Luther College President Rick Torgerson and sustainability

(Note: Sunday, June 30th is officially the last day on the job for Luther College president Rick Torgerson, who is retiring after 14 years in the college's top job.  decorahnews.com sat down with Torgerson recently to review the last 14 years at Luther):

If there is one legacy most people believe retiring Luther College President Rick Torgerson is leaving, it is the college's commitment to sustainability.

But Torgerson tells decorahnews.com he doesn't see the commitment as his personal pet project.  Rather, he calls the college's focus on the environment and energy conservation "a grass roots project."

It resulted from the second of two strategic planning sessions Torgerson held while at Luther--this one conducted in 2007.  He says several Luther College employees, including Jon Jensen and Jim Martin-Schramm, had already been exploring ways the college could save money and protect the environment at the same time.

Torgerson says such efforts fit in nicely with one of the college's missions: "Joyful stewardship of the resources we've been given."

From small steps like recycling cooking oil and composting food waste to large projects such as the Luther wind turbine and solar array, the 2007 commitment to sustainability has been paying off.  The school has received several national awards and is on track to meet its goal to achieve a 50 percent carbon emission reduction by 2015  Says Torgerson, "It was a good choice."

(Tomorrow: Luther College and Decorah in the past 14 years)