Ohio University's Sustainability

           My research paper focused on Athens and more particularly Ohio University. I investigated Ohio University’s future goals of growth, development and sustainability. I chose to couple a critique of the economic system with my analysis of Ohio University plans. In my research I found Ohio University functioned much like any other business. Their main concern in their clause on sustainability, the section involving people, was their investors. I was disturbed by this because a key component in sustainability is social wellbeing. Instead of protecting faculty, students or the surrounding community Ohio University’s concern was for far away, invisible investors. Another component to Ohio University’s sustainability clause was that all decisions in development had to be economically profitable.

            Our economic system is deeply focused on profit and growth. I think this is the greatest factor that leads to an increase in environmental damage. I would move for controlling growth because it would be very difficult to altogether cease growth. My greatest problem is that Ohio University’s growth is non-sustainable in many aspects even though they express a movement towards sustainability.