Dr. Ken Foster, a professor of political science and director of Community Engagement at Concordia, emphasized the importance of the college’s new Climate Action Plan during a recent interview on Prairie Public Television.
The plan aims to guide the college toward carbon neutrality and educate students on creating a more sustainable future.
“We see addressing climate change as a way to authentically lean into our educational mission,” Foster said. “We want to prepare our students for this world in which climate change is a real problem that we need to address.”
In the interview, Foster detailed the college’s plans short- and long-term goals to reduce carbon emissions and its pledge to promote community resilience.
“Whether it's climate impacts, economic shocks, or pandemics, we need to have a community and a college that can adapt to absorb the negatives that come and move through them with strength,” he said.
As part of the Climate Action Plan and the college’s commitment to civic engagement, Foster said Concordia students are available to help outside organizations with research on their climate impacts and ideas to reduce energy use.