Ohio Wesleyan to Work with Sustainable Delaware Ohio
This panoramic photograph, created by combining a series of images, shows Delaware’s historic downtown. (Photo by John Holliger)
Ohio Wesleyan University students now have more opportunities to obtain experience providing education about environmental issues through the new Sustainable Delaware Ohio organization.
Traditionally, OWU students have performed community service through various clean-up activities and independent studies. Now students will have more structured opportunities for sustainability-related community experiences through events and programs coordinated by the grass-roots organization.
“Sustainable Delaware Ohio will provide wonderful opportunities for our students to pursue environmental studies from both an academic point of view and the development of practical, hands-on, problem-solving skills,” says Thomas Wolber, OWU associate professor of German and a member of Sustainable Delaware Ohio.
“It’s a win-win situation because the students broaden and expand their theoretical and practical knowledge while the community and the environment benefit through the dedicated efforts of the interns.”
Wolber added that Laurie Anderson, OWU associate professor of botany-microbiology, played a major role in coordinating the internship opportunities for OWU students. Anderson is the chairperson of the OWU President’s Task Force on Sustainability.
About 60 community members have joined the Sustainable Delaware Ohio group. Delaware City Councilman Andrew Brush is the liaison with city government.
The group will work to educate the public to recycle more waste. Currently, only 30 percent of Delaware homes recycle, Mayor Gary Milner says.
The group also plans to work with schools to provide sustainability-related education, create films about environmental issues, and encourage the public to use local foods and to become educated about issues related to drinking water and alternative energies.
The group also wants to promote the use of public transportation and encourage the use of bike paths and walkways for local trips.
Sustainable Delaware Ohio meets on the second Saturday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at the Delaware County District Library, 84 E. Winter St. The public is invited.
Learn more about sustainability at Ohio Wesleyan.