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Project Idea: No. 1: Infusing Energy, Water, and Materials Uses into Curriculum and Practice AQIP Component to which this primarily relates: Helping Students Learn Briefly describe what you would like this project to accomplish: Both natural and human systems use energy, water, and materials. Each has different patterns of use and types of efficiency. This project will develop a multi-year plan to integrate concepts and tools to promote knowledge of natural and human processes related to energy, water, and materials into academic programs and daily practices at Michigan Technological University. Where did the idea stimulus from this Action Project originate? The idea for this project grew out of discussions among the faculty and students of the Sustainable Futures Institute and through the efforts of the Environmental Sustainability Committee. About 20% of Tech’s sponsored research relates to these topics and every major has at least some education and research associated with the topic. Centers and Institutes, as well as the Enterprise program and staff operations include work in this area. Which specific needs of your students or other external stakeholders would be better met if you accomplished this project? How? This project would help assure that all individuals can make intelligent
decisions in a resource limited world. Those students who enter business
and industry will find that corporate social responsibility plans and
environmental concerns increasingly influence economic decisions and
drive technological innovation. Those who choose teaching and research
for their professional lives may undertake fundamental explorations
in the emerging metadiscipline of sustainability and influence the
education of others for decades to come. Our graduates will benefit
from this education in their everyday lives, from the choice of how
they get to work in the morning to how they choose to heat their homes.
The ripple effects of this knowledge are endless. The campus community will benefit because increased
attention to materials efficiency would reduce environmental impacts,
improve the health and safety of students and employees, and reduce
the operating costs of the University. For example, the use of the sustainability-motivated
LEED standards when constructing or renovating buildings would increase
the efficiency of energy and water usage and provide a healthier work/learning
environment. Attention to these factors in the purchasing area
represents another example that would demonstrate the University's
commitment to sustainability and effective use of materials.
Furthermore, a number of professional accreditation organizations, for example Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology and the Society of American Foresters, require attention to ”sustainability” education. This project could further enhance that outcome. How would doing this project allow you to better meet your employees’ needs? Which, specifically? As previously mentioned this project will improve the health and safety of MTU’s employees. This project may well highlight many areas for cost-savings through ideas related to pollution prevention and energy innovation. One of the more subtle benefits of this project is strengthening the sense of community on campus because it requires participation across campus and on all levels. This project may also help nurture the connection between people and the environment. How would accomplishing this Project change or affect your institution’s culture? Accomplishing this project will enhance the culture of the university by establishing materials efficiency in nature and human systems as a central University theme—clarifying MTU’s values and philosophy for itself and the world. The theme would provide additional focus for the unique research and teaching character of Michigan Tech. It would also advance the already vigorous multidisciplinary research activities at Tech and expand the effort by providing opportunities for all programs to participate. In this way, the project will foster new relationships between academic units. This project will provide a necessary link between general education and program specific education, while linking both of these to student life. Daily efforts by all units to employ sustainability in their operations would also link the academic and non-academic sides of the university more effectively. What leadership and employee enthusiasm and support is there for doing the project now? Sustainable Futures Institute faculty and students, Deans Council, Environmental Sustainability Committee, many staff in facilities, President. Then rate the project on the following three dimensions Challenging X o o o o Easy Simple o o o o X Complex High Payoff X o o o o Low Payoff |