History of Sustainability

The 1970's and 1980's

January 1971:

During a new winter session called Intersession, all Messiah students took a week-long course-"Man and His Environmental Problems"-on the theme of ecology and environmental concerns. During this session students read classics of the environmental movement-"The Population Bomb" by Paul Erlich, "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson, and "No Deposit, No Return: Man and His Environment," edited by Huey Johnson. Students were powerfully impacted by the course, and Faculty Meeting Minutes from February 1971 indicate that Student Senate had sent a letter proposing "population control, support of all legislation dealing with ecology and population limiting, and support of ecology candidates."*

Later in 1971:

Students started EnCon, an environmental concern organization that hosted special programs and awareness days about environmental issues. One enthusiastic, but failed, initiative included designating a day when cars would not be allowed to drive to or park on campus in order to create awareness about pollution.

Early 1980s:

"Man and his Environmental Problems" became a part of the general education curriculum, requiring students to develop projects that increased awareness about environmental issues. To fulfill the project requirement, two students began a campus-wide recycling program that collected material from residences, classrooms, and offices. These recycling efforts led the students to establish Earthkeepers, a student organization with creation care as its focus.

*information from "Shared Faith, Bold Vision, Enduring Promise: The Maturing Years of Messiah College" by Paul Nisly. 2010.