pilot program deborah renville and bert jacobson october 2010 greening your curriculum

Pilot Program

Deborah Renville and Bert JacobsonOctober 2010

GreeningYour

Curriculum

Many other resources that you can draw on for your courses or your continued interest in sustainability will be available at

http://www.igencc.org/home/gyc

http://www.aashe.org/resources/programs.php

http://www.TheSEEDCenter.org

http://www.asle.org/

http://www.igencc.org/home/gyc

http://www.aashe.org/resources/programs.php

http://www.theseedcenter.org/

http://www.theseedcenter.org/

http://www.asle.org/

Six Modules

1. Defining Sustainability2. Developing Ecological Literacy3. Social Equity/Environmental Justice4. The Emerging Green Economy5. Developing a Capstone Project6. Thinking Globally, Acting Locally

Module One

Setting the Stage for Sustainability:Defining Sustainability

Objectives: Upon completion of this module, faculty participants will be able to develop course learning activities that will promote student abilities to:

1. Define Sustainability2. Discuss sustainability in relation to a

particular course learning activity

Syllabus Organization• Core Tenets• Learning Objectives• Integration with current course• Supporting Data—Core concepts• Risks and Challenges/Reasons for Hope• Curriculum Examples, Resources and References• Student Engagement• This PowerPoint presentation

Brainstorm

Take 5 minutes and brainstorm by yourself what you believe to be the

definition of sustainability.

Discuss as a Group

Read

• Top 10 Myths about Sustainability• The Difficulty in Defining Sustainability

Your Carbon Footprint http://www.myfootprint.org/

http://www.myfootprint.org/

Write a Reflection

• How do you feel sustainability connects to your curriculum?

Discuss as a Group

http://www.igencc.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Mod1-DefiningSustainability-Resources.pdf



The Wombat

http://globalcommunity.org/flash/wombat.shtml



Module Two

Developing Ecological Literacy:Understanding the Ecological Crisis,

Causes, and Imperatives


1. Describe human impacts on a variety of Earth life support systems

2. Translate these concepts into their current course.3. Discuss systems thinking, the interconnectedness of

environmental systems, and the human impact upon these systems.

Brainstorm

Take a few minutes write down what ecological literacy means to you.

Discuss as a Group

“Higher education now has a challenge bigger than any other it has ever faced because humanity is at crossroads without historical precedent.”

--Dr. Anthony Cortese, President, Second Nature

life supporting

resources

declining

consumption of life supporting

resources

rising

Global Perspective

Courtesy of Debra Rowe, PresidentU.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development

24

"If it can't be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled or composted then it should be restricted, redesigned or removed from production."

-Ecology Center, Berkeley

Why is Sustainability so important

1. HOT: Climate change2. FLAT: Human presence on a

global scale3. CROWDED: Unprecedented

growth in population and consumption

4. All living systems in long term decline at unprecedented and accelerating rate(Hot, Flat, and Crowded, Thomas L. Friedman)

Some Facts

• Freshwater withdrawal has almost doubled since 1960 and nearly half the world’s major rivers are going dry or are badly polluted (New Internationalist, no. 329)

• 11 of the world’s 15 major fishing areas and 69% of the world’s major fish species are in decline (State of the World, Worldwatch Institute)

Consumption over last 100+ YearsWe have used up about:• Half the topsoil• Half the oil• Half the rainforests• Third of all natural gas• Third of all coal

Dominant Inaccurate Human Beliefs of the Old Worldview

• Humans dominant species separate from environment• Resources free and inexhaustible• Technology the answer• Earth can assimilate all wastes• All human needs can be met by human means• Individual success independent of health of communities, cultures

and ecosystem

vs. Updated Worldview of Sustainabilty

Green Washing

Used to describe the act of misleading consumers regarding the

environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.

Walmart Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf65xUKRCuk&feature=player_embedded




MAC Commercial

Esso Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVpEauWmGeQ&feature=player_embedded




Clean Coal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bcRgnIcntI&feature=player_embedded




Break into Groups

Which commercials are green and which are green washing and why?

Write a Reflection

• How do you feel Ecological Literacy connects to your curriculum?

Discuss as a Group

http://www.igencc.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Mod2-DefiningEnviProblem-Resources.pdf



Let’s Go Fishing

http://www.cloudinstitute.org/games/

Slide #38

http://www.cloudinstitute.org/games/

Module Three

Social Equity and Environmental Justice


1. Define Social Equity, Environmental Justice, and the Triple Bottom-line

2. Discuss social equity, social justice, and social paradigm shifts in relation to sustainability.

3. Identify opportunities for student civic engagement around local, regional, and global issues.

4. Discuss regionally appropriate responses to meeting basic human needs.

Brainstorm

What does ‘social equity’ or ‘social justice’ mean to you? Take a few

minutes and write something down.

Social Equity/Social JusticeFocuses on the individual,

community, corporate, and government responsibility to

develop, implement, and monitor practices that are fair and objective.

A general definition of social justice is hard to arrive at and even harder to implement. In essence, social justice is concerned with equal justice, not just in the courts, but in

all aspects of society. This concept demands that people have equal rights and opportunities; everyone, from the

poorest person on the margins of society to the wealthiest deserves

an even playing field.

Environmental Justice

“We all have a right to a clean and safe environment where we live, work, play and go to school” --ASPEN

Discuss as a Group

Overview

The production of goods and services results in the production of environmental pollutants and hazardous waste.

– Operational and abandoned industrial facilities– Landfills– Incinerators– Sites for treatment and storage of wastes

This waste and pollution often is left behind for communities to deal with.

Overview

“Data suggest that people of color and lower-income groups are exposed to these hazards with greater frequency and magnitude … segments of the population are not equally exposed to hazards in the environment.”

– The Reporter’s Environmental Handbook

Overview

“Urban environmental problems are threats to present or future human well-being, resulting from human-induced damage to the physical environment, originating in or borne in urban areas.”

–David Satterhwaite, “The Links Between Poverty and the Environment

in Urban Areas of Africa, Asia and Latin America” (1999)

HistoryThe Cuyahoga River in Cleveland caught fire because it was so filled with oil and

debris. Fires raged on the river in 1868, 1883, 1887, 1912, 1922, 1936, 1941, 1948, and in 1952. The 1952 fire caused over $1.5 million dollars in damage. It wasn’t until another fire in 1969 that the country took notice of the environmental problems plaguing Ohio … yet river pollution continues today.

Cuyahoga River Fire Nov. 3, 1952. Cleveland Press Collection at Cleveland State University Library.Plain Dealer photo of reporter Richard Ellers from Cleveland.com.

HistoryThe environmental justice movement was started by individuals,

primarily people of color, who sought to address the inequity of environmental protection in their communities. It is grounded in the struggles of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement.

Yet the Office of Environmental Justice wasn’t established until 1994.

Today, policies such as the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act regulate pollution. But there’s a lot of cleanup and regulation still needed.

Problems TodayUrban areas are subjected to a variety of environmental problems. This is due

to a variety of factors, including:

– Location—the areas where poor people can afford to live are often undesirable pieces of real estate because of their proximity to industrial areas, exposure to high air or water pollution, and/or the likelihood of damage by natural hazards

– Lack of political power—low-income and minority communities often lack the political power to fight for a cleaner living environment or to obtain environmental services they may be lacking

– Lack of money—without money, residents of many urban areas can’t pay for what’s needed to mitigate environmental impacts (using pumps to evacuate flood waters, getting out of the city when air pollution is severe, or drinking only bottled water in the case of contamination)

[Source: Sustaining Cities: Environmental Planning and Management in Urban Design by Josef Leitmann (McGraw-Hill 1999)]

Beyond the City

Beyond local urban problems, urban areas often cause greater problems for other parts of the country. That’s because cities are sources of greenhouse gases and are key users of ozone-depleting substances.

And all that waste generated in cities has to go somewhere!

Problems in Low-Income Cities• Low coverage and poor quality of water supply and sanitation• Inadequate drainage and frequent flooding• Infrequent solid waste collection• Water pollution from poor sanitation• Ambient and indoor air pollution from low-quality fuels• Open dumping and mixing of solid wastes• No hazardous waste management• Uncontrolled land development and pressure from squatter

settlements• Recurrent natural and man-made disasters with loss of life

and property damage

In Higher-Income Cities• Good water supply, with some concern for trace pollutants• Good sanitation, drainage, and solid waste collection• High levels of effluent treatment to reduce water pollution• Ambient air pollution primarily from vehicles• Controlled landfills with incineration and/or resource recovery• A shift in emphasis from treating to preventing hazardous wastes• Regular use of environmental zoning• Good emergency response capacity for natural and human disasters

Top Problems

The biggest urban environmental problems fall into three main categories:– Pollution from urban wastes and emissions– Access to environmental infrastructure and

services– Resource degradation

Indoor Air Pollution• Formaldehyde—which is related to building materials, including pressed-wood

products, carpets, upholstery, permanent-press clothing and draperies, paints, coating products. It can cause range of problems including headaches, dizziness, nausea, skin irritation, and difficulty breathing.

• Lead—from old lead-based paint, candlewicks, soil, and water pipes. It has been called “the nation’s number one preventable environmental threat to the health of children.” As many as one million U.S. kids have elevated levels of lead in their blood. At highest risk are minority and low-income children who live in older or rundown housing with lead-based paint.

Lead can cause problems in the brain, central nervous system, blood cells, and kidneys, may be stored in the bones, and can delay physical and mental development, lower IQ, and cause shortened attention spans and behavioral problems.

Indoor Air PollutionAsthma is a chronic lung disease that affects an estimated 15 million Americans and

may result from indoor air pollution. Outdoor air pollutants including ozone, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter are also asthma triggers.

Statistics have shown racial and socioeconomic disparity in the prevalence and severity of asthma in the United States.

“The asthma prevalence rates for African Americans, children living in lower income households, and inner-city populations are all markedly higher than the national rates. … African American children are four times more likely than white children to be treated for asthma in an emergency room and are hospitalized for asthma more than three times as often as white children. Most strikingly, the death rate from asthma among African American children in 1993 aged zero to four years was six times the rate among white children the same age.” –The Reporter’s Environmental Handbook

Water PollutionWater pollution in cities often stems from municipal and industrial discharges.

Case in point:

A shallow marine area off the New York/New Jersey coast is the site of the world’s most intensive ocean dumping site for dredge soils, industrial waste, and sewage sludge. Some 8.6 million tons of waste are dumped into the area off the mouth of the Hudson River each year, and storms have caused some of this sludge to move inland, contaminating Long Island and New Jersey beaches and shellfish beds, resulting in disease outbreaks.

Drinking and bathing in polluted water has been linked to a variety of ailments including diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, skin lesions, developmental problems, and even cancer.

What About Solutions?Urban areas that are suffering from these environmental problems can be

reenergized. On solution: sustainable development.

“A principal tenet of the vision of sustainable communities is a commitment to becoming socially just, equitable, and accessible to all racial, cultural, age, and income groups. Sustainable communities work to ensure social opportunity and access to essential services for all members, to tolerate and encourage diversity, and to minimize the separation or isolation of income and racial groups.” –The Ecology of Place by Timothy Beatley and Kristy manning (1997)

What About Solutions?Essential elements of sustainable urban development include:

• extensive use of vegetation to filter pollution, prevent the "heat island," effect and capture carbon dioxide

• purification and recycling of all water and waste• 100% supply of renewable energy• a sustainable food supply which does not deplete nearby lands and grow

as much as possible with city limits

Revitalization projects across the country are showcasing how sustainable communities can work, but there’s a long way to go if urban areas are truly going to become sustainable.

Exercise

Walmart moves into a poor community. What are the social

justice implications—good or bad? Discuss in small groups for 15

minutes.

Think About It

• Does your current teaching challenge students to identify areas of social inequity? If so, how? If not, what can you do to encourage this kind of thinking?

• What do you believe to be the most important aspects of social justice? Which aspects are you most likely going to include in your future curriculum?

Discuss as a Group

http://www.igencc.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Mod3-SocialEquityEnvironmentalJustice-Resources-1.pdf



Module Four

The Emerging Green Economy


1. Define the emerging green economy as it relates to our regional workforce needs.

2. Discuss key elements that contribute to sustaianble economic development.

3. Distinguish between new or emerging green career pathways and retraining existing occupations.

4. Act as change agents, entrepreneurs, advocates, consumers, and employees.

Iowa Lakes Community College

Discuss as a Group

What are some green economy/ green jobs in our area?

What is a Green Job?

Green Jobs and Green Collar Jobs

have a positive influence

on the environment.

.


Another key tenet of the green job definitionis that it must be good for people as well as theplanet: “The ‘people’ part means workers in green-collarjobs must be paid a family-supporting wage, havesafe working conditions, and have opportunities forcareer advancement…” --Ada McMahon


“Pushing a broom for $7 an hour doesn’t count as a green-collar job, even if it’s a solar panel factory you’re cleaning.”

Ada McMahon

What Do I Need to Know about the New Green Economy?

1. Everyone interacts with the planet and the ecosystems we depend upon for life.

2. Everyone has an important role to play in helping to create a sustainable future.

3. Some of the most crucial green jobs haven’t been created yet, so you have to understand the green economy to predict it and

contribute to its strength.4. This is not just about green jobs, but green thinking, systems

thinking, and creating effective change.5. Schools have a unique and important role that requires new actions.

• Where are existing jobs?

• Where will new jobs be?• What are the job categories?• Who will get the jobs?• What are the skills required to do these

jobs?

Where are the Green Jobs?

Renewable EnergyGreen Jobs

Recycling

Community Outreach

Student Activities

Curriculum Development

Market Transformation

The Market Transformation

A clean/green economy - starting with maximizing energy and resource efficiency – will: • stabilize and reduce energy costs, • reduce chronic air pollution, • strengthen the economy by shifting expenditures

for energy to investment in innovation • improve national and international security by

reducing reliance on fuels from unstable and sometimes hostile parts of the world

• provide 10 million net new jobs in the next 5-10 years and

• restore US technological and economic leadership.

---from Dr. Anthony Cortese

We are on the threshold of an enormous new wave of innovation

called the Green Economy

Just as CCs played a crucial but reactive role in the IT revolution (90s), we know that this

time around CCs will need to be ahead of the curve, acting as a driver and catalyst for the

emerging green economy.

Conceptual and stylised representation of waves of innovationSource: TNEP (2005)

Understanding Green Workforce Training Needs

Greater Demand for Existing Occupations

Re-Training Existing Occupations

New and Emerging Green Job Training

Air Process TechnicianAir Quality TechnicianAlternative Financing Specialist Ambient Air MonitoringAsbestos Abatement Worker/Supervisor/InspectorAquatic/Terrestrial Habitat TechnicianBilling Analyst/Rate AnalystBiofuels Processing TechnicianBiohazard TechnicianBiological/Chemist Lab Technician/AnalystBiosolids Management TechnicianBoiler TechnicianBotany/Biology TechnicianBuilding Control Operator/Systems TechnicianBuilding Systems Automation TechnicianBuying/Selling Energy TechnicianCarbon Offset AnalystCarbon Sequestering TechnicianCarbon Trading Specialist/Analyst Chemical Hygiene OfficerClimate Change-Adaptation AnalystClimate Change Mitigation AnalystCluster System OperatorCoal Gasification TechnicianCoal Miner

Coastal Zone Management TechnicianCode InspectorCogeneration TechnicianCombustion TechnicianCommissioning TechnicianCompliance Officer/SpecialistCrop Yield/Biomass AnalystDecomposition TechnicianDesalination TechnicianDirect Digital Control ProgrammerDisaster Site TechnicianDrinking Water Lab TechnicianEcological Footprint AnalystEcology TechnicianEfficiency SpecialistEfficient Landscaping TechnicianEmergency Planning TechnicianEmergency Preparedness & Response TrainerEmergency Response TechnicianEnergy Assessment TechnicianEnergy AnalystEnergy AuditorEnergy Broker/TraderEnergy Contracting Specialist Energy Crop Farmers

New & Emerging Plus Greater Demand Green Jobs

Key: New Jobs Increased Demand for Existing Jobs

Energy Efficiency SpecialistEnergy Efficient Building Construction, Project Engineering & Implementation TechnicianEnergy Portfolio PlannerEnergy Project Developer/ManagerEnergy Resource ManagerEnergy Regulation SpecialistEnergy SpecialistEnergy Technology Program SpecialistEnvironmental Database TechnicianEnvironmental Education & Outreach TechnicianEnvironmental Management Systems TechnicianEnvironmental Regulatory Technician Environmental Site AssessorErgonomistExploration TechnicianField Services TechnicianFire management TechnicianFisheries TechnicianForestry TechnicianFuel Cell TechnicianFuel Testing/Verification TechnicianGenerator TechnicianGeneration and Utility-scale Construction TechnicianGeology Technician

Geospatial Technician Geothermal TechnicianGlobal Equity Specialist Graywater Systems Treatment ManagerGreenhouse Gas Emission SpecialistGreen Power TechnicianGreen Product SpecialistGround Water Remediation Systems TechnicianHazardous Materials TechnicianHazardous Waste TechnicianHealth & Safety TechnicianHealth Physics/Radiation Safety TechnicianHome Energy Rater TechnicianHorticulture/Landscape TechnicianHydrology/hydropower TechnicianIncentive Auditing Industrial Hygiene TechnicianIndustrial Pretreatment OperatorIndustrial Process Specialist Industrial/Municipal Wastewater Treatment OperatorInfrastructure/Construction TechnicianInorganic/Organic ContaminationInstrumentation TechnicianIrrigation Technician


Landfill TechnicianLand Survey TechnicianLand Use Planning/Redevelopment TechnicianLead Abatement Worker/Supervisor/InspectorLEED TechnicianLegislative AideLifecycle Analysis/Product Stewardship TechnicianLighting SpecialistLoss Control/Prevention RepresentativeMaintenance TechnicianMarine Science TechnicianMeasurement & Verification TechnicianMine Reclamation TechnicianMobile Lab Technician Mold/Mildew Remediation TechnicianNatural Resource TechnicianNonpoint Source Pollution TechnicianNuclear Fuel Enrichment & Reprocessing TechnicianNuclear Reactor TechnicianNuclear Waste TechnicianOcean Power TechnicianOil & Gas Exploration TechnicianOil & Gas Field TechnicianOil & Shale & Tar Sand Processing TechnicianOperations & Maintenance Technician

Parks & Recreation TechnicianPerformance Monitoring/Continuous Commissioning TechnicianPermaculture Design TechnicianPermitting/Licensing Technician/SpecialistPlan Reviewer/checkerProcurement & Tracking TechnicianProgram/Project CoordinatorPublic Safety/Security OfficerPurchasing Agent/Sales Rep (utility/private) Quality Assurance/Control SpecialistRange TechnicianRecycling TechnicianRegulatory Affairs TechnicianRenewable Energy Site Assessment TechRenewable Energy Systems InstallerRenewable Energy Maintenance TechnicianRemediation TechnicianResource Conservation/Efficiency ManagerRisk Management TechnicianSafety CoordinatorSafety & Health Auditor Safety & Health Trainer/Industrial TrainerSafety SpecialistSample Collection & Prep Technician


Sanitary Survey TechnicianSite & Building Exterior ManagerSite Safety MangerSmart Growth TechnicianSoil Conservation TechnicianSoil/Geotechnical Properties Technician/AnalystSolar Photovoltaic TechnicianSolar Resource AssessorSolar Thermal TechnicianSolid Waste TechnicianSource Sampling TechnicianStorm-water Management TechnicianSubsurface Disposal TechnicianSupervisory Control & Data Acquisition TechnicianSurface Water Technician/OperatorSustainability CoordinatorSustainability Educator/TrainerSustainability Systems AnalystSustainable Design TechnicianSustainable Process & Procedures ManagerSurveyor/Site AssessorTertiary/Advanced Wastewater Systems TechnicianTesting/Commissioning TechnicianTransmission & Distribution TechnicianTransportation & Logistics Specialist

Transportation Source TechnicianTreatment, Storage & Disposal Facility TechnicianUnderground Storage Tank TechnicianUranium ProspectorUrban Agriculture TechnicianUtility Scale Renewable Energy Installation TechnicianWaste Reduction TechnicianWaste-to-Energy TechnicianWastewater Collection System TechnicianWastewater Lab TechnicianWater Conservation TechnicianWater Resources TechnicianWater Rights TechnicianWater Security TechnicianWatershed Management TechnicianWatershed Protection TechnicianWater Supply/Distribution TechnicianWater Supply Quality EducatorTrainerWell Drilling TechnicianWellhead Protection TechnicianWetlands TechnicianWildlife TechnicianWind Resources AssessorWind Turbine Technician


Understanding Green Workforce Training Needs

Greater Demand for Existing Occupations

Re-Training Existing Occupations

New and Emerging Green Job Training

1. Key to increasing market integration of new innovations, stimulating new jobs and business growth

2. Improves market competitiveness

Managing Green Cleaning and Green Custodial Services

Storing and Integrating New Green Fuels: Biodiesel

New Building Control Strategies: Occupancy sensor driven temperature Setbacks

Reusing cooking oil to fuel trucks

Funding, Installing and Maintaining Ground Source

Heat Pumps

Retraining Existing Occupations

Organic LandscapingAnd Ground Managements

Urban Agriculture, Organic Community Gardening Projects

Green Laboratory Management

Waste Reuse

Getting Local Produce to market


Waste Reduction and Recycling


Green Hospitalities

Residential Green Living

Green Building Management

Audits: Waste, Energy, Water

Green Finance and accounting: Life Cycle Costing

Green Purchasing Practices

Green Office Practices


Deconstruction, demolition waste recycling

Energy Modeling, Daylight Modeling

Green Interior DesignGreen HVAC

Green Pluming

Behavior Change Programs: Social Marketing


The Role of Community Colleges in the Emerging Green Economy

Green Economy is already expanding significantly,driven by:

- increasing consumer demand, - venture capital infusions,- and federal and state policy reforms.

“Community Colleges are the fulcrum on which this whole transition is going to be made.”

--Van Jones, Oct. 19, 2008

Leveraging the Power of Community Colleges: How Many People Can We Reach?

There are over 1100 Community Colleges in the USA = 6.7 million students

Community College enrollments are growing at a faster pace than University enrollments

Almost half of all undergraduate students in the USA are now

studying at Community Colleges !

Community Colleges are central to our nation’s future success in the Emerging Green Economy

Write a Reflection

• How do you feel the Emerging Green Economy connects to your curriculum?

Discuss as a Group

http://www.igencc.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Mod4-GreenEconomy-Resources-1.pdf



Module Five

Developing a Capstone Project

Objectives: Upon completion of this module, faculty participants will be able to:

1. Develop course learning activities that will promote students’ sustainability literacy.

2. Collaborate with other faculty in developing course assignments

Given what we’ve discussed and the resources which will be sent to you electronically, begin to think about creating one well-developed sustainability assignment for one of your courses.

Are you currently introducing sustainability into any of your courses?

Discuss as a Group

Module Six

A Call to Action:Thinking Globally, Acting Locally


1. Develop and integrate connections between our daily choices and a variety of local and global implications of these choices.

2. Discuss examples of local stakeholders on the campus and in the community that contribute , collaborate, influence, and engage in sustainability in our local environment.

3. Sense the world in a new way.

Use the campus and community as a resource

• What is this place?• How is it used?• What could this mean to your curriculum for students?

Discuss as a Group

http://www.igencc.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Mod5-ThinkingGloballyActingLocally-Resources.pdf





Capstone Project

Creating a Sustainability Assignment

• Create one well-developed sustainability assignment for one of your courses• Include an objective and an assessment tool.

Capstone Project Assignment

Capstone Project: Creating a Sustainability Assignment

I. Title:

II. Course Student Learning Outcomes supported by this assignment

III. Learning Outcomes- this assignment

IV. Description of the Assignment (Critical Thinking Skills of the assignment– an important part of teaching our students about sustainability)

V. Method of Assessment

Complete a course evaluation (to be sent on-line)

We can choose a sustainable

future

Congratulations for all you will do

in the future.

pilot program deborah renville and bert jacobson october 2010 greening your curriculum

Documents

sustainability slide

curriculum slide

group slide

nature slide

berkeley slide

powerpoint presentation

sustainable development

wombat http