At Dartmouth College, our Environmental Performance indicators for energy use, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide emissions, and waste disposal per capita have been on the rise since 2001. These data, although sobering, helps us face the sustainability challenge squarely.

A social change theory popularized by author Alan AtKisson suggests that when innovative individuals or groups present a culture with a new idea, such as living sustainably, these visionary ideas are often considered impractical. Transformers are people who sit on boards, volunteer for community and world causes, and own businesses. They are positive, inspirational people whom the mainstream will follow. These people repackage the new idea, in this case sustainability, in such a way that their friends, students, parishioners, parents or clients will think, “This sustainability stuff is crucial, necessary, and visionary yet practical.”

Transformers open their seed catalogue and map their garden in February. They briskly walk on snowy mornings to the bus stop leaving the car parked. They bag peaks in the Whites, then attend a slide show at the local library about a friend’s Himalayan adventures. If the innovator tried to convince the reactionary, the iconoclast or the mainstream, they would become frustrated and worn out. A skillful innovator will let the iconoclast and the reactionary refine the integration of these new ideas into their daily lives.

Having been at Dartmouth for only 8 months, I’m inspired by the number of innovators, change agents and transformers who were playing with and integrating sustainability before my job was ever posted. Over the first few months I gleaned ideas from dozens of people, attended meetings, read reports, visited other campuses, and met with sustainability coordinators from across the country. From this, I developed my first platform of projects:

• Waste-free, local, organic dining: Create a prototype in one campus venue. Provide input to new dining projects. Work with, support and learn from the Dartmouth Organic Farm.

• Sustainable Dartmouth (formerly the Environmental Roundtable): Support student initiatives and request support for the Sustainability Office’s projects.

• Energy reduction and diversification: Support FO&M in energy conservation, advocate energy production on new buildings and support the Ravine Lodge renewable energy pilot project. Create a new light switch logo, post energy use in every building, create a website and kick off a feedback loops project with Sterling College.

• Garbage & toxics reduction and recycling enhancement: Support ECO, the Office of Residential Life, Environmental Health, and Safety and FO&M in their efforts to reduce solid and liquid waste on campus.

• Sustainable office: Use the Office of the Provost as a prototype site to develop and document a process that any office on campus can use to generate sustainable practices.

• Co-chair the Resource Working Group (RWG): Update the mission and recruit new members.

• Sustainability Indicators: Establish base-line data, generate an annual report, track footprints and expand the indicator set. Create visible feedback systems for the campus community, a website, and a dash board.

• Community Cycling Center: Support the student initiative to recondition abandoned bikes and promote bike care and commuting.

• Second College Grant: Learn about the management and provide input to the master plan.

• New building projects: Provide input that leads to higher performance, renewable energy and a more integrated design process.

• Communication: Raise awareness regarding sustainability through public speaking, guest lecturers in classes, media articles, displays, and a website.

• Interns and Volunteers: Coordinating student-run projects including a web site, a 2005 Sustainability Report, researching the prospects of a waste-free dining facility, and more.

• Strategic Plan: Develop a plan that begins with identifying and implementing small to medium scale projects over the first two years and transitions toward drafting policies and launching initiatives.