If you care about the sustainable use of our planet's resources; global warming; social responsibility; the environmental impact of products and materials; know that it is your peer group who will be leaders in the design of sustainable and green interior environments in the near future.

Sustainability and green interior design practices are important issues in interior design today. New ways of doing things will be discovered by your generation. You can play a part in this transformation. You can learn to integrate environmental accountability into your design projects as a student and introduce green practices into your firm when you graduate.

All interior design professionals have a social and moral responsibility to the health, safety and welfare of their clients. We must provide on-going acknowledgement and care for perhaps the most consistent, supportive and venerable of long term "clients"; the planet earth.

In light of soaring energy costs, heightened global warming and increasing pollution due to human activity, Design Institute recognizes that it is imperative to educate critical thinkers; designers who understand the ecological impact of their work and specify environmentally friendly products, materials and systems.

Students will learn that sustainability is not simply how to use and specify "green" materials and processes, but a holistic endeavor that interrelates the professional, social, regulatory, aesthetic and economic issues that impact people and their environments.

This is an important moment. The application of green design practices in everything we do is a vital issue in interior design today. It is a major component of the curriculum at Design Institute of San Diego and resonates with our engaged, committed students.

Can you have a lasting impact on the world you live in? Of course you can. This is your time. Your time is now!