In a previous post (August 23), I introduced my commitment to work with the campus community to move towards becoming a fully sustainable institution.* We have, as educators, a moral responsibility to help our students understand the realities of climate change and the role that they must play as future leaders to addressing what has been called the single greatest threat facing all societies.
To move toward the goal of educating "climate-literate" individuals, we must answer certain fundamental questions here on campus. My goal for the coming year is to engage in the conversations around these questions that are vital to development of a strong foundation for achieving this goal.
1. Why are we advocating to become a sustainable institution? What purposes and functions will be addressed? What programs will the "movement" focus on delivering?
2. How will our program's success be measured?
3. What outcomes are important to the campus to which the sustainability initiative could contribute in a positive manner?
4. What functions will our sustainability initiative perform; i.e., what will be our areas of emphasis? Examples include awareness, fund-raising, student activism and engagement, curricular infusion, community partnerships, grants, reduction of emissions, changes in transportation patterns, waste reduction, recycling, reduction in energy consumption, completion of the STARS sustainability inventory (as sent as a link in my previous email)?
5. What type of administrative/leadership structure should serve as a guiding entity; e.g., task force, special committee, permanent committee?
6. How do we infuse sustainability into our upcoming campus discussions on strategic planning?
7. How do we engage students in a thoughtful and proactive manner?
* For purposes of this discussion, a sustainable institution is best described as one which “reduces the environmental impact both within and outside the [organization}, as well as raising awareness of the environment in the communities of higher education” (“What does environmentally sustainable higher education institution mean?” Freidenfelds, D.; Kalnins, S.; Gusca, J. Paper presented at the International Scientific Conference “Environment and Climate Technologies,“ CONECT 2018).