Establishing Sustainable Urban Communities:

HBCU Experiences as Learning Models

Dr. Charles W. Richardson, Jr.CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY

AASHE 2013

URBAN SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES

• ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY– URBAN LOCALES AS ECOSYSTEMS

• SOCIAL JUSTICE– ECONOMIC, LEGAL AND HEALTH DISPARITIES

• EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING– HIGH LEVEL OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

SETTING• ATLANTA - MOST TOXIC CITY IN COUNTRY,

CIRCUMSTANCES DRIVEN BY UNMANAGED DEVELOPMENT

• HIGHEST VOLUME OF AIR PASSENGER TRAFFIC• MIGRATION TO OUTLYING SUBURBS, GENERATING

HEAVY VEHICLE TRAFFIC AND CARBON EMISSIONS• FREQUENT SEWAGE SPILLS• FLOODING CAUSED BY SOIL EROSION• INDUSTRY IN SURROUNDING AREAS (e. g. CHEMICAL

PLANTS AND METAL COATERS)• TALE OF TWO CITIES

ADMINISTRATION• Signed the American College & University Presidents’ Climate

Commitment (ACUPCC) as a charter member in April 2010• Member of American Association for Sustainability in Higher

Education (AASHE)• Integrated sustainability into the current University Strategic Plan• Established Sustainability Council• Campus selected as member of Toyota Green Initiative• Partnering with Campus Vendors to further sustainability efforts

– Barnes and Noble (Bookstore)• Recycled and recyclable Commencement Attire• Book rentals and e-Books

– Ricoh (Print Shop)• Print Less campaign, networked centralized printers

– Sodexho (Cafeteria)• Local Sourcing, organic providers• Tray-less operation

FACILITIES• All renovations and new construction must meet LEED Silver

rating standards.

• Refinements to the campus solid waste diversion and disposal program has reduced fuel usage and landfills by 20%.

• The installation of residence hall low-flow shower heads and sink aerators have reduced energy and water usage by 8%.

• Custodial Services has an extensive Green Cleaning program with certified operating policies and procedures.

• Use of environmentally friendly pesticides. Grounds staff compost all leaves into loam and grind all pruned branches into mulch.

APPLIED RESEARCH

• VEGETABLE OIL RECYCLING– BIODIESEL FUEL– GLYCERINE

• WATER PURIFICATION• INDIGENOUS PLANTINGS• ECOPRENEURSHIP– GENERATE ECONOMIC VALUE AS A BY-

PRODUCT OF CREATING SOCIAL VALUE

CURRICULUM – ATYPICAL TOPICS• Applied Urban Management• Community Based Health Care• Environmental Racism• Fundamentals of Social Policy• Human Behavior and the Social Environment• Multicultural and Global Education• Principles of Community and Economic

Development • Social Welfare Policy and Services• Sustainable Marketing• Urban Society and Culture

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT• Active relationships with notable civic and social

organizations, such as– UNCF ICB (United Negro College Fund, Institute for

Capacity Building)– Keep America Beautiful– Goodwill Industries– Sustainable Atlanta– USGBC (United States Green Building Council)– West End Farmers and Artisans Market

• Board representation on – Greening Youth Foundation– KSFB (Keep South Fulton Beautiful)– University Community Development Corp

PROGRAMS• OPENING AND CLOSING STAFF AND FACULTY

WORKSHOPS• RECYCLING, INCLUDING RECYLEMANIA– CURRENTLY LIMITED BY FUNDING

• MOVE IN– SET THE TONE

• MOVE OUT– PARTNER WITH GOODWILL

• EARTH DAY AND WEEK ACTIVITIES• DISASTER RECOVERY

GOING FORWARD• TRANSITION COUNCIL TO UNIVERSITY

COMMITTEE, THEN OFFICE• GENERATE DEDICATED FUNDING• GREEN REVOLVING FUND• NEW MARKET TAX CREDITS• USE OF UNIVERSITY MEDIA (TV AND RADIO)• INTEGRATION OF AUC IN CITY PLANNING• CAPACITY GROWTH OF BIOFUELS PROCESS• BIOGAS PROGRAM