Photo by allison falk
Alluvian sat down with Greg Lischke, Director of Energy Management of Sustainability at Ithaca College, to discuss the role of sustainability within higher education, society, and his own life.
On being an engineer
“One of things I like to tell people is, I’m an engineer, kilowatt hours, BTUs, decatherms, gallons of gas, gallons of water — that means something to me, but to other people it doesn’t.”
On renewable energy in higher education
“We’ve got 2 megawatts. Cornell has their 6 or 8 sites. Hobart William Smith College has their sites. All these sites start to add up and you’re not talking megawatts anymore. You’re starting to get in the hundred megawatt or maybe even the gigawatt range.”
On personal sustainability
“I think I’ve always lived fairly sustainably. I know others would tell me my carnivore appetite and my need to eat meat and chocolate might not be the most sustainable thing in the world, but I’m certainly more aware.”
On promoting sustainability
“You can’t [make someone care about sustainability]. All you can do is try to help arm them with the facts to make them an educated consumer and try to instill upon them the belief that they need to own their decision — Whatever it is.”