discuss and promote sustainability. Such activities could include the development of a \u201cgreen team,\u201d environmental cleanup events, and light bulb replacement drives.<\/p>\n
Developing the OS will take time, Johnson says, because he already is splitting his full-time schedule between University Ministries and campus development. Still, he looks forward to developing its mission over time.<\/p>\n
He proposed the idea for the OS because of his interest in sustainability. \u201cI think there is a lot of interest in environmental and sustainability issues in the church,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth our Christian values and Covenant heritage call us to embrace and care for creation,\u201d reads a statement issued by Carl Balsam, the university\u2019s executive vice president and chief financial officer. \u201cAs part of an educational institution, we are responsible not only to teach about these issues and virtues, but to live out our commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship through the current operations and future decisions of the school.\u201d<\/p>\n