About Us - What We Do
Solar panels installed
by Lane's Renewable
Energy Technician
students.
The Institute for Sustainable Practices works toward realizing Lane's core value of sustainability. Our work:
- Integrates practices that support and improve the health of systems that sustain life.
- Provides an interdisciplinary learning environment that builds understanding of sustainable ecological, social, and economic systems, concern for environmental justice, and the competence to act on such knowledge.
- Equips and encourages all students and staff to participate actively in building a socially diverse, just, and sustainable society, while cultivating connections to local, regional, and global communities.
The Institute works on improving sustainability in Lane's educational and operational practices. The Institute administers Lane's sustainability-focused two year degrees in:
- Energy Management
- Renewable Energy Technology
- Resource Conservation Management
- Water Conservation Technology
- Sustainability Coordinator
Education for sustainability projects also include working with faculty across the college to infuse sustainability into all curriculum and offering workshops, trainings, and conferences for students, employees, and the community.
Operational practices include:
- Administering the Recycling Education Center and the Learning Garden.
- Developing proposals and implementing energy and water conservation projects and renewable energy installations, sustainable transportation initiatives and more.
- Providing and analyzing data about energy, water, solid waste, transportation and greenhouse gas emissions.
- Coordinating hands-on student projects that benefit operational and educational sustainability.
- Supporting the Sustainability Committee and implementing Committee recommendations.
- Creating and implementing campus plans such as the Climate Action Plan and the Sustainability Strategic Direction Implementation Plan.
More information about Institute projects, programs, and initiatives that support this core value are provided throughout this website.