prepare graduates to be thoughtful citizens of the planet .
Dr . Wendy Anderson , chair of the Department of Environmental Science and Studies at Stetson University , said sustainability awareness has been infused into the university ’ s culture for years . “ We believe all students should be introduced to the concepts of sustainability early in their college careers and reside in a campus community that is committed to modeling sustainability so that they can live the experience as well as learn about it ,” she noted . “ Educating all students about sustainability should not be a goal of only a few select colleges and universities that have strong environmental traditions ; rather , comprehensive sustainability education is an essential pursuit for any college or university that desires to be relevant in the 21 st century .”
Like Stetson , other area colleges and universities are moving toward becoming living laboratories of sustainability practice . Operationally , each institution is committed to green building practices with regard to new construction ( such as Daytona State ’ s 81,000-square-foot student center slated for completion in spring 2019 ) and investment in infrastructure improvements that are conserving energy and saving hundreds of thousands of dollars annually . For example , a 2.5-milliongallon thermal energy storage tank Daytona State constructed on its main campus allows the college to take advantage of special low-demand ( off-peak ) rates offered by Florida Power & Light . Likewise , Stetson University has implemented major campus-wide conservation programs that over the past two years have resulted in nearly $ 500,000 in electric , water , gas and other utility cost savings .
Academically , area institutions have launched courses and degree programs that focus on sustainability and conservation , and which are seeing steady increases in enrollment . Daytona State offers the two-year Associate of Science in Environmental Science as well as an associate of arts university transfer track . Bethune-Cookman University offers bachelor ’ s and master ’ s degrees in
Integrated Environmental Science that prepare students for careers in resource management , environmental policy and field science . ERAU ’ s Master of Science in Aviation and Aerospace Sustainability is the only such program offered in the U . S ., and focuses on the industries as business entities needing to remain viable as well as partners in finding sustainable solutions for conservation or renewability of the world ’ s resources .
At Bethune-Cookman , Dr . Michael Reiter chairs the Department of Integrated Environmental Science . In addition to fieldwork in places like the Indian River Lagoon and Blue Spring , BCU students examine sustainability from dual perspectives – considering the planet ’ s limited resources , as well as the economic consequences of how we design our social systems to deal with the inevitability of running out of those resources .
“ There is one camp that says we should be designing these systems from the point of view that our expanding population and technology will place more demand on our raw materials ,” Reiter said . “ On the other hand , there is another perspective that says we should organize our social systems around maintaining the potential for innovation and new technology in order to solve the sustainability question . So , you have one side trying to hold back on technological development and population growth in order to reduce demand on resources , and the other trying to boost technology and innovation in order to make us more capable of manipulating the systems around us . Both of them are working toward the same goal .”
Regardless , each institution ’ s academic offerings are preparing students to be leaders in industry , government and education , where the number of clean-energy jobs are growing at more than double the rate of the overall job market , according to the Pew Charitable Trusts .
Nearly all area institutions have launched recycling programs and energy conservation campaigns . Stetson has a thriving community garden on campus , and other institutions are envisioning following suit – all in the name of fostering sustainability awareness among students .
Stetson , too , is taking its mission to the local business community . Its planned Sustainability in Business Seminar originally scheduled for September has been postponed until early next year due to circumstances arising from Hurricane Irma .
Dr . Anderson , one of the seminar organizers , noted that adopting sound sustainability practices can be good for the bottom line , no matter the industry . “ From better insulation or improving lighting systems , enhancements to heating and cooling systems , to materials recovery and reuse , there are many ways costs can be cut , particularly in manufacturing ,” she said . “ Many businesses have demonstrated that implementing sustainability efforts not only minimizes environmental impact and increases good will among customers , but also increases profits through both operational savings and expansion of market share .”
But , just as with colleges and universities , the key to transforming to a sustainable business first happens with a change in corporate culture , according to Dr . Deborah Goldring , professor of marketing at Stetson , and that change makes perfect business sense . “ In the short-term , a sustainable business can enhance their corporate reputation and brand awareness ,” she said . “ In the medium- to long-term , a commitment to excellence in sustainability may confer a competitive advantage as long as there is a consistent and responsible approach across all functional areas of the business .”
Harry Russo is Communications Manager at Daytona State College , as well as a freelance writer and editor . He holds a Master ’ s in Educational Leadership from the University of Central Florida and resides in Palm Coast , Fla . Contact him at Harry . Russo @ DaytonaState . edu .
NOVEMBER 2017 | 19 |