Luther College
PAE-19: Community Sustainability Partnerships

The Environmental Science 485 class worked with the Winneshiek County Energy District to do a community energy inventory in spring of 2010, as well as to gather research for the Decorah sustainability plan. Luther also agreed to provide student interns to Winneshiek County Energy District as part of the energy outreach in the community. Luther is a core partner with the Food and Fitness Initiative with a primary focus on school outreach. The college helps coordinate work in 20 school districts in 6 counties, with a specific focus on farm to school programs, as well as initiatives to get kids outside and connect them to the local environment. Luther College hosted and helped finance the first Oneota Film Festival, a non-profit festival held January 22-23, 2010 which showed several nationally and internationally acclaimed sustainability-themed films as the focal point of a community discussion of local sustainability issues including food, energy, economies and life choices. The films were intended to generate discussion of local initiatives related to sustainability issues and an overall look at the community’s potential for developing and maintaining a more independent and sustainable local economy. Luther College's Campus Chapter of Habitat For Humanity works with Habitat for Humanity International and the Winneshiek County Chapter: all redeemable recyclables generated by the college are collected in separate, red bins labeled "Habitat for Humanity." LCHFH also has an ongoing partnership with a few local businesses redeeming bottles and cans as a fundraiser. On Can Mountain Day, the group partners with Winneshiek County Habitat For Humanity and St. Benedict School to collect recyclable items. Al the money raised from these endeavors goes to Winneshiek County Habitat for Humanity. Luther partnered with Winneshiek County Convention and Visitors Bureau for "Dig IN: the Decorah Iowa Green INitiative," a weekend-long festival set in idyllic Northeast Iowa. First held August 21-23, 2009, it featured tours of off-the-grid homes and sustainable farms, live music at both a street dance and garden party, an expert-filled green expo, seminars and forums, and local foods. Luther College welcomed visitors to its campus to check out the electric vehicle fleet and learn more about its climate commitment and other sustainable initiatives.