Mission Statement

Providing leadership to the Oberlin community in implementing a comprehensive Environmental Policy in support of the College’s strategic goal of sustainability.

Vision Statement

The Office of Environmental Sustainability’s vision is that sustainability in many ways represents the ultimate liberal art and as such is fundamentally important to a liberal arts college. A community that recognizes the interconnections between the environment, economics, equity and esthetics is one that understands the dynamic interactions of species and communities over time and during changing ecological conditions. A college that embraces sustainability commits itself to instilling a consciousness of these interrelationships and developing the skills necessary to create new possibilities and extend our ecological imaginations through any discipline, field, endeavor, or area of study.

The Office of Environmental Sustainability interacts with the administration, faculty, staff, and students to focus attention on ways to maximize the environmental performance of Oberlin College and develop the awareness and tools required to respond dynamically to issues affecting them. We also reach out to the wider community and provide a connection between Oberlin and regional and national activities. Through the development of increasingly strong collaborations, an interconnection of interests can be created. The sustainable college is one that recognizes interconnected mutual interests and creates productive affiliations between them rather than being preoccupied with trying to negotiate and balance perceived competing interests such as social justice, economic growth and environmental protection.

What is Sustainability?

Sustainability is commonly defined as the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It relates to the continuity of economic, social, institutional and environmental aspects of human society, as well as the non-human environment. Beyond some sufficient level of continuous functioning, however, sustainability represents more than just the mere ability to survive and get by. A more inspiring concept of sustainability is that of an assemblage of mutual interests between equity, economics, esthetics and the environment. The Sustainable College is one that recognizes these interconnected mutual interests and creates productive affiliations between them.

Sustainability and Oberlin's mission

What does sustainability have to do with Oberlin’s mission? Quite simply, a lot. The core mission of Oberlin College is the education of its students. For the college to pursue its mission of education requires meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. That is to say it requires sustainability in order to educate generation after generation of students.

Nathan Engstrom, Coordinator

E-mail Nathan | See Nathan's profile
173 W. Lorain Street, Room 209
440.775.6354

Meredith Dowling, Former Assistant Coordinator

See Meredith's profile

Additional Information