Transcript Sustainability in Unexpected Places: Integrating the ideas

Sustainability in Unexpected
Places:
Integrating the ideas into “regular”
college courses
L. Vanasupa, J. Stolk, R. Savage, K.C. Chen, B. London, M. Ritter
Educating Global Engineers Initiative
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California
www.mate.calpoly.edu
Presented at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, October 4-6,
2006
A foundational premise: If we want
to produce…
Sustainability Super-citizens
…our curricula must advance four
key characteristics
…our curricula must advance four
key characteristics
• Global
Awareness
• Vision for better
future
• Enlightened
morality
• Unconventional
Cognition
Global Awareness must be factbased
e.g….
See Factsheets at:
www.css.snre.umich.edu
Global Awareness must be factbased
e.g….
See Factsheets at:
www.css.snre.umich.edu
No facts from reputable sources = sustainability as
religion
Global Awareness without Vision
leads to depression
Without a vision the people perish.
-Hebrew Proverb
Global Awareness without Vision
leads to depression
Without a vision the people perish.
e.g….
-Hebrew Proverb
WorldLink, www.powershiftnow.org
Global Awareness without Vision
leads to depression
Without a vision the people perish.
e.g….
-Hebrew Proverb
WorldLink, www.powershiftnow.org
Visions without case studies = sustainability as fantasy
Enlightened morality is a rare and
elusive quality
Enlightened morality is a rare and
elusive quality
Motivated by:
morality
Principled conscience
Law and order
Obedience and punishment
Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development, 1958
morality
It can’t be taught, but it can be
cultivated
  
ei  vi  mi
values
experiences
iN


M Total   mi
i 1
It can’t be taught, but it can be
cultivated
e.g….
  
ei  vi  mi

Do not disturb the
encourage
; Instead, respect and
Unconventional Cognition: Seeing
the systems underlying the
symptoms
e.g….
Unconventional Cognition:
Recognizing multiple paths as
solutions
Deaths per 100,000 population
e.g….
Leading causes of death in U.S.
700.0
600.0
500.0
Heart disease
400.0
300.0
200.0
100.0
0.0
cancer
stroke
accidents
Chronic lower respiratory
50 960 970 980 985 990 995 996 997 998 999 000 001 002
9
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
Source: Center for Disease Control, Health
2005
Unconventional Cognition:
Understanding the limits and laws of
nature
e.g….
Closed System
No matter exchanged
with surroundings
inputs
outputs
SURROUNDINGS
e.g….
Unconventional Cognition:
Understanding the quantitative
dimensions
On average, earth
“creates”
~400 barrels/year
inputs
The global population is
consuming
~26.7 x 109 barrels/year
outputs
Use reputable sources for data; Avoid sources with
political agendas
Sources: computations from data of U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Geological Survey
To integrate the ideas into courses,
design learning experiences to
create
• Global
Awareness
Use facts
• Vision for better
future
Use real, inspirational examples
• Enlightened
morality
Create opportunities to cross experience with
values
• Unconventional
Cognition
Show the systems that underlie the symptoms
Recognize multiple “correct” answers
Teach the laws of nature
Encourage quantitative understanding