Sustainability in the Curriculum:Fall Line Project V

May 9-10, 2012

What is sustainability:How do we connect?

Nanette ChadwickDirector of Academic Sustainability Programs

Associate Professor of Biological Sciences

“From whence I came….”

History of faculty workshops:1995 Northern Arizona University – Ponderosa Project (Chase & Rowland)2001 Emory University – Piedmont Project (Bartlett)2006 Auburn University – Fall Line Project (Biggs & Williams)

Local names, sense of placeOrganizers now trained at 175 institutions in 6 countries

Workshop concepts: -- Faculty as experts: contribute to each other’s growth and perspectives -- Gift of stimulation, excitement of getting outside your discipline -- Unity of personal and professional: connect values & duties Satisfaction and challenges – what are yours?-- Enjoyment of group and place, sense of fun in teaching

Achieving sustainability requires major, transformational social and cultural change: Huge, complex problem

But small pieces are manageableReasons to hope?

Group introductions

Name

Department/position: From whence do you come?

Sustainability-related issues in your field

Teaching/Curriculum

Operations

Outreach/Community

Research/Creative

scholarship

University mission: tripartite

Sustainable University:

4-fold mission

History of sustainability movement and definitionsOrigins: Environmental disasters (DDT, Amazon forest, ozone hole)Unsustainable global development programs

1987 World Commission on Environment and Development Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Brundtland Our Common Future

“Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”

Idea of intergenerational equity: future generations have the same rights as the present ones

1987 Edward Barbier (Economics faculty, U Wyoming) Triple Bottom Line: Interlinkage of 3 major systems

Economic capital = everything produced by individuals, goods & services Human /social capital = value of each individual as part of societyNatural capital = ecosystem services, natural resources

World Bank requires TBL on all projectsEasiest to teach and understand each system separately

But: Only connected systems lead to sustainable framework TBL: Core components for courses

1990’s: More accurate view as concentric circles

Social and economic systems exist inside of and depend upon

environmental systems

1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development, Rio: Earth Summit Climate change convention, Kyoto Protocol, biodiversity

1998 Alan AtKisson: Sustainability is an ideal end state, like democracy -- a goal that eludes us, is not perfect

2009 Frank Rhodes (Cornell president): New foundation for arts and sciences -- broad, cohesive framework New kind of global map, hope for meeting global challenges

2012 FAO Ensuring human rights and well-being without depleting or diminishing the capacity of the earth's ecosystems to support life, or at the expense of others well-beingMulti-dimensional concept encompassing environmental integrity, social well-being, economic resilience and good governanceAmbitious objective that can be reached through different pathways

>50 definitions to date! Favorites?

Why teach sustainability?

Importance = ever-increasing (world economics, climate change, social issues, health)

Understanding = increasing but low Leadership capacity to address = even lower

Long ago NowHuman History

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9 reasons to teach sustainability:(useful for justifying changes -- to upper admin, peers, students!)

-- Peer inst. are doing (GA Tech, U Georgia, Emory, U Florida, etc.)-- enhances PR and recruitment to AU-- student and employer demand (training for green jobs)-- increases program prestige to upper admin, positive feedback-- increases chances for external funding and awards (Gogue and Univ. presidents climate change award – interested!)-- saves $$ over the long run (millions to utilities & disposal by AU)-- engages the local community and alumni-- enhances interdisciplinary connections and opportunities-- increases depth of understanding by students & quality of education