Sustainable Development:

Towards Healthy Environments, Economic Strength, and Social

Justice

Keith E. Edwards, Macalester CollegeKathleen G. Kerr, University of

Delaware

Tools for Social Justice ConferenceNovember 13, 2006Kansas City, MO

Presentation Outline:

• Overview of Sustainability

• Social Justice Aspects of Sustainability

• Individual Leadership

• Higher Education Leadership

• Social Justice Education

• Resources

Sustainable Development Defined:

““Meeting the needs of the present Meeting the needs of the present

without compromising the ability of without compromising the ability of

future generations to future generations to

meet their own needs”meet their own needs”

World Commission on Env. and Development. (1987). World Commission on Env. and Development. (1987). Our Our Common FutureCommon Future. England: Oxford University Press.. England: Oxford University Press.

  

StrongEconomies

SocialJustice

Healthy Environments

SustainableSociety

Sustainable Development

Triple Bottom Line

The United Nations has declared 2005-2014 a Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

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.”

  

Global Transition:From

• Fossil powered• Take, make, waste• Living off nature’s

capital• Market as master• Loss of cultural &

biological diversity• Independence• Materialism as goal

ToTo• Solar poweredSolar powered• Cyclical productionCyclical production• Living off nature’s Living off nature’s

incomeincome• Market as servantMarket as servant• Increased cultural & Increased cultural &

biological diversitybiological diversity• InterdependenceInterdependence• Human satisfaction goalHuman satisfaction goal

Which of these myths do you believe? 

• Sustainability is mostly about the environment.• Sustainability is just another issue, like

international studies or computer literacy.• Sustainability is secondary to the university's

core mission and function.• Sustainability will almost always cost the

university more money.• Sustainability is primarily a scientific and

technical problem.

Social Justice Aspects of Sustainable Development

• Environmental RacismEnvironmental Racism

• Fair TradeFair Trade

• Living WageLiving Wage

• Domestic PartnershipsDomestic Partnerships

• Corporate Corporate ResponsibilityResponsibility

• Rights of Indigenous Rights of Indigenous PeoplesPeoples

• Gender EquityGender Equity

• Water RightsWater Rights

• Human RightsHuman Rights

• Child Labor IssuesChild Labor Issues

• Affirmative ActionAffirmative Action

• Multicultural CompetenceMulticultural Competence

• Pollution & Farming Pollution & Farming PracticesPractices

• Worker’s RightsWorker’s Rights

• Sweatshop LaborSweatshop Labor

• SlaverySlavery

Individual Leadership

What can I do as an individual?

• Develop your own critical consciousness• Understand your own identities and how it

affects your experiences and interactions.• Communicate across difference – develop

your multicultural competence• Recognize privilege and oppression as they

exist and function in societies.• Commit to actively working for social

change towards more just and equitable societies.

What can I do as an individual?

• Be a responsible consumer• Buy locally grown and produced foods• Buy organic foods as much as

possible• Know and do business with entities

whose business practice you can support.

Higher Education Leadership

Potential is Enormous:

• 4,096 U.S. Colleges and Universities (1)• 14.8 million students (1)• $277 billion annual expenditures; 2.8% of the

GDP (1)• HE expenditures > the GDP of all but 25

countries in the world (2)

1 From: 2001 Digest of Education Statistics, US Dept. of Education.2 From: 2001 CIA World Fact Book and Dowling, Mike., "Interactive

Table of World Nations," available from http://www.mrdowling.com/800nations.html; Internet; updated Friday, June 29, 2001

What if higher education were to take a leadership role, as it did in the space race and the war on cancer, in preparing students and providing the information and knowledge to achieve a just and sustainable society?

What would higher education look like?

Embracing Education for Sustainable Development Can:

Improve teaching and learningImprove teaching and learning Prepare students for citizenship and careerPrepare students for citizenship and career Attract students, faculty and fundingAttract students, faculty and funding Save $ and other resources for the institution Save $ and other resources for the institution

and societyand society Improve the institution’s reputation Improve the institution’s reputation Engender cooperation and satisfaction Engender cooperation and satisfaction

across the institutionacross the institution Help improve town/gown relationshipsHelp improve town/gown relationships Fulfill moral and social responsibilityFulfill moral and social responsibility Improve strategic positioningImprove strategic positioning

Possibilities for Next Steps: Explicitly recognize and include ESD in the next round Explicitly recognize and include ESD in the next round

of mission definition and strategic planning.of mission definition and strategic planning. Encourage your strategic planners, purchasing agent, Encourage your strategic planners, purchasing agent,

facilities director, student life coordinatorsfacilities director, student life coordinators,, faculty and faculty and students to join the national online learning students to join the national online learning communities dedicated to education for sustainable communities dedicated to education for sustainable development. (go to www.aashe.org and click on development. (go to www.aashe.org and click on Email lists) Email lists)

Include sustainable development core competencies in Include sustainable development core competencies in the next revision of General Education outcome the next revision of General Education outcome requirements, first year experience, orientationrequirements, first year experience, orientation

Possibilities for Next Steps:

Build and renovate facilities using socially and Build and renovate facilities using socially and environmentally responsible practices (e.g. LEED environmentally responsible practices (e.g. LEED and Energy Star)and Energy Star)

Purchase socially and environmentally responsible Purchase socially and environmentally responsible products (e.g. no sweatshop products in the products (e.g. no sweatshop products in the bookstore) (e.g. national initiative from NACS)bookstore) (e.g. national initiative from NACS)

Infuse sustainability throughout the disciplines via Infuse sustainability throughout the disciplines via staff development offerings and faculty staff development offerings and faculty engagement strategies engagement strategies

Develop college-community partnerships for Develop college-community partnerships for sustainable development and use those partnerships sustainable development and use those partnerships for service learning opportunities for students (e.g. for service learning opportunities for students (e.g. Grand Rapids CC and Middlebury)Grand Rapids CC and Middlebury)

Possibilities for Next Steps: Engage in the Campus Climate Challenge to Engage in the Campus Climate Challenge to

reduce greenhouse gas emissions reduce greenhouse gas emissions http://www.campusclimatechallenge.org/ http://www.campusclimatechallenge.org/

Help to create economic policies that support Help to create economic policies that support stronger economies via the building of stronger economies via the building of healthier ecosystems and social systems (e.g. healthier ecosystems and social systems (e.g. http://www.paconsortium.state.pa.us/ http://www.paconsortium.state.pa.us/

Utilize the media to publicize the positive Utilize the media to publicize the positive steps your institution takes to both teach and steps your institution takes to both teach and model sustainable developmentmodel sustainable development

Systemically incorporate social justice Systemically incorporate social justice education on your campuseducation on your campus

Social Justice Education

Apathy ResponsibilityApathy Responsibility

Commitment to working towards a more Commitment to working towards a more just and equitable society.just and equitable society.

Students need to know that their daily Students need to know that their daily decisions affect the quality of life of decisions affect the quality of life of

people around the globepeople around the globe

Goal:Goal:

Social Justice Education

– Identify specific learning outcomes for out of class learning opportunities.

– Encourage students to explore their identities and communicate across difference.

– Examine with students the oppressive systems that have existed and continue to function in society and the harm they do to us all.

– Help students develop a libratory consciousness.

Integrating Education for Sustainable Development:

Curricula Research

Operations

CommunityOutreach andPartnerships

Student LifeProfessional Development

Mission andPlanning Purchasing

Key Places:

• MissionMission• Strategic PlanStrategic Plan• BudgetBudget• OrientationOrientation• Campus Map and Campus Map and

SignageSignage• Building PoliciesBuilding Policies• Operations and Operations and

Purchasing PoliciesPurchasing Policies

• Student LifeStudent Life• Residential Living Residential Living • Infused throughout Infused throughout

curricula curricula • First Year Experience First Year Experience • Gen Ed CoreGen Ed Core• Curricula ReviewCurricula Review• Community Community

PartnershipsPartnerships• Workforce DevelopmentWorkforce Development

Resources

ACPA’s Presidential Task Force:

• Resources - FY Pledge; templates for road shows; ideas for orientation and FYE, etc.

• Professional development - Webpage, e-learning, publications, monograph, pre-conferences, teleconferences and webcasts

• Collaboration with other national higher education associations on:– Rating system– Socially and environmentally responsible

procurement– President’s pledge on climate change– Higher Education Climate Action Project– Team building on campus at VP and other

levels for sustainability • Student Learning Outcomes – to guide practice

Student Learning Outcomes

ACPA’s Sustainability Taskforce, 20061. Each student will be able to define sustainability.

2. Each student will be able to explain how sustainability relates to their lives and their values, and how their actions impact issues of sustainability.

3. Each student will be able to utilize their knowledge of sustainability to change their daily habits and consumer mentality.

4. Each student will be able to explain how systems are interrelated.

Student Learning Outcomes (cont.)

ACPA’s Sustainability Taskforce, 2006

5. Each student will learn change agent skills.

6. Each student will learn how to apply concepts of sustainability to their campus and community by engaging in the challenges and solutions of sustainability on their campus.

7. Each student will learn how to apply concepts of sustainability globally by engaging in the challenges and the solutions of sustainability in a world context.

Strategies:

• Residence hall programs; FYE and orientation programs; campus speaker series; bulletin boards; service and service learning experiences; curricular and co-curricular collaborations (e.g. general education outcome and infusion throughout the disciplines - first year community reading book); town hall forums; study- and service-abroad experiences; film series; speaker series; media festivals; information in campus media outlets; office of multicultural affairs/diversity programming; curricular and capstone projects, one-on-one conversations with student affairs staff members; programs sponsored by campus faith-based organizations and offices; curricular projects; signage on existing energy efficient/renewable energies buildings/ operations; Residence hall, student organization, fraternity and sorority, and intramural/club sports competitions; personal contracts; community (floor) agreements; health & safety checks with resident feedback; campaign by campus transportation units; sweatshop free bookstores and purchasing policies catalyzed by students; development of educational modules on change agent skills to be distributed for use by educators; involvement in campus leadership positions; town hall forums; conference attendance; problem based learning in curricular and co-curricular settings; attendance at meetings where policy is discussed and decided upon: town and gown, city council, county council, Board of Trustees.

Strategies (cont.):• Participation in political campaigns; service and service learning

experiences; modify the institution’s and student organizations’ practices, mission statements, and constitutions; utilize student governance structures to request compliance with LEED and other sustainability standards; awareness raising campaigns; letter writing campaign and implementation project for sustainable practices in dining services unit on campus; work with campus facilities/grounds units to assess current practices; work with facilities and business office to create more sustainable operations and standards; organization of community recycling and reduced toxins program; environmental impact statements from Residence Hall Governments and campus student governance groups; “Walk Don’t Ride,” “Do It in the Dark” campaigns; collaboration with campus transportation units; Facebook groups; curricular “change” projects; utilize campus media to carry message; career services center programming and ,counseling; graduation pledges or FYE pledges (currently Graduation Pledge) that are implemented throughout the undergraduate experience; alumni activities; speaker and film series; service and service learning experiences.

Some statistics on activities:

250 sustainability coordinators/offices/ 250 sustainability coordinators/offices/ committeescommittees

275 campus sustainability assessments275 campus sustainability assessments

300 LEED (green) Buildings300 LEED (green) Buildings

Greatly increased student activism – 271 Greatly increased student activism – 271 campuses for Campus Climate Challengecampuses for Campus Climate Challenge

Where Do We Go From Here? Professional Development for campus staffProfessional Development for campus staff Upper administration support – memo from all VPs Upper administration support – memo from all VPs

empowering all staff and faculty to help implement empowering all staff and faculty to help implement sustainabilitysustainability

Presidential support – Tailloire Declaration, AACC Presidential support – Tailloire Declaration, AACC resolution, President’s Campus Climate Initiativeresolution, President’s Campus Climate Initiative

Incentive building via budget – use the savings to Incentive building via budget – use the savings to fund the next projectsfund the next projects

Faculty and Staff - Identifying influencers and Faculty and Staff - Identifying influencers and asking for helpasking for help

Framing - Connect diversity, global learning, Framing - Connect diversity, global learning, international ed, service learning, economic international ed, service learning, economic development, student life and environmental development, student life and environmental learning constituencieslearning constituencies

Professional Development Strategies

• Internally: focus on Education for Sustainable Internally: focus on Education for Sustainable Development in higher education staff and Development in higher education staff and facultyfaculty

• Externally: reach out to professionals (get on Externally: reach out to professionals (get on the advisory committees and accreditation the advisory committees and accreditation committees)committees)

• Keep asking, “What are your next steps in Keep asking, “What are your next steps in making education for and practice of making education for and practice of sustainability a major goal of your institution? “sustainability a major goal of your institution? “

Conclusions• The U.S. public is not educated enough The U.S. public is not educated enough

about sustainability issues and solutions.about sustainability issues and solutions.• We need sustainability literacy and We need sustainability literacy and

engagement for ALL. This is no longer engagement for ALL. This is no longer optional for a viable future.optional for a viable future.

• Some exciting developments, too many to Some exciting developments, too many to report, but much more needs to be done.report, but much more needs to be done.

• We can assist you. Share what you do with We can assist you. Share what you do with ACPA and we will share with others via ACPA and we will share with others via www.heasc.netwww.heasc.net

• Let our enthusiasm show!Let our enthusiasm show!

Acknowledgement

Dr. Debra Rowe

dgrowe@oaklandcc.eduPresident U.S. Partnership for Education for

Sustainable Development; Co-chair Higher Education Associations Sustainability

Consortium; Senior Fellow University Leaders for a Sustainable Future; Professor,

Alternate Energies and Behavioral Sciences Oakland Community College.

Keith E. Edwardskedward2@macalester.edu

Kathleen Kerr kkerr@udel.edu

ACPA Task Force on Sustainabilityhttp://www.myacpa.org/task%2Dforce/

sustainability/

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