Sustainability in the Curriculum

Sustainability in the CurriculumProfessional Development Day 2013

Sarah Johnson

Sustainability“development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

“ Brundtland Definition” Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development. 1987.

“creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations.”

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Sustainability is....

•Inherently interdisciplinary

•Biology, public policy, technology, etc.

•Integrates holistic thinking and reasoning skills

•Use sustainability as the vehicle for teaching your course objectives

New Core Curriculum Objectives:To Be Implemented Fall 2014

•Use sustainability topics and current events for class discussions or debates

• core objectives: CT and COMM

•Use “real world” data sets for assessments or projects

• core objectives: EQS

•Use sustainability topics for group projects or papers

• core objective: TW

Sustainability in the Curriculum

Faculty TestimonialsBIOL 1413: Introductory Zoology

Faculty TestimonialsBIOL 1413: Introductory Zoology

Faculty TestimonialsBIOL 1413: Introductory Zoology

Terri Cox (arranges BTS tour)Programs & Exhibits Curator(254) 750-8427terrico@ci.waco.tx.us

Laney Van Antwerp  (sets the special MCC fee rate of $10)Operations Supervisor254-750-8499LaneyV@ci.waco.tx.us

Faculty TestimonialsBIOL 1413: Introductory Zoology

Faculty TestimonialsBIOL 1407: Introductory Biology

(Majors)

Nora SchellLake Waco Wetlands

CoordinatorNoraS@ci.waco.tx.us

BIOL 2404: Introductory A&P

Faculty Testimonials

Faculty TestimonialsBIOL 2404: Introductory A&P

•BIOL 1322 Principles of Nutrition: Discuss the availability of locally grown food and its impact on sustainability. Field trip to Waco Downtown Farmers Market or MCC’s Community Garden

Sustainability in the Curriculum

•ENGR 1201 Introduction to Engineering: Explore the connection between engineering ethics and environmental justice, as well as the pros and cons of nuclear power from an environmental standpoint

Fukushima Daiichi Deepwater Horizon

Sustainability in the Curriculum

•GEOL 1301/1401 Earth Science: Explore scientific evidence of the correlation between CO2 levels and climate change, such as paleoclimatology

Sustainability in the Curriculum

Sustainability in the Curriculum

ANTH 2351- Cultural Anthropology: compare and contrast views on sustainability/conservation between different cultures, with particular attention to developed countries versus emerging economies. 

Sustainability in the Curriculum 

MRKG 1311- Principles of Marketing: examine how 'green' marketing influences consumer choice, investigate eco-symbols and labels

Sustainability in the Curriculum

ENGL 1301 and 1302-  write papers/essays on sustainability topics in the composition classes

ENGL 2326 analyze the influence of nature and the environment in literature

Sustainability in the Curriculum

ARTS 1303/1304- Art History: research the influence of nature and wildlife in art

Sustainability in the Curriculum

ARTS 2326/2327- Sculpture: create sculptures using disposables, trash, or collected litter

Sustainability in the Curriculum

MUSI 1310- American Music: evaluate the influence of the environmental movement in American folk music and protest songs

Sustainability in the CurriculumPHIL 2306- Ethics: discuss the importance of

Environmental Ethics in modern society and its role in current environmental justice issues

Multimedia and Web Sources

Multimedia and Web Sources

Multimedia and Web Sources

Multimedia and Web Sources

Sustainability and HURI

•Student research projects with a sustainability focus

•Survey student attitudes

•Observe sustainable behaviors on campus

•Quantify campus impact or footprint

Santiago Vellejo

•Bonus points for ‘green’ behaviors in class

•bringing a reusable water bottle, disposing of recyclables properly, etc.

•“Cans for Credit” bring in aluminum cans for extra credit points

•Have students report on sustainability in the news articles for extra credit

Other ways to incorporate

sustainability

Other ways to incorporate

sustainabilityStudent Volunteers for Recycle-Shred Day

Other ways to incorporate

sustainabilitySustainability Scavenger Hunt

Other ways to incorporate

sustainabilityBlackboard

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Upcoming Events.....

Possibility of offering a Green Certificate 1) to increase awareness of sustainability issues locally, nationally,

and globally; 

2) to increase understanding of environmental justice, biodiversity conservation, and resource sustainability in the global community;

  3) to demonstrate knowledge of current issues as well as the

historical, economic, political, and cultural events that influence them  

  4) to complete a sustainable project or embedded or individual

research project with a sustainability focus; and 

5)  to provide environmental stewardship within the community in accordance with the guidelines of the Sustainability Committee.

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Upcoming Events.....

Possibility of offering a Green Certificate Implementation Fall 2014?Collaboration with faculty campus-wide

•Sustainability focused courses provide valuable grounding in the concepts and principles of sustainability.

•Sustainability related courses help build knowledge about a component of sustainability or introduce students to sustainability concepts during part of the course.

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Upcoming Events.....

Possibility of offering a Green Certificate Implementation Fall 2014?

Websites

•http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/

•http://www.conservationmagazine.org/

•http://sustainabilitymath.org/

•http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx

•http://www.texasinvasives.org/invasives_database/

•http://ewg.org/

•http://www.ted.com/

Sid Ross sross@mclennan.eduFred Hills fhills@mclennan.edu

Bill Matta wmatta@mclennan.eduPaul Hoffman phoffman@mclennan.eduTheresa Sparks tsparks@mclennan.edu

Claudette Jackson cjackson@mclennan.eduBrad Turner brturner@mclennan.edu

Elaine Fagner efagner@mclennan.eduSarah Johnson sjohnson@mclennan.edu

Tim Outlaw toutlaw@mclennan.edu

sustainability@mclennan.edu