Sustainable Culture
Transforming an organization's culture can reap many benefits and improve organizational performance.
Whether it is the current economic climate, the shifting political landscape, or the ever-increasing pace of change in today's world, organizations are taking a fresh look at how their current organizational culture needs to change.
One study found that almost 90 percent of organizations were either experiencing or had experienced some type of cultural change.
March 15, 2011 Western’s Board adopted a Sustainable Culture Policy stating,
“Western Technical College is committed to the development of a sustainable culture that meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. We recognize that a sustainable culture embraces environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic viability.”
Western Technical College will enable a sustainable culture by:
- Developing scientific and social literacy in students, faculty, staff, and the regional community concerning environmental, social, and economic issues;
- Leading regional efforts to advance a sustainable culture;
- Promoting and modeling environmental stewardship in personal and institutional choices and behaviors;
- Inspiring innovative environmental solutions, behavioral changes, and ethical stewardship of the natural world.
Highlights
| Date | Highlights |
| March 2011 | March 2011 Western’s Board Approved a Sustainable Culture Policy |
| December 2010 | First Draft of Sustainability Plan is submitted to ACUPCC. http://acupcc.aashe.org/?page=13 |
| September 2010 | Hires an Associate Dean for Sustainability. |
| February 2010 | Implemented an Energy Conservation Management Program & hires Energy Education Specialist. |
| October 2009 | Became a charter participant in STARS 1.0, a measuring system for campus sustainability |
| Summer of 2009 | First carbon foot print assessment completed. |
| April of 2009 | Sustainability Town Hall meeting. |
| March 2009 | Sustainability Navigation Sessions held to determine what sustainable needs & practices Western should consider for master planning. |
| December 2008 | Student Government supports the Presidents Climate Commitment and approved funding for sustainability projects in their 2009-2010 budget. |
| 2007 | President Lee Rasch signed the American College & University President's Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) |
Green Terms
Biomimicry
An emerging discipline that studies nature's best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems.
DOE
The United States Department of Energy's (DOE). The DOE's mission is to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States; to promote scientific and technological innovation in support of that mission; and to ensure the environmental cleanup of the national nuclear weapons complex. http://www.energy.gov
Energy Star
A program sponsored by the EPA and DOE that sets energy-efficiency guidelines for appliances, electronics, lighting and new home constructions.
EPA
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) The mission of EPA is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment -- air, water and land -- upon which life depends. http://www.epa.gov/epahome/whatwedo.htm
LEED
LEED: The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System encourages sustainable building and development projects through the use of universally known and accepted tools and criteria. LEED is a third-party certification program that promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by addressing five key areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. Certification has varying degrees, and can be basically certified, certified Silver, certified Gold, and certified Platinum.
