UN Mexico Rowe

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Education and Actions for a Sustainable World


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Debra RowePresident
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• dgrowe_at_oaklandcc.edu
• ProfessorRenewable Energies Technologies and
  Psychology
• www.ceret.us
• U.S. Designee
• World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics
  Sustainability Group
• www.wfcp.org
• Co-coordinator
• Higher Education Associations Sustainability
  Consortium
• Founder
• Disciplinary Associations Network for
  Sustainability
• Senior Advisor
• Association for the Advancement of
  Sustainability in Higher Education
• www.aashe.org

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Todays Topics

• Part I What is Education for a Sustainable
  World?
• Part II National Trends in the U.S.
• Part III Examples, Resources and
  Opportunities for You
• Part V Conclusions

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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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The Three Components of Sustainable
Development What Businesses call The Triple
Bottom Line
Healthy Ecosystems
Healthy Communities
Healthy Economies
Sustainable Society
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Ecosystem
Ecosystem
Sustainable Communities
Public Choices and Behaviors-Laws
Applied Knowledge/ Technological Skills/ Values
Private Choices and Behaviors-Habits
Sustainable Economies
Ecosystem
Ecosystem
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Why Sustainability Now?

• We are the first generation capable of
  determining the habitability of the planet for
  humans and other species.
• The typical general core requirements and the
  typical curricula are crucially inappropriate

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Global Perspective
life supporting resources declining
consumption of life supporting resources rising
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Effects in Our Lifetime

• Climate change Civilization Disruption
• Disruption of food production and the food chain
• More extreme weather events
• Disruptions of ecosystems, including water
  supplies
• Spread of disease e.g. West Nile, Malaria
• Submersion of land masses
• was 1 to 4 foot sea level rise - now up to 48
  feet
• 50 of worlds population lives on the coasts
• Sources Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
  Change, EPA
• In addition to climate change, according to the
• Millennium Ecosystem Assessment,
• all ecosystems are stressed and threatened.

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Why is EFS so Important?

• Public unaware that we are exceeding the carrying
  capacity of the planet. The U.S. has
  approximately 5 of the worlds population and is
  consuming 25 of the worlds resources. Here,
  high per capita emissions.
• Public unaware that we can build stronger
  economies that will produce high quality of life
  and reduce human suffering, environmental
  degradation and social injustice now.
• A rapid shift in mindset is needed and education
  to action is the key. SHIFT CULTURE AND
  LEGISLATION

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Part II National Trends
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U.S. Partnership for Education for
Sustainable Development Convene, Catalyze and
Communicate www.uspartnership.org
Sector Teams Business, Higher Education, K-12,
Communities, Faith, Youth
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The United Nations Decade of Education for
Sustainable DevelopmentLeverage for action!
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Business principles of sustainability

• Cradle to Cradle (McDonough)
• Biomimicry (Benyas Like nature, efficient and
  not toxic)
• World Business Council for Sustainable
  Development (www.wbcsd.org)
• Natural Step (Sweden and U.S.)
• Natural Capitalism (Lovins, Harvard Business
  Review)
• Ethical Markets Hazel Henderson
• Mid-Course Correction Ray Anderson

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Trends and resources in sectors some
examples

• Business Corporate Statement calling for
  Sustainability literacy and solutions, CERES,
  Shareholders, Investors (e.g. Goldman Sachs),
  Response to European Union laws
• Communities - Mayors Climate Protection and Smart
  Growth, Grand Rapids regional approach
• K-12 Nat. Assoc. of Independent Schools,
  Summit, standards, U.S. Partnership resources
• Faith - National Religious Partnership and
  Interfaith Alliance, Regeneration Project
• Youth Climate Challenge, Reduce Your Impact,
  Action Campaigns, Driver
• Frame take action or be left behind

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For education, Sustainable Development
integrated into
Legislation
Societal Outreach Media
Operations
Curricula
Purchasing
Professional Development
Research
Mission and Planning
Student Life
Community Partnerships
Alumni
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The Initiative

• Signed by over 600 presidents chancellors in
  all 50 states
• Goals
• model climate neutrality for society
• contribute research
• educate and engage students to solve climate
  crisis and address sustainability challenges
• www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org

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GREAT NEWS!!! Weve created a National Trend in
higher education

• APPA
• Facilities Officers
• NACUBO
• Business Officers
• 10. SCUP College and University Planners
• 11. ACUI Student Unions
• 12. ACPA Student Affairs
• 13. NACA
• Campus Activities
• 14. NACS Campus Stores
• AND OTHERS

• ACEAm. Council on Ed.
• AASCU State Colleges and Universities
• AACC Am. Ass. of Community Colleges
• AACU Assoc. of American Colleges and
  Universities
• AGB
• Governing Boards
• 6. ACUHO-I - Housing
• NAEP
• Educational Buyers

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Governance ManagementPresidents Trustees
Regulators

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Student Affairs
ACPA main sustainability page, student flyer,
primer, list of possible campus activities, and
chart of learning outcomes!
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Higher Education Associations Sustainability
Consortium www.heasc.net resource center

• Sustainability is part of everyones job!
• Shared professional development,
• Shared publications,
• Sustainable practices/policies,
• Informing the public about higher educations
  commitment to sustainability.

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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.)
• Career and technical education

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

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Infusing sustainability skills and principles
into

• Curricula for all programs and areas
• Promotion and tenure and accreditation
• Informing legislation
• Informing the public
• Cross-disciplinary approaches
• Funding
• Professional identity as an academic
• Very exciting tell your faculty!

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The media is coming to us

• Time/CNN
• Newsweek
• Washington Post
• New York Times
• MTV
• HE publications
• Science Magazine.

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Share what we do as models and possibilities
for our society. Changing the norms!
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Lessons Learned Build on the Trend

• Point to the innovators and share the emerging
  trend.
• Provide the obedient middles with resources to
  act.
• Build toward the critical mass. Be inclusive.
• Tell stories of people making a difference.
• Learn together. Keep asking questions.

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Key Phrases to get Participation

• You have unique and important contributions to
  make to help create a sustainable future. We
  cant imagine doing this without you!
• We have all these resources for you.
• How can we help you with your sustainability
  initiatives?
• Follow up and nurture them.

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Important Steps to Shift Society Three
major initiatives
1. Collaborative Media Project 2. Legislation
for Sustainability 3. Real World Problem Solving
for Sustainability
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President Obama500 million for green jobs
training Climate Change U.S. cant have
watered down legislation possibly 1 for
education billions from auctioned
creditsSenators eliminated funding for energy
efficient retrofits in education and federal
buildings.We are engaged, but not enough, in
educating legislators about legislation for
sustainability

• C

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Building self-concepts in staff and students
You can help change society!!Imagine students
and staff literate in the real world
sustainability challenges and engaged in the
solutionsProvide the models and opportunities
for practicing the changing of behaviors and
policies
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www.playagreaterpart.org

• Imagine a country where all college students get
  involved in helping to solve our societal
  problems through their academic assignments and
  residential/student activities.

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For Learning Outcomes

• Include
• Change agent Skills
• No more armchair pontificators

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Change Agent Skills

• Resilient
• Optimistic
• Tenacious
• Committed
• Assertive
• Cope effectively with change
• Emotionally intelligent

• Persuasive
• Empathetic
• Coalition builder
• Mediate and resolve conflicts
• Challenge the status quo effectively when
  appropriate

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Part III Examples, Resources, and More
Opportunities for You
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Resources Used

• AASHE Bulletin (weekly, free)
• AASHE Digest 2007 (annual digest of news stories
  by topic) www.aashe.org

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1. Institutionalizing Sustainability Through
Planning

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Sustainability in Mission, Planning, Guiding
Documents Reports

• In Vision, Values, or Mission Statement
• Ex Lane CC core value
• Ex Warren Wilson mission statement
• City College of San Francisco - trustees
  resolution
• In Institutions Strategic Plan (35)
• In Residential Curricula
• In Campus Master Plan (40)

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Sustainability in Guiding Documents Reports
(continued)

• Sustainability Plan or Report
• Policies (Sustainability in Procurement,
  Investment, Energy, Building, and Job
  Descriptions, etc.)
• Ex Western Carolina U - energy conservation
• Ex Houston CC green procurement
• Ex Duke socially responsible investing
• Ex Cornell and ASU job descriptions

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Sustainability in Guiding Documents Reports
(continued)

• Sustainability Assessments
• Frameworks for Assessment AASHE STARS
• Websites (260)
• AASHE design guidelines
• New sites in 2005-2006 - CSU Chico, Broward CC,
  Duke, Colorado State

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Sustainability Staff Structure

• Committee, Task Force
• Reports at a high level
• Put into all job descriptions and annual reviews
• Sustainability Offices

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Awards, Recognition, Celebration

• Campus Sustainability Day (CSD) Oct 24
• CSD in fall Earth Day in spring
• Campus Theme for Year (or Month)
• Ex St. Olaf College (2005-6)
• Ex Willamette U Sustainability Month
• Internal Awards Recognition
• External Awards
• AASHE Leadership Awards
• State local awards

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2. Incorporating Sustainability into
Facilities

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Green Buildings

• Green Building Policies (70)
• New and Remodeled Buildings and community
  planning
• Good visuals for the media
• Use permanent signage to educate students and
  society!
• Labs University of California, Santa Barbara,
  useful website
• LEED USGBC.org and also net zero and
  ecologically restorative

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Sustainable Dining

• Farm-to-Cafeteria Movement (400 campuses)
• Sustainable Dining Initiatives- sculpture from
  food waste

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Fuel Energy all good visuals for media

• Biofueled Fleets
• Renewable Energy Energy Conservation still
  need policy shifts on the state and national level

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3. Student Life and Curricular Leaders in
Sustainability

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Opportunities to engage the faculty and students

• Carbon neutral events
• Paint the new coastline
• Community Film Series
• Sustainability Living Campaigns
• Sustainable Future Fair great model for
  reticent faculty
• 3 pages of possibilities at myacpa.org

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Pledges Declarations

• Pledges, Targets, Resolutions
• Freshman and Graduation Pledges - social and
  environmental responsibility www.graduationpledg
  e.org

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Curricular Initiatives

• In Curricular Core for all degrees
• (www.ncseonline.org/EFS/DebraRowe.pdf)
• Infused Throughout Curriculum
• Textbook Revisions to Include Sustainability
• Programs, Degrees, Institutes, Centers

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Curricular Initiatives - Green JobsStart your
own programs using the below

• www.ceret.us Consortium for Education for
  Renewable Energies Technologies
• Sustainability Resources page at the World
  Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics
• www.irecusa.org program listings

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Entry Portals for Faculty

• First Year Experience
• Sustainability Teaching Fellows outreaching to
  their peers
• Interdisciplinary models
• Teaching Learning Center Offerings
• Multiple Ah-Ha Speakers and Workshops
• Train the trainer workshops
• One day catalyzing experiences for faculty, VPs,
  staff and others
• Acknowledge it in the course schedules

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Local Professional Development Offerings You can
Use

• 1. Campus Sustainability Catalyzing Days
  Targeted Meetings plus Faculty/Staff Development
• 2. Capturing the Shifting Campus Culture on Video
  to Promote More Positive Change

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First Year Common Reading

• Lester Brown
• Plan B 3.0 Mobilizing to Save Civilization
• Downloadable from www.earth-policy.org

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KEY EDUCATION OUTCOME

• You are contributing to the following goal
• Staff, students and others know how to and
  choose to be more environmentally, socially and
  economically responsible and shift the systems.
• Where? In the personal, business, community and
  governmental spheres.

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Possibilities

• All of us engaged as effective change agents and
  systems thinkers for sustainability
• From apathy caring involvement.
• Know that our daily decisions affect the quality
  of life of people around the globe.
• Culture of sustainability on campus, in our
  communities
• Create appropriate policies

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Be a Change Agent to make Sustainability the Norm

• Build coalitions from interests across
  departments diversity, global education,
  funding for higher education, distinct
  competitive advantage
• Be strategic - Count your votes before the
  meeting

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Provide Opportunities and Tell the Stories

• Ex. UNC ICARE, Fair Trade, Campus Climate
  Challenge, Issues Campaigns, Sustainable Living,
  Campus Ecology- NWF, Student Green Fees,
  Divestment (ex Sudan), Nike (tell the stories to
  shape self-concepts)
• Work with residential life Each student
  participating in a campaign as a freshman, and
  then organizing a campaign.

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Curricular Initiatives (continued)

• ESD is a guiding principle in the European
  Union.
• A requirement for all graduates in Sweden.
• We want to learn from all of you!

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World Federation of College and
Polytechnicswww.wfcp.org

• Click on Affinity Groups at the top
• Resources view and also share yours
• Listserv international sharing
• Policy committee
• More!!

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AASHE.org, the Association for the Advancement of
Sustainability in Higher Education
November, 2008 AASHE conference, 2,000 in
attendance Raleigh, NC
Subscribe to the free AASHE weekly bulletin and
listservs!
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Why should you/others do this?

• Worried about the future? Reduce anxiety and
  hopelessness. Less stress!
• Feel even more excited and revitalized by your
  work? Feel better!

• Can integrate sustainability actions into any
  job!
• Do it and have a great legacy!

• The world and our children are watching. You are
  positioned to make a difference.

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• If you feel overwhelmed or unsure, dont give
  up!!
• Doing nothing is a destructive decision!
• There are people you can talk to about how to
  create success.

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Conclusions

• 1. The human population is not educated enough
  about sustainability issues and solutions.
• We need sustainability literacy and engagement in
  solutions for ALL. We all need knowledge and
  skills to change consumption, investment and
  civic behaviors and policies.
• You are in a unique position to help change the
  systems. You can use national and international
  trends and resources.
• Lets learn from and encourage each other.
• Join the World Federation sustainability group
  and listserv!

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The Power of What You Do

• We can choose a sustainable future

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Congratulations on all you have already
done.Congratulations on what you will do
next!!!!!
Let your enthusiasm show!

Debra Rowedgrowe_at_oaklandcc.edu