by Caroline Ward
Interview with Brian Webb, Wooster’s first Director of Campus Sustainability
In April 2023, The College of Wooster announced the inaugural appointment of Brian Webb as the College’s first Director of Campus Sustainability, effective Aug. 1, 2023. The creation of such a position has been a long time in the making at Wooster: the College’s last designated sustainability intern served from 2012-2014. According to the “Sustainability Plan for the College of Wooster,” submitted by the Campus Sustainability Committee in May 2019, their “highest recommendation [was] to hire a sustainability coordinator/director.” It’s been four years since the five-year sustainability plan was published, and following considerable administrative overhaul it seems that sustainability at the College has again become a principal objective.
In celebration of his new appointment, I spoke with Director Webb about his journey to Wooster, the day-to-day responsibilities of a director of campus sustainability, and his hopes and plans for the future of sustainability at The College of Wooster.
What motivated your decision to come to Wooster?
I previously worked as the sustainability director and assistant professor of environmental studies at Houghton University in western New York. When interviewing at Wooster I was highly impressed with the close-knit campus, the quality of the faculty and the students and the school’s enthusiastic support for environmental sustainability.
What does your job as the College’s director of campus sustainability entail?
I love my job because it intersects with all aspects of the institution and is very flexible and self-driven. I like to say that I play with four big buckets — working with the administration to implement best practices in sustainability from a policy perspective, working with faculty to incorporate sustainability into the curriculum, working with facilities to decrease our environmental footprint and increase clean energy opportunities and educating students about sustainability and environmental issues. My day-to-day responsibilities are highly varied. Some days I’m working on spreadsheets on my computer, some days I’m working with students to plan interesting events or activities, some days I’m meeting with administrators or other decision makers to try to develop systems for reducing our environmental impacts and some days I’m guest lecturing in a classroom or collaborating with faculty about sustainability projects.
What structures of sustainability does Wooster already have in place? What are you hoping to establish?
Wooster has actually done quite a lot considering this new position. We have a sustainability committee, recycling bins across campus, a large solar system on the Scot Center roof, and electric vehicle charging stations behind Lowry. I’m hoping to do a lot more. For example, our recycling program, while expansive in scope, needs a lot more user education and some infrastructure changes to become more effective. I’d like to experiment with different systems to see what works best (I.S. project idea, anyone…?)
What are your immediate and long-term goals as our new director of campus sustainability?
A major priority of mine in this first year is to influence the College to make a public commitment to carbon neutrality, within a specific timeframe. This is a critical starting point to effective sustainability work. I’d also like to see our environmental goals intentionally connected to our values of equity and justice, since environmental degradation disproportionately harms those who are already disadvantaged and marginalized in society. As for long-term goals, many of these will build on a commitment to carbon neutrality and climate justice by expanding renewable energy on campus, renovating inefficient buildings, switching to LED lighting, developing a robust curriculum for addressing environmental justice, etc. Long-term, I’d also like to see a more effective recycling program, campus composting, expanding the campus garden, etc. I also look forward to getting back in the classroom sometime in the future. I love teaching and look forward to engaging students in the classroom environment.
What first steps do you hope to take in your first year as director of campus sustainability?
The most important first steps involve networking and making connections with my new colleagues and with Wooster students. Effective work in sustainability requires collaboration and good working relationships. I’m also hoping we can do a campuswide energy audit, which will give us a good understanding of how and where we can reduce our environmental impacts and carbon footprint.
What else would you like to tell students at the College?
I’d really like students to know that I plan for sustainability to have an active and visible presence on all aspects of campus. I love working with college students and look forward to building connections with students here on the Wooster campus. Students are more than welcome to reach out anytime with new ideas, questions, concerns or to meet up for coffee or lunch.