1. Environment: The Science behind the Stories
Lecture Outlines
Chapter 24
Environment: The Science behind the Stories
4th Edition
Withgott/Brennan

2. This lecture will help you understand:
University efforts to promote sustainability
The concept of sustainable development
How environmental protection promotes economic well-being
Approaches to designing sustainable solutions
How time is limited but human potential to solve problems is tremendous

3. Central Case: De Anza College strives for a sustainable campus
De Anza College (California) is one of the greenest community colleges
Colleges and universities are microcosms of society
They consume resources, pollute, recycle, conserve, etc.
It has the nation’s first LEED- Platinum sustainable building
That teaches about sustainability

4. Sustainability on campus
Sustainability = living in a way that can be lived far into the future
Conserving resources, protecting ecological processes
Eliminating waste and pollution
Sustainable solution = results in renewable resource use
Natural capital is replenished so resources aren’t depleted while ecosystem services are preserved
Is carbon neutral and emits no toxins
Satisfies the three pillars of sustainability: environmental quality, economic well-being, and social justice

5. Why strive for campus sustainability?
Campuses are centers of high resource consumption
Their ecological footprint is large
Colleges are traditional, with bureaucratic inertia
Students are often the ones to initiate change
It make students aware of environmental problems
Students who engage in sustainability efforts serve as models for their peers
They also learn and grow

6. Campus efforts may begin with an audit
An audit of the institution provides baseline information and helps set priorities and goals
Includes energy use, emissions, waste, transportation
Audits identify appliances to replace
Once changes are made, progress is monitored
A “Kill-A-Watt” meter measures energy use

7. Recycling, waste reduction, and composting
The most common campus efforts
Easy to start and maintain
In RecycleMania, schools compete to see who recycles the most
Composting turns waste wood or food into fertilizer for plants
Students collect and donate unwanted items to charity
Trash audits show how much trash can be recycled

8. Green building design is a key
Campus “green” buildings are constructed from sustainable, energy efficient building materials
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards guide the design and certification of construction and renovation of buildings
The movement of “green buildings” continues to grow
The University of Florida has started construction on 18 green buildings since 2003
Landscaping uses native plants and reclaims irrigation water

9. De Anza College’s Kirsch Center for Environmental Studies
Has a platinum LEED ranking
Is energy- and water- efficient
Built with recycled, nontoxic, and renewable materials
Is solar-powered
Has outdoor labs
Materials are made from recycled steel, plastic, fly ash
The center will save energy, water, and money in the long run

10. Many campuses are going green
The Adam Joseph Lewis Center at Oberlin College in Ohio used recycled or reused building materials
Energy-efficient lighting, heating, appliances
Solar energy from PV panels and passive solar heating
Bren Hall at the University of Santa Barbara in California uses solar panels, white roofing, recycled materials
It has few toxic substances and conserves water
Many universities have LEED-certified buildings
Landscaping uses drought-tolerant plants and restored wetlands

11. Two well-known green campus buildings
The Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies at Oberlin College
Bren Hall at UC Santa Barbara

12. Water conservation is important
Rainwater can be used to water plants and recharge aquifers
Indoor water is conserved
Low-flow toilets, faucets, and showerheads
Fill water bottles with tap water
Universities save millions of dollars and drastically reduce water use
Conserving water is a key element of sustainable campuses

13. Energy efficiency is easy to improve
Eco-reps in dorms give advice on saving energy
One college saved $100,000 in utility costs and cut emissions by 10% in 4 months
Students saved one school $86,000/year by turning down hot water temperatures 5 degrees
Powering down empty buildings saves energy, money, and greenhouse gas emissions
Compact fluorescent bulbs save thousands of dollars

14. Challenge people to conserve energy
The “Do It in the Dark” competition pitted dorms against one another to reduce energy consumption
This produced a 13% cut in energy consumption

15. Students are promoting renewable energy
Campuses reduce energy use and emissions by altering their energy source
Switching from fuel oil to carbon-neutral wood chips
Campuses use solar and wind power
PV systems and wind turbines provide emission-free electricity
Institutions buy “green tags” or carbon offsets that subsidize renewable energies
Students vote to increase their fees (they “tax” themselves) to buy renewable energy

16. The Solar Decathlon
In 2009, 20 college teams from around the U.S. competed in Washington, D.C., building solar houses of the student’s own designs

17. Carbon neutrality is a major goal
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion is a top priority for campus sustainability
Some universities are complying with the Kyoto Protocol
It costs just $10/student/year to comply
Students present administrators with proposals to eliminate carbon emissions
Student pressure has nudged reluctant administrators to set targets to reduce greenhouse emissions
Focus the Nation is a national “teach-in” on solutions to climate change, America’s energy future, etc.

18. Dining services promote sustainable food
Food services cut down on wasted food
Compost food scraps
Go trayless
Buy organic, locally grown food
Purchase in bulk with less packaging
Some campuses have gardens
Students can grow food used in dining halls
Students volunteer at community gardens

19. Purchasing decisions wield influence
Campuses can support green initiatives by purchasing:
Recycled paper
Certified sustainable wood
Energy-efficient appliances
Goods with less packaging
Ecolabeled products
Campuses can also switch to nontoxic cleaning supplies and save up to $10,000 a year
Students can work with ground staff to eliminate the use of herbicides and pesticides

20. Transportation alternatives are many
Many campuses struggle with:
Traffic congestion, parking shortages, commuting delays,
Pollution
Solutions include:
Expanding bus and shuttle systems
Encouraging bicycling, walking, and carpooling
Introducing alternative vehicles to university fleets

21. Campuses use sustainable transportation
Students borrow bicycles from a fleet
Campus buses can run on alternative fuels

22. Campuses are restoring native habitats
Universities have been making an effort to:
Remove invasive species
Restore native plants and communities
Improve habitat for wildlife
Enhance soil and water quality
Create healthier, more attractive surroundings
Restore wetlands

23. Sustainability efforts include curricular changes
Schools are transforming their curricula and courses
But curriculum offerings did not rise between and 2008
The percent of schools requiring at least one environmental course dropped from 8% (2001) to 4% (2008)
Fewer than half of students take even one course on Earth’s natural systems or sustainability
Students are less likely to be environmentally literate
Students in environmental classes will be better qualified for green-collar jobs

24. Organizations assist campus efforts
Many organizations support campus sustainability
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology program
They provide information on sustainability efforts
The NWF program recognizes the most successful campus sustainability initiatives
It is easier than ever to start sustainability efforts on your own campus

25. Sustainability and sustainable development
Sustainability efforts on campus parallel efforts in the rest of the world
More people are beginning to appreciate Earth’s limited capacity
They are voicing concerns about our current behaviors
What do people mean by sustainability?
To sustain human institutions and ecological systems in a healthy and functional state
The contributions of biodiversity and ecosystem goods and services to human welfare are priceless

26. Sustainable development aims for a triple bottom line
Sustainability does not mean just protecting the environment from humans
Triple bottom line = the new goal for sustainability
Finding ways to promote social justice, economic well-being, and environmental quality at the same time
This goal is the primary challenge for this century and our species

27. The UN’s Millennium Development Goals
The Millennium Project and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment determined that:
Environment degradation is a major barrier to achieving the Millennium Development Goals
Investing in environmental assets and management is vital to relieving poverty, hunger, and disease
Reaching environmental goals requires progress in eradicating poverty
Actions by many people and institutions are showing that sustainability is possible

28. Environmental protection enhances opportunity
Environmental protection and economic well-being do not conflict
Reducing consumption and waste saves money
New jobs arise as old ones decline
Environmental protection helps the economy
It leads to increased values of property and homes

29. Conservation maximizes economic value
When external costs and benefits are factored in, the economic value of sustainably managed ecosystems exceeds the value of harvested ecosystems

30. We are part of our environment
Economic development has clearly diminished biodiversity and decreased habitat
Along with degrading ecological systems
Many believe command-and-control environmental policy poses excessive costs for industry
While restricting the rights of private citizens
It is easy to feel disconnected from nature
When we consider where our things come from, it becomes easier to see how we are part of the environment

31. A banana split in Tulsa, Denver
Contains ingredients from around the world
Which impacts the environment of many far-away places

32. Strategies for sustainability
Sustainable solutions to environmental problems are numerous
But challenges confront us:
Being imaginative enough to think of solutions we haven’t tried
Being shrewd and dogged enough to overcome political and economic obstacles
Being able to measure the effect of a change to see if it is truly sustainable

33. We can rethink our assumptions about growth
Economists and policymakers talk of economic growth as an ultimate goal
Growth is a tool to attain the real goal of maximizing human happiness
We will not have long-term happiness by endlessly expanding our economy
We must incorporate external costs into market prices of goods and services
Green taxes and phasing out harmful substances could encourage sustainability
But political obstacles are considerable

34. Quality of life does not need intensive consumption
Economic growth is driven by consumption
We believe that more, bigger, and faster is better
The U.S., with 5% of the world’s population, uses 30% of energy and 40% of all resources
Consumption of limited resources cannot continue
Affluenza = affluent people often do not find happiness in material wealth

35. Money does not buy happiness
To enhance our quality of life:
Improve technology and efficiency in industry
Develop a sustainable manufacturing system
Modify our behavior, attitudes, and lifestyles to minimize consumption

36. Population growth must cease
Continued human population growth is not sustainable
Technology has expanded the Earth’s carrying capacity
Sooner or later, growth will end, but how?
Through wars, plagues, famine
Or through voluntary means as a result of wealth and education
The demographic transition may help developing countries, as it helped developed countries

37. Technology can help us Technology has spurred population increase
The agricultural and industrial revolutions
Advances in medicine and health
Technology magnifies our impact on Earth
The I = PAT equation
Shortsighted uses of technology have created a mess
But wiser use of green technology can help us get out
Developed countries have exported technologies to developing countries
Intensifying environmental impacts there, too

38. Green technology: the catalytic converter

39. Industry can mimic natural systems
Environmental systems operate in cycles
They have feedback loops and circular material flows
Output is recycled into input
Human systems are linear
Raw materials are processed, which generates waste
Linear pathways can be transformed into circular ones through recycling
Virtually all products can be recycled, given the right technology
The ultimate vision is to generate no waste

40. Self-sufficiency vs. globalization
Local self-sufficiency builds sustainable societies
Large multinational corporations are obtaining power over global trade
Promoting consumption
Not environmental protection
But globalization brings communication and learning
It may foster sustainability through entrepreneurship and creativity

41. We hold our future in our hands
“Survival is not negotiable.” 41

42. Citizens exert political influence
Democracies offer a compelling route for pursuing sustainability: the power of the vote
We can guide our political leaders to enact policies for sustainability
A person can exercise power by:
Voting, attending public hearings, donating to advocacy groups
Writing letters and making phone calls
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” (Margaret Mead)

43. Consumers vote with their wallets
We wield influence in the choices we make as consumers
Consumers can buy ecolabeled products to increase sales
Recycled paper, “dolphin-safe” tuna, etc.
Consumers can also promote “green” purchasing at work and school
Buy certified sustainable wood, organic food, energy-efficient appliances, etc.
Employees can voice their preferences in purchasing decisions

44. We can think in the long term
We must base our decisions on long-term thinking
The best long-term solution is not the best short-term one
This is why we are currently not sustainable
Policymakers act for the short-term good
They want quick results that help them get reelected
But environmental problems are cumulative
They worsen gradually and need long periods to be solved
Costs of solving problems are short term
But benefits are long term

45. Promoting research and education is vital
We can magnify our influence by educating others and serving as role models through our actions
Environmental science provides information that people can use to make wise decisions about issues
Scientific research and education can help us find sustainable solutions

46. Precious time The natural systems we depend on are changing rapidly
Human impacts are intensifying
Deforestation, overfishing, wetland loss, resource extraction, and climate change
Our window of opportunity to turn these trends around is short
We need to find time to implement solutions before we do irreparable harm

47. We need to reach again for the moon
President Kennedy created NASA in response to the prospect of “losing” the space race to the moon
Humanity faces a challenge more important than any previous one
Achieving sustainability
It is larger and more complex than going to the moon
Government, industry, and citizens can contribute
Human ingenuity is capable – we simply need to rally public resolve and engage governments 47

48. We must think of Earth as an island
Earth is, indeed, an island
Islands can be paradise, or they can be destroyed
Some people speak out for conservation and finding ways to live sustainably amid dwindling resources
Others ignore those calls and continue environmental destruction
It would be a tragic folly to let the planet be destroyed

49. The Earth is an island

50. Conclusion
In any society facing dwindling resources and environmental degradation:
There will be those who raise alarms
There will be those who ignore them
We are gaining detailed knowledge and understanding of our dynamic planet
What it offers us and what it can bear
The challenge for our society today is to support that science
So we may judge false alarms from real problems and distinguish legitimate concerns from thoughtless denial 50

51. QUESTION: Review
Which of the following is NOT a reason to make your campus sustainable?
Reducing the ecological footprint of a campus can really make a difference.
Campus sustainability efforts make students aware of the need to address environmental problems.
Campus sustainability efforts are required for graduation in many colleges.
Students who engage in sustainability efforts learn and grow as a result.
Answer: c

52. QUESTION: Review
Which of the following ways is NOT helpful towards reaching sustainability?
Use water efficiently
Conserve energy
Promote renewable energy
Use fossil fuels
Answer: d

53. QUESTION: Review How can campuses become more sustainable?
Recycle paper
Buy goods with less packaging
Grow some of the food used in dining halls
All of the above
Answer: d

54. QUESTION: Review
Which of the following is NOT a major approach to sustainability?
Reduce unnecessary consumption.
Limit population growth.
Listen to politicians and policymakers – they have our best interests at heart.
Think in the long term.
Answer: c

55. QUESTION: Review
Which of the following is NOT part of the triple bottom
line – the new goal for sustainability?
Promote social justice
Ensure economic well-being
Protect environmental quality
These are all part of the triple bottom line of sustainability.
Answer: d

56. QUESTION: Review To achieve sustainability, human systems should:
Mimic linear ecological systems
Use only positive feedback loops
Use raw materials that flow into landfills
Use circular material flows that mimic environmental systems
Answer: d

57. QUESTION: Interpreting Graphs and Data
Which is the best interpretation of this graph about Americans in higher income brackets?
a) They are much happier than others.
b) They are happier, but not as much as one would think.
c) They are less happy than others.
d) Happiness and income are not related.
Answer: b

58. QUESTION: Weighing the Issues
What would you like your university to do regarding sustainability?
As much as it can, even if it means increasing my tuition a bit.
As much as it can, as long as it does not raise my tuition.
A bit more than it does now, but not much more.
Nothing else; my university already does a lot.
Answer: any