“It’s a connecting point for lots of things dealing with sustainability and environmental concerns,” Link said.

“It’s still a place to connect people and connect to a listserv to see what’s going on on campus. The newsletter, research and other kinds of news-related things are posted.”

The Office of Campus Sustainability opened in 2000 and was initially funded with grants from the Environmental Protection Agency, Link said.

“We’re trying to raise the awareness of the entire campus community about the impact of their choices every day, environmentally, socially and economically,” Link said.

“We need to try to optimize our choices so that we are a more sustainable campus.”

The office supports a variety of initiatives such as a reduction in greenhouse gas, consumption and waste. It also encourages buying second-hand and products that use recycled content, Link said.

The office brings in speakers on sustainability issues, helps initiate green programs, has sponsored classes and assists students who have ideas for green projects, Link said.

The office is advised by the University Committee for a Sustainable Campus, whose members hail from all facets of the university, he added.

Jim Detjen, a professor in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences and director of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, has been on the committee since its creation about 10 years ago.

“It includes a broad spectrum from the university: Faculty and students, undergraduates and grad students, staff members, people from the physical plant, grounds and maintenance,” Detjen said.

“It really does represent all groups on campus.”

The awareness has been helped along by films such as Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth,” rising gas prices, climate change and fluctuations in the levels of the Great Lakes, Detjen said.

“The issue is becoming more prominent in local and political spheres,” said Ashley Hale, a journalism sophomore and member of the committee.

“I feel like sustainability is quite possibly one of the most understated issues of our time. It’s imperative that we address these things so our children have a future.”