Building an Interdisciplinary Sustainability Degree:

Use What You Have

Margaret Robertson, ASLALane Community College – Eugene, Oregon

Start where you are. Use what you have.

Do what you can.

--Arthur Ashe

Sustainability Coordinator Degree

• Developed outcomes matched courses

full 2-year degree

• Only a 1-credit seminar is new.

• Almost no cost

Outcomes = knowledge, skills, abilities

• Define outcomes for competent sustainability professional.

• So . . . What is sustainability??

“Sustainability,” the idea:

• Systems• Processes that continue over

very long periods of time

NOAA

Examples:• Ecosystems• The Earth system

National Park Service

Instruction manual

NASA

Systems thinking

• Networks• Life is made of connections.

U.S. Department of Energy, Genomic Science Program

“Triple Bottom Line”

Ecotrust: Conservation Economy Pattern Map

• Environment• Economics• Equity

• (They are connected.)

• New field• Interdisciplinary

“Sustainability,” the discipline:

The Unesco model

Information visualization – Pathfinder citation analysis

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• What makes processes and systems sustainable?

▪ (persist over long periods)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

U.S. Department of Energy/BERIS

• Beyond recycling and solar panels• Everything is connected.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Understand existing conditions.• Are they sustainable?

UNEP / Arendal

• . . . existing conditions –

• Are they sustainable?

▪ Mass extinction▪ Declining fossil fuel

reserves▪ Climate destabilization

IPCC

350.org

U.S. Global Change Research Program

U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• Existing conditions –

▪ Mass extinction▪ Declining fossil fuel

reserves▪ Climate destabilization

Problems are connected.

• State of the planet: dire and getting

worse.

• We are nearly out of time.

Wackernagel and ReesCatalyst Bioregional Series

• We can’t see it yet.

• There is hope.• Threshold of a new,

regenerative era?U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service

U.S. Depart of Energy

Oregon Sustainability CenterPortland State University

World ahead will not be like it is now.

• Future leaders with vision.• Ability to lead us through the transition.

Need:

The Natural Step

• Broad knowledge• Systems thinking• Critical thinking skills• People skills

Designer’s Atlas of SustainabilityFootprint Network

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

Step 1. Develop outcomes Most important thing you can do: Get the outcomes right.

• Professional society• Journal• Body of knowledge

Step 1. Develop outcomes – How?

Sustainability: an emerging field

No single, authoritative . . .

Sources

• Job descriptions▪ But limited to what exists now.

• Surveys*▪ But limited to what respondents

already know.• Literature • Other programs• Advisory committees• Collaboration

*e.g., regional market survey ISSP practitioners’ survey AASHE sustainability

directors’ survey

Sources

*Forthcoming: Sustainability: Theory and Practice. Pearson, 2013.

• Job descriptions• Surveys• Literature*

• Books, articles: specific topics• Other programs• Advisory committees• Collaboration

I. Overview1. Sustainability2. History3. The Living Planet4. Gaia: Earth Systems Science

II. IssuesIII. StrategiesIV. Organizational Skills

Sustainability: Theory and Practice:

You are welcome to use this outline.

Sources

I. OverviewII. Issues*

5. Climate Change6. Water Issues7. Ecosystem Change8. Human Health9. Human Population Growth10. Pollution11. Fossil Fuels12. Food Issues13. Failing States14. Economics

III. StrategiesIV. Organizational Skills

*State of the planet

Sustainability: Theory and Practice:Sources

I. OverviewII. IssuesIII. Strategies*

15. Climate Stabilization16. Ecosystem Restoration17. Stream Restoration18. Stabilizing the Human Population19. Pollution Remediation/Prevention20. Renewable Energy21. Energy Efficiency22. Water Efficiency23. Stormwater and Wastewater24. Sustainable Sites25. Soil Conservation and Renewal26. Green Buildings27. Green Manufacturing28. Waste and Recycling29. Food30. Livable Cities

IV. Organizational Skills

* Tools for a new, regenerative era

Sustainability: Theory and Practice:Sources

I. OverviewII. IssuesIII. StrategiesIV. Organizational Skills

31. Certification Tools32. Indicators and Measurement33. Working in an Organization34. Working with People35. Education

Sustainability: Theory and Practice:Sources

Sources

• Job descriptions• Surveys• Literature • Other programs*• Advisory committees• Collaboration

*You are welcome to use Lane’s outcomes.

Collaboration*

• Symbiosis: a fundamental process

• Cooperation generates much of life on Earth.

*An approach modeled on natural systems

Step 1. Develop outcomes

Science Outcomes

• Science foundation = how sustainable systems

work

U.S. Department of Energy, Genomic Science program

Outcomes

• Nuts and bolts skills for leaders

Closed loop – zero waste

Water

Energy

Eco-Cycle

Sidwell Friends School, Andropogon

LEED Visual GA, V3

Outcomes

• Management• Data analysis• Measurements for

indicator reports

Sustainability Indicators, Sustainable Measures

Outcomes

• Leaders as change agents

Important!

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Department of Energy/NREL

Summary of Outcomes

• Science foundation• Technical skills• Managing organizations• Skills for change agents

Outcomes

Step 2. Map existing courses to outcomes

Step 2. Map existing courses to outcomes

• Catalog descriptions• Then review syllabi• Then interview instructors

Researching existing courses:

• Data from sustainability infusion or environmental literacy program, if one exists.

Step 3. Identify gaps

Step 4. Create course(s) to fill gaps

• In-house experts• Community experts

http://www.lanecc.edu/collegecatalog/documents/CTsustainabilitycoord.pdf

Step 5. Align with your institution’s graduation requirements

We still need:

• Tools for matching courses to outcomes• Introductory course• Capstone course

• Future: electives

Challenges

• Collaboration ▪ Messy▪ Field still forming

• Developing new courses▪ Hard work▪ Low pay

• Building a cohort▪ Big issue for interdisciplinary programs

Questions?

Margaret Robertson: 541-463-3143 - robertsonm@lanecc.edu

Sustainability Coordinator degree - www.lanecc.edu/advtech/SUST/index.htm