The Red and White Considers Going Green:

A Proposal to Include Environmental Sustainability as a Defining Characteristic in the Strategic Plan of Dickinson College

 

Date: December 10, 2004

To: The Strategic Planning Committee

From: The Commission On The Environment-COTE

           (comprised of faculty, staff, student, and alumni representatives)

 

Thank you for the opportunity to provide more information about a vision of environmental sustainability for the Dickinson College 2006-2010 Strategic Plan.

 

Since we met with members of your Committee last spring, we have been evaluating how a sustainable future for the College can be intertwined with the Strategic Plan.  A commitment to environmental sustainability requires a broad, integrated, interdisciplinary approach, engaging all areas of the campus. The College has begun to work towards environmental sustainability. What we need now is an institutional commitment to make Dickinson Distinctively Green.

 

COTE urges the Strategic Plan Committee to elevate Environmental Sustainability to a Defining Characteristic because:

 

*    Dickinson strives to be a leader in global education and no issue is more global than Environmental Sustainability.

*    Members of the Dickinson community have commented that Environmental Sustainability is as essential to the success of the College as all of the other Defining Characteristics that Dickinson is striving towards.

*    We must exert leadership now, to ensure that Dickinson is among the top schools with institutional support that lead towards an environmentally sustainable future.

*    Making Environmental Sustainability a priority will teach by example, energize committed alumni, and attract dedicated perspective students.

*    Environmental initiatives can save the college money.

*    Institutional commitment to sustainability will build community partnerships and generate positive media attention.

 

Dickinson College has come a long way since the days of Benjamin Rush. Today we continue to use his revolutionary spirit to guide the future of Dickinson.  In President Durden’s 2004 Commencement Speech, he inspired the graduating class to “Remember that Dr. Rush was an outspoken revolutionary who never hesitated to hold forth on those issues he believed would create a more just and compassionate world- issues such as …environmental sustainability.”  The Commission On The Environment is advocating that one of Dr. Rush’s passions not be overlooked, but embraced along with the other qualities that define Dickinson.

 

Attached you will find a proposal for the Strategic Plan text on Environmental Sustainability, as well as four supporting documents. Should you have any questions regarding this information, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss it in more detail. We appreciate you taking the time to review these materials and consider the inclusion of Environmental Sustainability as a Defining Characteristic in Dickinson’s Strategic Plan.

 

Sincerely,

 

The Commission On The Environment (COTE)

 

 

Attachments:

I. Proposal for Text

II. Supporting Documents

            A. Defining Sustainability

B. Taking Ownership of Dickinson: Feedback from the Community

C. Dickinson Now: Current Environmental Infrastructure

            D. Examples from Other Institutions

I. Proposal for Strategic Plan Text

 

VII. Defining Characteristic: Environmental Sustainability 

Strategic goal:  To establish Dickinson College as a leading environmentally sustainable institution; graduating students who understand the implications of their choices on the local community, global community, environment, and future generations.  Engaged global citizenship requires an awareness of, and respect for, the natural world that supports the social world. Educating for sustainability requires a holistic approach to decision making which embodies the liberal arts education and promotes an engaged community. The College must serve as a living example of sustainability.

A. Objective:  Educate all students about their role in the world while keeping them abreast of issues on the local, national, and international levels.  Incorporate ecological literacy into the curriculum and foster dialogue on environmental issues.  Examples include:

  1. Promote cross-disciplinary study which incorporates information about the ecological consequences of decisions across the curriculum.
  2. Develop research opportunities for students to engage practical problems that arise when human actions exploit natural resources.
  3. Incorporate place-based education into the curricula at both Dickinson and all study abroad centers.

B. Objective:  Create a campus culture that is committed to environmental sustainability at all levels. When Dickinson operates with environmental sustainability as a main concern, students will learn by example.  Some areas that can incorporate sustainability include:

  1. Prioritize environmentally sustainable options in purchasing.
  2. Transition to environmentally friendly options in landscaping, maintenance, and resource decisions.
  3. Incorporate Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards into all new construction and renovations. 
  4. Pursue opportunities for adopting cutting-edge sustainable technologies.

C. Objective:  To raise visibility of Dickinson’s sustainability programs within the College, locally, nationally, and internationally.  Make Dickinson known for the quality of its environmental stewardship, thereby attracting students and engaging alumni who are committed to living in a resource conscious manner.  Examples of this include:

 

  1. Raise awareness and consciousness of sustainability issues through campus events and publications.
  2. Highlight Dickinson’s environmental initiatives in recruitment materials.
  3. Collaborate with other institutions in striving for sustainability.
  4. Support organizations that monitor, assess, and publicize environmental conditions.

 

D. Objective: Integrate environmental accountability throughout the institution while ensuring economic viability. To achieve this objective, we must:

  1. Take advantage of the potential to implement sustainable initiatives that result in monetary savings.
  2. When evaluating the feasibility of a project, look at life-cycle benefits and “true costs” including consideration for health, the environment, and society.
  3. Calculate the ecological footprint, set resource benchmarks, and exhibit transparency to hold the college accountable for its progress towards environmental sustainability.

E. Objective: Cultivate a willingness within Dickinson to involve all community members in the process of achieving campus sustainability. Present and future research efforts provide valuable information for institutional decisions regarding environmental sustainability. For example:

 

  1. Encourage co-curricular and service learning projects that strengthen the ties between Dickinson and the broader community.
  2. Embrace the efforts of student organizations conducting research, organizing awareness campaigns, and initiating new techniques for achieving environmental sustainability.
  3. Welcome the results of student and faculty research to provide insight on the feasibility of ecologically sound technologies.

II. Supporting Documents

 

We have included four supporting documents that provide more information on the concept of Environmental Sustainability. The first defines Environmental Sustainability.

The second is a sampling of responses that we received from Dickinson community members expressing how they think Environmental Sustainability should fit into the Strategic Plan. We were overwhelmed by their supportive response. The next supporting document is an outline of Dickinson’s current environmental sustainability efforts.

We have also researched other institutions, both those that Dickinson competes with and those we strive to emulate, in order to ascertain their approaches and prioritization of environmental sustainability.  A few examples of these institutions are presented.  We hope these documents will help your Committee to see why the inclusion of Environmental Sustainability is so important for the future of Dickinson College.

 

II. A. Defining Sustainability

 

What is Sustainability?

Sustainability is the ability of a system to function over time by meeting its current needs without jeopardizing the needs of the future or exploiting natural resources. In the context of sustainable communities, it is necessary to consider economic, social and environmental sustainability.

 

Exploring Definitions of Sustainability

"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
World Commission on Environment and Development. Our Common Future. 1987.

 

"Sustainable development involves the simultaneous pursuit of economic prosperity, environmental quality and social equity. Companies aiming for sustainability need to perform not against a single, financial bottom line but against the triple bottom line."

 

"Over time, human and social values change. Concepts that once seemed extraordinary (e.g. emancipating slaves, enfranchising women) are now taken for granted. New concepts (e.g. responsible consumerism, environmental justice, intra- and inter-generational equity) are now coming up the curve."
World Business Council on Sustainable Development.

Accessed online December 1, 2004. http://www.wbcsd.ch/

 

"Then I say the earth belongs to each . . . generation during its course, fully and in its own right, no generation can contract debts greater than may be paid during the course of its own existence."
Thomas Jefferson, September 6, 1789.

 

"The word sustainable has roots in the Latin subtenir, meaning 'to hold up' or 'to support from below.' A community must be supported from below - by its inhabitants, present and future. Certain places, through the peculiar combination of physical, cultural, and, perhaps, spiritual characteristics, inspire people to care for their community. These are the places where sustainability has the best chance of taking hold."
Muscoe Martin. A Sustainable Community Profile. Places, Winter 1995.

 

"Another way of looking at this concept of sustainable development is to consider a three-legged stool, where each leg respectively represents one of the basic elements -- economic vitality, ecologic integrity, and social equity. If one of the stool legs is removed, the stool falls over -- emphasizing the importance of all three legs to maintaining the upright position of the stool. All three elements of the sustainable development model are equally important in establishing the foundation of sustainability."

The Five E’s Unlimited. Sustainable Development Solutions.

Accessed online December 1, 2004. http://www.eeeee.net/sd_characteristics.htm


II. B. Taking Ownership of Dickinson: Feedback from the Community

 

Following the Strategic Planning Session on Wednesday, November 10, 2004, COTE contacted a variety of members from the Dickinson Community to solicit their responses to the idea of making Environmental Sustainability a Defining Characteristic.  COTE received ten faculty/staff, twelve student, and thirty-one alumni responses.  These are excerpts from a few of them:

 

“The issue of environmental sustainability is an overpowering fact of our time and we cannot claim to maintain any revolutionary momentum without addressing it directly and centrally in the strategic plan…We cannot claim to be leaders without doing so.”

George Honadle, Ph.D. – Class of 1966

 

“I support the language written in the in the Citizen Leadership and Technology and Information Management sections, but it is hidden and I fear the message will be lost by not making it a priority Defining Characteristic.”

Julie Vastine – Class of 2003, Assistant Director of ALLARM

 

“The willingness of many of the college’s professors, staff, and core students to work with us in promoting environmental sustainability was and IS one of the best qualities of Dickinson. I would like the college to acknowledge this strength and pursue these very important issues of the environment”

Christiana Briddell – Class of 2001

 

“The mission of an educational institution is to pass on the knowledge to ensure a bright and better future. There is no way that this can be done unless issues of waste management, consumption of natural resources, and the threat of global warming are faced and actively addressed.”

Audrey Fisher – Class of 2007

 

“As many students, I studied abroad last year in England, and I saw how other institutions around the world prioritize environmental consciousness and sustainability.”

Maggie Allio – Class of 2005

 

“Rather than thereby diluting our commitment to environmental action, we might go the other direction and add Environmental Sustainability to the current list of six defining characteristics of the College. Such an addition could be very appealing to potential students, potential donors, and other foresightful members of our society at large.”

Ken Laws

Professor Emeritus

Physics Department

 

“It is too important an issue to not have it front and center in our plan. As educators, we try to motivate our students through our own research and teaching to be future leaders. As a college, we must lead by example.”

Barry Tesman

Associate Professor

Mathematics Department

II. C. Dickinson Now: Current Environmental Infrastructure

 

Dickinson College has a strong environmental infrastructure and many enthusiastic, motivated people interested in sustainability.  Various departments and many organizations support and promote environmental initiatives on campus.  These programs are the groundwork of a valuable resource, but in order for Dickinson to become an environmental leader, there must be more institutional support.

 

Purchasing Department-  The Purchasing Department is lead by Mike Helm, who also is the Chair of the Commission On The Environment.  The Department is working to offer more environmentally friendly options as the default setting for all campus purchasing.

 

Dining Services- The Dining Service Department has recognized the requests from students to have organic and fair trade items.  The Department is also purchasing some local foods and bringing food waste to the College Organic Garden.

 

Facilities Management-  The Facilities Management Department has many members in COTE and works to educate and raise awareness on environmental issues.  Whether it is green cleaning supplies, purchasing wind power, or making use of recycled materials, Facilities is dedicated to making choices that take future generations into consideration. 

 

Collaborations-  Due to the interdisciplinary nature of environmental issues, there are many possibilities for collaborations to take place.  This past summer, Facilities Management, Dinning Services, and the College Bookstore gave EACH student a free 16 ounce mug and a discount for using it on campus to reduce landfill waste.

 

Environmental Studies Department-  The Environmental Studies Department is one of the oldest and strongest programs in the nation.  The Department offers many courses in collaboration with other departments such as Environmental Economics, Environmental Culture and Values, and Environmental History. 

 

Active Groups on Campus- Many groups exist on campus to advance environmental issues.  The Commission on the Environment is unique because it unifies of members from various students organizations, faculty from different disciplines, administration members, and a representative from the President’s Staff to speak with one voice on environmental issues.  Dickinson College is also distinctive because it has The Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM) which provides Dickinson students with an opportunity to put the information they learn in the classroom into practice while working with watershed groups from across the state.  In 1999, the Organic Garden was formed from a research project and has blossomed into an incredible educational tool for not only the Dickinson community but also the Carlisle community.  The Treehouse was created to foster an atmosphere of student understanding towards environmentally sustainable living at the local level and to teach others about this lifestyle.  Earth Now! and Students for Social Action (SSA) are two student groups who are working to educate and promote environmentally friendly agendas.  Finally, Alumni For a Sustainable Dickinson (AFSD) was formed by impassioned graduates to continue to encourage their Alma Mater move towards a sustainable future.


II. D. Examples from Other Institutions

 

Many colleges and universities are moving with confidence toward Environmental Sustainability. Among them are Dickinson’s peers, as well as those institutions we look to for inspiration. Middlebury College, Colby College, and Connecticut College are prime examples of respected liberal arts colleges that have made a strong commitment to environmental excellence.

 

Middlebury College

In the Fall of 1994, President McCardell named environmental studies and awareness as a Peak of Excellence at Middlebury College. The Environmental Peak, along with five other peaks, defines a vision for the future of the College. “These Peaks,” notes President McCardell, “are like the Green Mountains of Vermont: our vertebrae, the source of our strength and the definer of our character, and the reason why many people choose to come to Middlebury.”

http://web.middlebury.edu/offices/enviro

 

Colby College

"Colby College is committed to nurturing environmental awareness through its academic program as well as through its activities on campus and beyond. As a local and global environmental citizen, the College adheres to the core values of respect for the environment and sustainable living. Colby seeks to lead by example and fosters morally responsible, environmental stewardship. Environmentally safe practices inform and guide campus strategic planning, decision making, and daily operations. We urge community members to recognize personal and institutional responsibilities for reducing impact on the local and global environment. Finally, we recognize that achieving environmental sustainability will be an ongoing challenge that evolves, as we become more aware and educated as a community."  

http://www.colby.edu/eag/

 

Connecticut College

“In a similar way, we also have a tradition of operating the college as an Environmental Model. By initiating and implementing innovative policies and programs that promote environmental sustainability, we strive to set a good example. The hope is that upon leaving the college, students will continue to consider the consequences of their actions, and continue to live in an environmentally sustainable fashion.”

http://camel.conncoll.edu/ccrec/greennet/EMC.html