As students from Kentucky colleges and universities, we have convened to establish an ethic of sustainability that we expect to be adopted on our campuses. We define sustainability according to the Brundtland Commission of 1987, which concluded that sustainability is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Kentucky colleges and universities should accept their responsibility to:

• Recognize the urgent need for a commitment to sustainable practices

• Acknowledge their vital leadership roles in their communities and act as models of responsible environmental stewardship

• Use their human and technical capacities as well as their institutional operations to improve the quality of life in the communities which they serve

• Create and maintain inter-institutional and community partnerships

• Be accountable to students and the society at large for adhering to these principles

• Produce environmentally literate citizens through an interdisciplinary approach to environmental education

We believe that it is the responsibility of institutions of higher learning to cultivate values that are conducive to promoting this ethic.

Student Summit

The purpose of the Student Summit to develop a common “declaration” or “statement of guiding principles” from Kentucky college students on environmental education and sustainability in higher education. It is our hope that students will return to their home institutions and present the statement for consideration and adoption by appropriate personnel and/or governing bodies (e.g., student government, faculty senate, the president’s office, etc.).

We have arranged for free registration, meals, and lodging for all students participating in the Student Summit for the conference weekend. Until the conference and over the course of the Spring 2007 semester, discussion will take place on the Student Summit blog, found at http://greensummitky.blogspot.com/. We may meet periodically via conference call and email exchange, as well.

On Friday night (4/20), the students will meet to finalize our presentation. We will present our declaration/statement on Saturday night (4/21) to all of the conference attendees at the Local Foods Dinner. For an example of such a declaration, I suggest looking over the Talloires Declaration, which can be viewed here:

http://www.iisd.org/educate/declarat/talloire.htm/

Students from any Kentucky institution of higher learning are invited to participate. Just email Rebecca_jones122@eku.edu with your name and contact information. Student Summit participants can also receive 1 credit hour through the Kentucky Virtual College, but students should register soon.