This document is a presentation from Maya Spaur, Sustainability Advisor at the University of Maryland, about sustainability issues and efforts at UMD. It discusses the large number of cell phones owned by students and electronic waste. It also outlines UMD's sustainability commitments, challenges like climate change and species extinction, and ways students are leading sustainability efforts on campus through projects and organizations. The presentation promotes individual actions like reducing meat consumption and living car-free to help create a sustainable world.

1. Maya Spaur
Sustainability Advisor
Office of Sustainability

2. So, what’s your number?

3. That’s around 200,000phones owned by just current UMD students!

4. 140 Million
phones end up in a
landfill each year!

6. What are some ways
companies could design
phones to last longer?

7. Why would or wouldn’t
companies want to design
phones that last longer?

8. What are some ways we can
change our behaviors to
reduce the environmental
impact of cell phones?

9. Every discipline influences sustainability!
ENGINEERING
BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
BUSINESS
ARTS AND HUMANITIES
AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES
EDUCATION
ARCHITECTURE
COMPUTER, MATHMATICAL AND
NATURAL SCIENCES
JOURNALISM
PUBLIC HEALTH

10. UMD Commitments:
1. Be a National Model for a Green University
3. Prepare All Students to Create a Sustainable Future
2. Eliminate the University’s Carbon Footprint
2700 solar
panels at the
Severn Building
4. Use Water Sustainably
5. Minimize Waste
6. Advance Sustainability Locally and Globally

11. Why is UMD so focused on
sustainability?
What are some of the
greatest challenges
we’re facing?

12. State of the Planet:
The last 18 years have been the hottest in recorded history.
Every year for the next century may be hotter than the last.
One species of plant or animal goes extinct every 13 minutes.
We are now witnessing the sixth “Great Extinction” of species.

13. A Few Species on the Brink of Extinction
Mountain Gorilla Sumatran Elephant
Iberian Lynx Hawaiian Monk Seal

14. State of the Planet:
The last 18 years have been the hottest in recorded history.
Every year for the next century may be hotter than the last.
One species of plant or animal goes extinct every 13 minutes.
We are now witnessing the sixth “Great Extinction” of species.
90% of big fish are gone from the oceans. 83% of marine life
is overfished or facing extinction.
Sea level has risen 1 foot over the past 100 years. It is projected
to rise 2-6 feet by 2100.
Tonight, more than a billion people will go to sleep hungry.
Right now, a billion people do not have access to fresh drinking
water. This may reach 3 billion people within 20 years.

15. Your birthday (~1998) – 5.9 Billion
Today – 7.4 Billion

16. Climate Change

17. Sea Level Rise Tuvalu
Population: 10,000

18. “A panel of scientists is urging Maryland officials to plan to accommodate rising seas
of up to 2 feet along the state's shoreline in the next 40 years – and perhaps nearly
6 feet by the end of the century.”
– Baltimore Sun, June 2013
Local Sea Level Rise
+ 3 feet
Downtown Annapolis following Tropical Storm Isabel

19. Extreme Weather

20. Extreme Drought
Before
After
Reservoir in California

21. Impact on Agriculture
(i.e. Jobs and the Food we Eat)

22. Impact on War

23. How Climate Change may be a Factor in the War in Syria:
• From 2006 to 2011, over half the country suffered from the worst drought
on record.

24. How Climate Change may be a Factor in the War in Syria:
• From 2006 to 2011, over half the country suffered from the worst drought
on record.
• Nearly 85% of livestock died and 1.5 million farmers fled to the cities to try
to find jobs.

25. How Climate Change may be a Factor in the War in Syria:
• From 2006 to 2011, over half the country suffered from the worst drought
on record.
• Nearly 85% of livestock died and 1.5 million farmers fled to the cities to try
to find jobs.
• The government did little to help the farmers and, with overcrowded cities
and high unemployment, the people started protesting.

26. How Climate Change may be a Factor in the War in Syria:
• From 2006 to 2011, over half the country suffered from the worst drought
on record.
• Nearly 85% of livestock died and 1.5 million farmers fled to the cities to try
to find jobs.
• The government did little to help the farmers and, with overcrowded cities
and high unemployment, the people started protesting.
• The government fought back and now there is all out civil war across Syria.

27. But we can REDIRECT this!

29. The world needs
sustainable solutions
to these
great challenges!

30. What is
sustainability
anyway?

31. “Meeting the needs of the
present without compromising
the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs.”

32. Sustainability is about harmony. It is a process
that exists at the delicate balance between
environmental health, social justice, and
economic development.

33. Corporations call this the “Triple Bottom Line”

34. … they would give preference
to job candidates who have an
academic concentration in
sustainability!
98% of executives
from large corporations
said that when they make
hiring decisions….

35. People are Leading the Change!
We are seeing the emergence of the Sharing Economy!

36. People are Leading the Change!
Americans’ carbon footprints decreased about
25% over the last 16 years!

37. People are Leading the Change!
Bike commuting increased 47% in US (and 171% in DC)
over the last decade!

38. People are Leading the Change!
Approximately 50 million US households
grow some of their own food!

39. Students are Leading the Change at UMD!
Students pushed the University President to commit to eliminating
UMD’s carbon footprint and creating an Office of Sustainability

40. Students are Leading the Change at UMD!
Students organized the University Senate to prevent the deforestation
of the Wooded Hillock and voted to preserve this campus forest for
education and research

41. Students are Leading the Change at UMD!
Students convinced the University to only buy electricity produced
by renewable energy by 2020 and convinced the University System
of Maryland Foundation to divest from fossil fuel companies.

42. Students are Leading the Change at UMD!
Thousands of students have committed to changing their habits to
live more sustainably!

43. Our vision for a
Sustainable World
is starting to come
to life!

44. Get Educated
Get Involved
Get Paid!

45. Minor in
Sustainability Studies!
• 15 credits
• Complements any major
• See sustainability.umd.edu
Now the
largest minor
on campus!

46. At least
$300,000
is available every year
to fund your
sustainability project!

47. Terps the Tap
Granted $62,282

48. Maryland Educational & Solar Activities
Laboratory
Granted $30,000

49. WaterShed
Granted $4,500

50. Sphagnum Moss
Pool Water Treatment
Granted $64,718

51. Terp Farm
Granted $124,000

52. Food Recovery Network
Granted $3,302

53. What will you create!?
Priority deadline to apply is Oct 15! Final deadline is Jan 15!

54. Personal actions do
make a difference!

55. Top 6 Things You
Can Do to be a
Green Terp

56. 1. Eat Less Meat
Especially beef!

57. 2. Use Less Stuff
Reduce THEN Reuse THEN Recycle & Compost
Practice this whenever you shop…
REDUCE
Don’t buy unnecessary things
REUSE
Use reusable shopping bags
RECYCLE
Recycle items at the end of
their lives

58. Speaking of Compost…

59. 3. Flip the Switch
Turn off electronics when not in use

60. 4. Be Water-Wise
5-minute showers & carry a reusable bottle

61. 5. Live Car-Free
Walk, bike, and take mass transit

62. 6. Join a student organization!
Engineers Without Borders
Student Sustainability Committee (SGA)

63. “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Lead by example and you’ll be amazed how many people will follow.

64. Stay Connected!
sustainability.umd.edu

65. sustainability@umd.edu
Like/Follow SustainableUMD