Sustainability Task Force Update

Scott Hewitt

Sustainability or

Sustainable Development

Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the

ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

World Commission on Economic Development (1987). Our Common Future. England: Oxford University Press.

Sustainability is About the Connections That Lead to Health

Healthy Businesses

Healthy Environment

Healthy Communities

Healthy People

Jason Hamilton

Higher Ed Benefits from Sustainability

• strengthens and unifies the campus, as it affects all disciplines and all campus members

• enhances our links to our community via outreach and working on sustainable projects

• engages and retains our students

• provides students with an edge when applying for jobs

• reduces operating costs

• is a source of external funding

Other Driving Forces for Sustainability

• global climate change, running out of resources, …

• Gov. Schwarzeneggar signs AB 32

• Presidents Climate Commitment (621 U.S. colleges and universities, including UC system and 5 CSUs)

• U.S. Mayors Climate Commitment (over 900 U.S. cities, including Santa Ana, Irvine, LA, Long Beach)

• CSU system• sustainability coordinator & advisory comm.• strategic planning initiative, Access to Excellence

• state budget, social justice issue, …

Recent Sustainability Efforts at CSUF

• Ad Hoc Senate Sustainability Committee

• Led to a 2-year Senate Sustainability Task Force

• The Senate Sustainability Task Force has divided into 3 subcommittees.

• University Sustainability Study Group

• Sent report/recommendations to President Gordon

• Forming a University Sustainability Action Task Force to work on recommendations

Recent Sustainability Efforts at CSUF

• University Leadership Development Program• sustainability project

• Center for Sustainability Draft Proposal• initiated by Environmental Studies• support sustainability education, research,

outreach

• Student Environmental Groups (8)• Environmental Advocacy Committee• Environmental Studies Student Association

(ESSA)• Team for Raising Environmental Awareness

and Sustainability (TREAS)

CSUF Faculty Committee’s Main Goals

• Raise awareness and build capacity

• Incorporate sustainability throughout the curriculum

• Institutionalize sustainability

Raise Awareness and Build Capacity

• Invite speakers

• Provide funding to attend sustainability meetings

• Create a campus sustainability website

• Perform outreach to educate the community

• Form a faculty/staff sustainability group

• Make sustainability visible

Incorporate Sustainability into the Curriculum

• Incorporate sustainability into current classes

• Create interdisciplinary sustainability classes

• Make sustainability a GE learning goal

• Create an intramural grants program to encourage incorporation of sustainability into the curriculum and to encourage sustainability research

• Provide our students with opportunities to make a difference now, through research projects, internships, and service learning experiences

Institutionalize Sustainability

• Join the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education

• Sign the Talloires Declaration

• Incorporate sustainability into our missions and goals

• Make sustainability a budget priority

• Sign the Presidents Climate Commitment

• Create a Director of Sustainability

Main Campus Accomplishments

• Global warming teach-in, more than 400 attendees

• Two of our faculty will attend a Sustainability Workshop and will then train our faculty to incorporate sustainability into their classes

• In an effort to reduce costs, the campus has become more sustainable

• reducing printing & photocopying• more energy efficient computer monitors• reduction in lighting, heating, cooling

• First LEED-gold certification on campus (Student Rec Center); photovoltaics on parking structure(s)

Future Activities

• Continue working on subcommittee goals

• Coordinate our activities with the other sustainability activities occurring on campus

• Can we obtain external funding to support our efforts during the budget crunch?

• Will there be a need for a continued Senate role after the second year of the task force?