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Explore sustainability, the triple bottom line, and the importance of balancing people, economy, and environment. Discover how exercising your sustainable brain can lead to a healthier, more prosperous society. Join us in reframing sustainability goals and making connections across different sectors.
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Exercising Your Sustainable BrainTracy Dixon, University Sustainability Office
Pre Presentation – Write Down • Extent to which I currently include sustainability in my life Infrequent 1 2 3 4 5 Frequent 2. Sustainability is not something separate in which you can choose to participate, it is connected to everyday life and work. Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree
Goals – Reframe Sustainability • Refresher – What is Sustainability • Why Care About Sustainability • The Sustainable Brain • Exercising Your Sustainable Brain
WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY? “……development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” • Our Common Future/Brundtland Report, UNWCED WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?
SUSTAINABILITY IS ABOUT BALANCE Triple bottom line: • People matter • Economy matters • Environment matters
SUSTAINABLE DREAM WORLD Renewable energy Strong workforce Clean water Balanced population Economically diverse Mobility Zero waste Wise water use Healthy citizens Stable society Clean air Safe communities Community participation Energy efficient Educated citizens Livable wages & prosperity
Why Care About Sustainability What Matters Most? Typical answers: • Children/family/friends • Health, well being, safety • Happiness and fun • Job security and quality • Learning, growing, personal development • Sense of purpose, doing a good job at work • Sense of community/participation/belonging • Health or well being of the planet, its people • Clean air and water • Faith
What does sustainability look like? The Typical Brain The Sustainable Brain
A Look Inside The Typical Brain Enlarged View The Typical Brain nice house in the suburbs air pollution my car my beautiful lawn my daughter’s asthma cancer electricity bill local farmers the food I eat pesticides
A Look Inside The Sustainable Brain What does the sustainable brain think about? Enlarged View nice houses in the suburbs The Sustainable Brain electricity my daughter’s asthma my car air pollution local farmers cancer pesticides the food I eat my beautiful lawn
Sustainable Brain • Sustainability is not something new • Sustainability is a framework in which to think How we think • Interconnections • Long term • Balance
What Now? • Rephrase the question • Save the planet or kill ourselves • Better questions • What are the systems we rely on to meet our needs? • How do these systems affect what matters most? • Goals • Think about our impact at NC State • Ask these questions about our own lives
Making Connections Stuck in a silo • Old model – few connections • Expert in field, collaborate with others in field of expertise, publish in field • Little interaction with other fields • The silos • Today’s model – lots of connections • Interaction across fields • Interdisciplinary • Social • Working together/collaboration Collaboration galore
Example Sustainability Silos Energy Land use Material selection Buildings Water Waste & recycling Transportation Health Sustainability = across sectors
Exercising Your Sustainable Brain - Making Connections • Group 1: Water • Group 2: Energy • Group 3: Waste Reduction & Recycling • Group 4: Transportation • Group 5: Land Use & Grounds • Group 6: Materials & Purchasing • Group 7: Buildings Think of as many words as possible in 5 minutes
Exercising Your Sustainable Brain- Facilities Projects • Water • Energy • Waste Reduction & Recycling • Transportation • Land use & Grounds • Materials & Purchasing