Leading by Example: Faculty

Keith Havens, Retired Varsity Swimming and Diving Coach

Keith and his wife, Susan, live really close to the Earth, in an underground house, insulated from summer heat and requiring only a woodburning stove to keep cozy in winter.

“A surprising benefit of living underground is the lack of sound pollution. In addition to the thermal advantages, the house is extremely quiet," Keith reports. He collects gray water from the shower, which is used to flush the toilets.

Even the Havens' backyard deck is an example of his commitment to recycling; it’s built out of materials from the old football bleachers that would have otherwise been discarded.

Ian MacInnes, Professor of English

Ian MacInnes stresses the importance of sustainability beyond the science world. As an English professor, MacInnes utilizes the course web and set an example of how instructors can make a conscious effort to use as little paper as possible.

"I never recycle paper until both sides have been printed on," he notes.

MacInnes is often spotted riding his bicycle the ten miles from his house to Albion! At his house, he has a solar water heater and a large garden where he strives to grow much of his own food.

MacInnes appreciates the importance of each person's impact on the environment. 

Shelia Lyons-Sobaski, Assistant Professor of Biology

Ecologist Sheila Lyons-Sobaski and her family live their daily lives with a sustainable frame of mind. At home, she recycles and buys in bulk.

Also, instead of using disposable diapers, she used cloth diapers, reducing waste from throwing out dirty diapers daily. Lyons-Sobaski recognizes the importance of biodiversity and is a loyal supporter of green non-profit organizations.

In her classroom, she not only utilizes course webs and online assignments but also shares with her students the knowledge they need to monitor their own ecological footprints.

Timothy Lincoln, Professor of Geological Sciences

Who is that riding his bike to work?

It's Tim Lincoln, the geology professor who also directs the Institute for Sustainability and the Environment. Lincoln stresses the importance of sustainability in his everyday life. He strives to ride this bicycle the six miles to work every day, even in the bitter Michigan weather.

At his home, he has a hoop greenhouse to grow some of his own food. Lincoln also teaches two enlightening courses entitled "Sustainable Living." One is a First-Year Experience class, and the other is an E-House seminar. 

Nels Christensen, Assistant Professor of English

Nels Christensen is leading by example in his attempt to stay off the industrial meat grid. He grows his own food or buys it locally. His chicken comes from the Springfield Farmers Market and vegetables from the Albion Farmers Market.

Christensen and his family purchase the basic essential items’ like grain and honey in bulk. On campus he challenges his students to think about environmental issues in courses such as “Terrorists and Treehuggers” and “Idea of Nature, Nature of Ideas.”