Cover image for The sustainable learning community : one university's journey to the future
Title:
The sustainable learning community : one university's journey to the future
Publication Information:
Durham, NH : University of New Hampshire Press, 2009
Physical Description:
xvi, 267 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.
ISBN:
9781584657712

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30000010222783 LD3779.N43 S97 2009 Open Access Book Book
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Summary

Summary

University communities have the potential to serve as models in the development and application of sustainability principles and practices, not only by what they teach and study, but also by how they operate facilities and engage with off-campus partners. With the oldest endowed campus-wide sustainability program in the country, established in 1997, the University of New Hampshire has become a leader in advancing a campus culture of sustainability. The UNH experience provides a unique window into the development of a new and integrated approach to teaching, learning, research, and operations. It is also a valuable guide for other institutions that aim to enhance the quality of campus life while reducing their environmental footprint. The book's organization along four functional domains (curriculum, operations, research, and engagement) allows faculty, staff, students, and managers to focus on sections of particular relevance to their university roles. Each chapter develops standards of best practices and presents interesting case studies to humanize the larger effort.


Author Notes

John Aber is Professor of Environmental Science and former Vice President for Research, University of New Hampshire. Tom Kelly is Chief Sustainability Officer and Director, Office of Sustainability Programs. Bruce Mallory is Provost and Executive Vice President.


Reviews 1

Choice Review

From the title and cover of this book, this reviewer feared it was another work about a self-promoting college touting its adherence to the latest greenwashing campaign--another "living" building, more local produce in the dining hall, a new recycling program. Instead, he read a remarkable account of a campuswide culture of sustainability at a state land grant institution, one that embraces aesthetics as well as science, food as well as fuel, and academics as well as community engagement. The CORE program (Curriculum, Operations, Research, and Engagement) at the University of New Hampshire is discussed in its entirety here. The book offers dozens of case studies of success, stumbles, controversy, and collaboration, and includes several essays on the meaning of sustainability and the development of a sustainability ethic at UNH. Chapter contributors describe lots of ideas for teaching, learning, and thoughtful action; most striking is the broad participation of every level of the UNH community from food services and grounds operations to faculty, students, and administration. An amazing interdisciplinary, multidimensional project that acknowledges its historical roots and future responsibilities, the sustainable learning community at UNH is well worth studying. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels. S. Hammer Boston University


Table of Contents

John AberTom KellyJohn CarrollGeorge HuritRosemary CaronKevin Gardner and Nancy KinnerRia Brejaart and Kim Babbitt and Donna DowalCameron WakeMichele Holt-Shannon and Sara CleavesJohn AberStacy VandeveerJoanne Curran-CelentanoJoanne BurkeJohn E. CarrollDrew Conroy and Peter EricksonTom KellyDavid KayeJoanne Curran-CelentanoRobert Eckert and Bert CohenDouglas BencksDouglas BencksTom LeeJohn L. HartPaul Chamberlin and Matt O'KeefeSteve PesciBrett PasinellaSara CleavesElisabeth Farrell and Rick MacdonaldElisabeth Farrell and Rick MacdonaldRick MacdonaldVicki C. WrightDouglas BencksDouglas BencksDouglas BencksJohn Aber and Cameron WakeRich Langan and Dolores LeonardAndrew Rosenberg and Jeff Bolster and Karen Alexander and Bill LeavenworthTom BallesteroRay GrizzleDavid S. BartlettKevin Gardner and Taylor EighmyJenna Jambeck and Kevin GardnerCameron WakeJohn E. Carroll and Tom KellyRich Langan and Dolores LeonardJoanne BurkeJohn McleanEleanor AbramsMil DuncanJohn NimmoJeffrey A. SchlossJeffrey A. SchlossBarry RockMark WileyJenna Jambeck and Kevin GardnerCameron WakeChris Skoglund and Denise Blaha and Julia DundorfBrett PasinellaCameron WakeElisabeth Farrell and Lynda BrushettKen LavalleyRebecca GrubeElisabeth FarrellBruce L. MalloryJulie E. Williams and Eleanor Abrams and Christine SheaValerie CunninghamTom KellySara Cleaves and Tom Kelly and John Aber
Editor's Prefacep. xiii
Acknowledgmentsp. xvii
Chapter 1 Sustainability as an Organizing Principle for Higher Educationp. 1
Chapter 2 Teaching and Learning Sustainability: Curriculum and Pedagogyp. 54
Curriculum: Biodiversity and Ecosystemsp. 58
Engaging Students in the Sciencesp. 59
How Does a Local Master of Public Health Program Address Global Emerging Infectious Disease?p. 61
Sustainable Science and Engineeringp. 64
UNH-EcoQuest and Sustainability in New Zealand-Te Rarangahau Taiaop. 66
Curriculum: Climate and Energyp. 68
ESCI 405: Global Environmental Changep. 69
The Energy Waste Watch Challenge and Student Energy Captainsp. 72
Organizing a Curriculum on the Environment-Inclusiveness or Security?p. 75
Science, Politics, and Policy from Global to Local in an Undergraduate Seminarp. 77
Curriculum: Food and Societyp. 79
Dual Major in EcoGastronomyp. 79
Integrating Sustainability into the Professional Development of Dietetic Internsp. 83
"The Real Dirt"p. 86
UNH Creamp. 87
Curriculum: Culture and Sustainabilityp. 90
The Promise of the Sunp. 90
Artistic Engagement-Discovering and Developing a Theatrical Response to Sustainabilityp. 94
The University Dialogue and a Sense of Placep. 97
How the Sustainable Living Minor Came to Bep. 99
Chapter 3 Practicing Sustainability: Campus Operationsp. 101
Operations: Biodiversity and Ecosystemsp. 104
Landscape Master Planp. 105
Land Use Committeep. 108
The MUB Meadowp. 112
Operations: Climate and Energyp. 117
It's Risky Business Doing the Right Thing-The Co-Gen Plant and EcoLinep. 118
Transportation and Land Usep. 123
The UNH Greenhouse Gas Inventoryp. 128
The Energy Task Force-A Cross-Campus Collaboration to Address Climate Changep. 129
Operations: Food and Societyp. 132
The UNH Compost Program-From Waste to Compostp. 133
Acting Locally-The UNH Local Harvest Initiativep. 136
Innovative Dining Hall Hours and Plate Wastep. 139
Operations: Culture and Sustainabilityp. 141
Developing Our Sense of Place-The Role of the Committee for Campus Aestheticsp. 142
Sustainable Building Designp. 145
Moving the Kingsbury Muralp. 149
Sustainable Buildings-Do You Want Fries with Your Building? No Thank You!p. 151
Chapter 4 Creating the Intellectual Basis for Sustainability: Research and Scholarshipp. 153
Research on Biodiversity and Ecosystemsp. 157
Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technologyp. 158
The History of Marine Animal Populationsp. 161
The Stormwater Research Centerp. 163
Oyster Restoration-Planning, Research, and Implementation in New Hampshirep. 164
Research on Climate and Energyp. 166
The Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Spacep. 166
The Environmental Research Groupp. 169
Multidisciplinary Design Competitionp. 171
Regional Climate Assessments-Supporting Informed Public Policyp. 173
Research on Food and Societyp. 175
The UNH Organic Dairy Research Farmp. 175
The Atlantic Marine Aquaculture Centerp. 179
The UNH Community Food, Nutrition, and Wellness Profilep. 182
From Campus Farm to Dining Hallp. 183
Research on Culture and Sustainabilityp. 185
The Undergraduate Research Conference-A Key Ingredient in the Sustainable Learning Communityp. 185
The Carsey Institute-Building Knowledge to Support Opportunity for Families in Sustainable Communitiesp. 188
The Growing a Green Generation Projectp. 192
Chapter 5 Sustaining the Larger Community: Engagementp. 195
Engagement in Biodiversity and Ecosystemsp. 198
The New Hampshire Lakes Lay Monitoring Program-A Sustainable Model for Engaging Citizensp. 199
Forest Watch-Enhancing Pre-College Understanding of Biodiversity and Ecosystemsp. 202
The UNH Marine Docent Programp. 204
Students Without Bordersp. 206
Engagement in Climate and Energyp. 208
Collaboration for a Low-Carbon Society-Carbon Solutions New Englandp. 209
The New Hampshire Carbon Challengep. 212
WildCAP Discount Programp. 215
Informing Public Policy-Engagement on Climate with the State of New Hampshirep. 217
Engagement in Food and Societyp. 219
The New Hampshire Farm to School Programp. 219
Cooperative Fisheries Research-The Innovative Fishermanp. 223
The Organic Garden Clubp. 226
New Hampshire Center for a Food Secure Futurep. 227
Engagement in Culture and Sustainabilityp. 230
Deliberation in the Civic Sector-The Role of Higher Education in Sustaining Democracyp. 230
Building a Sustainable Community of Engaged Scholars-The UNH Outreach Scholars Academyp. 233
Portsmouth Black Heritage Trailp. 237
Four Hands, One Heart-Ed and Mary Scheier Documentary and Exhibitp. 238
Chapter 6 How the Sustainability Ethic Developed at UNH, and the Next Phase of Our "Journey to the Future"p. 241
Contributorsp. 251
Indexp. 255