Challenges and Opportunities on the Road to a
Sustainable and Carbon Neutral Campus:
the IAIA Climate Action Plan
Spring 2013
Table of Contents
Summary
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Introduction
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Baseline, 2025 and 2050 Pie Charts
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Emissions Trajectory Graph
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Cost Per Annual Ton of Reduction Bar Graph
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Scope of Work Across 14 Categories
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Localism
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Appendix: American College and University Presidents’
Climate Commitment
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Summary, IAIA Climate Action Plan
 The IAIA President signed the American College and University
Presidents Climate Commitment (acupcc.org) on Sept. 30, 2010.
 The commitment requires the development of a meaningful plan to
achieve a carbon neutral campus. This is that plan.
 The time frame to achieve a carbon neutral campus is 2050.
 Our baseline quantity of C02 equivalent emissions is 2, 340 metric
tons per year.
 The time frame to achieve the milestone of a 50% reduction is 2025.
 Energy efficiency and waste reduction are key parts of achieving
carbon neutrality. Because these measures alone cannot lead to a zero
carbon footprint, this plan depends upon replacing fossil fuels with
renewable energy sources.
 Since our utility companies currently produce approximately 95% of
their power with fossil fuels, we will find it difficult to rely upon their
energy choices to fulfill our commitment.
 Therefore, the bulk of the proposed measures in this plan at this time
are technological shifts away from fossil fuels and to site-based
renewable energy sources like solar photo-voltaic and solar thermal.
 We will work to reduce long term operating costs and improve IAIA’s
cash flows through the implementation of sustainable practices.
 There are three graphs in this report that provide the most essential
data:
 1) a set of pie charts that show current and future sources of energy; 2)
an emissions trajectory graph that shows when each retrofit will take
place and how much C02 reduction will result; and 3) a bar graph that
shows how much each measure costs per ton of annual reduction.
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 This plan also outlines our current and future efforts to incorporate
climate justice and sustainability education into the curriculum for all
IAIA students. Our IAIA sustainability initiatives need to be inclusive
and transparent, building a community of staff, faculty, and students
who work together to achieve our goals.
 In approving and executing this plan, IAIA has an opportunity to
establish a responsible, cutting edge, fiscally prudent and
educationally visionary legacy to inform and inspire current and
future generations of students, staff and community partners within
our region and around the world. As a multi-tribal arts college, IAIA
has a unique opportunity to develop creative and culturally relevant
initiatives on the path to a more sustainable campus.
 IAIA will implement this plan through our existing decision-making
structures and the strategic planning process. Cabinet will be given
the overall responsibility of implementing the plan. Cabinet members
will propose annual sustainability projects as part of the strategic
planning process, including each of their areas in sustainability
activities. In addition, Cabinet will include students, faculty and staff
in developing and implementing these projects. The Director of
Institutional Research, as planner, will serve as the CAP Coordinator.
The Coordinator will assist Cabinet in developing both short-term and
long-term goals and measurable outcomes and will present an annual
sustainability report to the IAIA community.
 The specifics of this plan are based on our best knowledge at this time
and based on choices that seem most compatible with the cultural
frames of IAIA. Naturally, the plan is subject to changes based on
changes in best practices in the related fields, price and opportunity
shifts, funding sources and broader economic trends. Implementing a
climate action plan is a learning process and thus requires a flexible
approach which allows changes and incorporates lessons learned
along the way. Revisions will be developed by the Cabinet and the
CAP Coordinator as a result of a transparent, participatory process.
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Introduction
“It’s simple math: we can burn less than 565 more gigatons of carbon
dioxide and stay below 2°C of warming — anything more than that risks
catastrophe for life on earth. The only problem? Fossil fuel corporations
now have 2,795 gigatons in their reserves, five times the safe amount. And
they’re planning to burn it all…”
-- (from 350.org).
The Impetus for Change: The Challenge of Climate Security and the
ACUPCC
Humans are adding 37 billion metric tons of carbon to the atmosphere each
year. The current level of atmospheric C02 is nearly 400 parts per million.
Business as usual predictions suggest that 500 PPM or higher is likely before
the fossil fuel era is through. A nearly unified choir of climate scientists
tells us that historic natural equilibrium levels are between 275 and 300 PPM
and that 350 PPM is the maximum level to maintain a recognizably livable
planet.
Source: http://co2now.org/
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Achieving climate security is the largest challenge that humanity faces. The
extent of the problem is enormous and the number of variables is nearly
beyond the scope of human reckoning. Yet, virtually everything that will
benefit our common biosphere has multiple benefits along a path of
increasing quality of life. The double meaning of the word crisis holds as
true in this arena as in any other: danger and opportunity.
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Solutions to the climate crisis must be broad and deep, since the roots and
immediate causes are so. This fact, along with the complexity of the issue,
can be daunting to the point of causing paralysis.
Where to begin? On the one hand, no single drop in the bucket makes the
critical difference in solving such a big problem. On the other hand, each
drop is critical to the cumulative impact and achieving the tipping point.
One answer to the question of where to begin can be found in the American
College and University Presidents’ Climate Pledge (ACUPCC). The
ACUPCC is a movement that now engages 650 institutions in the process of
moving US higher education toward carbon neutrality. IAIA is a signatory
and our Climate Action Plan tackles the problem on three levels: 1)
education/curriculum; 2) institutional priorities and behaviors; and 3)
technology.
Sustainability: A Broader Framework with Native Roots
If the climate crisis and the ACUPCC provide the impetus for action,
sustainability provides the overarching framework for a plan that will use the
genius of IAIA’s cultures to guide the institution as we navigate 21 st century
crossroads. In 2009, Indigenous communities from around the world
gathered at the “Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change” in
Anchorage, Alaska and expressed solidarity in Indigenous knowledge and
the disproportionate impacts of climate change on Native peoples: “We
express our solidarity as Indigenous Peoples living in areas that are the most
vulnerable to the impacts and root causes of climate change. We reaffirm the
unbreakable and sacred connection between land, air, water, oceans, forests,
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sea ice, plants, animals and our human communities as the material and
spiritual basis for our existence.
We are deeply alarmed by the accelerating climate devastation brought
about by unsustainable development. We are experiencing profound and
disproportionate adverse impacts on our cultures, human and environmental
health, human rights, well-being, traditional livelihoods, food systems and
food sovereignty, local infrastructure, economic viability, and our very
survival as Indigenous Peoples.”
Native communities have the longest sustainable cohabitation on the planet,
and as Indigenous cultures are still intimately connected to and dependent on
the places where they live, many Native communities globally are on the
front lines of climate crisis impacts. As the only multi-tribal Arts college in
the country, the IAIA sustainability plan is rooted in and motivated by the
unique diverse cultural and creative knowledge that makes up the IAIA
community.
Sustainability and ILS
(by Stephen Wall, Indigenous Liberal Studies Chair)
The Indigenous Liberal Studies curriculum addresses issues of societal and
cultural sustainability. These issues are important because Indigenous
communities continue to be subject to pressures of assimilation and
development. Cultural sustainability is an embedded content in a majority of
courses offered through the ILS Department that address Indigenous values
and provide a counter-narrative to current mainstream discussion of
development and progress. The ILS Department defines Indigenous as
people who lived in an area prior to colonization and who, because of their
status, are marginalized from the dominant society.
Indigenous values are those values that have been a part of Indigenous
communities since the dawn of time. These values have been developed coextensively with Indigenous knowledge as human communities came to
grips with the environment from which they drew their sustenance. For each
human community, there is a bioregion that provides that community with
its food, shelter, and clothing. In addition, aesthetic sensibilities,
relationships with the non-human and spiritual realms, and standards of
behavior (including governance) are based in the relationship that exists
between the human community and its bioregion. Regardless of the location
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or level of development within an Indigenous community, Indigenous
knowledge and values still remain as important cultural markers.
The counter-narrative is the telling of histories, philosophies, world-views,
literatures, and sciences from the perspectives of the bio-regionally based
communities rather than from the predominant Western perspective. In the
ILS Department we do not “teach culture”. In a multi-tribal institution of
higher education, we have an international constituency. There are tribal
groups and peoples from all over the world represented on our campus. If we
take Indigeneity seriously, we recognize that the only appropriate expression
of Indigeneity is through the local bio-regionally based community. If we
teach a culture, then we would have to choose a specific culture to teach and
we do not want to privilege one particular indigenous culture over another.
Therefore, what we teach is an appreciation of Indigenous knowledge and
values in general, using examples from many Indigenous cultures, including
writers, artists and philosophers, to strengthen the student’s interest in their
own culture. This in turn encourages the student to look to their tribe’s
Indigenous knowledge, aesthetics, and values.
Indigenous communities worldwide have a number of things in common.
The community connection to the land, linguistic and philosophic
differences from the dominant society, and extensive land and water
resources are all shared situations. These shared situations result in shared
issues. The values of the Indigenous community are often at odds with the
surrounding society, especially concerning development. The Indigenous
commitment to the continued existence of the community struggle against
development plans that are made without their input, that harvest resources
without sufficient planning for the future, or whose execution will
irreparably harm the land (and therefore the community) over which the
community has responsibility.
This approach presents a challenge in that Indigenous cultures, values and
knowledge are dynamic. They are always changing. If we were to look at
those cultures and their expression as static, we would be doing the
Indigenous communities a great disservice. Change is an important part of
any human community. Failure to incorporate change relegates the view of
Indigenous communities to historical and often romantic perspectives. The
challenge is to insure that change taking place in the community will support
the long term sustainability of the community, including the environment.
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Environmental sustainability impacts the cultural sustainability of the
community. If those values that supported the community for hundreds or
even thousands of years are based in the community’s relationship with the
land, then any activity that would denigrate the land will impact the
community’s value system, cultural expression and indigenous knowledge.
How much change that undercuts the core cultural values of a community
can be assimilated without destroying the community? This is a basic
question for all Indigenous communities worldwide. The demands to
provide for the needs of the people can run up against limitations in energy,
arable land, water, and technology. How can those needs be met in a way
that maintains self-determination, encourages wise resource use, and
provides equally for all members of the community?
The Institute of American Indian Arts is an institution that is attempting to
answer these questions. Indigenous cultural values of sustainability is part of
the IAIA campus commitment to address climate change and our impact on
the earth as an institute through this campus sustainability plan also known
of as our Climate Action Plan. The Climate Action Plan is a commitment to
reduce our carbon footprint and move towards a goal of being carbon neutral
as a college. Other parts of the plan include waste reduction, recycling, water
recycling and conservation, composting, a plan to reduce energy use and
switch to renewables, and the integration of climate change and climate
justice into our curriculum.
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The Scope of Work
The work of achieving sustainability and carbon neutrality by 2050 will take
place on 14 interactive fronts:
1. Education and Institutional Behavior Shifts
2. Energy Efficiency and Reduction in Demand
3. From Coal to Solar PV
4. From Natural Gas to Solar Thermal and Biofuels
5. Riding the WAV: Waste as Value
6. From Fossil- to Bio-fuel and Electric Vehicles
7. Institutionalizing CAP oversight and leadership
8. Financial Hurdles and Opportunities
9. Leverage and Synergy: Local Partnerships and Collaboration
10. Local and Water-conserving Agricultural Production and Sourcing
for Food Service and Events
11. De-toxifying the Learning and Working Environment
12. Water Reclamation and Harvesting
13. Creative and Culturally Meaningful Approaches to Sustainability and
Offsets
14. Research
1. Education and Behavior Shifts
A. Steps we have taken:
How is each academic department integrating sustainability into curriculum?
What initiatives, changes have they made?
Annie Haven McDonnell, current sustainability coordinator of IAIA started
the Student Sustainability Leadership internship three years ago. Dana
Richards and Annie Haven McDonnell have co-taught this class for the past
two years. The SSL class learns about climate change and sustainability
issues and solutions and applies this knowledge on campus in tangible ways.
The mission statement of the group, developed this year is: SSL cultivates
environmentally conscious student leaders through hands-on learning,
community engagement, and education in order to make IAIA a carbon
neutral campus, support cultures, and protect the earth. This group continued
work to complete a campus nature trail and worked with Ethnobotany
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students to create signage for this interpretive nature trail, identifying native
plants and cultural and natural history of the area. Student sustainability
leaders (SSL) also continued to develop projects in the Haouzous
Sustainability Garden, including installing a drip irrigation system, planting
fruit trees, Pueblo corn, beans, and squash in a Zuni style waffle garden,
completing the construction of a cob-adobe oven, planting more medicinal
and native plants, and establishing a worm bin composting system with food
waste from the cafeteria. SSL also worked on improving the campus
recycling program with more signage and bins across campus. SSL held a
fall event to build awareness on waste reduction and recycling called the
Trash Bash Fashion Show and a Recycled Art Show. SSL continues to work
on campus awareness initiatives such as a waste reduction and recycling
campaign.
In the spring 2012 semester, SSL focused on envisioning, planning and
hosting The Art of Change: Climate Justice and Indigenous Solutions
conference. In this process, SSL was able to frame and articulate an
important vision about the unique culture and possibility of sustainability at
IAIA. The conference focused on four major themes: Culture and Stories
highlighted the importance of ancestral wisdom, intercultural and
intergenerational dialogue, and connections to place. Creative
Communication addressed the unique power of diverse forms of art to create
awareness and inspire change. Skills and Technology focused on Traditional
Ecological Knowledge as well as accessible forms of renewable energies.
Tools for Change concentrated on successful activist strategies for climate
and environmental justice.
The framing of sustainability for IAIA is an ongoing alive story, and the
work and dialogue that came out of The Art of Change conference is an
important part of this story. We will continue to facilitate dialogue across the
IAIA community to define what sustainability means in the context of IAIA,
and continue the education, art, and hands-on work of embodying this
vision.
With input from the student sustainability leaders, the Essential Studies
department at IAIA (which includes Math, Science, English, and First-Year
Seminar) developed a new General Education course, which will be part of a
menu of required General Education electives. The course is called Global
Climate Justice: Indigenous Perspectives. This course explores the current
science and sociopolitical issues surrounding climate change and its effects
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on Indigenous peoples across the globe. Through understanding of
geography and analysis of political, economic, and social power structures,
students evaluate and explore how climate change is affecting Indigenous
communities, and ways these communities are responding. Students explore
human and ecological rights as they relate to global climate justice. The
course is currently offered for the first time in Spring 2013. This course will
be an ongoing focused way that IAIA will integrate climate literacy and
climate justice education as it relates to Indigenous communities globally. In
addition, personal, cultural, and ecological sustainability continues to be
integrated and developed throughout the Essential Studies curriculum.
B. Goals for curriculum and education:
In our CAP plan, as we take steps to install conservation retrofits and
transition to renewable energy, we plan to integrate students into the
planning and educational process of these activities. Students in SSL will be
part of the discussion as decisions are made about future buildings and
sustainability infrastructure. Interested students can be involved in planning
phases of construction, and possibly work as interns on construction.
Students will then be leaders in the process of educating the campus
community and outside community about the new technologies at IAIA.
In the future, as we develop our culturally relevant offset program, students
will have opportunities to work as interns and learn hands-on skill of land
and watershed restoration.
This year, we will propose SSL as an ongoing course within the Essential
Studies department so that the sustainability initiatives on campus continue
to have focused and sustained student leadership and involvement.
Ways we plan to make the CAP and our ACUPCC commitment more visible
and transparent to our campus community:
 Create a logo and tagline for ACUPCC/CAP and use it in signage and
literature related to changes
 Host annual reporting and appreciation event during community
gathering for whole campus community
 Create incentive and awards program for students and staff with CAP
branding
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 Include info and resources related to sustainability, CAP and student
leadership opportunities in new student orientation materials and
SWAG
Other initiatives:
 Professional development for all faculty that integrates sustainability
across curriculum during faculty in-service
 Develop protocol for student and staff sustainability leaders to give
timely input on infrastructure development for campus improvements
and master planning
2. Energy Efficiency and Demand Reduction
Most of IAIA’s buildings are relatively new and were built to a LEED Silver
standard or better. That doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities to increase
energy efficiency standards on the way to replacing fossil fuel supply
sources with renewables.
IAIA’s efficiency work may include the following measures:
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Upgrading metal halide, halogen and fluorescent lights to LED
Replacing cooling devices with more efficient mechanical devices
Increasing building envelope insulating and light filtering capabilities
Continue to implement paper reduction through paperless
communication systems
 Utilizing smart controls for HVAC and lighting systems
 LEED Gold or better in all new construction
Challenges:
 Cash flow to provide upfront capital for retrofits
 Slower return rates due to artificially low electric and gas prices
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Student Engagement:
 Participate in lighting audit and retrofit
 Give input on future building plans
 Observe and assist, through work study, retrofit of mechanicals and smart
controls
3. From Coal to Solar PV
More than half of IAIA’s carbon footprint comes from electricity
consumption currently sourced by dirty coal plants. Faren Dancer, in a piece
for SantaFe.com puts it this way: Though Santa Fe New Mexico, and its
constant stream of international visitors, can all take pride in some of the finest
air quality of any U.S. city, it comes at a notable cost to the inhabitants of the
Navajo Nation, which is home to five various coal power plants in and around the
reservation. The San Juan Generating Station, the primary source for Santa
Fe’s electricity, is rated as one of the most polluting coal plants in the U.S.
Countless Navajo children are being born with asthma, and coal is viewed as a
culprit for the high rates of asthma, chronic bronchitis, lung cancer and heart
disease among the Navajo. The relentless exposure to toxins such as mercury,
arsenic, formaldehyde and lead (to name a few), which rain down on the
environment, extracts a tremendous toll. The coal mining, also located on the
reservation, has a decade-long history of negative health effects on the miners,
along with the resultant coal ash, which is placed in unlined holding bins to the
tune of millions of tons annually. The coal ash, which contains many of the same
toxic chemicals, continues leaching into the ground water and poses a
potential environmental hazard for generations to come. So, the question arises,
isn’t it about time to clean things up and move toward a more sustainable means
of generating electricity? It’s a known fact that New Mexico averages over 300
days of sunshine annually.
Since most climate scientists and sustainable energy analysts agree that coal
poses the biggest threat to long-term climate security, weaning IAIA from
this power source is a top priority.
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Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration
Given that New Mexico is number two in the nation for solar gain, we are an
excellent candidate for solar PV as the sustainable and necessary alternative
to coal for production of electricity.
Given the current incentive structure, and based on a feasibility study for PV
provided by Gravity Renewables, an initial system size of 715kW is planned
for IAIA’s first phase of solar PV installation. This system will meet
approximately 50% of the current demand for electricity (prior to efficiency
retrofits and prior to new construction).
The second half of IAIA’s electricity demand could be met through solar PV
in a phase two installation of approximately the same size (depending on
new demand calculations based on reductions due to efficiency measures
and increases due to added buildings).
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Challenges:
Finding the right funding mechanisms to work for an entity that cannot
benefit from tax credits
An artificially low current cost of electricity
Shrunken REC rates
Realizing that renewable energy infrastructure is as important as stucco
or roofing or windows or toilets when making future capital
improvement choices and financial allocations (we don’t ask how long it
will take for the roof to pay for itself, as an example)
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Student Engagement:
 Participate in system analysis and design
 Develop educational signage and monitoring protocols
 Lead tours and mini-lessons for IAIA and other students and adults
4. From Natural Gas to Solar Thermal and Biofuels
If coal is the number one threat to climate security, natural gas isn’t far
behind. Where as the danger of coal is its sheer quantity and dirtiness, the
threat of natural gas is more insidious. Its threat lies in its relative cheapness
and in the rationalization that it is a “clean” fuel or a “transition” fuel.
Fracking is the current and growing method for obtaining natural gas,
especially in harder to get places (deep in the bedrock). The process of
hydrological fracking endangers ground water supplies, as chemicals are
injected deep into the earth to help extract the gas (EPA study, 2011). Water
is especially precious in New Mexico and will become more so with climate
change.
Nearly 25% of IAIA’s carbon footprint is associated with natural gas
consumption to heat water in one form or another. To re-coin one of Amory
Lovins’ phrases, heating water with natural gas is like “cutting butter with a
chainsaw.”
Solar thermal technology has evolved enormously in the last decade. A
district-style heating loop could radically reduce IAIA’s dependence on
natural gas.
Due to unpredictable weather patterns and storage limitations, solar thermal
needs to be coupled with a back-up heat source. Typically, this would be
natural gas, but we will consider a wood chip boiler or methane digester as
the complement to a comprehensive, highly controlled solar thermal district
heating system. In addition, we will look at PV-fired on-demand electric
heaters where appropriate.
Wood chips are a renewable resource in New Mexico and are a by-product
of forest thinning for fire mitigation.
Development and implementation for these systems will have three stages:
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1. A feasibility and system design phase
2. A 50% reduction phase
3. And a back-up system installation and micro-retrofit phase to capture
the other 50%
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Challenges:
Finding the right funding mechanisms to work for an entity that cannot
benefit from tax credits
An artificially low current cost of natural gas
Interfacing with existing technology and infrastructure
Realizing that renewable energy infrastructure is as important as stucco
or roofing or windows or toilets when making future capital
improvement choices and financial allocations (we don’t ask how long it
will take for the conventional boiler to pay for itself, as an example)
Student Engagement:
 Participate in system analysis and design
 Develop educational signage and monitoring protocols
 Lead tours and mini-lessons for IAIA and other students and adults
5. Waste as Value and Switching to Durables
Zero waste, the long term goal for IAIA, is the negative way of stating that
what was previously waste will either be rejected from use at the site or will
be repurposed for beneficial uses:
 Food scraps from students, staff and the cafeteria could be feedstock
for either our worm compost system or for a methane digester.
 Plastics can be weaned from the waste stream by replacing them with
durables like reusable dinner sets and stainless steel water bottles
 Aluminum and paper can be marketed through the nearby community
college’s developing commercial recycling program, so that what is
currently an expense with a large carbon footprint becomes a revenue
stream with a fractional ecological impact
 Black, gray and rain water can be redirected, organically treated and
stored to become a substitute for potable water in select contexts like
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flushing toilets and irrigating edibles and ornamental plants on
campus
 A pure water system can be installed on campus so that reusable water
bottles and cups can be used with easily accessible healthy drinking
water. We want to eliminate the use of plastic water bottles on
campus. Our neighbor, SFCC, has already successfully adopted this
initiative on their campus.
 Student government, clubs and committees that sponsor major events
have been approached to create policies and practices that replace
disposable items with durables. Reusable, non-toxic water bottles and
dinnerware kits will be given away as part of orientation supplies
and/or made available at cost to students and staff. The first club to
sign on for these changes is the ICC (Intertribal Ceremonial Council)
who will begin using reusable containers (and eliminate disposables).
 We will continue to improve and implement the stated plan of moving
to a paperless campus for administrative communication and for
educational materials that can have an electronic substitute.
The Student Sustainability Leadership class has and will continue to play a
leadership role when it comes to recycling, waste reduction, audits and
worm composting.
Challenges:
 Habitual consumption behaviors require education and redirection
 Durable goods have a greater upfront cost than “disposables”
 Retrofitting existing building and plumbing systems for black, gray and
rainwater harvesting is relatively costly
 Paradigm shift to accept water harvesting as a necessity (especially in the
arid, climate change red zone that is the Southwest) vs a luxury that
demands a short payback schedule
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Student Engagement:
Develop educational campaign around waste and recycling
Conduct waste stream audits and recommendations
Partner with students at Santa Fe Community College
Potential for student run micro-enterprise to generate income
Conduct annual “Trash Bash” and Recycled Art Show
Create and sell reusable dinnerware
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6. Alternative Fuel Vehicles
As IAIA’s vehicles need replacing, we want to move toward biofuels for the
vans and trucks that are currently gas fueled. B100 (100% biodiesel) would
be the fuel of choice, and we want to partner with the nearby Biofuels Center
of Excellence at the Sustainable Technology Center to obtain a steady fuel
supply.
As battery technology improves, we will look at electric vehicles
that can be charged through our PV arrays as a long term solution to the
utility vehicle problem.
In addition, we will consider buying EVs that can be charged by our PV
system for any non-utility vehicles that IAIA purchases.
As biofuel shuttles come online in the area, we will work to ensure that IAIA
students have access and that the routes include stops at IAIA and
appropriate hubs in town.
Finally, we will develop a commuter ride-share smart board to assist
commuter students with shared travel arrangements and look into incentives
for ride sharing or low impact vehicles.
Student Engagement:
 Research EV options
 Research biofuel options
 Make recommendations to IA administration
Challenges:
 Relatively high cost of high grade biofuels
 Higher upfront cost of EVs
 Limitations of battery technology for utility vehicles and long distance
travel
7. Inclusion, Organization, and Clearly Directed Leadership
Inclusion, organization, and clearly directed leadership are essential to
achieving the CAP objectives. Developing successful sustainability
leadership at IAIA will necessitate broad campus participation to facilitate
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shared ownership of initiatives, and a smaller group of empowered leaders to
maintain momentum and timely action.
IAIA will implement this plan through our existing decision-making
structures and the strategic planning process. Cabinet will be given the
overall responsibility of implementing the plan. Cabinet members will
propose annual sustainability projects as part of the strategic planning
process, including each of their areas in sustainability activities. In addition,
Cabinet will include students, faculty and staff in developing and
implementing these projects. The Director of Institutional Research, as
planner, will serve as the CAP Coordinator. The Coordinator will assist
Cabinet in developing both short-term and long-term goals and measurable
outcomes and will present an annual sustainability report to the IAIA
community.
IAIA leaders will meet with parallel leaders from the nearby Santa Fe
Community College to collaborate and benefit from their expertise in
building institutional leadership capacity.
Student Engagement:
 Connecting SSL class work and research with CAP projects
 ASG involvement and collaboration
Challenges:
 Leadership group prioritizing time for meaningful participation with
competing commitments
 Making CAP work and oversight transparent and open to input and
feedback from campus community
8. Financial Hurdles and Opportunities
IAIA is a nonprofit, public, educational institution. Such institutions are
naturally leading the way in demonstrating the viability and necessity of a
switch to renewable energy supply sources. It is natural for two reasons: 1)
We do not have the added financial burden that profit and short term
thinking places on an undertaking; and 2) As an educational institution we
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have an obligation to teach by example and demonstrate to our students that
adult leaders are committed to their future and the health of the planet.
There are three principal obstacles to financing the implementation measures
outlined in this plan:
1. Larger economic and political trends that restrict financial resources
available to IAIA
2. An incomplete paradigm shift when it comes to the perceived relative
value of renewable energy infrastructure when ranking capital
improvement financial allocations
3. The way that a LEED standard vs. a carbon neutrality standard can
make the good the enemy of the great
Establishing dates for major steps toward carbon neutrality is problematic
because, in reality, action largely follows the vicissitudes of funding sources.
Federal and state support for renewables and a broader green jobs economy
waxes and wanes based on factors that are out of IAIA’s control. When the
next window of opportunity opens up, IAIA will be ready to take advantage
of the economic opportunities presented, but we do not control when that
will be.
On the other hand, as we do secure funding, how do we rank the relative
priority of renewable energy systems among the competing interests for
available capital improvement funds?
IAIA is not alone in standing at the crossroads of a generation. These are
hard choices that are being confronted by similar institutions all across the
U.S. and the planet:
Is our investment priority square footage, or are there other priorities to
consider?
o What do we, as educational leaders and educators, want our legacy to
be?
o How do we assess upfront costs with savings in long-term operating
costs?
o What message are we sending to our students through our financial
priorities?
o Why should we make carbon neutrality a higher priority when we are
such a small piece of the overall puzzle?
o Should we wait for the next technological breakthrough and price
drop and then invest in renewables?
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o Given the cost of renewables, isn’t it an irresponsible use of taxpayer
dollars?
When we look at the educational institutions that have chosen to make
carbon-neutrality a high priority, what do they have in common? Can we be
emboldened by their example?
Fortunately, we don’t have to look far for a high functioning case study.
Just down the street from IAIA is the Santa Fe Community College. The
community college signed the ACUPCC pledge several years before IAIA
and so they are ahead of us along the timeline of moving ahead with the
commitment. That makes them a great role model in this process.
The number one factor that accounts for SFCC’s and other colleges’ actions
and commitments is embracing a more complete paradigm shift.
From: Renewables as an expensive luxury that must have a pay back
scenario to be justified and can wait until “someday”
To: Renewables as a necessity with value in themselves and rights to a seat
at the table with other top capital improvement priorities or assumed
necessities
When we look to the future, it is not hard to imagine a time when we look at
solar PV, solar thermal, electric vehicles and biogas generators as simply
“what we do.” This would be similar to how we now look at insulating the
walls and ceiling or installing a water-conserving toilet or putting windows
in a building.
The way that future scenario is coming to pass is through the pioneering
work of “early adopters.” These adopters, like SFCC and many others, are
adopting technology, but, more importantly, they are adopting a paradigm
shift that sets everything else in motion.
In addition to the numerous efficiency measures, LEED, solar PV, solar
thermal and wood chip fired boiler systems already in place at SFCC, they
are moving ahead with a new 1.6 mW solar PV array and retrofits of
relatively new but inefficient pieces of their HVAC system. Standing at the
crossroads, their team has made a choice to make carbon-neutrality and
leading by example a key constellation as they navigate along the
educational journey. We are inspired by their example and plan to learn and
collaborate with SFCC.
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LEED is a double-edged sword. It has been a great tool to move architecture
toward efficiency and sustainability. The cumulative effect of LEED has
been great in reducing carbon footprints associated with the building sector
(http://architecture2030.org/). IAIA’s historical commitment to LEED Gold
and Silver status in most of its construction was visionary and constitutes
responsible leadership that curbed the campus carbon footprint substantially.
On the other hand, the fact that a building can achieve “gold” status and
have a large carbon footprint and absolutely no renewable energy systems is
problematic. The carbon footprint is a problem, but there is another
problem, too. Not through any fault of LEED subscribers, LEED has, in
some ways, made the good the enemy of the great. There is a perception
that if you pay your (not insignificant) fee and get your LEED certification
that you have done your part for sustainability, and other important
sustainability factors such as renewable energy generation and water
capture/re-use systems are overlooked.
A number of alternatives and supplements to LEED are being developed.
Planet Forward is one local project trying to provide tools to commercial
institutions. The important thing is to make a zero carbon footprint the prize
that we keep our eyes on.
Sources of funding for CAP retrofits and CAP initiatives may include:
- bonds
- investor/donor solar financing
- USDA Equity, Renewable Energy, Research, and Outreach programs
- grants
- equipment leases
- low interest loans
Our financial investments, whenever possible, should reflect our values and
intentions, with respect to environmental responsibility and climate change
leadership. This includes consideration for investing in funds that are
involved in climate-friendly technologies, as part of the course of our regular
investment due-diligence. We also recognize that there is expertise
available, in the form of a sustainability representative that may be called
upon from time to time, should assistance be needed in reviewing climatefriendly investments.
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Challenges:
 Ups and downs of economic and political trends/support levels
 Need for alternative quality control system to extend LEED standards
 Building renewable energy systems into facilities planning protocols
Student Engagement:
 Identify student leaders with sustainability expertise and include them in
facilities planning and design processes
 Conduct student design competition to influence future building designs
 Research and make recommendations related to divestment and funding
options
9. Partnerships and Collaboration
Anything as monumental as achieving the goals in this plan requires
employing existing best practices, cultivating collaboration and creating high
functioning partnerships.
Other schools in the ACUPCC process have been and will continue to be
sources of information and inspiration. One such school, the Santa Fe
Community College, is just down the street. SFCC is further along in the
ACUPCC process and has achieved many of the milestones IAIA is
planning to implement. SFCC is a role model in terms of its technology, but
also in terms of how it has institutionalized administrative and staff
commitment to the elements of sustainability.
In the months and years ahead, IAIA will discuss partnering with SFCC in
the following ways:
 Gain from President and Director level experience in creating
standing and working committees dedicated to sustainability in
tangible ways with significant deliverables
 Gain from President and Director level experience in building the
work of sustainability into the job descriptions and regular duties of
staff and administration
 Explore the possibility of being a pilot site for lighting, HVAC, solar
thermal and solar PV installation with a training and certification
emphasis
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 Explore the possibility of being part of a smart micro-grid pilot
program
 Recycling program coordination and provide feed stock to reduce
transportation and increase revenue
 Facilitate student collaboration and dual enrollment to support
student-driven initiatives and relevant courses
 Create links to biofuels program to provide local source of fuels for
vehicles and back-up power sources
 Take advantage of knowledge gained from installing wood chip
boiler, solar thermal, LED lighting and solar PV systems
 Link student-led sustainability groups to collaborate and share ideas
Since IAIA’s CAP includes offsets that are focused on riparian re-vegetation
and tree planting on tribal lands, tribes with a need for those activities will
be partners. In addition, other governmental and nonprofit agencies will be
cultivated as partners to facilitate this work. Examples include, New Mexico
Environment Department, National Forest Service, NM Game and Fish, US
Fish and Wildlife Service, EPA, New Mexico Dept. or Forestry, NM
Wildlife Federation, Wild Earth Guardians, Forest Guild, and the Quivira
Coalition.
Local energy and water companies will be partners in system design and in
implementation strategies that maximize learning and direct experience
opportunities for IAIA students and students from partnering institutions.
Challenges:
 Inertia of intra-institutional demands
 Finding projects with relatively equal mutual benefits
 Strong partnerships take time to develop
Student Engagement:
 Partner with clubs and working groups at SFCC
 Develop service-oriented tree planting projects
 Gain technical training related to efficiency and renewables
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10. Local and Healthy Food
A few years ago, IAIA contracted Bon Appétit as our foodservice provider.
Bon Appétit is an exceptional feed service company that is addressing local,
healthy, sustainable food systems in the following ways:
A. The Farm to Fork is a Bon Appétit initiative that reflects our
commitment to buying local produce and to sustainable farming
practices.
For our cafés, we:
 Purchase seasonal and regional ingredients from local small farmers
and artisans within a 150-mile radius of our kitchen
 Prepare and serve produce often within 48 hours of harvest
 Buy directly from farmers who use sustainable farming practices
 Support farmers who do not use pesticides, hormones and antibiotics
 Support farmers who grow heirloom vegetables, rather than
genetically modified produce
B. The Bon Appétit Management Company Low Carbon Diet is the first
national program to highlight the significant connections between food
and climate change and take steps to reduce our contribution to the
problem.
In April 2007, based on research gathered by the Bon Appétit Management
Company Foundation, we announced operational initiatives to minimize our
carbon impact significantly over five years. We have not only met our
original commitment, but strengthened it.
Bon Appétit Actions
To reduce our emissions from the highest-impact areas, we have:
Reduced purchasing of high carbon foods
 Beef—reduced by 33% (goal 25%)
 Cheese—reduced by 10%
 Tropical fruit—reduced by 50%
 Processed sweets, snacks and chocolate—reduced by 10%
Reduced wasteful practices
 Food waste—reduced by 30% (goal 25%) Of the remaining food
waste, 40% is diverted to composting or to be used as pig feed
 To-go containers—reduced total usage by at least 10%
Focused on country of origin
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Air freight—eliminated 90% of air-freighted seafood (goal 100%)
 Source all of our meat, vegetables, nontropical fruit and bottled water
from continental North America
Focused on education
 Hold an annual Low Carbon Diet Day celebration aimed at increasing
awareness about how food choices affect climate change
Make a Difference
At Bon Appétit, we believe that we have a responsibility to educate our
guests. Here are some things you can do to reduce climate change:
Don’t waste food
Food waste is responsible for more methane emissions than any source
besides cattle, sheep and goats.
 Select food you expect to eat.
 If you don’t finish all your food in one sitting, save the leftovers for
another meal.
Eat seasonal and regional foods
Foods that are not in season where you live are often air-freighted and are
therefore more emissions-intensive.
 Buy foods that are in season in your region.
 Don’t buy produce grown in greenhouses heated with nonrenewable
energy—even if they’re close to you.
Eat less meat and cheese
Livestock creates 18 percent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
 Eat meat and cheese less frequently.
 When you do eat meat and cheese, consider reducing portion sizes.
Understand what “fresh” means
For seafood, imported cheese and premium produce, “fresh” often means
“air-freighted,” which is 10 times more emissions-intensive than
transporting products by ship.
 Buy seasonal produce that is grown locally—it even tastes better.
 Select seafood that is frozen at sea—it’s generally the best quality.
Skip processed and packaged foods
Snack food, most juices and even veggie burgers (prepared, boxed, frozen
and transported) use up a lot of energy in processing.
 When you need a treat or a quick bite, choose fresh local fruit, small
quantities of nuts and homemade alternatives.
 Bon Appétit Actions
 Make a Difference
Resources
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With every meal you eat, you have the power to reduce climate change.
Learn more at: www.eatlowcarbon.org
Things Bon Appétit is doing to support local healthy food at IAIA
specifically:
1. Local Sources: La Montanita Coop
Products we get: Organic Honey from Simply Honey - Organic "Sangre de
Cristo" Flour - Santa Ana Pueblo Blue, White, Yellow Corn Meal / Blue
Corn Polenta / Blue Corn Pancake Mix (contains Whole Wheat) "Southwest Heritage Mill" Dry White Corn Posole - "Mountain Mama, CO"
Organic Whole Wheat Berries - "White Mountain Farm, CO" Organic Black
Quinoa / Yukon and Red Potatoes - "Sweet Grass Coop" Organic Grass Fed
and Finished Ground Beef and Burgers as well as occasional primal cuts of
beef - "Kyzer Farm, Albuquerque" Ground Pork and Links including
Breakfast Sausage, Italian Sausage, Green Chile Sausage, Chorizo Sausage
and Bratwurst as well as Ribs, Raw Ham Cut, etc - Free Range Ground and
Whole Turkey - "Patch Work Farm, Estancia" Organic Bolita Beans - "Fox
Farm, CO" Organic Pinto Beans - Organic Pecans
2. Bon Appétit is currently partnering with the local "Farm to Restaurant
Deliver program," a branch of the “Farm to Table” program. Bon Appétit
gets local, seasonal Northern New Mexico Produce and Fruits. The produce
is delivered from on Wednesday is picked on Tuesday thus guaranteeing
fresh and nutritious produce. The participation in this program is seasonal,
from early June to early October.
3. Bon Appétit is partnering with the IAIA CLE Garden/Green house to get
fresh greens, herbs, and everything else grown on campus. Bon Appétit is
also planning on having planters with fresh herbs for the kitchen on the Cafe
Patio (bought 2 wine barrels to cut in half to make 4 planters).
4. Bon Appétit is working on getting a relationship going with the Picuris
and Taos Pueblo to possibly purchase Buffalo and other meats from them.
5. Bon Appétit is working with SSL – the Student Sustainability Leadership
program to partner in a compost program and to provide them with
compostable flatware, plates, cups, and napkins as needed. SSL and Bon
Appétit are working to create more events this coming fall geared towards
Local/Sustainable/Organic/Food and music, possibly utilizing the Cafe patio
as Stage.
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Challenges:
 Instability and unpredictability of local food systems
 Staffing and resources to grow food onsite
 Water scarcity in region
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Student Engagement:
Develop and staff onsite food production
Gain training and help staff culinary services in cafeteria
Integrate tribal agricultural practices into campus food systems
Students work in campus gardens as interns and work-study employees
11. De-toxification of the Working and Living Environment
Health science suggests that in addition to chemicals in the air, in the food
chain and in industrial work settings, the chemicals closest at hand may be
doing the most damage.
Based on this awareness, part of IAIA’s sustainability plan is to remove,
wherever possible, toxic chemicals from the environment. This includes:
 Cleaning products used in facilities
 Air quality and ventilation issues
 Embodied chemicals in construction materials (new construction)
 Paints and other finishes
 Art supplies
The Studio Arts department, the largest academic department at IAIA, has
taken a lead in addressing issues of toxicity in our environment through the
following actions:
- A focus on classroom awareness and education of toxic materials and
alternatives
- No oil-based paints are used (only acrylic paints are used in courses)
- Highly toxic pigments are identified and avoided
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- Instructors must research materials they order for class and consult the
product MSDS (Material Safely Data Sheets) with their order
- After an inspection in 2011 by a Health and Safety expert, changes
were made in the printmaking area. With Charlene Teters as chair of
the department, all materials were inventoried and all oil-based
printing ink was removed (we do not have proper ventilation to use
oil-based ink. Only water-soluble ink is now used in the printing
studio. In addition, students are taught to reduce waste and properly
dispose of the ink so that as little as possible goes into the sink.
We will continue to assess and reduce toxic materials in the environment at
IAIA wherever possible.
Challenges:
 Inertia of using conventional products
 Performance of alternative products for certain functions not proven
 Possible cost or labor intensiveness of alternatives
Student Engagement:
 Research alternatives
 Make recommendations to facilities and department leadership
 Possible micro-enterprise opportunity in making natural alternative
cleaning products
 Integrate education about toxicity of materials into class curriculum in
studio classes
12. Water Reclamation and Harvesting
IAIA’s ecological niche is the arid southwest. The arid southwest is also a
climate crisis red zone. Water in this region is both an energy and vital,
scarce resource issue.
Part of any meaningful shift toward sustainability at IAIA has to include an
aggressive water reclamation and harvesting strategy. There are 600,000
square feet of roof and other impervious surfaces in the IAIA compound.
Combined, these black, gray and rainwater sources represent the potential
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for 2 million gallons of water a year to be used for agriculture or to be saved
by creative repurposing or a combination of both.
The technology for using bacteria or constructed wetlands and for capturing,
filtering, storing and redistributing this resource is proven and accessible.
Solar PV can be used as the power source to move water as needed. Passive
direction of surface flows can be employed to minimize mechanical needs.
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Challenges:
Cost of retrofitting buildings not designed for sustainable water
harvesting
Cost of storage, filtration and movement of water
Health regulations restricting some uses
Perception that water systems should pay for themselves using
conventional cost-benefit analysis
Student Engagement:
Research water harvesting systems
Make recommendations to leadership
Conduct pilot projects
Beautify above ground storage with murals
Participate in installation of comprehensive systems
13. Creative and Culturally Meaningful Offset Strategies
Since the carbon cycle is a closed planetary loop, carbon reductions or
carbon sequestration in one place can “make up for” carbon that is emitted
somewhere else. This exchange is the basis of “carbon offsets,” which are
typically a market-based way of purchasing a carbon reduction through
supporting a reduction somewhere else. The Kyoto Protocol sanctioned
offsets established the “Clean Development Mechanism” (CDM) to measure
and validate projects to ensure their benefits and genuine carbon reduction.
Carbon offsets are measured in CO2 equivalents. Some use of carbon offsets
will be required to meet IAIA’s goal of carbon neutrality.
Carbon offset projects have been challenged for their validity and
effectiveness. David Victor, head of Stanford University’s Energy and
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Sustainable Development Program, found, “between a third and two-thirds
of CDM offsets do not represent actual emission cuts” (Barlow 23).
In addition, Indigenous peoples globally have challenged market-based like
carbon trading and offsets as false solutions fundamentally opposed with
Indigenous values and worldviews by privatizing mother earth, air, and
forests that should be protected as sacred. International Indigenous
environmental groups such as the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN)
oppose large-scale CDM offset programs such as REDD (Reducing
Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) because of the social
and environmental harm some of these projects are causing to Indigenous
communities in the global south who live in forests that are proposed as
offsets for polluting companies in developed countries in the global north.
IEN takes the position that: “REDD projects pose high risks to Indigenous
Peoples and forest dependent communities; and REDD offsets are risky in
terms of fraud, land grabs, evictions and human rights abuses”
(ienearth.org).
In solidarity with global Indigenous peoples, we will seek to create new
models of creative and culturally relevant carbon offsets to balance out the
carbon that we are unable to reduce through conservation and renewable
energy use. With climate change and increasing drought, New Mexico’s
watersheds will become more vulnerable and more precious. We will partner
with our CLE USDA Outreach program and other agencies (see list) to work
in local New Mexico tribal communities to restore watersheds and reforest
headwaters and key areas on tribal lands. Our offsets will become not only a
way to neutralize our own carbon footprint, but the offset program will also
become a bridge to help serve tribal communities in New Mexico, restore
key watersheds and land, and plant trees. This program will also serve as a
model for creative and culturally responsible carbon offsets, and other future
partnerships may grow out of this initiative. Students will have an
opportunity to learn valuable land restoration skills with internships in this
project.
Sources:
Barlow, Maude. “Nature: A Living Ecosystem From Which All Life
Spring.” The Rights of Nature: The Case for a Universal Declaration of the
Rights of Mother Earth. Global Exchange: San Francisco, CA. 2011
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Challenges:
Obtaining funding for revegetation projects
Coordination with tribes
Logistics of organizing large scale planting
Irrigation of plants during early stages of growth
Monitoring long term sequestration potential
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Student Engagement:
Student-to-student planting project development and implementation
Cross-cultural exchange opportunities
Exposure to professionals in ethno-botanical fields and possible career
advancement
Preservation of endangered habitats and natural resources
14. Research
As a Land Grant institution, the CLE (Center for Lifelong Education) heads
up the USDA Research program. There are opportunities for sustainability
and climate related research by students, staff, and faculty through our
USDA program.
Challenges:
 IAIA is not a research institution
 IAIA offers no science degrees
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Student Engagement:
 Opportunities for interested students to pursue research and collaborate
with other institutions
 Opportunities for students to work with the CLE on campus research
projects
 Possible ways for students to connect research in their home
communities with IAIA’s sustainability initiative
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Localism and Sustainability
Localism is an important aspect of sustainability. IAIA and the CAP
recognize the value of supporting local economies and cultures in order to
maximize the multiplier effect, create jobs and increase self-reliance and
resiliency. Many of the links in this document are to local resources; this
underscores our commitment to the local economy.
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Appendix: American College & University Presidents’ Climate
Commitment
We, the undersigned presidents and chancellors of colleges and universities,
are deeply concerned about the unprecedented scale and speed of global
warming and its potential for large-scale, adverse health, social, economic
and ecological effects. We recognize the scientific consensus that global
warming is real and is largely being caused by humans. We further
recognize the need to reduce the global emission of greenhouse gases by
80% by mid-century at the latest, in order to avert the worst impacts of
global warming and to reestablish the more stable climatic conditions that
have made human progress over the last 10,000 years possible.
While we understand that there might be short-term challenges associated
with this effort, we believe that there will be great short-, medium-, and
long-term economic, health, social and environmental benefits, including
achieving energy independence for the U.S. as quickly as possible.
We believe colleges and universities must exercise leadership in their
communities and throughout society by modeling ways to minimize global
warming emissions, and by providing the knowledge and the educated
graduates to achieve climate neutrality. Campuses that address the climate
challenge by reducing global warming emissions and by integrating
sustainability into their curriculum will better serve their students and meet
their social mandate to help create a thriving, ethical and civil society. These
colleges and universities will be providing students with the knowledge and
skills needed to address the critical, systemic challenges faced by the world
in this new century and enable them to benefit from the economic
opportunities that will arise as a result of solutions they develop.
We further believe that colleges and universities that exert leadership in
addressing climate change will stabilize and reduce their long-term energy
costs, attract excellent students and faculty, attract new sources of funding,
and increase the support of alumni and local communities.
Accordingly, we commit our institutions to taking the following steps in
pursuit of climate neutrality:
1. Initiate the development of a comprehensive plan to achieve climate
neutrality as soon as possible.
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a. Within two months of signing this document, create institutional
structures to guide the development and implementation of the plan.
b. Within one year of signing this document, complete a
comprehensive inventory of all greenhouse gas emissions (including
emissions from electricity, heating, commuting, and air travel) and
update the inventory every other year thereafter.
c. Within two years of signing this document, develop an institutional
action plan for becoming climate neutral, which will include:
i. A target date for achieving climate neutrality as soon as
possible.
ii. Interim targets for goals and actions that will lead to climate
neutrality.
iii. Actions to make climate neutrality and sustainability a part
of the curriculum and other educational experience for all
students.
iv. Actions to expand research or other efforts necessary to
achieve climate neutrality.
v. Mechanisms for tracking progress on goals and actions.
2. Initiate two or more of the following tangible actions to reduce
greenhouse gases while the more comprehensive plan is being developed.
a. Establish a policy that all new campus construction will be built to
at least the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver standard or
equivalent.
b. Adopt an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy requiring
purchase of ENERGY STAR certified products in all areas for which
such ratings exist.
c. Establish a policy of offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions
generated by air travel paid for by our institution.
d. Encourage use of and provide access to public transportation for all
faculty, staff, students and visitors at our institution.
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e. Within one year of signing this document, begin purchasing or
producing at least 15% of our institution’s electricity consumption
from renewable sources.
f. Establish a policy or a committee that supports climate and
sustainability shareholder proposals at companies where our
institution’s endowment is invested.
g. Participate in the Waste Minimization component of the national
RecycleMania competition, and adopt 3 or more associated measures
to reduce waste.
3. Make the action plan, inventory, and periodic progress reports publicly
available by submitting them to the ACUPCC Reporting System for posting
and dissemination.
In recognition of the need to build support for this effort among college and
university administrations across America, we will encourage other
presidents to join this effort and become signatories to this commitment.
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