Creating a Better and More Sustainable Future:

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• Creating a Better and More Sustainable Future
• Key Resources and Actions
• Debra Rowe
• dgrowe_at_oaklandcc.edu

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•  
• Debra Rowe, Ph.D.
• President
• U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable
  Development
• www.uspartnership.org
• Co-chair
• Higher Education Associations Sustainability
  Consortium
• www.heasc.net
• Founder and Co-Facilitator
• Disciplinary Associations Network for
  Sustainability
• www.aashe.org/dans
• Advisor
• Association for the Advancement of Sustainability
  in Higher Education
• www.aashe.org
• Professor, Sustainable Energies and Behavioral
  Sciences
• Oakland Community College

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• Part I What is sustainability and education for
  sustainability?
• Part II National Trends
• Part III Jobs and Markets for Continuing Ed
• Part IV Next Steps Policy, PR and Offerings
• Part V Resources for you

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Sustainable Development is often defined as

• meeting the needs of the present
• without compromising the ability of
• future generations to
• meet their own needs
• World Commission on Env. and Development.
  (1987). Our Common Future. England Oxford
  University Press.
•  

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Education for a Sustainable Society
enables people to develop the knowledge,
values and skills to participate in decisions ,
that will improve the quality of life now without
damaging the planet for the future. 
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Social Well-being
Flourishing Environment
Strong Economy
Sustainable Society
Triple Bottom Line of Sustainability
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Ecosystem
Ecosystem
Sustainable Communities
Public Choices and Behaviors-Laws
Applied Knowledge/ Technological Skills
Private Choices and Behaviors-Habits
Sustainable Economies
Ecosystem
Ecosystem
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Why climate change and other environmental Issues
are so important

• Human presence on a global scale
• All living systems in long term decline at
  unprecedented and accelerating rate
• Unprecedented growth in population and
  consumption
• Climate change
• Our decisions will create
• more scarcity and suffering, or a future of
  greater abundance and higher quality of life

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Global Perspective
life supporting resources declining
consumption of life supporting resources rising
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Why is EFS Important?

• We are the first generation capable of
  determining the habitability of the planet for
  humans and other species.
• The decisions of this generation are crucial.
• The standard requirements for a higher education
  degree are outdated. 

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Why is EFS such a high priority?

• Much of the public doesnt know that we are
  exceeding the carrying capacity of the planet.
  (www.myfootprint.org)
• Public doesnt know we can reduce human
  suffering, environmental degradation and social
  ills now while building stronger economies
• A rapid shift in mindset is needed and education
  to action is the key.

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Potentials for Energy Conservation and Renewable
Energies

• Plan B Mobilizing to Save Civilization
• by Lester Brown
• Founder of Worldwatch Institute
• Downloadable at www.earth-policy.org
• GREAT Cross College Reading in All Disciplines

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Potentials for Renewable Energies

• Can we meet all our energy needs with renewable
  energies and energy conservation?
• YES
• Why arent we? Long term vested interests
  Coal, Oil, Nuclear

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Solutions

• All of us engaged as effective change agents in
  our sustainability challenges
• From apathy caring involvement.
• Know that our daily decisions affect the quality
  of life of people around the globe.
• Culture of sustainability MTVs Breaking the
  Addiction to Oil
• Push for appropriate policies

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Part II

• National Trends

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U.S. Partnership for Education for
Sustainable Development Convene,
Catalyze and Communicatewww.uspartnership.org

Sector Teams Business, Higher Education, K-12,
Communities, Faith, Youth
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Trends in sectors some examples

• Business LOHAS - Japan, SOL Sustainability
  Consortium, Businesses for Social Responsibility,
  Shareholders, Investors (e.g. Goldman Sachs and
  Swiss RE)
• Communities - Mayors Climate Protection and Smart
  Growth, Grand Rapids model
• K-12 Nat. Assoc. of Independent Schools, U.S.
  Summit
• Faith - Religious Partnership and Interfaith
  Alliance, Regeneration Project
• Youth Climate Challenge, Reduce Your Impact,
  Action Campaigns

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For higher education, Sustainable Development is
being integrated into
Curricula
Research
Mission and Planning
Operations
Purchasing
CommunityOutreach and Partnerships
Professional Development
Student Life
plus legislation and public awareness
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Internationally, a taste

• In Sweden, it is a law that all undergraduates be
  educated about sustainability
• High priority in higher education principles in
  European Union
• Association of Canadian Community Colleges
• Environmental Sust. Group, World Federation of
  Colleges and Polytechnics

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GREAT NEWS!!!Growing National Trend in
U.S.Seventeen national HE associations and
over thirty national disciplinary associations
are creating initiatives on Education for
Sustainable Development
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Engaged National Associations

• 9. APPA Facilities
• 10. NACUBO Business Officers
• 11. SCUP College and University Planners
• 12. ACUI Student Unions
• 13. ACPA Student Life
• 14. NACUFS Food
• 15. ACEED-I Events and Conference Directors
• 16. NACS Campus Stores
• 17. NIRSA Recreation
• 18. AGB Ass. of Governing Boards
• AND MORE

• 1. ACEAm. Council on Ed.Presidents Magazine
  W06
• 2. AACU Ass. of American Colleges and
  Universities
• 3. AACC Am. Ass. of Community Colleges
• 4. AASCU State Institutions
• 5. ACUHO Housing
• 6. NACAS Aux. Officers
• 7. NAEP Educational Buyers
• 8. NACA Campus Activities

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Higher Education Associations Sustainability
Consortiumwww.heasc.net Resources page for you

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Disciplinary Associations Network for
Sustainability DANSwww.aashe.org/dans

• American Psychological Association
• Sociology
• Religion
• Philosophy
• Math
• Broadcasting
• Architecture
• Engineering (civil, mechanical, eng. ed.)

• Ecological Economics
• Chemistry
• Biology
• American Association for the Advancement of
  Science
• Computer Research
• Humanities
• Womens Studies
• Political Science
• Anthropology
• More

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DANS Infusing s.d. into

• Curricula
• Promotion and tenure and accreditation
• Legislative briefings
• Informing the public
• Cross-disciplinary approaches
• Funding
• Professional identity as an academic
• Use your work to contribute to HEASC and DANS
  LEVERAGE It Up to National Precedents and
  Professional Norms!!!!

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www.playagreaterpart.org

• Imagine a country where all students get credit
  for helping to solve our societal problems
  through their academic assignments.

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Play A Greater Part www.playagreaterpart.org

• Academic learning combined with real life
  problem solving for sustainability in all
  disciplines and as degree core.
• Building healthier self-concepts.We can
  change society for the better.
• Becoming life long change agents.

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Competencies/Skills

• 1) Teach/learn sustainable development literacy
  (including sustainable and green manufacturing
  and business practices)
• 2) Teach/learn efficacy tell stories of normal
  people making a difference
• 3) Teach/learn interpersonal and intrapersonal
  intelligences e.g. civil discourse, conflict
  resolution, emotional intelligence
• 4) Teach/learn systems thinking, futurist skills
  and change agent skills

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The higher education community as a living lab
for sustainability oriented practices and skill
building.Providing opportunities to practice
behavior changesPartner with local businesses,
government, non-profitsBuilding values,
behaviors, and identities

• A community of learners. I dont know. Lets
  learn together. A community of real life
  problem solvers.

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Part III

• Jobs and Markets for Continuing Ed

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Job Possibilities

• Depends on policy
• Van Jones The Green Collar Economy
• Analyses at www.ases.org
• Emerging growth sector Dept. of Labor
• Many studies predicting this green economy

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• Jobs
• http//www.sustainablebusiness.com and click on
  "Green Dream Jobs"http//www.homepower.com/resour
  ces/jobs.cfm http//www.greenbiz.com and click
  on "Job Link"http//www.EnvironmentalCareer.com
  http//www.sustainjobs.com/ www.monstertrak.mons
  ter.com/greencareers_guide/index.html
  http//www.idealist.org www.ecojobs.comwww.eco.
  orgwww.greenjobs.com
• Feds updating jobs for data collection

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Markets for UCEA members

• From
• Builders and Remodelers
• Architects and Engineers
• Weatherization and energy conservation mfgs,
  sales, technicians, related companies
• Renewable energy technicians, designers, mfg
• City planners
• Building and property mgrs

• To
• Consumers
• Investors
• Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers
• Small and medium business owners
• Policy makers,advocates
• Farmers
• In other words, everyone
• See www.storyofstuff.com

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Part IV

• Crucial next steps Policy, PR and Continuing
  Education Offerings

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What You Can Do Crucial next steps!!!

• Policy
• Counterbalancing force 3 moral voices of
  society
• Higher Ed
• Youth
• Faith
• (some businesses)
• Keep shining the light on their votes

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What You Can Do Crucial next steps!!!

• Policy needs
• Pass quality Climate Change Legislation
• Financing so conservation and renewables is easy
  Imagine
• Community Forums

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February 5th, 2009
THE NATIONAL TEACH-IN
On Global Warming Solutions
Dr. Eban Goodstein, Lewis Clark College
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FOCUS ON THE FIRST 100 DAYS

• Critical moment for the US and the world
• Successor to Focus the Nation 1/31/08 Teach-In
• www.nationalteachin.org

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TEACH-IN COMPONENTS www.nationalteachin.org
CAMPUS TO CONGRESS Intergenerational Dialogue
CURRICULUM PCAP Policy Discussion
WEBCAST (Pre-taped, download) Featuring David
Orr, Hunter Lovins, Ray Anderson, Billy Parish
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CHANGE THE FUTURE

• www.powervote.org
• A non-partisan opportunity to engage youth in the
  creation of green jobs, greenhouse gas emissions
  cuts, and justice. Encourages candidates to
  become bold political leaders and then hold them
  accountable once they're in office.
• Give academic credit. Relevant to humanities,
  social sciences, natural sciences as personal
  experience, social movement, behavior change,
  science and society

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Other crucial step

• Utilize the media to publicize the positive
  stories and possibilities for sustainability
• American Marketing Association partnership join
  us in framing sustainability for the public
• Email us to learn more at dgrowe_at_oaklandcc.edu

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Possible Offerings

• U.S. Partnership Continuing Education Webinars or
  Online Courses
• Green Building
• Sustainable Business Practices
• Sustainable Living for Consumers
• Introduction to Renewable Energies
• Do-It-Yourself Solar
• The Green Economy Jobs and Resources
• Energy Cost Management
• Customized Sustainability Trainings for
  Engineers, Architects, etc. (splintering issue)

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Possible Offerings Renewable Energies

• Consortium for Education for Renewable Energies
  Technology www.ceret.us offers you a pass
  through certificate on renewable energies
• Institute for Sustainable Power -
  http//www.irecusa.org/index.php?id25
• One provider example Florida Solar Energy
  Center - http//www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/education/

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Possible Offerings

• U.S. Partnership offerings continued
• Faculty Development
• Catalyzing Days for Individual Institutions
• Professional development for all higher education
  staff
• Connect with societal sector leaders
• USGBC - LEED trainings (www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.
  aspx?CategoryID127) new exam version in 09,
  educational providers, green building beyond
  LEED
• Work with Professional Associations via DANS
  (www.aashe.org/dans)

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Additional Resources

• Association for the Advancement of
  Sustainability in Higher Education annual
  digest and free bulletin www.aashe.org
• www.storyofstuff.com
• www.ecologicalfootprint.org

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• If you feel overwhelmed or unsure, you are
  normal. Dont give up!! Use the already developed
  offerings and build from there.
• Email us your questions.
• There are people you can talk to about how to
  create success.

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Challenges and Answers

• Challenges
• Already busy
• Dont know this stuff
• Putting out fires, dont have time to do the
  right thing
• Issues complex and systemic
• Societal environmental impacts invisible and
  ignored
• Answers
• Dont have to know the answers. Dont try to get
  it perfect.
• Use resources and learn from others to help you
  learn, grow and implement
• Sustainability is everyones job
• You have an important role to play

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Conclusions - Leverage it up!!!

• The public is not educated enough about the
  sustainability issues before us.
• We need sustainability literacy and engagement in
  solutions for ALL.
• Successful precedents/materials can assist you in
  the sustainability related offerings you choose
  as a private person, in your career, and as a
  community member.
• Climate change is the highest priority with the
  shortest time line. Engage in policy education,
  culture shifting and professional development.
• We can educate and change career and consumption
  behaviors, investment, institutional and civic
  policies to create appropriate market
  modifications for sustainability.

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The Power of What You Do

• We can choose a sustainable future

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Congratulations for all you have done.

• Congratulations for all you will do in the
  future.
• Let your enthusiasm show!
• For more information, contact Debra Rowe at
  dgrowe_at_oaklandcc.edu