Debra Rowe- Professor of Sustainable Energies & Behavioral Sciences, Oakland Community College Education for Sustainable Development: National Trends, Strategies, and Resources www.heasc.net/profdev.php Webinar with slides & audio recordings Shift Society or Bust: Part I: What is Sustainable Development? Part II: National Trends Part III: Examples and Resources Part IV: Q & A I: Education for a sustainable society: "enables people to develop the knowledge, values and skills to participate in decisions..., that will improve the quality of life now without damaging the planet for the future." Boils down to three things: take the knowledge, skills and values that we learn in our education to change our daily habits and to change the laws and regulations of society to make sustainability easy for all of society. We are the first generation capable of determining the habitability of the planet for humans and other species. Climate change = Civilization Disruption We must take action now and that is why education for sustainability is so important. The public is generally unaware to the consequences of exceeding the carrying capacity of the planet. People are unaware of the good news too. We can build stronger economies that will produce quality of life and reduce human suffering, environmental degradation and social injustice now. It has been done in the past (women's suffrage, civil rights, etc) we can do it for sustainability too. Part II: National Trends US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development created in response to a lack of national leadership from Washington in responding to the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Unacknowledged by current administration. Trends:Business-LOHAS, SOL Sustainability Consortium, CERES, investors Goldman Sachs, Swiss RE etcCommunities- Mayors Climate Protection and Smart Growth, Grand Rapids modelK-12- Nat. Assoc. of Independent Schools, U.S. Partnership resourcesFaith- National Religious Partnership and Interfaith Alliance, Regeneration ProjectYouth- Campus Climate Challenge, Reduce Your Impact, Action Campaigns Frame-Take action of be left behind For Higher Education Sustainable Development must be integrated in to all areas: mission and planning, student life, alumni, community partnerships, research, societal outreach using the media, legislation, operations, curricula, purchasing, professional development. We have created a National Trend in higher education 1. Presidents Climate Commitment-Signed by over 350 presidents to model climate neutrality for society and to contribute to research and educating students to solve climate crisis. -within 2 months-Structure for planning -within 1 year- GHG inventory -within 2 years-Develop Climate Action Plan & implement two (or more) emissions reduction projects 2. Interdisciplinary associations and higher education associations coming together to work on sustainability. Engaged National HE Associations: Dozen of organizations, but none had come together to work on sustainability. Created Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium- www.heasc.net to have sustainability practices and policies part of all Higher Ed associations. American College Personnel Association (ACPA) joined HEASC and provide many resources on their web site. Another initiative: Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability (DANS) A network ofprofessional associationsworking on professionalizing sustainability research and teaching. -Wok on curricula, legislative briefings, informing the public, cross-disciplinary approaches, promotion and tenure and accreditation, funding, etc. The national trend has meant media is coming to us! Time/Newsweek, CNN, Science Magazine, MTV etc. We must build on the Trends that are occurring! -Point to the innovators and call it an emerging trend. Build toward the critical masses. We must to shift society in two major ways-collaborative media projects (controlling the language, using the joint voices of Higher Education, Communities, Youth Sectors and Faith sectors) and promoting and getting legislation that supports sustainability.Above all else-Let your enthusiasm show!