Business View Magazine
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ability, Messiah College processes all of its own compost,
on site. Mark Wirtz, the school’s Director of Dining Ser-
vices, is particularly pleased with its “Waste Less Waste”
program, as it allows his department to store, rotate, and
generate the final compost that is used on the campus’
grounds, flower beds, and athletic fields, from the post
and pre-consumer waste and all the bio-degradable
products that Dining Services uses for catering and to-go
containers. “It’s been a great savings in terms of removal
of waste and in not having to generate so much purchas-
ing of product from other sources,” he says.
While Messiah College has been in the forefront of cam-
pus sustainability for many years, at least one student is
mindful that what has already been done in the realm
of environmental stewardship is only a prologue to the
tasks that lie ahead – and that the need for action is ur-
gent. “I do think we’re reaching a point where it’s ‘do or
die,” laments McKay. “So, as students, it’s very critical
that not only are we, ourselves, learning, but that we’re
also teaching those around us who are in a place where
they’re able to do something, right now. Because if we’re
making 30 or 40-year plans, it doesn’t matter nearly as
much as what’s going to be happening in the next 10
years or so, or even less. And so, it can be seen as a very
daunting task, and it is. It’s very evident that something
needs to be done, now. So, I would agree that there’s a
lot of pressure on our generation, but I think there’s also
a lot of hope there.”
At Messiah College, environmental stewardship isn’t just
the latest trend; it’s a way of life. This fact is borne out ev-
ery day in the passion of its students, the dedication of its
teachers and administrators, and the active participation
of its staff. If hope exists anywhere, then surely it exists
nestled within Messiah’s green and sustainable campus.
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