How Diversity Matters: The connection
between Sustainability and Diversity
Green Bag Lunch | March 25, 2015
Dara Sanoubane, [email protected]
Michael Brahosky, [email protected]
Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OAoz9EF_Ig
Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
Air & Water quality, Health issues,Infectious Diseases
Instability, Displacements
Pollution, Species Extinction, Deforestation
Diversity is the process of recognizing our differences and similarities and creating an environment that capitalizes on them.
Equity is the fairness in the way people are treated
Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
Why is it important to address diversity and equity issues in our sustainability efforts?
U.S.Population Projections to 2050
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percentage by Race and Hispanic Origin
2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Hispanic
White non Hispanic
Black including mixed race
Asian including mixed race SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau
Years
64.7 62.4 60.1 57.8 55.5 53.1 50.8 48.5 46.3
16.0 17.7 19.4 21.2 23.0 24.8 26.7 28.5 30.3
5.3 5.8 6.3 6.8 7.3 7.8 8.3 8.8 9.2
13.6 13.8 14 14.2 14.3 14.5 14.7 14.8 15
http://www.census.gov/population/projections/files/analytical-document09.pdf
Human Population Growth
Billion
s
1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000 2050 21000
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
More Developed Countries
Less Developed Countries
WeAre Here
WorldTotal
U.S. Census Bureau. (2008)
Pig poop fouling North Carolina Streams
The connection of the environment, economy, and society within the last year
Social Impact: Affecting the health of residents who are largely made up of
minorities and the poor who are most impacted. Why, because those affected have the least amount of voice and resources to challenge big industries. As a result, they have little choice but to endure the unbearable smell and watch their property values depreciate.
Source: Environmental Health News
Environmental Impact: High levels of bacterial found in streams and
waterways. North Carolina’s DENR treats large swine farm operations as “non-discharge facilities” exempt from state rules on having to monitor waste found in rivers and streams.Economic Impact:
North Carolina is the second leading pork producing state behind Iowa. These farms generate so much waste it is too expensive to transport via pipeline or truck. Instead, pig feces is held in “cesspools” or dispersed by spraying “slurry” across fields ultimately leading to seepage into underground water sources and run-off into nearby streams.
Mission Statement:
Recognizing its connection to matters of social justice and subsequent impact on the diverse communities we serve, it is the mission of the Educational Equity Green Team to promote the responsible stewardship of fiscal, natural, and human resources through ecologically sustainable practices.
Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
Educational Equity Green TeamStrategic Sustainability Plan 2014-2015
Social Justice:“Social Justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities.”
-National Association of Social Workers
Social Justice IS Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice:
“Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful
involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.”
-U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
SOCIAL
ENVIRONMENT
ECONOMIC
Water & AirQuality
Development
Poverty
Human Health
Risk
Security
Development
Environmental and Social Issues Are Related
Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
Educational Equity Green TeamStrategic Sustainability Plan 2014-2015
ObjectivesWhere do we want to go? What change do we want to see?
Action ItemsHow do we get there? How will we achieve the changes?
Time LineWhen will we achieve this?
Outcomes and EvaluationsDid we get there/ did we make any changes? How do we know?
Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
Objectives
LIVE
Action Items
Time Line Outcomes and Evaluations
LEARN
LEAD
COMMUNICATION
To provide support for sustainability and diverse-ability efforts. Increase Educational Equity staff participation in Green Team Event
• Monthly green team meetings.
• Workshops/events(various sustainability tours).
• May 2015: (Pre) Survey staff (self-report) re: participation in Green Team events• May 2016: (Post) Survey staff(self- report) re: participation in Green Team events
• Outcomes: 20% rate of attendance and
participation among all Ed. Equity staff in
Ed. Equity Green Team meetings, workshops, events, and website usage.
Increase knowledge and awareness of diversity and environmental issues.
Workshops/events with emphasis on diversity and sustainability
• May 2015: (Pre) Survey staff (self-report) re: level of awareness and/or interest in diversity.
• May 2016: (Post) Survey
• Outcomes: 10% Increase staff knowledge and awareness
regarding diversity and environmental issues.
(From pre- to post-program questionnaires)
Engage with other units to promote diversity values for sustainability endeavors.
• Contact the Rock Ethics Institute and
Sustainability Institute to propose an event. Contact at least two
student groups to propose an event. Contact at least
two other Green Teams to propose an event.
• Fall semester: 1 collaborative event
• Spring semester: 1 collaborative event
• Outcomes: 2 collaborative sustainability events per academic year.
To promote events and opportunities to participate/ contribute, highlight accomplishments of Ed. Equity members and others in the GT community.
• Monthly Meetings. • Meeting Agendas/Minutes
provided and madeaccessible via share drive.
• Green Team Website. • Green Team pulse surveys.
• Monthly updates of meeting minutes, website information
and timely email notifications.
• Outcomes: Provide easy accessibility and use of
tools and resources (website, email notifications, meeting minutes).
Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
How does this apply to you? You@PSU
Example Teamwork and Leadership Goals Level I - Participate as a team member in a collaborative environment within a
diverse workforce Level II - Seek out diverse opinions and ideas before making decision Level III - Value opinions and ideas from a diverse population and recognize
the impact of actions on different groups and the environment Level IV - Mentor other staff with an emphasis of Level V - Evaluate and enhance current practices and outreach efforts to
ensure optimal support of diversity and the environment
http://ohr.psu.edu/recruitment-and-compensation/job-responsibilities-worksheet/core-competencies-non-management/
Core Competencies & Behavior
Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
You@PSUCore Competencies & Behavior
GoalLevel III – Demonstrate a value for opinions and ideas from a diverse population and recognize the impact of actions on different groups and the environment
Action Steps1) Actively seek
diverse partners in collaborative projects and events on (…insert the work that you do…)
Metrics1) One
collaborative event per semester
2) Use and referral of partner websites, handbooks and services
Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
Poverty (The business of) http://www.povertyinc.org/
The Story of Stuff http://storyofstuff.org/
Shelter in Place http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/shelter-place/
Poison Fire http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/poison-fire/
A River of Waste http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/river-waste/
Tapped http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/tapped/
Money Talks: Profits Before Patient Safety http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/money-talks-profits-before-patient-safety/
Videos
Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
Social justice and Environmental justice:
Make 3 dice and on each surface, write social justice issues and environmental issues (e.g., Food Security, Poverty, Industrial Agriculture, Race, Risk Society, Deforestation, waste pollution, Infectious Diseases
So, say a student rolled: Poverty, Race, and Food Security, they would explain the connection between all of those topics and how social justice and sustainability are interrelated
Racism, Consumption and the environment:
Bring in different kinds of chocolate bars (Hershey, Fair Trade, Endangered Species. etc...) and discuss how people would make a decision on what to buy (cost, flavor, convenience, social and environmental costs)
Watch “The Story of Stuff” and/or part of “The Dark Side of Chocolate”
Discuss the impacts of labor, manufacturing and waste disposal laws
Objective: similar lessons with any product that we buy and many other factors could go into consuming that we may have to make visible for ourselves.
Activities
Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
Ciocirlan, C. & Pettersson, C. (2012). Does workforce diversity matter in the fight against climate change? An analysis of Fortune 500 companies. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 19(1), 47-62.
Friedman, T. L. (2008). Hot, flat, and crowded: Why we need a green revolution--and how it can renew America. Macmillan.
Mann, M. E. (2013). The hockey stick and the climate wars: Dispatches from the front lines. Columbia University Press.
Pearson, A.R. & Schuldt, J.P. (Dec. 2014). Facing the diversity crisis in climate science. Nature Climate Change, 4, 1039-1042.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2008). US population projections. US Census Bureau: Washington, D.C. Retrieved from http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/29429/title/The-Coming-Health-Crisis/
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA]. (n.d.). Environmental Justice. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/basics/ejbackground.html
Jarvis, D. (2013). Environmental Justice and Social Work: A Call to Expand the Social Work Profession to Include Environmental Justice. Columbia Social Work Review, 4(1), 26-45.
Dorceta, E.T. (Jul. 2014).The State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations Report.University of Michgan,
Literature, Papers & Reports
Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity
Penn State electrical engineering alumnus’ kiosks bring clean water to India
Advait Kumar, a Penn State electrical engineering alumnus, saw something that changed his life.
"One day I went to the backyard and I saw all these house workers queuing up to get their turn to fill water from our home," Kumar said. "I didn't understand why they were there."
Discussion Questions
Feel free to use any of these questions, or ones that your Green Team creates.
• Did your understanding of “sustainability” and “diversity” change after hearing the presentation and if so how?
• What goals and action items does your unit plan to include in your strategic plan?
• Does your unit Green Team have a strategic plan and if so, are you meeting progress goals?
• What outcomes and evaluations do you employ to measure the success of your goals?