Education and Practical Actions for a Sustainable Future in the U.S.

1. Education and Practical Actions for a Sustainable Future in the U.S. Debra Rowe, Ph.D President U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development Professor Sustainable Energy Technologies and Behavioral Sciences Oakland Community College

2. Key Concepts, Overview of Trends, and Resources • Part I What is sustainable development and what is education for a sustainable future? • Part II National Trends and Examples • Throughout: Resources and Opportunities

3. Green jobs: the obvious choices Traditionally, community college, career and technical education, and even the National Science Foundation focus on technicians: Energy auditor Wind energy technician Insulation and weatherization technician Photovoltaics (solar electricity) installer Thermal solar installer (hot water and space heating and pool heating)

4. Upstream green jobs: the other jobs needed so technicians get employed Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Products Financiers and Manufacturers and Distributors and Salespeople Energy Policy Analyst and Legislators Employee in state and local energy related offices HVAC and other types of contractors with energy efficiency and renewables expertise/product line Energy Service Company (ESCO) Corporate Social Responsibility Officer Sustainability Oriented Purchasing Agent and Business VP Energy Manager Facilities Director

5. Partial list of green jobs: the less obvious choices? Resource Conservation/Efficiency Manager Measurement and Verification Technician Manufacturing – Product Design/Developer, Production Designer, Material Scientist, Production worker Environmental Engineering Technician Biomass Plant Designer, Manager, Technician… Utility Plant Operatives HVAC/ Building Automation Technician Controls Specialist Refuse & Recycling Worker Sustainable Agriculture: farmer, distributor, marketer… Groundwater heat pump contractor/installer Wave power system designer/installer Forestry & Wildlife Manager

6. Partial list of green jobs: the less obvious choices?? Hydrogen, batteries, compressed air, and other energy storage specialists Water Reservoir and watershed engineer Green Building Design Specialists: Materials Designer, Distributor, Installer … Heating/Cooling/Ventilation Scientist and Engineer, …. Electrical Technician Energy Statistician Recycling Director Environmental Maintenance Worker Greenhouse Gas Analyst/Broker…

7. Partial list of green jobs: the less obvious choices??? Industrial Engineer Engineering Manager Green products distribution designer/manager Sales & Marketing Staff for Sustainable Products Brownfields Real Estate Developer Sustainable Business Process Designer Corporate Recycling Manager Environmental Economist Sustainability Entrepreneur Environment, Health and Safety Director Environmental Quality Certification Specialist Geographic Information Systems Specialist

8. Partial list of green jobs: the less obvious choices???? Hazardous Materials Handler Sustainable Operation Manager/consultant Socially Responsible Investment Advisor Sustainability Officer Trainer/Educator for Green Jobs Sustainability Communications Fostering Sustainable Neighborhoods Community Organizer Environmental Journalist Permaculture Designer and Contractor Sustainable Landscape Architect Natural Resources Manager Sustainable Communities Planner

9. Partial list of green jobs: the less obvious choices????? Sustainable Development Policy Analyst Groundwater professional Restoration Ecologist Climate Change Risk Assessor and Mitigation Expert Sustainable Transportation Planner Water Pollution Control Technician Watershed Manager Wildlife Biologist Agricultural Extension Specialist Environmental Communications Specialist Environmental Conflict Manager Power Purchase Negotiator

10. The Pervasiveness of Green SOC listings are incomplete Every job will have a green component to it, since we all make green related decisions in all of our jobs. Doing nothing supports energy waste, toxins, food chain disruption and ecosystem destruction. Costly in dollars and in human suffering of billions - unacceptable. From green to sustainability.

11. Sustainability is… “meeting the needs of the present without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”~ “Our Common Future,” United Nations Brundtland Report, 1987

12. Another way to think about Sustainability is: the shared responsibility for improving the quality of life for all—economically, socially, and environmentally— now and for future generations.

13. Social Well-being Flourishing Environment Strong Economy Sustainable Society Triple Bottom Line of Sustainability

14. Education for a Sustainable Society:“enables people to develop the knowledge, values and skills to participate in decisions …, that will improve the quality of life now without damaging the planet for the future.”

15. Ecosystem Ecosystem Sustainable Communities Public Choices and Behaviors-Laws Applied Knowledge/ Technological Skills Private Choices and Behaviors-Habits Sustainable Economies Ecosystem Ecosystem

16. Key Government Initiatives Sustainability Summit Green Ribbon Schools!!! Including Green/Sustainability into Career Pathways for State Directors of Career and Tech Ed Funds from multiple federal agencies in energy/environment/climate change – NOAA, EPA, NSF, FIPSE… “Sustainability Improves Learning in STEM”

17. U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development:

18. What we do and you can be part of the “we”: • Convening mainstream national leaders • Catalyst their national initiatives in sustainability • Communicate their efforts • Build collaborative partnerships

19. Non‐partisan, multi‐sector partnership of over 360 registered organizations • The Partnership’s current Sector Teams are: • Communities • Business • Faith Based Organizations • Higher Education • K-12 and Teacher Education • Youth Vision: Sustainable development integrated into education and learning in the United States

20. Higher education is taking a leadership role to prepare students and provide the information, skills and knowledge to achieve a sustainable society. What does it look like? (The following slide can also be a guideline for who is on your sustainability committee.)

21. legislation public awareness For higher education, sustainability and green is being integrated into: Curricula Research Mission and Planning Operations Purchasing CommunityOutreach and Partnerships Professional Development Student Life Thanks to Wynn Calder for this diagram

22. KEY THRUST – KEY OUTCOME 21st century learning outcomes require sustainability perspectives and skills Students, staff and community members know how to and choose to be more environmentally, socially and economically responsible. Where? In the personal, career, community and governmental spheres.

23. Why is it such a high priority? • Much of the public doesn’t know that we are exceeding the carrying capacity of the planet. (www.myfootprint.org) • Public doesn’t know we can reduce human suffering and environmental degradation now while building stronger economies • Core pedagogy. Education to action is the key. Catalyzing sustainable communities as academic assignments.

24. In higher education, we focus on the problems and engage students and the community in building solutions life supporting resources declining consumption of life supporting resources rising

25. Committed to the advancement of sustainability throughout higher education

26. AACCAmerican Association of Community Colleges AASCUAmerican Association of State Colleges & Universities AASHEAssociation for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education ACPACollege Student Educators International ACUHO-IAssociation of College & University Housing Officers International APPAAssociation of Higher Education Facilities Officers CCCUCouncil of Christian Colleges & Universities NACUBONational Association of College & University Business Officers NAEPNational Association of Educational Procurement NAICUNational Association of Independent Colleges & Universities NIRSANational Intramural-Recreational Sports Association

27. Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium www.aashe.org/heasc Professional Associations for: • Presidents • Academic Officers • Student Affairs • Campus Activities • Facilities • Business Officers • Planners • Recreation Directors • Purchasers • More….. All Working on Sustainability

28. Resources • HEASC Resource Center - Socially, economically and environmentally responsible procurement, operations, planning, leadership, learning outcomes and more!!

29. DANS – the Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability www.aashe.org/dans -

30. DANS – the Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability – Participating Associations • American Psychological Association • Sociology • Religion • Philosophy • Math • Broadcasting • Architecture • Engineering (civil, mechanical, eng. ed.) • Business • Ecological Economics • Chemistry • Biology • American Association for the Advancement of Science • Computer Research • Humanities • STEM disciplines • Political Science • Anthropology • More…

31. Academic Disciplines and U. S. Partnership created DANS Infusing green/sustainability into: • Curricula, including textbooks • Promotion and tenure and accreditation • Informing legislation and policy • Informing the public • Professional identity as an academic • Grant received from U.S. Dept of Ed Click on “Resources” at www.aashe.org/dans - scroll down the page!!!

32. Student Learning OutcomesACPA President’s Sustainability Taskforce, 2006 – College Student Educators International Each student will be able to define sustainability. Each student will be able to explain how sustainability relates to their lives and their values, and how their actions impact issues of sustainability. Each student will be able to utilize their knowledge of sustainability to change their daily habits and consumer mentality. Each student will be able to explain how systems are interrelated.

33. Student Learning Outcomes (cont.)ACPA President’s Sustainability Taskforce, 2006 Each student will learn change agent skills. Each student will learn how to apply concepts of sustainability to their campus and community by engaging in the challenges and solutions of sustainability on their campus. Each student will learn how to apply concepts of sustainability globally by engaging in the challenges and the solutions of sustainability in a world context. These outcomes match international declarations and other countries’ learning outcomes …Svanström, Lozano-G, Rowe (2008) “Learning outcomes for sustainable development in higher education”, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education; Volume: 9 Issue: 3; 2008

34. Essential instructional approach – real world problem solving for sustainability • All of us engaged as effective change agents* to create a sustainable future –include as professional/personal development focus • Campus/school as a living lab and open to the public – use the media • Catalyze movement from apathy/fearful/obedient caring, effective involvement (healthy self-concepts & emotional/interpersonal intelligence) • Sustainability literacy and engagement in solutions for all students – 21st century core competency – in all jobs * Change agent skills list - http://www2.aashe.org/heasc/resources.php#ACPA

35. We Offer Professional Development You have five minutes: • Faculty - Take a big idea you have to teach in your course and a big sustainability idea. Create a learning activity that includes both. • Everyone else - Take your job activities and/or your daily activities and think about how you can make them more sustainability oriented in your behaviors, the normal practices or the policies in the institution. Describe the actions you can choose to help build a culture of sustainability. • Now share in the large group! • Thanks to Jean MacGregor at Evergreen for this idea.

36. The American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment Climate Leadership in Higher Education Over 650 presidents in all 50 states

37. Resources from the ACUPCC to make us literate about our challenges and engaged in solutions Education for Climate Neutrality and Sustainability – very good!! Energy Performance Contracting Toolkit ACUPCC Voluntary Carbon Offset Protocol ACUPCC Climate Action Planning Wiki ACUPCC Reporting Tool ACUPCC Implementation Guide ACUPCC GHG Inventory Brief ACUPCC Webinar Series ACUPCC Solutions Page (includes links to further resources)

38. Three more Key Sites about activities • U.S. - Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education – www.aashe.orgSign up for the free bulletin and search the extensive resources and share what you are doing, STARS • World Federation of Colleges and PolytechnicsInternational Sustainability Groupsharing curricula and other resources - http://wfcp.accc.ca/ • American Association of Community Colleges and its members colleges – a leader in greening the curricula and the community – visit their Sustainability Education and Economic Development Resource Center at www.TheSeedCenter.org

40. Resources on: • curricula, • college success stories, • components (genome) of a quality green program, • industry standards and certifications, • competencies, community partnerships Sectors: Solar, Wind, Green Building, Energy Efficiency, Agriculture, Transportation, Sustainability

41. AACC’s SEED Policy Action Plan Toolkit! • http://www.theseedcenter.org/Resources/SEED-Resources/SEED-Toolkits/AACC-s-SEED-Green-Action-Plan-Series

42. Community of Action: Policy and Civic Engagement to Grow Green Jobs and Sustainable Communities ecoAmerica start with people

43. K-12 & Teacher Education Sector 2012 Priorities • Standards & Assessment - NASDCTEC • International Connections • Webinar/National Education for Sustainability Week • K-12 National Organizations Network • Sustainability Fellows • Teacher Education • Policy • Resource sharing and community building via Website and Listserv – www.uspartnership.org

44. K-12 educational trends – links for your site • Sustainability Standards – national, from www.uspartnership.org under K-12 (and integrated into other standards) • Environmental literacy curricular plans in 40 states • K-12 National Associations Network for Sustainability, including NSTA, NCSS, ACTE, AASA (teachers of science, social studies, technical ed, superintendents)

45. Education for SustainabilityNational Standards – Version 3.0 Students: 1: Understand and are able to apply the basic concepts and principles of sustainability. 2: Recognize the concept of sustainability as a dynamic condition characterized by the interdependency among ecological, economic, and social systems and how these interconnected systems affect individual and societal well-being. Develop an understanding of the human connection to and interdependence with the natural world. 3: Develop a multidisciplinary approach to learning the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to continuously improve the health and well-being of present and future generations, via both personal and collective decisions and actions.

46. EfS Standards - Grade Band Concepts

47. International Connections Building Connections and Networks with International Partners (Australia, Japan, New Zealand, India, China, Scotland, and Sweden…)

48. Teacher Education • Work with Universities and Colleges of Teacher Education to promote Education for Sustainability pedagogy and content • Special interest group with the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education • Develop a network of the Universities and Colleges of Teacher Education • Document case studies of programs engaged in ESD

49. Active Sustainability Efforts can create: • Multi pronged approach to change • Nurture sustainability champions • Think and act systemically • We can assist you!! – Strategies, resources, and ABCs of celebration and preventing burnout • SISBRO

50. Key Actions: 1. Colleges and schools are the neutral high credibility source for the public – working with your government offices, non-profits and businesses to collaborate and to take action. 2. Convene sustainability partnerships, community forums, community education, etc. to catalyze entrepreneurship, and organizational and government policies that will build a sustainable economy! Include pathways out of poverty, discussions on quality of life and even happiness research. (Look at community resources at www.uspartnership.org ) Economics as if people mattered!!!! Sustainable living community plans, roadshow, support group, celebration.