Willamette Stories

Challenging the Notion of Sustainability

Some people love a challenge, and Trustee Jonathan Carder ’68 and wife Monique Baillargeon are two of them. They have established a $125,000 challenge grant to match contributions toward establishing an endowment to fund sustainable “green design” construction initiatives on the Willamette campus.

A member of the board of trustees since 1992, Carder has served on the facilities committee since 1997, chairing it for the last four years. He has always advocated for the University to adopt sustainable building practices. “It’s not only more Earth-friendly,” he says, “it’s more comfortable for users as well.”

It was the building of Kaneko Commons that spurred the couple’s thinking. At first they considered giving toward the Kaneko building fund, but then decided an endowment for Kaneko and other sustainable facilities initiatives would have a bigger impact. Carder also serves on the board’s endowment committee, and he sees this gift as a step toward “giving donors a new socially responsible investment opportunity.” He and Baillargeon have requested that monies raised be invested in a blend of high-performing, socially responsible funds.

Carder believes we are only starting to use what we’re learning about sustainability. “Building with this new approach means incorporating respect into the process,” he explains. “These facilities become a tool for learning among those who use them. Willamette has an open approach to learning about environmental initiatives, and by building facilities like Kaneko, it gives students an opportunity to live in a place that reflects their values. It all fits together.”

Carder and Baillargeon have done their homework on the benefits of sustainable building practices. They cite less maintenance, reduced energy use, more natural light and improved air quality.

“Companies using green buildings are finding their employees are more comfortable and enjoy their environment, resulting in higher productivity and lower absenteeism. In addition,”Carder continues, “green buildings improve the workforce by attracting higher quality, committed employees who share certain values. The same applies to colleges and universities as well. The waiting list for Kaneko Commons speaks volumes.”

For this couple, sustainability is more than a giving initiative, it is a celebration of the human spirit. As Baillargeon says, “Our motto is to always bring our thinking and actions back to what kind of world we are creating for children, for the next generation.” Their involvement with the Natural Step Organization has led them to adapt their lives to four principles: minimizing the use of non-renewable resources, minimizing toxic emissions, not using up resources faster than they can be resupplied,
and striving for equity and fair sharing of the world’s resource supply. Carder has seen to it that his corporation uses Earth-friendly cleaning supplies and sustainable building techniques whenever possible. At home, the couple recycles, composts, and buys organic foods from local growers. Baillargeon gave up her BMW to drive a new hybrid vehicle, “because it was the right thing to do—and it’s fun to drive.”

“We feel the next generation needs to be given a lot because we’re taking so much from them,”
Carder says. He hopes enthusiasm will continue to grow for sustainability efforts at Willamette.
The challenge grant will run through May 31, 2007. For more information or to make a donation, contact the Office of University Relations, 503-370-6552 or toll free at 1-866-777-8122.