The Environmental Council hosted their first open forum at 3 p.m. Tuesday in McMichael to discuss with students and faculty members the Elon Sustainability Master Plan, devised by the council.

The preamble to the proposal states one of its goals as to teach our students all that is known about what results might be obtained by human interactions with the earths ecosystems so that our mission of producing global citizens and informed leaders motivated by the common good is accomplished.

Council chair Gerald Whittington, vice president for business, finance and technology, led the forum, gathering thoughts and ideas on whether the proposal missed any important items and any reactions to the priority listings. Although many students are unaware that Elon is preparing a plan to become more environmentally friendly, approximately 45 students and faculty members were present to voice their input on the proposal.

Students from campus organizations sported green clothing to emphasize their support for Elon to Go Green by reducing carbon emissions and promoting green energy.

Campus Climate Challenge President Christine Irvine was happy with the turnout and said she hopes for an even greater and more diverse turnout for the final meeting on March 7.

Its important that the administration know that students are embracing the plan because we realize that our generation will be the ones that will manage the effects of todays policies, Irvine said.

What does a sustainable future mean for Elon? The councils proposal defines sustainability as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Plans for implementing a sustainable future include incorporating Energy Star appliances in residence halls, requiring 50 percent of the wood used for construction be obtained from responsible wood suppliers and using environmentally friendly cleaning supplies.

While many community members are happy that Elon is thinking about the future, others would like to see Elon become a forerunner in environmental protection rather than simply catching up with policies that other universities and corporations have already implemented.

Dr. Anthony Weston, professor of philosophy, said he would like to see a movement in the curriculum to embrace sustainability, like it has already done with the international studies program.

Reporter: Chelsey Anglin - 02/22/07