Sustainability in the Institutions of Higher Learning - Report Example

Sustainability The concept of sustainability has gained roots in the 20th century especially after the effects of climate change became noticeable. Various organizations, governments, and institutions have embraced this concept. Largely this word has been used to allude to sustainable development as well environmental protection and conservation. The concept is now being embraced by institutions of learning, which are using the sustainability concept not only in focusing about the future but also for branding purposes. It is quite apparent that the health and wellbeing of the environment is good for the wellbeing of both humans and other living organisms. There are various interventions that are being developed in the 21st century to ensure that sustainability is upheld; these include the incorporation of sustainability concept in the educations systems. Sustainability has an historic perspective that emanates from the environmental activists. The activism that gained root in the 1960s was embraced full throttle in the 1990s, at this time institutions of higher learning began embracing environmental conservation (Ricketts 28). An early initiative by Teresa Heinz and Senator John Kerry saw the establishment of the Second Nature: Education for Sustainability that introduced the sustainability concept to the institutions of higher learning. The concept spread t institutions where the head of institutions agreed that global warming menace required to be confronted through promoting sustainability. There a number of aspects that have been captured in the current context of sustainability, which includes; investing in a social responsible manner, conservation, promoting globalization, reduction of climate change, ecoliteracy, public policy development, environmental justice, corporate reforms, local currency, issues to do with economic and social prosperity conservation of biodiversity and sustainable political systems. There are major issues that institutions of higher learning need to critically consider and analyze as far as sustainability is concerned. The first aspect relates to the reduction of carbon emissions, this has been frequently mentioned as the major cause of global warming. Secondly, there is the need to incorporate green thinking into the educational system so that it is captured in the institutional mission. Thirdly, the aspect of integration should be captured; this ensures that an institution does not develop its strategies in isolation. This will promote synergy in the realization of sustainability. Fourthly, a strategy to measure the achieved results should be available to ensure that the goals of the sustainability projects are met. Finally, there should be strategies go facilitate raising of funds in order to propagate the developments achieved (Breen 688). Higher institutions of learning have developed strategies that are promoting sustainability beyond the convectional recycling. As noted by Joshi (1), the Indiana School is working on a geothermal energy generation just like Ball State University, while Vermont is into burning of wood chips. On the other hand, institutions such as Butte College, Oroville in California, have intensively done the installation of solar panels. Teaching and research facilities on sustainability have been developed at Chatham University in their Eden Hall campus. In addition, the adoption of biomass as a fuel is intensive use and development at the Middlebury College in Middlebury. These are some of the projects that have been developed towards developing sustainability in the institutions of learning (Jones 1). The extent to which the higher institutions have embraced sustainability is quite varied. Through an initiative such as the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, there have been positive changes that are being experienced going green in the institutions of higher learning. Emory University seems to be leading the pack in environmental sustainability; the students are sensitized of sustainability from day one. Emission inventories have become part of the institutions records that guide on the extent of emissions. However, despite the approach that has been taken by the institutions, there is no established method that can adequately measure sustainability. This is because the number of strategies adopted is as diverse as the institutions. For example, while at Harvard the focus has been on green building technologies at the University of Minnesota the focus has been on the generation of energy through wind turbines (Mascarelli 155). Some institutions have also modeled themselves to be used as centers where the community can learn. In order to achieve sustainability in the institutions of higher learning, the stakeholders across the strata have to be involved. On the other hand, the interventions developed should range from the basic to the complex ones. Most of the sustainability projects are championed from the top most authority to the juniors that spearhead the implementation. Most of these projects as noted by Brinkhurst, Rose, Maurice & Ackerman (339-341) are usually very successful because there is adequate availability of leadership and resources. However, there have been efforts to encourage enactment either of sustainability projects that are led by the students individually or through their bodies. A few more challenges confront both types of sustainability initiatives; firstly, the absence of the vision bearer may interfere with the implementation of the project. The other thing is that bureaucracy may delay implementation of a given sustainability project. Bothe the administrators as well as the students can champion a change in an organization that results to ultimate sustainability. Implementation of a sustainability project requires adequate research, planning, and ownership of the project. The Talloires declaration provides a ten-point actionable plan that has been embraced by universities and colleges in an effort to promote sustainability. Finlay, and Massey (161) have reported that up to 432 universities have been able to abide by the propositions of the Talloires Declaration. Despite lack of uniformity in promoting sustainability across the United States, some of the institutions of higher learning have demonstrated insurmountable efforts towards sustainability. They have developed a number of projects while promoting sustainable teaching, research, operations, and outreach. Despite the developments that have been noted in towards sustainability, the institutions of higher learning have been faulted for lack of coordinated approach to sustainability. In order to achieve more, it will be paramount that sustainability will have to be incorporated into academic and research policies and in the strategic developments of the organizations (Alshuwaikhat & Abubakar 1779). The integrated approach developed by the university should capture a clear vision, proper planning as well as the commitment of the management should prominently feature. In conclusion, sustainability is an aspect that has featured prominently in the institutions of higher learning. Quite a number of projects have been developed towards its realization. There is a variation in the adoption of sustainability across institutions in the United States. The projects have been mainly initiatives that come from the administrators though the students have come up with projects that have promoted sustainability in a great way. There is still more to be achieved towards the adoption of sustainability especially on the integration of institutions in developing common goals. Works Cited Alshuwaikhat, Habib M., and Ismaila Abubakar. "An Integrated Approach to Achieving Campus Sustainability: Assessment of the Current Campus Environmental Management Practices." Journal of Cleaner Production 16.16 (2008): 1777-85. Web. 21 Feb. 2014. Breen, Sheryl D. "The Mixed Political Blessing of Campus Sustainability." Political Science and Politics 43.4 (2010): 685-90. Web. 21 Feb. 2014. Brinkhurst, Marena et al. "Achieving Campus Sustainability: Top-Down, Bottom-Up, Or neither?" International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 12.4 (2011): 338-54. Web. 21 Feb. 2014. Finlay, Jessica and Jennifer Massey. "Eco-Campus: Applying the Eco-city Model to Develop Green University and College Campuses." International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 13.2 (2012): 150-65. Web. 5 Mar. 2014. “Introduction to StopGreenwash.org.” stopgreenwash.org. Greenpeace, n.d. Web. 17 Apr 2014. Jones, Chelsea. “Are Colleges Greenwashing?” Sustainability Law at Lewis & Clark Law School. Sustainability Law, 6 Dec 2013. Web. 17 Apr 2014. Joshi, Monika. "Sustainability is about more than recycling at top colleges." USA Today April 19, 2014. Academic Search Complete. Web. 7 Apr. 2014. Mascarelli, Amanda Leigh. "How Green Is Your Campus?" Nature 461.7261 (2009): 154-155. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Feb. 2014. Ricketts, Glenn M. "The Roots of Sustainability." Academic Questions 23.1 (2010): 20-53. Web. 5 Mar. 2014. Read More