Sustainability in Study Abroad: An Introduction

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Sustainability in Study Abroad An Introduction

• Emily Capdeville, Tulane University
• Courtney de Vries, Rice University
• Megan Wood, SIT Study Abroad

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Objectives of this session

• Gain a better understanding of sustainability and
  responsibilities within a study abroad context
• Increase knowledge of ways you can reduce the
  environmental impacts of your campus
• Gain a better understanding of ways you can
  promote sustainability amongst study abroad
  students and on your campus
• Learn about resources available to you, your
  students and your campus

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Sustainability

• What does it mean?
• Several definitions exist, including
• a method of harvesting or using a resource so
  that the resource is not depleted or permanently
  damaged (Webster)
• development that meets the needs of the present
  without compromising the ability of future
  generations to meet their own needs. (87 World
  Commission on Environment and Development)
• But how do we define it in relation to Education
  Abroad?

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Sustainability and Education Abroad

• Forum Standards of Good Practice
• The organization minimizes negative impacts on
  the environment and host culture and maximizes
  economic and social benefits.
• Program Design
• Curriculum
• Office Management
• Promotion

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Building a Sustainable Office

• Tulanes Center for Global Education
• Step One! How sustainability-conscience is my
  office now?
• www.TheGreenOffice.com/carbon/

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Transportation
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Facility, Energy Waste
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Products Misc. Services
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CO2 Output

• 48.7 tons of CO2
• Annual greenhouse gas emissions from 8.1
  passenger vehicles
• CO2 emissions from 5,015 gallons of gasoline
  consumed
• CO2 emissions from 103 barrels of oil consumed
• CO2 emissions from the electricity use of 5.9
  homes for one year
• CO2 emissions from the energy use of 3.9 homes
  for one year
• Carbon sequestered by 1,133 tree seedlings grown
  for 10 years
• Carbon sequestered annually by 10 acres of pine
  or fir forests
• Carbon sequestered annually by .31 acres of
  forest preserved from deforestation
• CO2 emissions from 1,841 propane cylinders used
  for home barbeques
• CO2 emissions from burning .23 railcars worth of
  coal
• Greenhouse gas emissions avoided by recycling
  15.2 tons of waste instead of sending it to the
  landfill
• http//www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/ca
  lculator.html

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Methods

• www.maps.google.com
• www.convertunits.com
• www.entergy.com
• Facility Services (on-campus)
• Materials Management (on-campus)
• http//www.swbno.org/

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Proactive Approaches

• University Actions
• Presidents Commitment
• Recycling Programs
• Sustainability Appointed Position
• Study Abroad Actions
• Study Abroad Fairs
• Pre-Departure Orientation
• Abroad

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Study Abroad Fairs

• Transportation (consider carpooling)
• https//www.goloco.org/learn_more
• Green Hotels Association
• http//www.greenhotels.com/grntrav.htm
• Carbon offsets
• Local food

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Study Abroad Fairs

• Give aways and program materials
• Reduce handouts
• Publicity
• Water in bulk containers
• Compost and recycle bins

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Green Passport Program

• Awareness, Actions, Advocacy, Reporting
• http//www.greenpassport.us/
• As a Green Passport holder I acknowledge the
  interconnectedness
• of the worlds people and the environment. I
  pledge to explore and
• take into account the social and environmental
  consequences of
• studying, living, working, traveling, or
  volunteering abroad and will
• try to improve these aspects of my international
  experience. While
• overseas, and when I return home, I will do my
  best to
• Minimize my impact on the environment Act
  in culturally respectful ways Engage with
  locals and participate in the local community
  Give back to my host community(ies).

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Programs Abroad

• Program Component Impacts
• Environmental Policy
• Curriculum Integration

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Program Component Impacts

• Transportation
• Waste
• Green office and classroom

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Transportation

• Travel with the herd (more people per vehicle)
• Plan ahead (reduce the number of trips by
  combining activities, locate accommodation close
  to activities)
• Take it slow (the faster the more energy needed)
• Dont go far (distance makes big difference)
• Stay for a while (longer in one place)
• Avoid friction (travel light in efficient
  vehicles)
• Transport options are from best to worst
  walking, bicycle, train, bus, car, airplane.
  Airplanes emit extremely high levels of
  greenhouse gases and should be avoided if
  possible.

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Waste

• Reduce use of plastics
• Reuse program readings and texts
• Purchase recycled paper
• Use rechargeable batteries
• Use refillable printer cartridges or Recycle used
  ink-jet cartridges
• Avoid goods with lots of packaging
• Composting bin
• Recycling Bins
• Recycle or Auction all Used Electronic Equipment
• Use a water filter rather than bottled water

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Green Office and Program Site

• Get an office and classrooms that require minimal
  or no heating, cooling and lighting
• Buy electricity from renewable sources
• Buy the most energy efficient appliances
• Use the backs of already-used paper in fax
  machines, and as scratch pads
• Use double sided printing and copying
• Set thermostats to conserve energy
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact
  fluorescents
• Turn off computers and lights if not needed
• Set appliances to power-saving modes and dont
  leave on standby
• www.cleanair-coolplanet.org/action/documents/Green
  theOffice.pdf

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Environmental Policy

• Identify major impacts
• How to reduce these impacts
• Include students in the process
• Publish and Share
• Add it into the syllabi, student handbook or
  orientation materials given to students
• Give a copy to program contributors and staff
• Put on program website

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Curriculum Integration

• Create dialogue through assignments
• Trash log
• Analysis of economic community development
  projects in relations to environmental impact
• Explore host country culture and philosophy
• Create expectations of reciprocity and
  contribution.

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5 Things!

• Room for Improvement
• The CGE made 5 simple changes to go from 48.7
  tons of CO2 to 40.6!
• Find this presentation at http//global.tulane.ed
  u/studyabroad/green.html

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Resources

• Forum Standards of Good Practice
• Sustainability listserv
• sustainabilityabroad_at_lists.livingroutes.org
• Report of the Task Force on Environmental
  Sustainability in Education Abroad
• http//www.livingroutes.org/NAFSA_Sustainability_T
  F_Report.pdf

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Special Thanks to

• Daniel Greenberg
• Stacey Woody Thebodo
• Amber Garrard
• Sylvia Seger
• Peter Brennan

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Timeline

• Feb, 2007 - Sustainability Abroad Listserve
  created Growing!  Currently 240 members
• March, 2007 - Rodney Vargas proposed Green
  Passport
• NAFSA
• May, 2007 - NAFSA Nat'l in Mpls, Daniel pushes
  topic and is encouraged to submit SIG proposal
• June, 2007 - SIG Proposal submitted
• August, 2007 - Idea of Task Force for EA
• Jim Gehlhar, then Chair-elect of NAFSA's
  Education Abroad Knowledge Community approached
  Daniel to Chair Task Force to offer
  recommendations to NAFSA
• Jan, 2008 - Received official "Charge"
• Feb, 2008 - Convened Task Force (15 members)
• March, 2008 - Draft sent to SustAbroad members
  for broader review
• April, 2008 - Report submitted to EAKC of NAFSA
• Endorsed by AASHE University Leaders for a
  Sustainable Future USDESD Second Nature HEASC
  May, 2008 - Daniel presented report to EAKC at
  Nat'l conf in DC, which was received
  enthusiastically
• Also Rodney Vargus, Stacey Woody Thebodo, Sarah
  Martin, and Daniel Greenberg presented what very
  well may have been the first session on
  Sustainability in Education Abroad at Nat'l NAFSA
  conf.
• October, 2008 - Official recommendation - start a
  SIG!
• May, 2008 - Expect several sessions related to
  sust. at Nat'l Conf. in LA and hopefully a
  Pre-conf. Workshop.

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• The Forum
• March, 2008 - Daniel approached by Michael
  Steinberg, Chair of Standards Committee, to form
  a
• subcommittee within the Standards Committee to
  suggest revisions to core documents.
• April, 2008 - Sustainability Subcommittee formed
  (10 -gt 11 members)
• Mandate to draft recommendations re
  sustainability for The Forum's Standards of Good
  Practice and Code of Ethics Documents
• May, 2008 - 7 subcommittee members met at NAFSA
  in DC
• Outlined timeframe
• August, 2008 - Draft revisions reviewed by
  SustAbr members
• October, 2008 - Recommendations submitted to
  Standards Committee
• November, 2008 - Review by Standards Committee at
  CIEE in Nashville
• January, 2008 - Reviewed by full Board
• February, 2008 - Session at Forum Conference in
  Portland
• to -HOPEFULLY - announce and discuss new Standards