College campuses and universities breed innovation. The Kent State shootings transformed the 1960s war protests into a cultural revolution. Blogging and social networking first burgeoned from a University of Washington dorm room. Today’s headline touting business ideas — from Facebook to Google– all have roots in one college environment or another. But what will tomorrow’s innovations look like?

In a word: sustainability. It’s an axiom that’s percolating on college campuses across the nation, and producing impressive results. Campus Ecology, a program run by the National Wildlife Federation, has published a collection of case studies which should provide a good answer. Titled “Generation E – Students Leading for a Sustainable, Clean Future” the periodical is an amalgamation of 35 innovative student projects working toward sustainability. This is no simple society of mutual admiration, and featured projects are much more robust than basic recycling programs.

From funding strategies to media tools, 15 eclectic areas are highlighted throughout the guide.  Each area is supported with several successful case studies. Sustainability Is Sexy’s goal to evolve coffee drinking habits was cited (page 16 in the guide) as a successful study in behavioral change. A Brown University group named Community Carbon Use Reduction at Brown (CCURB) developed a community action initiative to install programmable thermostats in low-income homes, resulting in financial and environmental savings. Tulane University showcased energy conservation through its “Energy Star Showcase Dorm Room” — the dormitory version of a model home. The dorm appliances and electronics used cut costs and CO2 output by 50%. The program engaged incoming students as well. The model dorm room is assigned to students evaluated through a highly competitive essay contest.

Generation E is a phenomenal grouping of battle-tested sustainability programs. Certainly, the publication can provide aspiring students a strong framework for capturing environmental benefits on their own campuses. University administrators can benefit too. Many of the sustainability programs in the guide can be adapted to suit the strengths and weaknesses of a formal department. (Sustainability Is Sexy campaigns have done this already. Our university programs have been aligned to better fit with administrative goals). A guide such as Generation E can be a powerful tool for students and campus administrators looking for opportunity.

Peter Pan in a Boardroom

Opportunity isn’t only knocking on academia’s door. Indeed, shrewd business leaders and potential investors may wish to read Generation E as a foretelling glimpse to tomorrow’s money makers. Today’s students are testing out programs which are efficient, sustainable, and groundbreaking. And this ingenuity and drive doesn’t die off after graduation. A colleague who works with this generation’s unique culture drafted a recent article noting this generational anomaly:

Through constant Internet access and enrichment opportunities, this generation is very well aware of world troubles from economic challenges to environment ones.  They passionately want to help.  They want to “do good” in addition to “doing well.”  A conversation with the head of an MBA program confirmed that in the past few years more of their program’s students wanted to work for not-for-profits than ever before.

This is a new culture, holding onto youthful idealism and willing to sacrifice lavish salaries in the name of “doing good”. Yet the technological innovations embedded in sustainability-driven projects mean they may not have to. Programs like those in Generation E are certainly benevolent from a cultural, social, and environmental perspective. But they’re also financially prudent. This combination of a combined technological and cultural revolution just may produce a passionate workforce and groundbreaking innovations. What more could we want?

Photo Credit:

Left: Photo by Derek Downey. Center: Photo by Janet Paladino. Right: Photo by Northland College.

All images originally appeared on the cover of NWF’s Generation E – Students Leading for a Sustainable Clean Energy Future. November 18, 2009.

Tags: campus, Campus Ecology, clean energy, clubs, college, future, Generation E, generation y, idea, innovation, leading change, National Wildlife Federation, onboarding gen y, organizations, student, sustainability, sustainable, university