Theoretical Underpinning For Campus Sustainability Initiatives

1. Theoretical Underpinning For Campus Sustainability Initiatives AASHE Conference 6-9 October 2013 Nashville, TN Tom Hudspeth Professor, Environmental Program and Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Vermont

2. Behavior and Environment * Applies insights of behavioral sciences to problems at the interface between people and environment; • Involves facilitating environmentally responsible behavior--that is, affecting changes in peoples' beliefs, values, attitudes, and behavior to become more environmentally literate and to live more sustainably. • The ultimate aim of such scholarship is to help people live in greater harmony with, and within, the natural world.

3. Practices in search of a theory? Many sustainability initiatives on college campuses do not seem to be grounded in theory, but rather appear to be “practices in search of a theory.”

4. “Rational Man” Some that are based on theory are often based on the "Rational Man” (or homo economicus or economic human theory of human behavior) model that conventional neoclassical economics developed in an “empty world.” And many our economic and political institutions that developed were guided by that theory.

5. This theory views humans as narrowly self-interested, rational, insatiable, and competitive; seeking to obtain the highest possible well-being for themselves given available information, to attain predetermined goals to the greatest extent with the least possible cost.

6. Ecological economics that developed in a “full world”, recognizing that humans are social primates, acknowledges humans’ innate capacity and desire to be cooperative, altruistic, empathic. This theory offers insights into institutional design that build on these new and different understandings of human behavior to achieve more effective, equitable, and--ultimately--sustainable outcomes.

7. But what is offered as a better explanation--than homo economicus--of why people behave as they do? And what also informs sustainability educators environmental educators in their work?

8. When we develop EE/SE programs… • Reach youth, teachers, citizens, or decision makers • Share information and support skill development • Provide opportunities for meaningful experiences • Our efforts may vary in successfulness Why?

9. Many theories and models! Effective teaching Constructivism, Learning Styles, Experiential Learning Learner readiness Motivation, Relevance, Models Skill development Efficacy, Outcome Expectancy, Competence Behavior change Diffusion, Planned Behavior, Environmental Citizenship School and community EIC, Environment-based Education, Service Learning

10. An Alternative Theory: RPM • Offers explanatory theory underpinning approaches for providing sustainability solutions. • Draws on advances in the behavioral sciences, how they shape our ecological economic analyses, and how they relate to sustainability initiatives. • Provides alternative model to homo economicusand alternative theories and models for sustainability education

11. Another Theory: Reasonable Person Model • Derived from psychology – why people behave as they do? • Under what circumstances are we not reasonable? • What is needed for us to become more reasonable? i.e. What conditions help to bring our better behavior? • Reasonable people can learn, communicate, engage, solve problems, work with others, achieve change

12. The Key… • The quality and quantity of information and the way it is presented can make a big difference • The environment = the platform/program where engagement occurs really matters

13. Reasonable Person Model • Rachel and Steve Kaplan, University of Michigan • People are more likely to act in a reasonable and cooperative way when environments meet their informational needs • Framework with three interrelated components

15. Model Building: Understanding and Exploration • People have a need to understand and explore the world • They build their own mental model through experience, comparisons, discussions • Experts have a rich, dense mental model • Learners code new information into their brain where it is relevant and meaningful

16. What does this mean for us… • Programs that encourage exploration of information help people build their own model from experiences • Interaction with experts can help learners build accurate representations and common language Sounds like: Experiential Learning Cycle, Social Learning

17. Being Effective: Competence and Clear-headedness • People want to be useful & feel they will be effective • The system must be accessible • They must be able to develop skills and efficacy • Instruction, support, and opportunities to practice • People need to have clarity • Information needs to answer their questions, not overwhelm them with too much detail • People need to know what they know and manage that info • People need to know what to do: Small, do-able challenges

18. What does this mean for us… • Distill information into meaningful, manageable chunks • Provide opportunities for practicing skills • Non-confrontational or threatening • Not confusing • Build in opportunities for breaks, fun, camaraderie, reflection • Small steps where early success may be guaranteed Sounds like: Ownership variables, Perceived Control (TPB)

19. Meaningful Action: Making a Difference, Participation, Respect • We want to • make a difference • be heard and respected • And so we join others • Blessed Unrest (Hawken 2007) – 108,705 organizations! • Knowing about others’ successes help us imagine how we might act • Examples and success stories, models, demonstrations • And so do opportunities to participate

20. What does this mean for us… • Create hope: • Provide examples of successful solutions • Provide examples of variety of outcomes • Create an open and accessible process • Make it easy for people to join • Let people know that they made a difference • Offer feedback Sounds like: Efficacy, Participation models

21. Relating RPM to Aiken Center at UVM • National model for green renovation of a campus building • LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification for its efforts

23. Living Laboratory, Student Engagement • Perhaps just as important in an academic setting, Aiken Center serves as a model for being an active living and learning laboratory for societal change. • More than 400 UVM students were involved in developing many of the building’s sustainability features over a ten-year period prior to and during the renovation

24. Living Laboratory, Active Research • In the two years since the “greening” has been completed, the building and its features continue to be used as an integral part of courses, especially the green roof and ecomachine.

25. Further, students are heavily engaged in interpreting the sustainability features of Aiken to fellow students, prospective students and their families, conference participants, community members, etc.

27. John Todd-designed ecomachine for treating human wastes (an excellent example of biomimicry which results in a 74% water use savings over similar-sized conventional buildings)

29. Green roof consisting of sedum, chives, and other plants in 8 separate ecosystems used for research on which combination of plants and soil does the best job of absorbing storm water and removing pollutants

31. Sustainably-harvested wood from 9 species of trees from UVM’s Forest Stewardship Council-certified Jericho Forest

32. Many other locally-sourced building materials including glacial boulders harvested in Jonesville and bricks specially made in Highgate

34. 17 photovoltaic solar trackers supplied by All Earth Renewables in Williston and funded by a grant from the UVM Clean Energy Fund (a student-created fee of $10/semester/student) provide more than 25% of the Aiken Center’s electricity needs annually

36. Tight energy envelope (62% more energy efficient than the original building)

37. Increased window sizes and daylighting features • Addition of passive solar solarium

38. Relating RPM to Aiken Center at UVM • Students involved in the “Greening of Aiken” over 10 years made use of model-building, being effective, and meaningful action components of Kaplan and Kaplan Reasonable Person Model…as do students today.

40. Bringing out the Best in People Working toward sustainable futures does not necessarily require making sacrifices, but rather reaching toward a positive vision that brings out the best in people.

41. Conclusion Equipped with a strong understanding of the Reasonable Person Model (or other theoretical bases), sustainability coordinators, eco-reps, and faculty members can be more deliberative in selecting campus sustainability initiatives for engaging their students and making their campuses more sustainable.

42. Thank you! Thomas.Hudspeth@uvm.edu (802) 656-0171