2008 Integrative Studies Symposium

This year's IS symposium took place April 17-18, 2008 and focused on sustainability. The issue of sustainability is not a theoretical issue. We are trying to help move the world from a mind set of "more is better" to one where "enough if best", where we only use resources (oil, wood, energy, water, soil, plants, animals, etc.) at a pace no higher than that which can be replaced naturally over a very long sustainable time period.

Many of us strongly believe that sustainability is the defining path that the human race must take to provide a long-term quality life for all humans and for all other life forms on which humans are dependent. It is vital for our students to become aware of the issues related to sustainability because their future lives will be controlled by these issues. They need to learn how they can help move themselves and our world more rapidly in the direction of a sustainable lifestyle.

We have added a great recycling coordinator to the campus, and it is only a matter of time before Otterbein will need to become a green college with many exciting, challenging, and thought-provoking changes happening during the next few years. Otterbein is taking some important steps now, and that is to be applauded, but many more need to be taken. This is not an issue only for science and ecology specialists. It is vital for every person in each of your classes, for the entire U.S.A., and for this entire earth which is an incredible gift to all of us.

The schedule for the symposium was as follows: