SUSTAINABILITY, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND STUDENT AFFAIRS Andrew M. Wells, M. Ed. University of Georgia Dillon E. Kimmel, M. Ed. University of Delaware ACPA March 5-8, 2015: Tampa, Florida

SESSION OUTLINE  Brief introductions  Review concepts of “Sustainability,” “Just Sustainability,” and “Environmental Justice”  Present findings from Andrew’s study grounded in the NEP  Examples of Environmental Justice in practice around the country

SUSTAINABILITY, JUST SUSTAINABILITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE  Sustainability: balancing development activities such that economic progress accounts for the needs of future generations (World Council on Environment and Development, 1987).  “Triple Bottom Line” of people, planet, and profit (Elkington,1999).  “Unreconstructed Environmentalists” (Agyeman, 2005, pg. 88).  Environmental justice advocates the radical dismantlement of systems of power and privilege that contribute to environmental injustices.  Just sustainability: Quality of Life, Present & Future Generations, Justice & Equity, Living within Ecosystem Limits (Agyeman, 2005, pg. 92)

EXPLORING STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES  Exploratory quantitative study at a public research institution in the Southeast US  N = 100  1. What attitudes related to sustainability do traditional age undergraduate students hold?  2. What kinds of experiences prior to matriculation at the university influence pro-environmental attitudes?  3. What kinds of experiences as students at the university serve to promote pro-environmental attitudes?

INSTRUMENT & FINDINGS  Revised New Ecological Paradigm (Dunlap, Van Liere, Mertig, & Jones, 2000)  Researcher-designed questions  Mean NEP score for all respondents ( M =50.04, SD =8.42, N =99) is only moderately pro-environmental  Female respondents’ overall NEP score was higher ( M= 51.42, SD =7.65, N=73) than the male students’ mean score ( M= 46.08, SD =9.57, N=25); significant at t (96) = 2.822, p = 0.006, η 2 =.653  On the researcher-designed questions, female respondents reported higher rates of pro-environmental experiences prior to college

NEP ITEMS  We are approaching the limit of the number of people the earth can support.  Humans have the right to modify the natural environment to suit their needs.  When humans interfere with nature it often produces disastrous consequences.  Human ingenuity will insure that we do NOT make the earth unlivable.  Humans are severely abusing the environment.  The earth has plenty of natural resources if we just learn how to develop them.  Plants and animals have as much right as humans to exist.  The balance of nature is strong enough to cope with the impacts of modern industrial nations.  Despite our special abilities humans are still subject to the laws of nature.  The so-called “ecological crisis” facing humankind has been greatly exaggerated.  The earth is like a spaceship with very limited room and resources.  Humans were meant to rule over the rest of nature.  The balance of nature is very delicate and easily upset.  Humans will eventually learn enough about how nature works to be able to control it.  If things continue on their present course, we will soon experience a major ecological catastrophe.

NEP SCORES

GENDER X NEP

NEXT STEPS FOR RESEARCH  Current project examining attitudes toward socially responsible behavior, measure of moral orientation toward ethics of care vs. justice  Measurement of NEP attitudes as opposed to other environment- related issues…like attitudes toward environmental justice, correlation between attitudes toward social justice and sustainability.

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN PRACTICE 1. Campus Designations 2. Connection to the Academic Mission 3. Building Partnerships 4. Peer Education

CAMPUS DESIGNATIONS: FAIR TRADE CAMPUSES FAIR TRADE CAMPUSES

CONNECTION TO ACADEMIC MISSION  Seattle University Environmental Justice and Sustainability  Connection of the Jesuit tradition and “seeing God in all things” and environmental justice

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS Elon University Sustainability Master Plan & Office of Sustainability  Formed in 2007 in an effort to create an all-campus commitment to sustainability  Partnership with Leadership & Multicultural Office on an Intersect Conference Colorado University-Boulder Environmental Center  Environmental Justice Team seeks opportunities to partner with local Boulder organizations  Also coordinates large food drive that seeks to educate Greek Life community while collecting food

PEER EDUCATION  Eco-Reps at Seattle University  Joint training for peer educators at Elon University  Climate Justice Leadership Program at Colorado-Boulder  Trained on sustainability and social justice principles  Each student completes a capstone project that benefits and educates the campus community

GET-STARTED RESOURCES  Articles/Books :  Agyeman, J., Bullard, R. D., & Evans, B. (2003). Just sustainabilities: Development in an unequal world. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press  Breen, S. The mixed political blessing of campus sustainability.  Documents  Toward a Sustainable Future ACPA Monograph on sustainability in student affairs. Includes learning outcomes.  AAC&U Values Rubrics. Rubric suggestions for skills associated with sustainability and just thinking  Envisioning a Student Affairs Division that Supports Sustainability. Adapted by ACPA President’s Taskforce on Sustainability  Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Practitioners. A 2010 joint publication of ACPA and NASPA of which sustainability is a part of three threads.  Student Learning Outcomes for Sustainability: Assessment Materials Guidebook. Follow-up to the 2008 monograph, Toward a Sustainable Future

SELECTED REFERENCES  Agyeman, J. (2005). Sustainable communities and the challenge of environmental justice. New York, NY: New York University Press.  Dunlap, R. E., Van Liere, K. D., Mertig, A. G., & Jones, R. E. (2000). Measuring endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm: A revised NEP scale. Journal of Social Issues, 56 (3),  Elkington, J. (1999). Cannibals with forks: The triple bottom line of 21st century business. Oxford, United Kingdom: Capstone Publishing Limited.  United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development. (1987). Report to the world commission on environment and development: Our common future. Oxford: Oxford University Press.