Higher Learning meets Higher Purpose

I sat down with Larry Lee a few days ago to talk about sustainability on college campuses. Lee is the head of the University of Southern Mississippi's new office of sustainability and he is making great headway in raising awareness of green issues with the student and faculty population.

One his first actions was to implement a comprehensive campus-wide recycling program. He started a student bike-share program and he's bringing in environmental speakers on a regular basis. And, the university has made a commitment to only build sustainable buildings from here on out.

You've heard the cliche "thinking outside the box"? Lee acknowledges that our planning decisions must be proactive, taking into consideration our trajectory into the future, not just current circumstances. Lee used a term that I really like; he speaks of "thinking outside the decade."

More sustainability plans are in the works, but already Larry Lee - with the full support of president Martha Saunders - is making a difference.

Stay tuned for more updates.