Sustainability 101

Raintry Jean Salk, PhDEnvironmental Responsibility Chair

S. Lucy Slinger, PhDSustainability Majors Coordinator

Overview

Conceptual FoundationLocal Examples

How you can get involvedDialog

Sustainability• Discourse: confusing & vague

• Term came on the scene in the late 80s•Over 70 definitions of “sustainability” (Holmberg & Sandbrook, 1992; Pearce et al., 1989)

• Since then…•Become overused in everyday discourse

Adding to the Confusion

• Sustainable development

• “ community

• “ living/lifestyle

• “ design/innovation

• “ energy

• “ enterprise

• “ growth

• “ business/organizations/operations

• “ …

Adding to the Confusion, cont.

GREEN:

•Green revolution• “ living• “ design• “ business• “ products• “ infrastructure

ECOLOGICAL/ENVIROMENTAL:

• Eco/Env’l design• “ footprint• “ sustainability• “ efficiency• “ networks• Eco-friendly design• “ products

Most commonly cited definition of “Sustainability”

• Bruntland Commission, 1987

"meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

How is sustainability approached?

3 E’s/3 P’sPeople

ProfitPlanet

Sustainability Model: Ecological Economics

Social

PoliticalEconomic

Ecological

Adapted from Waddock, 2009

Framework to…

• Evaluate our actions and behaviors

• Make decisions

• Caveat: Level of Scale• Individual• Organizational• Community• Global

Sustain What, Whom, How?

• What is being sustained?• ? Present condition• ? Future desired condition• ? Idealized

• For whom is it being sustained?

• How is it being sustained?

• What should be sustained?

Examples

Gundersen Lutheran Health System

• Envision Program

• 100% energy independent by 2014

• Methane Gas project• La Crosse County• La Crosse landfill

• Onalaska campus

• Windfarm, Cashton• Organic Valley• 5% of energy

independence goal

• Installed a geothermal well field on La Crosse campus to help power our new hospital.

• Other efforts:• Partnered with the Ho-Chunk

Nation and Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center to create a healing garden on the La Crosse campus. It has a plaque that acknowledges the Ho-Chunk ancestors and their descendants who lived/live here

• Recycled more than 600 tons of material last year not including construction. It saved the organization more than $81,000.00

• Construction projects have recycled/reused more than 97% of the waste stream associated with construction...more than 20,000 tons

• Gundersen won a sixth elite level national award in a row, Practice Greenhealth's Environmental Leadership Circle award

La Crosse County & City

• 2009 Strategic Plan for Sustainability

• Followed Natural Step Principles

The Natural Step Principles 1. Eliminate our contribution to fossil fuel

dependence and the wasteful use of scarce metals & minerals

2. Eliminate our contribution to dependence upon persistent chemicals and wasteful use of synthetic substances

3. Eliminate our contribution to encroachment upon nature (e.g., land, water, wildlife, forests, soil, ecosystems)

4. Meet human needs fairly and efficiently

La Crosse County & City

• 2009 Strategic Plan for Sustainability

• Followed Natural Step Principles

• Goals and Indicators• Examples: Internal &

External• Energy Use• Water Use• Land use• Solid Waste• Income• Crime rate

• Sustainability Indicators Report

Kwik Trip

Kwik Trip• All New and Rebuilt Stores LEED

certified 18 complete, and 21 in process….

• 16.2% Less Energy

• 40% Less Water 10,600,000 Gallons saved to Date

• 23% of Energy in Stores is for Lighting

• Piloting conversion from diesel to liquefied natural gas green fleet – 12 vehicles already in service

• All new stores built with electric car charging stations to promote green transportation

• Installation of compressed natural gas fueling stations in select stores

• Cardboard (Recycle 100 Tons per Year)

• Shrink Wrap (Recycle 20 Tons Per Year)

• Purchase of Renewable Energy Sources

• Purchase of natural gas truck fleet and Installation of compressed natural gas and liquid natural gas alternative fuel fueling station at La Crosse Campus

• Occupancy & Light Sensors

• Installing Energy Management Systems (E2)

• Additional Windows for Day Lighting

• Heat Recovery Water Heaters

• Refrigeration Waste Heat Recovery

• Use 50% Forest Stewardship Council Certified Lumber

• Recycling (75% or More) of Construction Waste

• Using Concrete vs. Asphalt (Less Lighting & Heat)

• Milk-In-A-Bag – 95% Reduction in Compacted Volume in Landfills & 75% Reduction in Package Weight

• Electric Car Recharging Stations at All New Stores

Your’s “To Do”

St Francis Pledge - Care for Earth and the poor.

Pray and reflect on the duty to care for God’s Creation and protect the poor and vulnerable.Learn about and educate others on the causes and moral dimensions of climate change.Assess how we-as individuals and in our families, parishes and other affiliations-contribute to climate change by our own energy use, consumption, waste, etc.Act to change our choices and behaviors to reduce the ways we contribute to climate change.Advocate for Catholic principles and priorities in climate change discussions and decisions, especially as they impact those who are poor and vulnerable.

To Protect and Heal God’s Creation

TIPS FOR REDUCING YOUR IMPACTSave Gas, Save EnergyKeep your tires properly inflated. Every pound underinflation uses 6% more gas. And tune up your car. A poorly tuned car can use 25% more gas.

Prayer SuggestionsContemplation - reflecting on beauty of nature around you by spending time in It and simply being more aware of it as “gift” freely given.

Requesting the FSPA sisters to pray for it in Adoration Chapel – www.fspa.org

Reading and reflecting on art, literature - poetry – scripture, etc. nature focusedAesthetic appreciation

Spiritual connectedness

Gift Beauty

Gaze – Contemplate – Consider - Imitate

DUTY TO CARE & PROTECT THE VULNERABLE

Learn Suggestions

EDUCATE SELF & OTHERS CAUSE & MORALITY

Coulee Partners for Sustainabilityhttp://www.cpslax.org

Calendar of Local Events

Discussion Coursese.g. A World of Health:Connecting People, Place and PlanetStarts Nov 7th.

Videos - “PlanEAT”Sun Come UpSWITCH

Programs e.g. Green Expo Earth Fair for Earth DayEco-park programs

Workshops – Hillview Urban Ag.Ctr

Courses - Sustainability Degrees

Assess Suggestions

HOW DO I CONTRIBUTE TO “ABUSE”OF EARTH?

Ecological Footprinthttp://www.ecologicalfootprint.com

Carbon Footprinthttp://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx

Energy Use http://www.focusonenergy.com

Buying LocalWisconsin Local Food Marketing Guide - Midwest Organic and ...mosesorganic.org/attachments/productioninfo/08wimarketguide.pdfBiodiversity

Nutrient cyclingSolar energy

Act Suggestions

CONVERSION TO CARE ENOUGH TO REDUCE

1. Persuasion (Selling) & Encouragement (Informing) - oral, written, personal modeling

2. Consumer Action - Letting the dollar speak for you- pro-economic actions.

3. Political Action – any action to persuade an electorate, elected official or executive

4. Legal Action – any coercive judicial/legal action taken by an individual and/or organization

5. Ecomanagement – Positive physical action by an individual or group that improves or

maintains some part of the environment (ecosystem restoration)

Advocate Suggestions

KNOW & SHARE THE CONNECTION OF CLIMATECHANGE AND IMPACT ON THE POOR.

“ Democracy is not, after all, a spectator sport.” Keith Melville.

Sustainability at Gundersen Lutheran

Consider the Social, Environmental, and Economic impact of delivering care to our patients, their families, and the communities we serve. The Spiritual or Core Values are what inspire us,

beyond ourselves, to excellence.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rethink…

Balance

Economic Environmental

Spiritual/Core Values

Social