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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Sustainability efforts include curricular changes Schools are transforming their curricula and courses But curriculum offerings did not rise between 2001 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Green technology: the catalytic converter

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Earth is an island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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