Chart Sources: Meadows, D.H., Meadows, D.L., Randers, J. and Behrens III, W.W. (1972) The Big Question How do we create a decent quality of life for all current and future humans on a planet whose capacity to support life is precarious? Sustainability Dimensions • Health • Social justice, cultural diversity and strong communities • Economic opportunity for all • Restore and sustain the life support system Physical Reality Biosphere Society Economy How did we get here? Humans dominant and separate from nature Earth: infinite giver Linear thinking Increased consumption = success SYSTEMS DESIGN FAILURE! Making the “invisible” “visible” • • • • Systemic life cycle impacts True cost pricing & accounting Better measures of well-being Timely ecological and social signals A Change in Mindset Problem Solving to Creating Fluorishing and Sustainable Human Society Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Circular Production Nature’s Interest A New Human Story? Sufficiency: Needs over wants Community Cooperation and collaboration Caring for all life: golden rule Sustainable economy Higher Education Modeling Sustainability as a Fully Integrated Community Transforming Higher Education • • • • • Content of learning Context of learning Process of learning Institutional Practice of Sustainability Partnerships with Local & Regional Communities The American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) Climate Leadership in Higher Education www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. The ACUPCC Initiative • • • • • • Led by presidents & chancellors 660 + institutions 50 States & one-third of student population Action plan for climate neutrality Research & education Public accountability www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. The Sequence of Success 1608 GHG Inventorie s Submitted Total Signatories Annually 900 Cumulative Signatories (739) 800 Net Signatories (660) 700 600 New Signatories (732) Withdrawals & Removals (79) Cumula ve Signatories (721) 500 Net Signatories (675) 400 New Signatories (721) 476 Withdrawals (46) Climate Action Plans Submitted 300 200 100 0 In 2006 2006 In 2007 2007 In 2008 2008 In 2009 2009 In 2010 2010 In 2011 2011 Summary of Progress ROLE MODELING SOLUTIONS ON CAMPUS 207 Signatories have reduced 1,621,000 MTCO2e Average of 7,830 metric tons per institution Renewable Energy on ACUPCC Campuses 298 signatories produce 295 million kwh of renewable energy annually. 160 Signatories have purchased > 1.4 Billion kwh Renewable Energy Credits. www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. Climate Neutrality Target Dates 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 By 2022 By 2032 www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org By 2042 Selected 2050 Beyond 2050 (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. Summary of Progress CURRICULUM • • • • • 167 signatories offer 10,203 sustainability focused courses. 198 have undergraduate degrees in sustainability. 112 have graduate degrees in sustainability. 115 have a degree program that includes sustainability learning outcomes. 51 Associate colleges offer degrees or certificates in Solar, Wind, Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Agriculture, Food & Land Use, Transportation & Fuels, Green Building, General Sustainability. • 112 provide faculty incentives for sustainability integration. www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. Summary of Progress FINANCIAL SAVINGS Funding Secured from Outside Sources for Climate Action Plan Implementation: 112 signatories $209,032,131 Total 19 Associate colleges secured 34 Baccalaureate colleges secured 29 Master’s granting institutions secured 26 Doctorate granting institutions secured 4 Special Focus schools secured www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org • 13 Associate colleges $24,039,214 $20,186,697 $92,282,579 $70,078,141 $2,445,500 (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. Summary of Progress FINANCIAL SAVINGS • 67% of signatories report CAP implementation has saved money. 171 institutions saved total of $105 Million • Funding Secured from Outside Sources 112 signatories secured total of $209,032,131 www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. Reduce 80,000 tons / year Save $2,000,000 per year BALL STATE UNIVERSITY Total Reduction 80,000 tons / year Total Savings $2,000,000 per year Produces 97% of electricity Saves $700,000 per year MOUNT WACHUSETT COMMUNITY COLLEGE Reduce emissions 60% below 2000 levels by 2012 Carbon Neutral Target Date 2019 Save $4 million Produce 6.5 million kwh / year per year BUTTE COLLEGE First Institution to Become Grid Positive Total Savings $50-75 Million over next 15 years Summary of Progress ACUPCC & STARS www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. The Deeper Meaning of the ACUPCC • Strategic imperative • Key lens for measuring success • Institutional & cultural focus on all elements of sustainability • A strong visible signal for society www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. Institutionalization • • • • • • • Integral to University Mission Integral to Academic and Campus Master Plan Sustainability Policies and Measurement Rewards, Incentives & Staff Development Development Priority/Alumni Tracking Communications & Marketing Collaboration with Other Sectors Scaling Up the Movement • Making the case: sustainability = success for HE and society • Inter-institutional collaboration - Energy - Financing - Curriculum - Supply chain management - Faculty and staff development • National effort on faculty and staff development • Partnerships with business and communities • Influencing federal policy and funding “I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough: we must apply. Being willing is not enough: we must do.” Leonardo da Vinci Communication is to Sustainability What Location is to Real Estate A Perspective “We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature’s inexhaustible sources of energy - sun, wind and tide. ... I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.” www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. Source? Thomas Edison, 1931 Conversation with Henry Ford & Harvey Firestone http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Firestone www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. Resources Second Nature www.secondnature.org American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education www.aashe.org American Association of Community Colleges SEED Center http://theseedcenter.org Curricular Resources “Education for Climate Neutrality and Sustainability” “Advancing EFS: Teaching the Concepts of Sustainable Building to All Students” www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/resources/ed ucation “Sustainability Curriculum in Higher Education: A Call to Action” http://www.aashe.org/files/A_Call_to_Action_final% 282%29.pdf The Commitment First 2 Months Within 1 Year Within 2 Years Within 3 Years Within 4 Years Create institutional structures & initiate two of seven suggested actions Complete GHG emissions inventory Develop institutional climate action plan *Complete updated GHG emissions inventory *Submit Progress Report on Climate Action Plan *GHG inventories and Progress Reports are due every other year, ongoing www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. Process Analysis framework Use to prompt the expansion of the issues. The World on the Edge book can help define these points. Climate Change Economic Crisis & Collapse Fossil Fuel Depletion Sustainability Framework Climate Stabilization (Crisis) Energy Conservation, Curtailment and Renewables Plan A Species Extinction Resources Depletion Economic Stabilization Sustainability Framework Food Insecurities (Responses) Plan B Population Stabilization See the worksheets with tables listing the framework aspects. Resource Conservation Restore Natural Systems Faculty Development Program • • • • • • • Core group designated to coordinate and run Workshops/seminars to expand faculty knowledge Incentives for faculty participation Accountability for new/revised curriculum Mechanism for feedback/ongoing learning Access to pedagogical resources Communication and reporting to college community Myths to Dispel • • • • • Sustainability is just another special interest Sustainability is only environmental Sustainability is secondary to mission Sustainability will almost always cost more Sustainability is largely a scientific and technological issue NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS NJHEPS www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. Summary of Progress Climate Neutrality Dates by Carnegie Classification www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund Bellevue College (WA) $350,000 Grand Valley State University (MI) $3.5 Million Weber State University (UT) $9 Million www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. Resource for Engaging Students • Step by step tips for creating, maintaining & evaluating a campus Eco-Rep program • Descriptions of programs and best practices • Case studies of successes and road blocks • Activity, event, marketing & outreach examples • Eco-Rep recruiting tools, sample job descriptions, & other resources www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved. Resource for Community Colleges • Over 500 green curricular and other resources • Detailed guides, toolkits and promising practices for faculty, staff, and administrators • Professional development opportunities, including workshops, webinars, and mentoring sessions (Coming in 2012) www.PresidentsClimateCommitment.org (c) 2009 Presidents Climate Commitment. All rights reserved.