Page 604 - Sustainable Cities and Communities Design Handbook

“Scrappy” Sustainability at Ohio Wesleyan University Chapter j 29 571

of students provides many excellent theory-into-practice experiences, a sig-
nificant part of a student’s education at OWU. Success after facing many
challenges, but moving forward anyway, may be more meaningful given the
persistence it requires. This persistence and creative engagement reveals
dedication and commitment to environmental causes. Finally, this approach
has put in place a strong foundation of sustainability upon which a sustain-
ability coordinator, if one is hired in the future, can build.
The OWU Sustainability Task Force did not set out to develop a model for
low-resource, high-engagement sustainability, but we have developed one, by
experimentation, collaboration, and persistence. We are still learning and
plotting new ways to get sustainability to work on campus, but we are making
progress. We hope this model may help other colleges, businesses, and
organizations in similar situations make sustainability move forward, as it
inevitably must, despite the numerous obstacles to doing what is necessary and
right.