Sustainability Workblog

May Move Out Meeting on Wed. Feb 22 at 10-11 am with Dan Vroegop from Goodwill. 207 Science Center. Discussion:

1. Dan will share any suggestions for improvements from his perspective.
2. We also hope to work recycling into the May Move Out this year. We are working on getting stand-up recycling bins which can be placed by the pods. When our Buildings & Grounds person comes around in the morn to open the pods, he will grab any recyclables and take them to the recycling dumpster.
3. We need to finalize the date for the Mini May Move out, so letting us know about the availability of one of your trucks for the day is important.
4. The last few years we had a group of students come down to help sort stuff at the Del. Goodwill store on a Sat or Sunday, just to see how your process works. It would be good to consider scheduling that again this spring.
5. One more thing: for the last few years OWU has paid a company (College Hunks Moving Junk) to clear out things left in the dorms. This includes junk, but also things students did not want to move, or things they did not want to throw away (but did not move to the pods). We are contemplating having our students help move the stuff out (B&G will then donate the savings to a Green Fund). This effort would potentially involve help from Goodwill to take away any of the donate-ables pulled from the dorms.

 

2/17 Meeting with Jennifer Way-Young (Delaware Health)

The meeting agenda is annotated in red with information gleaned from the discussion.

Contact: jway-young@delawarehealth.org

Handouts

• Draft Sustainability Plan
• Spring 2017 Sustainability Progress
• Food/Farm Collaboration Honda Grant (pending)

Agenda

1. Mini May Move Out (Wed March 22) & May Move Out (May 1-?)
   1. Delaware involvement (May Move Out)?
   2. Recycling as part of May Move Out

• Food and Farm Initiatives

1. Honda Grant
   1. Consider the Delaware County Community Foundation for funds for community outreach type projects.
2. Campus Garden, aka, A Long String of Failed Attempts I
   1. Collaboration with MTSO/Seminary Hill Farm (Tadd Peterson): creation of gardening activity courses, late spring and early fall each semester. Focus on early and late crops. Additional effort to establish perennial crops (mint, asparagus, etc.)
   2. Additional outreach to Del Master Gardeners (Chris Burger: chrisbu@columbus.rr.com)
   3. Ready Set Grow offered February 25th: basic gardening skills
   4. Maddie C: Are there any public health laws or restrictions that would not permit us from using our own crops in the dining halls?
      1. Answer: No
   5. Maddie C: Are there any city ordinances that would limit the placement or size of a campus garden or food shed?  
      1. Answer: No
3. Used Food on Campus:
   1. Food Recovery Network: limited, primarily pre-wrapped food and food from the dining halls
   2. Ryan B: Catering Food Recovery: Claims that the food left over at events cannot be recovered due to health laws. Clarify if this is the case, and help us understand the specific regulations. Ideas for the distribution of leftover food (is it at all possible to put leftover food out in the evening and just let people come and eat?)
      1. Jennifer is going to check on the laws with her department, but does not believe there is any specific law forbidding the distribution of food. There are “good samaritan” laws that protect efforts to share left over food. Unless there is intentional negligence, there are no laws in particular that would stop OWU from distributing left over food
      2. One of the problems is to find a partner who can take food from campus and get it to people who need it. The food would have to be wrapped and kept cool. This can be a challenge with perishable food. It is easier with non-perishable food. Consider collaborating with a church or other organization. Consider small grants (Delaware Community Foundation) to fund distribution efforts.
      3. Leaving food out might not be the best way to distribute it to those in need. Mention of the family shelter south of campus, a planned domestic abuse shelter, and other similar programs in town. Work with other orgs. to get the food to these locations.

Composting, aka, A Long String of Failed Attempts II

1. DIY shipping pallets behind SLUs
2. Purchased composters behind SLUs
3. Zera (zera.com) for SLU
4. Worms: Blue House Worm Farm (Aleksandar Ilic)
5. Collaboration with Ray Leard: http://www.thecompostexchange.com/local-garden-partners

Jennifer: 

1. Consider a grant in collaboration with Delaware and potentially other partners on establishing a composting program. Current technology: In Vessel Systems. (in vessels system do not discriminate between fats and dairy products; http://forsolutionsllc.com/in-vessel-composting-system/). Contact Jenifer for more information (she has EPA contacts)
2. Problem with food waste: too much moisture, food waste is smelly and messy. Price Farms Organics taking food waste, and is very selective (only takes from Ohio Stadium when people are sitting and babysitting amount of compost that is put into it.)
3. For pallet composting: remember to have green and brown waste and bury the food waste. (ask if B&G can supply leaves, or if we can dry out scraps from gardening and bury those)
4. Animal problems are typically minimal: only had beetles, worms, garter snakes, etc. did not ever have large mammals
5. No health rules about composting, only that bins cannot smell (someone can report this to the County, they don’t go out looking (smelling) for stinky composters.
6. Aesthetics matter: http://earth911.com/home-garden/bokashi-composting/

• Sustainable Residence Hall Proposal

1. Start with a floor; expand in future: adjust physical amenities to allow for more sustainable living on campus

• Recycling in Delaware and on Campus

1. Ryan B: give us some more detail on the recycling system in Delaware, and the way recycling on campus is related to recycling in Delaware
   1. Jennifer would like to meet and discuss how OWU is doing recycling, who gets it, if the City of Delaware picks up any of our recycling
   2. Recommends joining CURC: http://curc3r.org/

• More communication and collaboration

1. How to develop relationship between Delaware and campus sustainability efforts?
   1. Liaison: Sustainable Delaware?
   2. Liaison: Watershed Coordinator, Delaware Health?

General Issues Week 4:

1. Review revised sustainability plan (presentation Wed noon at STF meeting)
2. Try to attend STF meeting
3. Two-Minute Promo Movie?
4. Inclusion of something sustainable in new student orientation?
5. Info to post on progress for projects other than Chartwells and May Move Out.

Meeting with Dan McGee (Chartwells): Wed Feb 1

1. Review below outline and let Krygier know of modifications
2. Continued problem with check out and return of boxes
   1. Continued problem with failure to return boxes (loss of boxes). From Jan 18th to Feb 2, 740 went out, 680 returned. Many returned to Merrick
   2. Limited technology limits return options. Followup with Denison to see if they have found a workable method with their reusable food containers. Seek other universities who have successfully implemented reusable food containers
   3. Allow students to cut in line to return boxes
   4. Additional return options in the residence halls?
   5. Allow drop off at any food outlet (return with staff who picks up materials at end of day)
   6. Option to buy a weeks worth of boxes at once
3. No-cost Reusable Containers
   1. Find examples of such a program at other universities so we have a better idea of the potential problems.
   2. Potentially target certain student groups or organizations to get access to no-cost reusable containers (more accountability?)
   3. Estimate the costs for replacement of a certain percent of boxes, and sources for funding this loss (WCSA?)
4. Promotion 
   1. Develop materials to help staff promote reusable boxes
   2. Make reusable containers more evident at checkout
   3. Develop promotional 8.5″ x 11″ poster with key information to post near checkouts, buttons, etc.
   4. Recruit a group of students (SLU, floor of residence hall, Fraternity, Sorority) to use the reusable containers, suggest improvements, etc. Continue to get new groups to do the same.
   5. Consider a redesigned Bishop Box to fit in with general OWU style
5. Means of driving down use of throw-away containers
   1. Get throw-away containers that hold less food (equal amounts)
   2. Charge for throw-away containers. Check if this happens at other universities. Dan will check on this also.
6. Seek sustainable option for Papa John’s pizza
   1. Dan will check with Papa John’s contact
   2. Tie into promotions at OWU
7. Observation or time serving at checkout to observe the situation 
   1. “After the meeting Izzy and I were waiting for dinner and Dan offered for us to go in the back and watch to see what containers people were using. In the first 30 minutes there were 9 people who selected green boxes. By then end of our 45-60 minute time about 16 people used green boxes. We noticed that most people asked for the paper to go boxes. One of the Chartwell workers grabbed for the green as someone said to go and then the student said that she wanted a paper one…. Which was pretty frustrating to see. Also the staff kept talking about to us about how they see so much waste and really like the idea of the green boxes but brought up the size difference and return process.”
   2. Consider more of these observations? Put in time at the checkout?
8. Followup: outline next steps and strategy (by Friday, Feb 10)

Meeting with Peter Schantz and Jay Scheffel (B&G): Friday Feb. 3

1. Review below outline and let Krygier know of modifications
2. Review materials for last year and update for this year (on shared drive)
   1. Work to revise the master document (so we can adapt and reuse next year)
   2. Review below outline and let Krygier know of modifications
3. Walk the locations with Jay Scheffel (schedule this)
   1. Make adjustments in pod and dumpster locations (make pods more convenient, dumpsters less convenient)
   2. Get May Move Out banners back
4. Plan Mini May Move Out (detailed plan draft by Friday Feb. 10)
   1. arrange with Goodwill to have truck parked by Chappelear
   2. arrange a food truck (check with Zanna Wright)
   3. stickers and other swag
   4. puppies, goats, cows, whatever
   5. promote donations to students, faculty and staff
5. Recycling in Pods
   1. B&G will obtain cardboard recycle bins with clear plastic bags; keep in or around pods to collect recyclables. Will be picked up when B&G staff opens the pods in the morning.
   2. Include recycling option in promotions
6. Meeting with Res Life and Tanna and Goodwill (schedule this)
   1. Jay/Peter: will get numbers from Tanna on stuff left behind, costs
   2. Consider paying the cost of Junk Hunks to an OWU Green fund and get student volunteers to haul out stuff, sort into pods and dumpsters
   3. Promotion to RAs. Make effort known at last floor meeting

Meeting with Dan McGee (Chartwells) and Tadd Peterson and Noel Deehr (MTSO, Seminary Hill Farm): Monday Feb. 6

1. Hyper Local Salad Bar: Dan is seeking permission to move forward with a project Gene and Tadd discussed before Gene left, to have Seminary Hill Farm supply greens and vegetables for a hyper-local salad bar. Goal: Fall 2017.
   1. This is an experiment that can expand if successful
   2. Potential to use vegetables and greens from OWU gardens
   3. Potential to use vegetables from proposed perennial, low maintenance crops
   4. Justification: OWU’s historical relationship with MTSO, connection through internships for OWU students at MTSO, connection through Cooking Matters collaboration, connection between OWU and MTSO presidents.
   5. When this proceeds, students will help support the effort, Transcript article, promotion, etc.
2. Ideas for additional local, organic, vegan/vegetarian options tied to this salad bar
   1. Ellen Sizer in Geog 360
3. Composting
   1. Seminary Hill Farm uses compost from FreshAire Composting, Dan Young, Union City, Ohio. Compost no longer available from Price Farms.
   2. Set up meeting between Alex the Worm Guy and Tadd and Noel (schedule)

Meeting about Environment & Sustainability Proposal: Tuesday Feb. 7

 

Meeting of Sustainability Task Force: Wednesday Feb 8

 

 

 

Outcomes of our Tree Haüs meeting last evening:

Please forthwith proceed with the following tasks (based on the projects you are working on):

For the meeting with Dan McGee on Wed at 4 please get me an agenda for the meeting by noon tomorrow. This includes discussion points including:

• reusable food containers (pizza boxes?)
• composting
• Yellowbird Food Network
• Food Recovery Network and related efforts; left over food (Ryan food fight); catering guidelines for preserving food
• stats on bottled water sales
  • http://www.bizbash.com/5-tips-for-donating-food-after-events/new-york/story/29700/
  • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/restaurants-that-dont-donate-because-of-liability-are-just-making-excuses-experts-say_us_577d6f92e4b0344d514dd20f
  • https://www.usda.gov/oce/foodwaste/resources/donations.htm
• other issues?

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For the meeting with Peter from B&G and also Res Life on Friday at noon in 207 SCSC: please get me an agenda for the meeting by noon Thursday; review Peter’s comments about what he wants to hear about (in the email from a few days ago) and review the stuff in the online shared Drive folder. Other issues

• cost of getting the College Chunks to move junk left behind in rooms (cost to students; maybe use as a way to encourage participation in May Move Out)
• how to incorporate recycling in the May Move Out

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Other groups: proceed with stuff as we discussed last night

• Composting guy: Ray Leard (not Loard): http://www.thecompostexchange.com/local-garden-partners/
• list of Garden interested students
• things i missed or forgot
• additional things i missed or forgot

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Other stuff I have in my notes:

That Denison event: Eva is going to find out if OWU is an official sponsor if we pay the $2000; Get this event on our class calendar and work on a presentation that overlaps with our class presentation at the student research symposium and Green Week

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For Green Week:

• consider teaming up with other orgs like Greeks and maybe international student groups to get more participation. Many of the frats/soror. have green programs. Many international students sometimes have a very different perspective on sustainability from their home countries.
• consider involving the Citizens Climate Lobby, Sustainable Del. and the Watershed Coordinator in Green Week to get some off campus people involved

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Projects for Spring 2017

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Green Week & Earth Day 2017: For all project groups: plan events, information, outreach related to projects for week of April 17.

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Priority: OWU Sustainability Plan Adoption
Project Boss: Emily Howald
Little Helpers: For all students in 499, selected help with outreach to groups and attendance at some meetings.

Goal: submitted to OWU Administration for adoption by end of semester

1. Research and compose a signable letter of support for Plan that does not entail a financial obligation.
2. Select groups to meet with to review Plan and sign support letter:
   1. Sustainability Task Force (present at February meeting [tba])
   2. Executive Committee (meet by ?)
   3. WCSA (meet by ?)
   4. Environment & Wildlife (meet by ?)
   5. ?
3. Arrange meetings
4. Present to Faculty during last faculty meeting (Green Week): April 17

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Priority: May Move Out: Planning and Implementation Spring 2017
Project Boss: [Eva Blockstein, James Ormerod, Sydney Spotts]
Little Helpers:

Goal: successful 2017 May Move Out with improvements in promotion and outreach

1. Appoint a project boss and point person or some other chain of command (by Friday Jan 27)
2. Arrange a meeting with Peter Schantz (B&G): cc Krygier & Howald (by Friday, Jan 27). Have Krygier review email before it is sent.
3. Review materials: Geog 499 Spring 2017 / Action: May Move Out
4. Prepare to discuss (briefly) effort in class meeting Friday Jan. 27
5. May Move Out Foci:
   1. Planning and implementation of May Move Out
   2. Promotion
   3. Recycling
   4. ?

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Priority: Reusable Food Containers (& Chartwells Sustainability)
Project Boss: [Ryan Bishop, Sarah Hanes, Izzy Sommerdorf]
Little Helpers:

Goal: increase the ease of use and use of reusable food containers

1. Appoint a project boss and point person or some other chain of command (by Friday Jan 27)
2. Arrange a meeting with Dan McGee (Chartwells): cc Krygier & Howald (by Tuesday Jan 31, noon) after discussion about the range of issues to be discussed. Have Krygier review email before it is sent.
3. Review materials: Geog 499 Spring 2017 / Action: Reusable Food Containers
4. Prepare to discuss (briefly) effort in class meeting Friday Jan. 27
5. Prepare to discuss effort in class meeting Monday Jan. 30
6. Chartwell’s Sustainability
   1. Reusable Food Containers
      1. Promotion
      2. Problems with return options (lack of scanners)
      3. Problems with “image” of food containers
      4. ?
   2. Composting: status of composting
      1. Alex the Worm Guy
      2. New composting company
   3. Additional Chartwell’s Initiatives & Issues
      1. Food Recovery Network & related efforts
      2. Red meat reduction
      3. Purchasing Local Foods (Yellowbird Foodshed)
      4. Bottled water sales (check if still in decline)
      5. Other waste issues (coffee cups, etc.)
      6. ?
   4. ?

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Priority: Green Infrastructure in Residence Halls & SLUs
Project Boss: [Ryan Bishop, Emily Howald]
Little Helpers:

Goal: implement at least Phase 1 of the plan below

1. Appoint a project boss and point person or some other chain of command (by Friday Jan 27)
2. Review materials: Geog 499 Spring 2017 / Action: Sustainable Residence Halls
3. Develop a proposal in phases for green infrastructure
   1. Phase 1: Split recycle/garbage bins in rooms on one res hall floor / one RA
      1. Understanding the recycle and waste stream on the residential side of campus. Contact B&G.
      2. Understanding the procedures for moving recyclables: housekeeping (Aramark) vs. students managing their own waste/recycling.
      3. Funding of the recycle/garbage bins (WCSA grant?)
      4. ?
   2. Phase 2: more extensive infrastructure changes to floor / RA
      1. Sustainable Living Vision + Treehouse SLU ideas
      2. Evaluation?
      3. Include ideas in development of new SLUs?

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Delaware Foodshed Collaborative
Project Boss: Emily Howald
Little Helpers: Maddie Coalmer, Larynn Cutshaw

Goal: continue the conversation about how a sustainable campus garden can be established and maintained.

1. Arrange meeting of the following
   1. Chris Fink, Laurie Anderson
   2. Seminary Hill Farm: Tadd Peterson, Noel Dheer
   3. Stratford (?)
   4. Chris Burger (Master Gardeners of Delaware)
2. Related issues:
   1. Activity courses (gardening)
   2. Salvaging current garden and prepping future garden space
   3. Potential to use existing gardens (south of campus)?

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Composting
Project Boss: Eva Blockstein

Goal: Proposal to evaluate composting for students and efforts towards that goal established (implement outdoor composting, acquire Zera composter).

1. Develop proposal for implementation and evaluation of composting on campus
   1. Traditional outdoor composting bins for SLUs
   2. Kitchen food scrap composter: https://www.zera.com ($999)
      1. Grant money from WCSA or SIP?
   3. Scraps and food waste saved and picked up by company potentially working with Chartwell’s and City of Delware
2. Goal: recommend a sustainable approach to composting for students and SLUs

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Activity Courses: Sustainability
Project Boss: Emily Howald
Little helpers: Maddie Coalmer, Larynn Cutshaw

Goal: to have two activity courses (gardening, some kind of repair focus for 2nd module Spring 2017 or Fall 2017)

1. Emily Howald will continue to work to get instructors and help define two initial courses.
2. Assistance with recruiting students to take courses, document ideas for additional courses

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Proposed Environment & Sustainability Program
Project Boss: John Krygier
Little Helpers: Maddie Coalmer, Larynn Cutshaw

Goal: OWU approves an Environmental Science major and revised Environmental Studies major as part of the new Environment & Sustainability Program.

1. Wait on forthcoming faculty meetings to work out details of program and major revisions
2. Ideas for a new introductory Environment & Sustainability course
3. Potential assistance to get proposal adopted

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Green Fee Revisited
Project Boss: Ryan Bishop

Goal: review efforts in 2012 to implement green fee and assess the viability of reintroducing the idea (as a way to fund a sustainability coordinator).

1. 2012 materials in Geog 499 Spring 2017 / Action: Green Fee (2012)

 

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Additional Projects: Potentially Outsource to Geog 360 or Independent Studies

1. Outreach to regional campuses: Ohio Five Student Coalition for Climate Action (OFSCCA)
2. Earth Hour & Light Pollution (w/ Mallory Cochran, Max Kerns)
3. Reduction in Bottled Water Purchases & Hydration Stations
4. Bikeshare Revisited: evaluate the utter failure of past projects and the potential of a collaboration with the City of Delware on a sustainable bike project.
5. Plastic Bag Reduction on Campus

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Outreach for Spring 2017

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1. Jenifer Way-Young, Delaware Health: recycling, composting, food recovery, May Move Out, community gardens
2. Karen Crosman, OWU Development: Grants
3. Colin Smith, Delaware Watershed Coordinator
4. Rand Griffin
5. Delaware Citizens Climate Lobby
6. Sustainable Delaware

 

Finishing Up The Spring 2016 Semester

We waded in and made progress this spring. To wrap things up please do the following and get it to me by Thursday May 5:

1. Project Reports

• Allie and Blake: Reusable Food Containers
• Allie: Food Collaboration
• Emily, James and Zanna: May Move Out

For each report (about 3 pages) compile the following:

• work and research completed
• key contacts
• where we stand and next steps (to ensure 100% reusable containers, Fall 2016)
• organize the Geog 499 shared folder for the individual project, make sure the Project Report will help future students take over this project; make sure all materials created (posters, artwork for stickers, etc.) are also in the shared folder
• your assessment of the project and what was completed this semester, and recommendations for the future

2. Course & Personal Assessment: about 3 pages

One page or so: your thoughts on the course, its structure, and the way we worked out the goals (the revised Sustainability Plan and specific projects). Did the wheels come off? Or not? Did we do more than throw a pinecone (see below)? Do you think our effort will affect sustainability efforts on campus? Or are you more pessimistic? Given that I will offer the course again next spring, document 3 things that worked well, and 3 that could use some work and/or ideas for what the course should focus on. Your suggestions for next year are very much appreciated.

One page or so: assessment of your personal efforts in the course. Describe what you did (specifically) and your role in the class (compared to other students in the class). Given your efforts, and in comparison with your pals in the class, let me know what you think you deserve for a letter grade.

Despite the lack of postings to this class blog, we have made significant progress in the Sustainability Practicum this semester.

Students have tackled the May Move Out, adjusting it to deal with no funds to run it this semester (and this has been accomplished) while working on marketing and communicating the May Move Out to students at OWU (including a new mascot, the Moooove Out Cow). The May Move Out is a go, and we are anticipating beating our 2015 haul of 9.5 tons of stuff donated to Goodwill.

We are also tackling the technical issues that have limited the use of the reusable food containers at HWCC. We hope to resolve those problems and be ready to go 100% reusable containers for the fall of 2016.

Best of all, we have a newly concocted OWU Sustainability Plan that is very different from the 40 page monster created in the spring of 2015. The new plan can be viewed in all its glory (with some background) here at OWU Sustainability Plan.

 

As the end of the semester nears, we need to ensure that your work and recommendations for future efforts are documented in a concise and coherent way.

Everyone: Comments on the Draft Sustainability Report: Please compile comments received about the report in the April 4 STF meeting. Please add the comments to the Google Drive draft plan at appropriate locations in the document.

Everyone: Grants / Foundations: Please put information you documented along with your name in the document in the Action: Grants / Foundation folder.

Group UC160: Please create a brief report on your recommendations for a section of UC160 focused on Sustainability. Resources and report in folder Action: UC160 Sustainability.

Group Student Symposium: Please create a brief report on the presentation (date, time, questions, etc.) and your recommendations for future similar presentations or outreach. Resources and report in folder Action: Student Symposium.

Group Dominion Foundation Grant: Please create a brief report on the Dominion Foundation Grant – Building Energy Monitors – and recommendations about writing this grant. We have basic information about these monitors but could use ideas for how to actually use them (building vs building or floor vs floor competitions to reduce energy use). Resources and report in Action: Grants / Foundations. Resources:

• Energy_OWU.pdf: Student project report: see page 3 for recommendation for building energy monitors; the rest of this report sets the context for how we could document and compare energy data.
• NSF_TUES_Grant.pdf: see page 7-8 in this grant proposal.

Group Badges: Please create a brief report on information and ideas for using Badges to promote sustainability and sustainability efforts on campus. Please look back at my discussion on the Week 11 Progress posting on this blog and include links to resources.

Group Food: Please create a brief report focused on the four goals we discussed with Gene Castelli for the food section of the sustainability report:

• Real Food Challenge: Gene will update on his progress
• Composting: Gene will get data (food scraps waste and Trim Trax program); summarize data from Geography 360 project on composting
• Dishwasher and Reusable Dinnerware: Gene will get data on use of disposable dinnerware before and after introduction of reusable dinnerware (HWCC). Summarize data from Geography 360 project on dishwasher and reusable dinnerware (Allie France)
• Bottled Water: Gene will get data on amount of bottled water sold on campus and continue to collect this data so we can monitor. Summarize data from Geography 360 project focused on water bottles and Ban the Bottle (Olivia Lease).
• Student Position: Need for 10-15 hours per week of student labor to compile data. This could be the Legacy Internship position or potentially a new position created by the STF. Include a proposal for this position for fall of 2015.
• Local Food Outreach: Finally, include as a goal OWU outreach to both Stratford and MTSO regarding their farms/gardens. Briefly summarize what each are doing. Also include mention of the Delaware Community Market.

•••••

Finishing Up The Semester

I. Against Sustainability: 2 or so pages

Echo chambers are not good! This situation occurs when all in a group believe just about the same thing and only interact with those who share similar beliefs. To throw a different voice into our efforts as we close the semester, I would like each of you to read a recent invective focused on sustainability on college campuses written by the National Association of Scholars (NAS). 

The NAS is a “think tank” funded by a small number of politically conservative organizations (Sarah Scaife Foundation, John M. Olin Foundation, the Bradley Foundation, the Castle Rock Foundation, and the Smith Richardson Foundation – all linked to in the Wikipedia article on the NAS). These foundations were built as an alternative source of “scholarly” efforts outside of colleges and universities (which are seen as being too liberal and unsympathetic to conservative causes).

Conservative organizations have targeted environmental studies and sustainability in higher education for several decades and the recent report is a good example of their concerns. Along with such critiques come efforts to focus research efforts in government and higher education on topics other than the environment. For example, the official Republican Party Platform has been erasing environmental issues from the science policy section of their platform and instead focusing on issues such as space exploration and neuroscience. Some have suggested that the funding (particularly from private donations) for neuroscience programs in higher education, for example, is an effort to shift focus away from typically popular environmental studies/science and sustainability programs. Curious!

Take a look at the report, linked below, and we will discuss during our last meeting (Thursday April 30). I would like you to write up a few pages of your thoughts on this report as part of your final efforts in the class (Due Thursday May 7 at noon).

• Report: Sustainability: Higher Education’s New Fundamentalism

•••••

2. Course & Personal Assessment: 2-4 pages

One page or so: your thoughts on the course, its structure, and the way we worked out the goal (creating a draft Sustainability Plan). Did the wheels come off? Or not? Did we do more than throw a pinecone (see below)? Do you think our effort will affect sustainability efforts on campus? Or are you more pessimistic? Given that I will offer the course again next spring, document 3 things that worked well, and 3 that could use some work and/or ideas for what the course should focus on. Your suggestions for next year are very much appreciated.

One page or so: assessment of your personal efforts in the course. Describe what you did (specifically) and your role in the class (compared to other students in the class). As usual, given your efforts, let me know what you think you deserve for a letter grade.

Also due Thursday May 7 at noon.