The document provides a history of sustainability efforts at Hope College from its founding to present day. It begins with a global context starting in the 1600s and discusses key events like the Scientific Revolution and Darwin's theory of evolution that influenced environmental thought. At Hope College, early efforts included nature writings in the student newspaper and establishing a field station in the 1970s. Course offerings expanded slowly through the 1980s-2000s across departments. Challenges included declining student interest in the 1970s and lack of required courses. The history shows an evolution from limited and isolated efforts to greater integration across disciplines today through initiatives like the environmental studies minor.
James Lovelock proposed the Gaia hypothesis, which states that living organisms and their inorganic surroundings have evolved together as a single living system that actively regulates Earth's environment and climate to be suitable for life. He developed this theory in the 1960s while working for NASA, noting that the chemical composition of Earth's atmosphere suggests the presence of life. The theory was controversial but gained support over time as mechanisms of planetary self-regulation like the carbon cycle were discovered. Gaia theory reconciles evolutionary biology and geology by proposing that evolution shapes the environment as well as organisms adapting to it, maintaining conditions suitable for life.
This document summarizes a symposium discussing how indigenous peoples are affected by and responding to climate change. It describes how indigenous peoples' livelihoods depend directly on natural resources impacted by climate change. While often viewed as helpless victims, indigenous peoples are actively adapting to changes through traditional knowledge and new technologies. The document then examines climate change impacts and challenges for indigenous peoples in different environments, such as rising temperatures threatening Arctic livelihoods and languages, alpine species migrating up mountains, expanding deserts reducing grazing land, droughts endangering rainforests, and rising seas threatening island communities.
This document discusses the transformation of pedology, the study of soils, in response to humanity's impact on Earth's soils. It begins by describing how pedology originated as a natural science focused on soils developing through natural processes alone. However, by the mid-20th century, human activities were recognized as significantly altering global soils on decadal timescales through anthropogenic processes. This challenges pedology to integrate human influences and quantify soil changes over shorter time periods to support environmental science and management of global change issues. The document argues that pedology must broaden its focus from soils as static natural bodies to a dynamic, interdisciplinary science accounting for humanity's transformation of Earth's soils.
Our environment is constantly changing. There is no denying that. However, as our environment changes, so does the need to become increasingly aware of the problems that surround it. With a massive influx of natural disasters, warming and cooling periods, different types of weather patterns and much more, people need to be aware of what types of environmental problems our planet is facing.
Human activities and consumption are negatively impacting Earth's spheres and environment. If humans continue increasing population and resource demands at the current unsustainable rate, it will lead to serious global health issues as competition for scarce resources intensifies. Environmental science is multidisciplinary, and human impacts are interconnected - what affects one part of the environment affects others. Managing land use, resources, and human population growth will be crucial to achieving a sustainable relationship between humanity and nature.
Evolutionary patterns in the future - A comparison between action of nature a...Roberto Sáez
More info at
http://nutcrackerman.com/2014/07/21/evolutionary-patterns-in-the-future-a-comparison-between-action-of-nature-and-action-of-man/
The speed of evolutionary changes has greatly increased in the last 10,000 years. The huge increase in population plus the adaptation to new ecology conditions have resulted in strong pressure to produce genetic mutations: for example, to allow digestion of different food sources, to create resistance to unknown pathogens or to adapt skin to new environments. With this recent background, what type of variations can we expect that evolution will bring to humankind in the next 200,000 years? We can find different answers in the action of nature and the action of humans.
ContRock,Live,Fire: geophysics and the AnthropoceneFajar Sukmaya
This document summarizes Nigel Clark's discussion of how deconstructionist philosophy and recent developments in earth sciences point toward a "speculative geophysics" approach. It notes that recent evidence has shown the earth's crust is in constant motion due to plate tectonics, undermining the idea of a static, solid planet. It also discusses how human activity has impacted the earth system to the extent that some argue it marks a new geological epoch called the Anthropocene. The document explores how deconstructionist thinking and efforts by scientists to integrate biology and geology can contribute to inquiries into humanity's emergence and role as a geological force on par with natural processes.
James Lovelock proposed the Gaia hypothesis, which states that living organisms and their inorganic surroundings have evolved together as a single living system that actively regulates Earth's environment and climate to be suitable for life. He developed this theory in the 1960s while working for NASA, noting that the chemical composition of Earth's atmosphere suggests the presence of life. The theory was controversial but gained support over time as mechanisms of planetary self-regulation like the carbon cycle were discovered. Gaia theory reconciles evolutionary biology and geology by proposing that evolution shapes the environment as well as organisms adapting to it, maintaining conditions suitable for life.
This document summarizes a symposium discussing how indigenous peoples are affected by and responding to climate change. It describes how indigenous peoples' livelihoods depend directly on natural resources impacted by climate change. While often viewed as helpless victims, indigenous peoples are actively adapting to changes through traditional knowledge and new technologies. The document then examines climate change impacts and challenges for indigenous peoples in different environments, such as rising temperatures threatening Arctic livelihoods and languages, alpine species migrating up mountains, expanding deserts reducing grazing land, droughts endangering rainforests, and rising seas threatening island communities.
This document discusses the transformation of pedology, the study of soils, in response to humanity's impact on Earth's soils. It begins by describing how pedology originated as a natural science focused on soils developing through natural processes alone. However, by the mid-20th century, human activities were recognized as significantly altering global soils on decadal timescales through anthropogenic processes. This challenges pedology to integrate human influences and quantify soil changes over shorter time periods to support environmental science and management of global change issues. The document argues that pedology must broaden its focus from soils as static natural bodies to a dynamic, interdisciplinary science accounting for humanity's transformation of Earth's soils.
Our environment is constantly changing. There is no denying that. However, as our environment changes, so does the need to become increasingly aware of the problems that surround it. With a massive influx of natural disasters, warming and cooling periods, different types of weather patterns and much more, people need to be aware of what types of environmental problems our planet is facing.
Human activities and consumption are negatively impacting Earth's spheres and environment. If humans continue increasing population and resource demands at the current unsustainable rate, it will lead to serious global health issues as competition for scarce resources intensifies. Environmental science is multidisciplinary, and human impacts are interconnected - what affects one part of the environment affects others. Managing land use, resources, and human population growth will be crucial to achieving a sustainable relationship between humanity and nature.
Evolutionary patterns in the future - A comparison between action of nature a...Roberto Sáez
More info at
http://nutcrackerman.com/2014/07/21/evolutionary-patterns-in-the-future-a-comparison-between-action-of-nature-and-action-of-man/
The speed of evolutionary changes has greatly increased in the last 10,000 years. The huge increase in population plus the adaptation to new ecology conditions have resulted in strong pressure to produce genetic mutations: for example, to allow digestion of different food sources, to create resistance to unknown pathogens or to adapt skin to new environments. With this recent background, what type of variations can we expect that evolution will bring to humankind in the next 200,000 years? We can find different answers in the action of nature and the action of humans.
ContRock,Live,Fire: geophysics and the AnthropoceneFajar Sukmaya
This document summarizes Nigel Clark's discussion of how deconstructionist philosophy and recent developments in earth sciences point toward a "speculative geophysics" approach. It notes that recent evidence has shown the earth's crust is in constant motion due to plate tectonics, undermining the idea of a static, solid planet. It also discusses how human activity has impacted the earth system to the extent that some argue it marks a new geological epoch called the Anthropocene. The document explores how deconstructionist thinking and efforts by scientists to integrate biology and geology can contribute to inquiries into humanity's emergence and role as a geological force on par with natural processes.
This document provides information about ecosystems and natural resources. It defines ecosystems as interacting systems consisting of organisms and their environment. It discusses different types of ecosystems like terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. It also explains key ecosystem functions like photosynthesis, energy flow, and material cycling. Additionally, it covers topics like food chains, ecological pyramids, renewable and non-renewable resources, and the importance of conserving natural resources for future generations.
The document discusses humanity's relationship with nature and the environment. It argues that while humans have manipulated the natural world for their own benefit, we must recognize that we are just one part of the complex ecological system and cannot survive without it. The poem "The Common Living Dirt" and song "Earth Song" both convey messages about the importance of appreciating nature and stopping its destruction. The document also discusses humanity's ethical obligation to protect the planet given that human activities are contributing to issues like global warming and harming other species.
This document summarizes a presentation given by Dr. Dean Kruckeberg on using an ecological framework to understand community building and managing change in organizations. Some key points:
- Society is undergoing a revolution driven by advances in communication technology that are fundamentally changing humans.
- Public relations can help address this change but current theories are deficient. Kruckeberg recommends examining a theoretical framework from natural sciences like ecology.
- The work of Aldo Leopold teaches that communities are foundational to ecology. Humans are part of the larger biotic community rather than conquerors of land.
- Leopold's concept of ecology included an "ecological conscience" and view of ethics as a community instinct.
This document discusses plant succession and provides an analysis of Frederic E. Clements's book "Plant Succession: An Analysis of the Development of Vegetation". It includes:
1. An overview of Clements's book which presents his concept of the formation as a complex organism and argues that all vegetation has been developmentally related through succession.
2. A preface by Clements describing the development of his ideas on succession from previous works and extensive field work testing these concepts across North America.
3. The table of contents for Clements's book which covers topics like the causes of succession, the units of vegetation, climax communities, and succession in various world regions.
Western culture lives in fear of wild nature, both external and internal, writes ecotherapist Mary-Jayne Rust. How can we find a way of working with nature in this consumerist age?
Encountering The Anthropocene The Role of Environmental Humanities and Social...Bruce Gorring
This document provides an overview and schedule for a three-day conference titled "Encountering the Anthropocene: The Role of Environmental Humanities and Social Sciences". The conference will take place from February 26-28, 2014 in Sydney, Australia and will explore how the environmental humanities and social sciences can help interpret the impacts of the Anthropocene, understand its implications, and engage the public. It will feature keynote speakers from universities and museums who will discuss topics like the role of narrative in the Anthropocene and applying transdisciplinarity for sustainability. Each day will focus on a different theme and include panel discussions.
1.1 man vis avis nature. laxamana, anthonette faeAgah Pentecostes
Man and nature have had differing relationships throughout history. In Christian times, nature was seen as signs of God's providence, though periods of blight were viewed as God's wrath for human sinfulness. During the Enlightenment, nature came to be seen as dead matter governed by discoverable laws. Industrialists saw nature as raw materials to exploit for valuable commodities. While nature and man coexist and nature provides resources for human survival, their relationship is also conflicted due to issues like natural disasters, lack of resources, and human encroachment on animal habitats. Being in nature benefits humans by reducing stress and increasing well-being.
This document provides an overview of environmental change on Earth over time. It discusses how early humans began modifying their environment starting around 2 million years ago through activities like building shelters and controlling fire. It then describes major climate and environmental changes that occurred throughout history, including the impacts of glacial periods and the transition to agriculture around 10,000 years ago. The document outlines five major extinction events in Earth's history and how human activities have increasingly shaped the global environment as population has grown over the past 10,000 years.
The document discusses biodiversity and the causes and impacts of species extinction. It defines key terms like species diversity, genetic diversity, ecosystem diversity, habitat destruction, overhunting, invasive species, pollution, and more. It also discusses the importance of adaptation and how adaptive traits are acquired. The end includes a quiz to test understanding.
Are we witnessing the emergence of a new geological epoch?
Register to explore the whole course here: https://school.bighistoryproject.com/bhplive?WT.mc_id=Slideshare12202017
The document provides definitions and concepts related to ecosystems, including:
1. Definitions of ecosystems and their structure, including biomass and dead organic matter.
2. Functions of ecosystems, including energy and nutrient flows through photosynthesis, trophic levels, and nutrient recycling.
3. Plant succession and how plant communities change over time from pioneer to climax species in response to changing environmental conditions.
1) Humans have harnessed various energy sources over time, starting with human power itself and tools to amplify strength, then fire which allowed new capabilities but was dangerous and limited.
2) Domesticated animals and the utilization of coal provided more scalable energy sources to fuel growing civilizations, though coal mining was challenging and polluting.
3) Modern societies rely on oil, natural gas, and nuclear power, but these have limitations around sustainability, waste, and geopolitics, so alternatives like wind and solar that have less environmental impact are being further developed.
Agri, enviro&sustain devlped glossary (by R.Scott Frey)IHSAN EP
This document is a glossary containing over 500 terms related to agriculture, the environment, and sustainable development. It was created to increase awareness of major issues for non-specialists. The terms are drawn from various social and natural science disciplines and relate to important global issues surrounding agriculture production and its associated environmental and social impacts. Kansas State University and other land-grant universities support research on more sustainable agricultural practices that reduce impacts on natural resources and protect human and environmental health.
The document discusses the concepts of environmental ethics and ecology. It defines environmental ethics as the study of humans' moral obligation to preserve the natural environment and order. It discusses the theory of moral extensionism, which argues that natural entities have intrinsic value beyond their usefulness to humans. The document also defines ecology as the study of organism-environment interactions and interrelations. It provides examples of climatic, chemical, and biological environmental conditions. Finally, it discusses humans' relationship with nature and technology's impacts on degrading the environment.
The document defines several types of environmental issues: pollution as harmful substances in the environment, renewable resources that can be reused versus nonrenewable resources that cannot, alien species that establish themselves in new environments, overpopulation exceeding available resources, biodiversity as biological variety, and deforestation as forest clearing. It also describes wetlands for controlling floods and filtering water while providing animal habitats. It prompts calculating one's ecological footprint to understand resource use and ways to reduce environmental impact.
This document provides definitions and concepts related to environment, natural resources, ecology, and ecosystems. It discusses key terms like ecology, environment, ecosystem, resource, and carrying capacity. It also outlines different types of resources like physical, biological, human, and cultural resources. Finally, it discusses ecosystems, biodiversity, and ecosystem services like provisioning, regulating, and cultural services.
This document provides information about ecosystems and natural resources. It defines ecosystems as interacting systems consisting of organisms and their environment. It discusses different types of ecosystems like terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. It also explains key ecosystem functions like photosynthesis, energy flow, and material cycling. Additionally, it covers topics like food chains, ecological pyramids, renewable and non-renewable resources, and the importance of conserving natural resources for future generations.
The document discusses humanity's relationship with nature and the environment. It argues that while humans have manipulated the natural world for their own benefit, we must recognize that we are just one part of the complex ecological system and cannot survive without it. The poem "The Common Living Dirt" and song "Earth Song" both convey messages about the importance of appreciating nature and stopping its destruction. The document also discusses humanity's ethical obligation to protect the planet given that human activities are contributing to issues like global warming and harming other species.
This document summarizes a presentation given by Dr. Dean Kruckeberg on using an ecological framework to understand community building and managing change in organizations. Some key points:
- Society is undergoing a revolution driven by advances in communication technology that are fundamentally changing humans.
- Public relations can help address this change but current theories are deficient. Kruckeberg recommends examining a theoretical framework from natural sciences like ecology.
- The work of Aldo Leopold teaches that communities are foundational to ecology. Humans are part of the larger biotic community rather than conquerors of land.
- Leopold's concept of ecology included an "ecological conscience" and view of ethics as a community instinct.
This document discusses plant succession and provides an analysis of Frederic E. Clements's book "Plant Succession: An Analysis of the Development of Vegetation". It includes:
1. An overview of Clements's book which presents his concept of the formation as a complex organism and argues that all vegetation has been developmentally related through succession.
2. A preface by Clements describing the development of his ideas on succession from previous works and extensive field work testing these concepts across North America.
3. The table of contents for Clements's book which covers topics like the causes of succession, the units of vegetation, climax communities, and succession in various world regions.
Western culture lives in fear of wild nature, both external and internal, writes ecotherapist Mary-Jayne Rust. How can we find a way of working with nature in this consumerist age?
Encountering The Anthropocene The Role of Environmental Humanities and Social...Bruce Gorring
This document provides an overview and schedule for a three-day conference titled "Encountering the Anthropocene: The Role of Environmental Humanities and Social Sciences". The conference will take place from February 26-28, 2014 in Sydney, Australia and will explore how the environmental humanities and social sciences can help interpret the impacts of the Anthropocene, understand its implications, and engage the public. It will feature keynote speakers from universities and museums who will discuss topics like the role of narrative in the Anthropocene and applying transdisciplinarity for sustainability. Each day will focus on a different theme and include panel discussions.
1.1 man vis avis nature. laxamana, anthonette faeAgah Pentecostes
Man and nature have had differing relationships throughout history. In Christian times, nature was seen as signs of God's providence, though periods of blight were viewed as God's wrath for human sinfulness. During the Enlightenment, nature came to be seen as dead matter governed by discoverable laws. Industrialists saw nature as raw materials to exploit for valuable commodities. While nature and man coexist and nature provides resources for human survival, their relationship is also conflicted due to issues like natural disasters, lack of resources, and human encroachment on animal habitats. Being in nature benefits humans by reducing stress and increasing well-being.
This document provides an overview of environmental change on Earth over time. It discusses how early humans began modifying their environment starting around 2 million years ago through activities like building shelters and controlling fire. It then describes major climate and environmental changes that occurred throughout history, including the impacts of glacial periods and the transition to agriculture around 10,000 years ago. The document outlines five major extinction events in Earth's history and how human activities have increasingly shaped the global environment as population has grown over the past 10,000 years.
The document discusses biodiversity and the causes and impacts of species extinction. It defines key terms like species diversity, genetic diversity, ecosystem diversity, habitat destruction, overhunting, invasive species, pollution, and more. It also discusses the importance of adaptation and how adaptive traits are acquired. The end includes a quiz to test understanding.
Are we witnessing the emergence of a new geological epoch?
Register to explore the whole course here: https://school.bighistoryproject.com/bhplive?WT.mc_id=Slideshare12202017
The document provides definitions and concepts related to ecosystems, including:
1. Definitions of ecosystems and their structure, including biomass and dead organic matter.
2. Functions of ecosystems, including energy and nutrient flows through photosynthesis, trophic levels, and nutrient recycling.
3. Plant succession and how plant communities change over time from pioneer to climax species in response to changing environmental conditions.
1) Humans have harnessed various energy sources over time, starting with human power itself and tools to amplify strength, then fire which allowed new capabilities but was dangerous and limited.
2) Domesticated animals and the utilization of coal provided more scalable energy sources to fuel growing civilizations, though coal mining was challenging and polluting.
3) Modern societies rely on oil, natural gas, and nuclear power, but these have limitations around sustainability, waste, and geopolitics, so alternatives like wind and solar that have less environmental impact are being further developed.
Agri, enviro&sustain devlped glossary (by R.Scott Frey)IHSAN EP
This document is a glossary containing over 500 terms related to agriculture, the environment, and sustainable development. It was created to increase awareness of major issues for non-specialists. The terms are drawn from various social and natural science disciplines and relate to important global issues surrounding agriculture production and its associated environmental and social impacts. Kansas State University and other land-grant universities support research on more sustainable agricultural practices that reduce impacts on natural resources and protect human and environmental health.
The document discusses the concepts of environmental ethics and ecology. It defines environmental ethics as the study of humans' moral obligation to preserve the natural environment and order. It discusses the theory of moral extensionism, which argues that natural entities have intrinsic value beyond their usefulness to humans. The document also defines ecology as the study of organism-environment interactions and interrelations. It provides examples of climatic, chemical, and biological environmental conditions. Finally, it discusses humans' relationship with nature and technology's impacts on degrading the environment.
The document defines several types of environmental issues: pollution as harmful substances in the environment, renewable resources that can be reused versus nonrenewable resources that cannot, alien species that establish themselves in new environments, overpopulation exceeding available resources, biodiversity as biological variety, and deforestation as forest clearing. It also describes wetlands for controlling floods and filtering water while providing animal habitats. It prompts calculating one's ecological footprint to understand resource use and ways to reduce environmental impact.
This document provides definitions and concepts related to environment, natural resources, ecology, and ecosystems. It discusses key terms like ecology, environment, ecosystem, resource, and carrying capacity. It also outlines different types of resources like physical, biological, human, and cultural resources. Finally, it discusses ecosystems, biodiversity, and ecosystem services like provisioning, regulating, and cultural services.
El documento describe los componentes fundamentales del hardware de una computadora. Explica que el hardware incluye todas las partes físicas como la placa base, la CPU, la memoria RAM, las tarjetas de expansión, la fuente de alimentación, las unidades de almacenamiento y los periféricos de entrada y salida como el teclado y el mouse. Además, define cada uno de estos componentes clave y su función dentro del sistema.
Un wiki es un sitio web colaborativo que permite a múltiples usuarios crear, editar, borrar o modificar el contenido de una página de forma rápida e interactiva. Los wikis tienen ventajas como herramienta educativa y de software social, ya que facilitan la colaboración, conexiones sociales e intercambio de información entre usuarios.
“La importancia de la producción de la electricidad con energía solar en el sur del país y su contribución a la red nacional integrada”. características,funciones,conceptos básicos,ademas de tener pautas basicas
Este documento presenta datos económicos de Estados Unidos entre 1997 y 2007, incluyendo tasas de inflación, interés, crecimiento y desempleo. Se grafican las tasas de inflación para analizar sus tendencias a través de los años, observando que generalmente aumentó, especialmente en 2007. También se muestran diagramas de dispersión para analizar las relaciones entre inflación e interés, y crecimiento y desempleo, concluyendo que no están estrechamente relacionados.
Rajkumar Kushwah has a Bachelor of Technology degree in Computer Science and Engineering from IIITDM Jabalpur with a CGPA of 6.2. He has work experience as a trainee at Indian West Centre Railway in Kota for 60 days. He is currently working on a college automation project to efficiently reserve classrooms and guest rooms online. He has experience with various programming languages and technologies and has completed academic projects in areas like mess management, resort booking, algorithms, and online voting systems.
El grupo de estudiantes está compuesto por al menos 40 personas, con más hombres que mujeres. Aunque la mayoría se lleva bien, a veces discuten entre ellos y no se organizan bien para eventos. Cada estudiante tiene su propio grupo de amigos cercanos, ya sea solo de su mismo sexo o mixto, y a pesar de sus diferencias el autor considera que su grupo mixto es el mejor.
Este documento presenta un plan de estudios para un curso de Auditoría I. Los objetivos generales son actualizar a los estudiantes sobre aspectos legales de auditoría y buscar, procesar y analizar información de fuentes diversas en auditoría. Los objetivos específicos son analizar aspectos generales de auditoría y emplear procedimientos fundamentales en el proceso de auditoría. El contenido incluye generalidades, aspectos legales nacionales, estructura general de auditoría, relevancia de papeles de trabajo e importancia del archivo permanente.
This document contains the resume of Joseph Paul Mavely, a civil engineer with over 28 years of experience in construction project execution, estimation, quantity surveying, and contract administration. He is currently a senior estimator at a private engineering firm in Dubai and is seeking a senior engineering role. His experience includes roles as a contracts engineer, civil engineer, quantity surveyor, and estimator on various projects in Dubai and India totaling over $100 million. He has expertise in cost estimation, contract negotiations, leadership, and meeting deadlines.
El documento define el término "sexting" como el envío de mensajes con contenido pornográfico o erótico a través de teléfonos celulares. Explica que el término surgió en 2005 y que una encuesta de 2008 encontró que esta práctica se extendió rápidamente entre adolescentes. Advirtió que fotografías explícitas pueden publicarse después de una ruptura y cambiar dramáticamente la vida de alguien, e instó a revisar dispositivos, hablar con menores y no confiar en nadie para prevenir problemas leg
Practical TensorFlow
Covers next questions:
* Machine Learning - what is it for and what challenges non deep learning system have.
* Deep Learning - why and how would you use it.
* Introducing TensorFlow and TensorFlow Learn.
* Examples of how to apply TensorFlow in practice with TensorFlow Learn.
Emmanuel Drouynot (Broadvision) offers an interesting view on Social CRM for B2B. Presented at Our Social Times' Social CRM 2011 Paris conference.
Gartner says that 90% of spending on social CRM is for B2C use, but that spending on B2B sCRM will account for 30% by 2015. As a result, most Social CRM solutions focus on B2C, leaving B2B organisations wondering how to get started. This presentation examines how B2B Social CRM differs from B2C, sets out how to address these differences, and offers guidance for B2C organisations with more complex customer relationships.
An introduction to Google's AI Engine, look deeper into Artificial Networks and Machine Learning. Appreciate how our simplest neural network be codified and be used to data analytics.
This document summarizes the evolving perceptions of the human-nature relationship among historians and scientists from the 19th century to present. It discusses key figures like George Perkins Marsh, Frederick Jackson Turner, Walter Prescott Webb, and Carl Sauer who interpreted nature and humanity's impact on it in various ways. Over time, the relationship has been viewed as both separate and interconnected, with nature seen as both passive and active. The document traces how views have moved from seeing nature as static and human impacts as negative, to recognizing nature's dynamism and the reciprocity between human and natural systems.
Small islands are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts according to experts. One document discusses how small islands, whether in tropical or higher latitudes, have characteristics making them especially susceptible to climate change effects, sea level rise and extreme events. Another source likens societies that overexploit their resources to Easter Island, where unsustainable practices led to environmental degradation and societal collapse. A third document reiterates that small islands are very vulnerable to climate change and sea level rise due to their unique geographical characteristics.
This chapter examines the complex relationship between human societies and the natural environment. It discusses how nature can be viewed as both a physical concept and a social construction that varies between cultures. The chapter then explores how early human societies transformed the environment through activities like farming and settlements. It also analyzes the major environmental impacts of European colonial expansion, including through the Columbian Exchange. Finally, it addresses more recent human-driven environmental changes from industrialization and globalization, such as climate change, and efforts to promote sustainability and environmental protection.
Fall Focus on BooksGROWING UP GREENA Clean Sky The Gl.docxmydrynan
Fall Focus on Books
GROWING UP GREEN
A Clean Sky: The Global Warming Story. Robyn C. Friend and Judith Love Cohen. Cascade Pass, Marina del Rey, CA,
2007. 48 pp., illus. $13.95 (ISBN 9781880599822 cloth).
The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming. Laurie David and Cambria Gordon. Scholastic, New York, 2007.
128 pp., illus. $15.99 (ISBN 9780439024945 paper).
The Forever Forest: Kids Save a Tropical Treasure. Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini and Rachel Crandell. Dawn Publications,
Nevada City, CA, 2008. 32 pp., illus. $16.95 (ISBN 9781584691013 doth).
How We Know What We Know about Our Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming. Lynne
Cherry and Gary Braasch. Dawn Publications, Nevada City, CA, 2008.66 pp., illus. $17.95 (ISBN 9781584691037 cloth).
One Well: The Story of Water on Earth. Rochelle Strauss. Kids Can Press, Tonawanda, NY, 2007. 32 pp., illus. $17.95
(ISBN 9781553379546 cloth).
The Sky's Not Falling! Why It's OK to Chill about Global Warming. Holly Fretyvell. World Ahead Publishing, Los
Angeles, 2007. 128 pp., illus. $10.99 (ISBN 9780976726944 paper).
Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion. Loree Griffin Burns. Houghton Mifflin, Boston,
2007. 64 pp., illus. $18.00 (ISBN 9780618581313 cloth).
E nvironmental conservation andglobal warming are two of the
hottest topics in science today, and
among the hottest resources for chil-
dren are the following new titles,
which target various age groups but
have a common goal of developing
environmental consciousness in our
kids. These books range from providing
a basic understanding of environmental
issues to showcasing a specific aspect of
our environment that needs focused
consideration. The books are meant to.
stir awareness by using the full gamut
of motivational techniques, from soft
cliché to hard statistic. Their goal is to
fuel motivation, some by suggesting
tried and true conservation practices,
and others by leaning more heavily on
scientific evidence and the evaluation
of it. And with one exception, they serve
as seeds for planting the idea of growing
up "green."
Water conservation
The idea of water as a valuable resource
and the related issues of water access,
pollution, and depletion are thought-
fully discussed in One Well: The Story of
Water on Earth (ages 9 to 14). Author
Rochelle Strauss, an environmental
education consultant based in Toronto,
focuses the reader on the importance
of water conservation by using the anal-
ogy of one global well. Renowned artist
If we want our future citizens to make well-
informed decisions about issues related to
the environment, then we need to ensure that
. scientifically accurate, nonbiased sources of
information are available to them.
Rosemary Woods illustrates in rich
detail the concept of water as the strand
of life that connects everything on Earth.
The book is filled with facts and per-
centages, but the statistics are paired
with easy-to-understand descriptions
of tangible objects th ...
Why is Education So Important in Our Life - PHDessay.com. Why education is very important by goodforall101 - Issuu. The Importance of Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written .... the text on this page is written in red and blue. IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION ESSAY - English Essay. 004 Essay Example Why Is College Important On Importance Of Education .... School Essay: Argumentative essay about education is important. Essay on why college education is important. Importance On Education And The Value Of | herxheim.de. Essays on Importance of Education [Free Essay Examples]. essay examples: importance of education essay. The Importance Of Education Essay Topics - Essay About Importance Of ....
This document discusses the history of the belief that Earth is a living entity. It describes how ancient cultures viewed Earth as alive but providing sustenance. This belief changed with Judaism and Christianity, which taught that connecting with nature was idolatry. By the 20th century, the view of Earth as a mechanistic system devoid of life had taken hold in academia. The work of scientist James Lovelock in the 1960s challenged this view by proposing the Gaia hypothesis that Earth's biosphere is a self-regulating system that sustains life. The document warns that human activities like artificial fertilizers threaten this system and our existence.
Origin of Life: by Chance or by Design?Tauqeer Ahmad
The document discusses the debate around whether life originated by chance or by design. It provides background on early theories from the 1930s proposing that life arose spontaneously through natural processes. It also summarizes key experiments, like Stanley Miller's 1953 experiment producing amino acids from simple gases. However, it notes that creating functional proteins randomly is overwhelmingly improbable. While some support for spontaneous abiogenesis came from early Mars missions, more recent data suggests the early Earth environment may not have been as reducing as previously believed. The document questions whether random reactions alone can explain the origin of life, given the huge amount of information stored in biological molecules, and suggests a super intelligence may be the best explanation.
The chapter focuses on the relationship between humans and the environment, with technology mediating their interaction. It examines how nature can be viewed as both a physical concept and a social construction. The remainder of the chapter traces selected cultures' interactions with nature, from early human transformations of the environment to more recent impacts of European expansion and globalization. Recent anthropogenic environmental changes, like pollution and deforestation, have had global consequences due to increasing globalization.
This document provides an overview of the historical development of the theory of evolution. It discusses pre-Darwinian thinkers like Jean Baptiste Lamarck and his theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics. It also mentions the contributions of Charles Lyell and his theory of uniformitarianism. The bulk of the document focuses on Charles Darwin and the influence of his voyage on the Beagle, particularly his observations of the Galapagos finches. It outlines Darwin's subsequent development of the theory of natural selection and publication of On the Origin of Species. Finally, it briefly discusses other scientists like Alfred Russel Wallace, Ernst Haeckel, and their role in further developing evolutionary thought, culminating in the modern synthesis of evolution.
Charles Darwin: The Galapagos Finches and the Emergence of Evolutionary TheoryTom Moritz
Charles Darwin developed his theory of evolution by natural selection after observing finches during his voyage on the HMS Beagle and reading Thomas Malthus' work on population growth. Darwin noticed that there was variation among finches and that some variations would help individuals survive and pass traits to offspring more successfully. This led him to propose that evolution occurs through natural selection preserving favorable traits.
Catastrophism through the Ages, and a Cosmic Catastrophe at the Origin of Civ...CrimsonPublishersAAOA
Catastrophism through the Ages, and a Cosmic Catastrophe at the Origin of Civilization by Martin B Sweatman* in AAOA
Developments in the Earth Sciences over the last decade point towards a great cosmic catastrophe at the onset of the Younger Dryas period, towards the end of the Paleolithic. It has been suggested this event was caused by a collision with a swarm of comet fragments, consistent with the theory of Coherent Catastrophism. Earlier this year, it was shown how symbols at the ancient archaeological site of Göbekli Tepe can be interpreted as supporting this view. This convergence of geochemical, astronomical and archaeological evidence has potentially profound consequences for our understanding of the emergence of civilization and ancient history.
For more open access journals in Crimson Publishers please click on link: https://crimsonpublishers.com/
For more articles in open access Archaeology journals please click on link: https://crimsonpublishers.com/aaoa/
This document provides an overview of the nature and scope of human geography. It discusses key concepts in human geography including the relationship between physical environment and human activities. It outlines the evolution of approaches in human geography from environmental determinism to possibilism to neo-determinism. It also summarizes the broad stages in the development of human geography from the colonial period to modern approaches. Finally, it discusses the interdisciplinary nature of human geography and lists some of its main fields and sub-fields.
Ecocriticism examines the relationship between humanity and nature in literary works. It emerged in the late 1970s amid growing environmental concerns. Ecocriticism analyzes how texts represent or relate to the natural world and evaluates their positive or negative environmental messages. It takes an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on fields like sociology, ecology, and politics. Major figures established ecocriticism academically in the United States and United Kingdom in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Ecocriticism remains an important lens for addressing the global environmental crisis through literary analysis.
1. Charles Darwin was a British naturalist who developed the theory of evolution by natural selection while traveling around the world on the HMS Beagle from 1831-1836.
2. In 1859, Darwin published On the Origin of Species, which introduced the scientific theory that populations evolve over successive generations through a process of natural selection, in which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce at a higher rate.
3. Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection was highly controversial at the time due to its conflict with religious beliefs, but it established the modern framework of evolutionary biology and revolutionized scientific thought.
Under a white sky the nature of the futureIrene Torres
Elizabeth Kolbert's book documents various geoengineering experiments and environmental fixes that humans have developed to address problems caused by climate change and biodiversity loss. She describes efforts to control invasive fish species in rivers through barriers and other techniques, and engineering projects to reverse land subsidence from diverting river flows. Kolbert also visits artificial ecosystems created to conserve endangered species and labs attempting to modify corals to withstand environmental changes or geoengineering to remove carbon dioxide from the air. Many solutions have unintended consequences, and addressing global issues proves extremely challenging.
This document provides an overview of the contents of a human geography textbook. It includes:
- A table of contents outlining the 4 units and 10 chapters that make up the textbook, including topics like population, economic activities, transportation, and human settlements.
- An introduction to the first chapter which defines human geography as the relationship between humans and the physical environment and how human activities and settlements have modified the natural landscape.
- Excerpts from the first chapter discussing the naturalization of early human societies that were directly dependent on the environment for resources, and the later humanization of nature as technology advanced and human impacts increased.
The document discusses arguments for and against the origins of life from a naturalistic perspective versus special creation. It covers topics like the Miller-Urey experiment on the formation of amino acids, objections to the conclusions drawn from that experiment, the improbability of life arising from random processes, and experiments by Redi and Pasteur disproving the theory of spontaneous generation. The overall discussion centers around whether life could reasonably be explained through natural processes and evolution or requires an intelligent cause.
This document provides an overview of a presentation on literature and the environment. It discusses key concepts in ecocriticism like pollution, wilderness, apocalypse, and animals. It also summarizes some literary works that explore human relationships with the environment, such as Watership Down, Ring of Bright Water, and works by J.M. Coetzee. The document also briefly outlines some South African examples of literature linked to environmental themes.
This document provides an overview of a presentation on literature and the environment. It discusses key concepts in ecocriticism like pollution, wilderness, apocalypse, and animals. It also summarizes some literary works that explore human relationships with the environment, such as Watership Down, Ring of Bright Water, and works by J.M. Coetzee. The document also briefly outlines some South African examples of literature linked to environmental themes.
Science & Religion @ Parliament of World ReligionsPaul H. Carr
Science & Religion Sessions Parliament of World Religions, Nov 1-7, 2018, Toronto, Canada 8000 Parliament Participants
Session Chairs: Paul H. Carr, Mladen Turk Organizers: Maynard Moore (IRAS), Ron Cole-Turner (ISSR)
-Possibility of Inclusion: science and religion. V.V. Raman
-A real God in our scientific universe: Letting it teach us about God. Nancy E. Abrams.
-Climate, carbon, and “Ground of All Being.” Paul H. Carr
-Food scarcity, safety, imbalance, and population challenges. Solomon Katz
-Ordinary faith, ordinary science. Nobel Laureate William Phillips
-Re-invisioning hope. religious naturalism. Carol Wayne White
-Science and ethics of CRSPR gene editing for future generations. Janet Rossant & James Peterson
-The Rabbi’s Brain: Neurotheology & Compassion. Andrew Newberg & Rabbi David Halprin
-The origin of evil & the brain network. William Shoemaker
-The new search for life in our galaxy. Michael Summers.
-Science, religion & global justice. Fraser Watts
-Understanding science through participation. Grace Wolf-Chase
PLENARY SESSION: PEOPLE OF FAITH FOR OUR EARTH
Science & Religion @ Parliament of World Religions
Write up of Hope College
1. A Green History of the Orange and Blue
A Brief History of Sustainability at Hope College
By Kyle Funk
Summer 2016
2. Abstract:
The historyof life onEarthhas beena historyof interactionbetweenlivingthingsandtheir
surroundings.Toa large extent,the physical formandthe habitsof the earth'svegetationanditsanimal
life have beenmoldedbythe environment.Considering the wholespanof earthlytime,the opposite
effect,inwhichlife actuallymodifiesitssurroundings,hasbeenrelativelyslight.Onlywithinthe moment
of time representedbythe presentcenturyhasone species,man, acquiredsignificantpowertoalterthe
nature of his world. -Rachel Carson,"SilentSpring" (Whatisthisreferringto?)
Ecosystemmanagementisnotjustaboutscience noris itsimplyanextensionof traditional resource
management;itoffersafundamental reframingof how humansmay workwithnature. -Grumbine
(1994) (Whatis thisabout?)
'We are not borrowingfromthe future;we are simplystealingfromthe heritage of future generations.'
The historyof sustainabilityatHope Collegeismixed.Whilemuchprogresshasbeenrecently made,
care for creationhasnot beenahighpriority.How didwe get to where we are today?Why aren't
ChristianLiberal Artsschoolsleadingthe sustainableeffortworldwide?Where doesthe voice of Godsit
inHis owncreation?By tellingthe storyof sustainabilityandthe relationshipbetweenecosystemsand
Hope College,we hope toanswerthisquestion.Thisnarrative istoldthrough integratingmanysources:
interviewswiththe moversand shakersof EarthCare at Hope College;the College Catalogwhich shows
the evolutionof classesandeffortsdone bydepartmentstoeducate generationsof students
aboutstewardship management;andarchival researchinthe Anchor, alumni newspapers,and
yearbooks.While itiseasytolookonlyat the eventsthattranspiredatHope College,aliberal arts
educationdemandsthatwe alsokeepthe whole globaltimeline inmindasoff-campuseventscan
influenceasmall communitysuchasours. What comestogetherwhenall the thingsabove unite isan
image of Hope College inwhich EarthCare notat the forefrontof itsplanning,education,andmission,
but there isa humble and small movementrichindepthwhose growthcontinuestoreachnew heights.
To quote a recentanchor article,“itisnot that Hope is goinggreenasmuch as it isgrowinggreener”.
Hope College hasthe leadershippotentialtomake a large impacton not onlyWestMichiganbutthe
world.We shouldbe showingothers how tobe stewardsof the Earth through the sciences,arts,social
sciences,andhumanities.
Pre-History:The Age of Independence (1800-1866)
Science breaksawayfromthe Church.
At the same time,the Churchwas being fragmented.
The founderof Hollandand co-founderof Hope College was AlbertusVanRaalte who ledagroup
of Dutchimmigrants toAmericainorder to find economicopportunityand freedomfromthe
Dutch Church.
Beginningsof romanticismandthe Transcendental movement,e.g.,Emerson,Thoreau,which
influencedlaterwriters.
Thishistorical journeybeginswitha lookatglobal eventsthatleadtothe foundingof Hope
College. Thistime of historywouldbringabouthuge societal upheavals,includingthe Renaissance,
Reformation,Revolutions(bothscientificandpolitical),endingwiththe Enlightenment. Atthe endof
thistime periodthere wasthe rise of Romanticismandthe Transcendentalismmovement
3. Importantto the environmental historyof Hope Collegeisthe ScientificRevolutionwhichbegan
withCopernicusandlaterexplodedunderRobertHooke andIsaacNewton.Thisseta scientificjourney
that cultivated curiosityasto howthe natural worldworksand itsimportance tothe relationship
betweenhumansand the earth.Italsohelpedcreate thatfirstenvironmental movement,whose later
movementswouldimpactcampus.
A secondimportantsocietal change wasthe Reformation.Asreligiousupheavalspreadacross
Europe,ReverendAlbertusVanRaalte founded the Dutchcolonyof Hollandonthe swampyshoresof
Lake Macatawa and co-founded withDr.PhillipPhelpsJr. the school thatbecome Hope College in1866.
Alreadyinthe firstAnchor,a studentrunnewspaper,studentsnotedthe janitors,“workingdiligentlyto
improve the campusgrounds”.
The Darwinian Revolution(1859-1900)
Lamarck and Darwinbothdiscoverthe role the environmentplaysinspeciesevolution,evenif
theyneverunderstoodhowitworked(genesandDNA).
Thoughquicklyacceptedbythe scientificcommunity, thisnewscience still tookawhile toreach
the Americancolonies,especiallyanewlyfoundedHolland.
An AnchorArticle byMalusdomus occursbefore the 20th century.Itquotesthe relationship
between manandhisenvironment.Thoughitdoesn’tuse modernlanguage,itnotesclimate
change and humanity'simpactonspecieshabitats.Itdefinesthisrelationshipwiththe old
phrase "A manis knownbythe companyhe keeps".
As Earth-keepers,we needtokeep goodcompanyandshouldwanttobecause thatiswhat God
callsus too.
Almostten yearsbefore the College wasfounded, in1859 Darwinand Lamarck publishedtheirideas
on natural selection whichseemedtoreachthe college adecade or solater.But once it reachedcampus
it seemstohave made an impact.AnAnchor article publishedin1894 includesathoughtprovokingidea
withthe phrase “A man isknownbythe companyhe keeps”.Thisproverbisusedtowarn usto wisely
choose whomwe associate with.Butthe wisdomthisauthoroffersuptoall of us ishow we shouldview
our relationshipwiththe environment.All organismsare affectedbytheirenvironmentandhumanityis
no different.He notesatmosphericimpurityandhabitatchangesthatorganismsface.Thoughthe terms
for environmental problemsare differentfromthe time thisarticle waswritten,the impacthumans
continue tomake on the environmentremainthe same.The author,one Malusdomus fromthe classof
1895, endsbysayingthat “Environmentoftenshapesthe destinyof many;itshould,therefore,be
favorable,noble,elevating,sothatitsinfluence maybe,asfar as possible,forthe goodof humanity”.As
an institutionof higherChristianlearning,Icannotthinkof a betterwayto describe anethical reasonto
establishecological stewardshipaspartof ourmission.
The GreenAwakening(1910-1969)
Mainstreamisall about industrial capital andclassical economictheoryasa wayof life
(Theories=living).
Worldevents suchas WW I, the Great Depression,WWII, showsthe failure of the traditional
wayof doingthings.
‘SilentSpring,”publishedbyRachel Carsonin1962, isa wake-upcall tomanyaboutthe effects
of variouskindsof pollution.
4. Hope College experiencesthischange slowlyinthe 1960s withthe foundingof the Geology
Departmentandthe start of early“ecology” classes.
One majorturningpointwas the iconicphotonamedEarthrise,takenby astronautWilliam
Andersin1968.
WorldWar I wasan atrocity ona scale no one wasexpecting.Asaresponse, manylookedto
industrial capitalismtosolve problems.Thisbroughtthe Roaring20s and a time of apparentpeace and
prosperity. Butinside,the yellowcore wasrootingsince asocietyaswe see todaycannot be builton
justone kindof capitalism.Industrial Capitalism, asithadcenturiesbefore allowedforquickrecoveryof
marketsbutnot sustainable ones.The worldthuswasonce againshockedfollowingthe eventsof black
Tuesday. Somany people lookedtopowertocurbtheirfears whichonlyfueledthe rise of WWIIandthe
deadlypotentialof nuclearweapons.Thisspiralingdownaftercenturiesof greatadvancementended
witha few havingthe powertodestroyall of the Earth multiple timesoverinatime knownas the Cold
War.
Thiswas, however,atime of greatadvancement inscience, withthe emergence of independence
and democracyworldwidebroughttogetherbythe UnitedNations.A Greenawakeningbeganslightly
before the release of Rachel Carson’s“SilentSpring” in1962 but quicklyacceleratedafterthe harmful
effectsof DDT were made known. The Environmental Movementwasforsome one partof the
countercultural movementwhichhasstainedthe name of environmentalismandsustainabilityever
since.
Hope College wasnotleftunaffected bythese events. The Geology Departmentbeganin1966 and
EldonGreij of the BiologyDept. remembersteachingthe firstHumanEcologycourse at Hope in1968.
The firstPrinciplesof Ecology course wastaughtin 1970. Accordingto Dr. Greij “at that time Hope was
interestedinteachingmore classesthatdealtwithenvironmentalintegration.The importance of
ecology asa fieldof science wasknown,butthe problemwasthatatthe time of manyearlyclasses
there wasonlyone ecologytextbook.Andyoucan’tteachmultipleclasseswithone book.Everything
wouldbe repeated.”Seriousstudyof the earthandecology hadnow begunat Hope,aheadof many
schoolsevenif itwasa humble beginning.
Humble Beginnings(1970-1979)
FirstEarth Day newpoliciesare made e.g. the CleanWaterAct andCleanAirActs 1970
UN conference in Stockholmin1972 whichgave usthe commonly usedbutpoorlydefined
definitionof sustainability.
Hope surveysslowthe rise andfall of the importance of the environmentinthe mindsof
students.The 1960s saw the biggestboom ininterestinsustainability, butthe next
generation showslessinterest.
Classboomof ecologyandenvironmental classes(seemore detailincase study)
Environmental clusterbegins butdisappears afew yearslater
Environmental Healthstudiesalsobegins.
Hope purchasesitsFieldStationin1972 in LaketownTownship
The beginningof the 1970s opened withgreatinterestin caringforthe Earth, inpart due to an
iconicimage the astronautstookof the earthfrom space. Thisimage wouldagainbe repeatedduring
the Apollo17 space missionin 1972 withthe photo The Blue Marble.It put humansinan astronomical
perspective.Environmentalismwasnolongeraliberal cause;itbecame everyone’sresponsibilitytocare
for the Earth. These twoimageshelpedtopassenvironmental lawsinthe USsuch as the ClearWater
5. Act (1972) and revisionstothe CleanAirAct(1973). Internationally,the UnitedNations metin
Stockholmin1987 to discuss environmental issuesand write the traditional definitionof sustainable
development: developmentthatmeetsthe needsof the presentwithoutcompromisingthe abilityof
future generationstomeettheirownneeds.
At Hope College newenvironmental courseswere appearing,suchasPrinciplesof Ecologyand
Environmental Psychology.In1974, Hope College alsopurchased74acres of landin LaketownTownship
to use as a field stationnevertobe developedorsold.New course trackswere beingofferedaswell,
such as Environmental PublicHealthand “clustertracks”that includedanenvironmental trackalong
withtracks in withAmerican,urban,andminoritystudies.These tracksappearedinthe 1972-1973
school yearbut had disappearedbythe 1976-1977 school year.The worldwas changing rapidly and
Hope was bothusingitstraditionof listeningtoGod’scalling andbeingsweptintothe ever-changing
worldculture.
Surveysadministered bythe AmericanCouncil onEducation(ACE) beganwiththe classof 1975
(sogivenin1971 to childrenof the 1950s and teenagersof the 1960s) andprovide interestingevidence
of howthe attitudesof Hope studentscomparedtocollege studentsmore generally. About97% of the
classof 1975 agreedwith the statement“The governmentis notstronglycontrollingpollution”.Bythe
time the classof 1977 arrives only 90% agreed.Incontrast 88% of the studentsat Protestantcolleges
agreedandthe national average was88.5%. The classof 1978 saw a majordrop with only 84.1%
agreeing. Only58%of the classof 1975 agreedwiththe statement “The Governmentisnotprotecting
the consumer”while 70%of the classof 1978 agreed.
Only30% of the Hope class of 1977 agreedthat one should “be involvedinenvironmental
cleanup”while 38%of studentsat Protestantcolleges agreedandthe national average was38.7%.All in
all, the attitudesof Hope studentswere behindthe timeswhenitcame tocaring for the earth. By the
time Hope integratedearth-care intothe curriculuminthe late 1970’s and early tothe mid-1980’s,
studentdemandhaddiminished.As aChristianInstitutionHope shouldhave continuedto providemore
opportunitiesforstudentstobecome goodstewardsof the Earth.
Case Study #1: The Processof Transformation of Liberal Arts Education
General timeline outline
Word count of the numberof timesenvironmentisused
The importance of outdooreducationbyDr. Greij,Dr. Murray, and Dr. Winnett-Murray.
The use of the word ‘environment’ increasedexponentiallyoverthe years. Usedonlyonce inthe
1960-61 catalog, intoday’scatalog(2015-16) the wordenvironmentisused245 times.Growthof the
wordbecame more prevalentinthe 1980s withthe addition of several new classesandthenagaininthe
2000’s withthe additionof Environmental Science inthe Geology Department.In2004 the
Environmental Studiesminorwasofferedtostudentsforthe firsttime thusprovidinganothernew
batch of environmentallyorientedcourses.There are now (2016) over40 coursesfromovera dozen
differentdepartments thatdeal insome waywithsustainability.
Dr. Greij reportsthat studentsinthe 1970s were superinterestedinlearningoutsidethe classroom
on theirowntime. Learningoutdoorswas their(andhis) favoritepartof learning,especiallyalongthe
WestMichigan lakeshore.A large partof this, he believes,wasmotivatedby the role of the space
program andthe Peace Corpsduring thistime.Bythe 1980s he and otherprofessorsnotedachange
withthe students-theyceasedshowingupforoutdoorclasslearning.Tohim, itseemedthattheywere
6. onlyinterestedin gettingajob,startinga family,andmakingmoney.Theyappearedtobe trulyfeeding
intoReagan’spresidential cultureatthe time.
Biology professorsGregMurrayand KathyWinnett-Murraycame to Hope inthe mid 1980’s and
required studentstogooutside forclass. Theymade learningoutside anintegral partof IntroBiology.
Theybelievedthistobe especiallyimportanttopre-healthstudentswhomaynotsee the lightof day
againin theirprofessional careers.Theystressedthe beautythatisinWestMichiganandhow little
studentsknowaboutit.So theymade sure that all of theirIntroto Biologystudents wentoutside during
the semester. Especiallygiventhatmanystudentsgrow upincitiesandwill latersettle downincities.
Outside the Biology Department,the ChemistryandGeologydepartmentswere alsotackling
environmental problems.Environmental chemistrywas taughtbyDr. Don Williamswhowouldlater
focushisexpertise onchemical clean-upof lakes, whicheventuallyleadtocurrentwatershedcleanup
effortssuchas ProjectClarity.While the Geology Departmentearlyonbroughtthe environmentintothe
classroomthrough variouscourses, Environmental Geologybeganasacourse inthe 1973-74 school
yearand was taughtby Dr. CotterTharin.This classwas mostlyfornon-sciencemajorsandwas
extremelypopularuntilitsdisappearance withthe GEMScoursesthat were createdinthe late 1990s.
The Geology Departmentwouldlateraddaminorin environmental science.
As environmentalcourses expandedintothe sciences,soalsoecological stewardship beganto
extendintothe humanities andsocial sciences. The creationof the Environmental Studies minorin2004
wouldbringtogethercoursesinReligion,Economics/Management,Political Science,English,Philosophy,
History,andthe Natural Sciences.Butsadlymanyof these course isnotrequiredformajorsintheir
departmentandwhenprofessorsleave the departmenttheirclassescease toexist.The nextstepinthe
transformationof Liberal ArtsEducation atHope is to developamore ecologicallysoundcurriculumfor
future generationsof students.,e.g.,by requiringcertain numberof creditsinenvironmental
sustainability.
Cyclesof Expansionand Stagnation (1978-today)
Oil Crisisof 1972 puteconomicsoneveryone’smindonce again.
Reaganera 1980-88
Plasticwearreplacessilverware atKletz 1981
Economiccyclescontinue afterthe stagnationof late 1970’s intoalmostall of the 1980’s; and
againin the late 1990’s early2000’s; leadingtothe Financial Crisisof 2008.
Early onin the 1970s the oil crisisoccurred.This had botha positive andnegative impactforthe
environmental movement. The oil crisiscausedpeople topause andthinkaboutthe role energyplaysin
theirlives.Itwasnolongera nice commoditytohave but actuallysomethingthatcreatedaneed to
understand global events.Forsome reasonthoughitsparkedthe realist worldview thatwouldstifle
ecosystemcare foralmosta whole decade. A realistview inpoliticsseesnosupranationalauthorityto
enforce rules inthe international political arena whichcausesstatestoact intheirownself-interestand
preservation. Thiswouldcause the electionof worldleaders,manyof whomfailedtoaddressthe
growingnumbersof ecological problems.There isnotany single worldleadertoblame forsuchlittle
interestinearthcare duringthese years, butas leaderstheirviewsimpactedmanyother people.As
mentionedabove,however, there were somepositive changesatHope duringthe 1980s especiallyin
the Biology Department,butingeneral itwasstill atime of little positive ecological action.
7. At thispointinHope history there wasthe switch fromsilverware andchinatofoamand plastic
utensils. There werenoeconomicreasonsforthisswitchotherthanthatit waseasiertothrow things
away thanpay someone tocleandishes. There was,however,some dissent,asone personputit: “Asan
institutionof highereducationitseemswe shouldalsobe apeople of higherawareness”. Thisstory
doeshave a more positive ending,since Hope eventually switchedtoabio-recyclableorbiodegradable
utensilsand supplies.
The 1980’s was notthe onlytime there was a lossof interestamongHope students incaringforthe
earth.In the late 1990’s and early2000’s. The reasonforthisis unclearbutit ismost likely hadtodo
withstudentturn-over.Anotherperiodinwhichstudentinterestshrunk occurredafterthe Great
Recessionof 2008, whichisquite disappointingsince itseemedlikeWestMichiganandHollandhada lot
goingon intermsof ecological importancerightbefore this.Inthiscase the economyonce again
trumpedecologyeventhough manyof the problemsare linked, andyouneedbothtobuilda
community.
CleaningHouse (1988-1999)
RioEarth SummitandKyotoProtocol
EIG group begins
Recyclingoncampusbegins
The start of majorinfrastructure changesoncampus
Course curriculumoverhaul
The 1990s broughta newmessage forthe worldwiththe RioEarth Summitand the Kyoto
Protocol. Worldleaderswere committingtoclimate policyandaction. Thismirrored the changesHope
was makingevenif the large oneswere behindthe scenes. Duringthisdecade there weremanychanges
withinfrastructure,e.g., printing,grounds-keeping,anddining.These changes happened because
leaderssimplysawthe benefitsthe changeswouldbring.Itwasaboutsavingmoney, butthisleadtoa
more Earth-friendlyHope College,showing thatsmartchange can be ecologicallyfriendly.
Recyclingoncampusbeganin Januaryof 1988. It was small atfirstand wouldnottake off till the
1990s thanksto the Environmental IssuesGroup (EIG).The EIG began when4-5 studentswhotraveled
withDr. Stephen Hemenwayinthe summerof 1989 to the ViennaSummerSchool heard aboutall the
EuropeanUnion was doingtodeal withenvironmental issues. These studentssaw the GreenMovement
inaction.Once back oncampus they beganthe EIG. In theirfirstyearthey grew to 40-50 students
whose mainfocuswasimprovingthe recycling oncampussince the physical plantstaff hadnottaken
overthe removal of recyclable goodseventhoughitbeganthree years before. The EIGalsostarted
Earth Weekand Earth Jam oncampus duringApril.
(There issome textmissinghere,comparedwiththe writtenversion)
In 1990 Hope organized the firstof fourCritical IssuesSymposiaontopicsthatrelate to
ecological awareness.Curriculumchanges were alsomade to addmanycoursesthat dealtinsome way
withsustainability.Butmembership inEIGwaxedandwanedoverthe comingyears. In2010 the EIG
joinedwithseveral othergroups tocreate Hope UnitedforJustice. In2014 the Eco Agentstudentgroup
was formedbythe GreenTeamand in 2015 a studentgroupnamedGreenHope wasformedtoreplace
the EIG.
8. Case Study #2: The Powerof Groups
Storyof EGI and GreenTeam
Recyclingefforts
Earth Week, Eco-Olympicsandothereventsoncampus
Educational research andthe Integrationof science
Groups have playedalarge role on campus givenhow difficultitisforone personto tackle all of the
ecological problemsthat confrontthe campusletalone come upwitha planthat movesthe college ina
sustainable directionandencouragesanEarth-friendlycurriculum. Groupscanmake real change by
givingvoice tomembersof the community, butinorderforthe transformationtobe resilientitmust
gainthe backingof the community. If suchchange is successful, education canmake communitiessafe,
smart,and strategic.Asan educational institution withastrongreligiousidentityand moral mission,
Hope College isinagreat positiontouse the powerof groupsto make positive change happen.
A fewgroupsoncampus that playintothe historyof Hope’s historyof sustainability are the
Environmental IssuesGroupandthe GreenTeam.The EIG’shistorywas mentionedabove.A take-away
fromthis the historyof this groupis that studentturnovercancause groupsto be unstainableovertime.
The Green Team has so far showntobe more sustainable since itcontainslong-termemployees aswell
as students.The historyof the GreenTeamarisesoutthe ‘green’wave thatwassweepingthe first
decade of the 21st
century. Some environmental groups were doingresearchintowhatcollegecampuses
were doingthatwas sustainable.Whenthese groupslooked onlinetodiscoverhow sustainable Hope
was, theyfound that little wasbeingdone. Butasthe storytoldso far makesclear, thiswasclearlynot
true.So whenThe Sustainable EndowmentInitiative (SEI) gave Hope the D-,thatgot the attentionof
PresidentJamesBultman.Hope isnota school that getsbelow average onanything. OFcourse the real
reasonfor the lowratingwas that virtuallynothingthatHope wasdoingwasdiscoverable onHope’s
website,whichwasthe meansof researchbythe researchersatSEI.
In 2008 President Bultmancreatedatask force that wasto investigate and compile all sustainability
effortsatHope andmake such informationavailablenotonlyforthose inthe Hope communitybutfor
outside environmental ratingagencies.InApril of 2009, afterone year of work,the Task Force made 8
recommendations.One recommendationwasthataCampus SustainabilityAdvisoryCommittee(akathe
GreenTeam) be created to replace the Task Force as a more permanentsolution.Sinceitscreation The
GreenTeam hasgrown innumbers toinclude faculty, administrators,staff,andstudents. It has
continued toinitiate andpromote varioussustainability effortsoncampus,andnow conductsitsown
research.Otherinitiativesoncampusthatthe grouphas help create with studentgroupshave been
TraylessTuesdays,Eco-Olympics,Eco-House, andEarthWeek.
The powerof groups isevidentwhenone looksatthe range of issuesaddressedbythe GreenTeam
underthe termsustainabilityorideaof Earth Care. Every issue isinterdisciplinary.Thusplanning
sustainability,conductingenvironmental research,andcreatingreliant policyare neverdone wellby
employingonly one discipline. Suchactivities mustuse andintegrate manydisciplinesandfieldsof
study.Anexample of thisisthe summerresearchthatishappeningoncampus rightnow, in the summer
of 2016. The Green Teamcreated5 positionsthatbroughtstudentsfrommultiple backgroundsto
conduct researchthathas neverbeendone oncampusbefore.The Chemistry,Geology,andBiology
departmentsare all conductingresearchthatinsome wayhas a verystrong environmental focus.Butin
the past there hasbeentoo little talkorawarenessbetweengroupsoncampuseventhougheach
studentresearcherhassomethingstrongtobringtothe table of Earth stewardship. Scientists
sometimes forgettocrossdisciplines,butinthiscase theydon’thave to!The environmentisalreadyin
theirfield.All theyneedistocommunicate withone another.Imagine if this kindof interdisciplinary
9. research spilledoverintothe artsand humanitiesdisciplines.The potentialcouldexpandlike crazyand
wordwouldquicklyreachmore people,especiallythroughthe arts.We all have benefitedfromthe
strongenvironmentalresearchthatHope hasconducted soall that remainsisto educate those who
knownothingaboutitspotential.
Orange and Blue LeadingGreen?(2000-Today)
9/11, Great Recession,ObamaElected
Environmental Studies/Science becomeminors
Hope College goes traylessin2009
GreenTeam andBultmanYears
Lake Clean-upevents
OutdoorDiscoveryCenter
Hope-HollandSustainable Institute
Environmental DashboardandResearch
In 1996-97 the GeologyDept.createdandhad approveda minorin Environmental Science.The
markedthe beginningof official majorsandminorsinacademicfields associatedwithsustainability. In
2000 Dr. StevenBouma-Predigerattendedaworkshop atMacalesterCollege forcollegefaculty onhow
to buildanEnvironmental Studiesprogramandthatis exactlywhathe did inthe nextfew years, by2004
Hope College hadboth an EnvironmentalScienceminorandan Environmental Studies minor. Foreach
of these programsonlyafewnewcourseswere created, thusshowingthatthere were already enough
Earth friendlycourses beingtaughtoncampus.Since 2004 thisnumberhastripled toover40.
The nextpart of Hope’s historyoccursin2008. Thisyear wasa bigyearnot onlyWestMichiganbut
the world.The recessionbynowwasin full swingandBarackObama was setto become the 44th
presidentof the UnitedStates.AtHope the EnvironmentalStudiesminorreceivedchangesthatmade it
easierformore studentstotake and complete the coursesrequired. Inthe fall,asmentionedpreviously,
Hope received aD- minusreportcard fromthe SEI and thisappearedonthe front page of the Anchor.
Thisspurredthe creationof the Task Force that wouldassessthe College’seffortstobe sustainable.
Alongwiththiscame the creation by a studentof the Sustainable Hope websitesothatall the good
thingsHope wasalreadydoing wouldbe more accessible toboththose insidethe Hope communityand
to those onthe outside.The TaskForce recommended the creationof whatbecame the GreenTeam.
Some of the firstwork of the Green Teamincludeddetermininghow greenHope Collegereallywas
at the time of the D- minusreport.Once the data was compiledand sentbackin we receivedaB-.How
accurate thiswasup in the air,but it wasa far more accurate estimate of whatHope was doingat the
time.Everyyearsince 2009 the Green Teamhas providedinternshipsforstudents.Thesestudentshave
accomplishedmany thingsforthe campus,suchas energycompetitionsbetweencottages,a‘Caught
BeingGreen’campaign,andEarth Weekevents.Internshave alsoeducatedstudentsthroughstickers
and mostnotablythe RAson campus.Internswere alsoresponsible for figuringoutHope’scarbon
footprint.The Green Teamhas evenhelpedstarta GreenCottage where studentstrytolive inamore
environmentallysensitiveway. All andall,the GreenTeamhascreateda real transformationoncampus.
Duringthese yearstwoof the annual Critical IssuesSymposiawere devotedtoenvironmentaltopics:
waterin 2009and food in2010. Bothof these helpedchange the studentbodyculture andinform
students aboutimportantglobal issues. Evidence fromthisisthatmanyprojects began, e.g., Green
Cottage, andsome groupsgot involvedin sustainabilityactivities.
10. Thiscenturyso far has seen muchprogress at Hope whenitcomesto caring forthe Earth. Many
clean-upeventswiththe lakesandduneshave gainedpopularity.A large piece of landwassetaside to
become the OutdoorDiscoveryCenter(ODC).The ODCisrunby a Hope alumnusTravisWilliams and
doesmanyprojectswithHope studentsalongwitheducatinganew generationwhowill hopefully
searchfor schoolsthat matchtheirlove forthe environment.Hope canbe one of those schoolsif it
continuesto promote caringfor the Earth. Hope’smostrecenteffortwasto partnerwiththe Cityof
Hollandandthe local Board of PublicWorksto create in 2014 the Holland-HopeCollegeSustainability
Institute (HHCSI).The HHCSI isworkingtocreate smart energyanda resilientcommunity.The firstLEED
certified goldbuildingoncampuswill be completedin2017.
Case Study #3: DiningServices
Change fromSilverandChina ->PlasticandFoam -> biodegradable andrecyclableproducts
(thoughstill notsure where toputthese products).
Storyof Trayless Tuesdays
As mentionedabove the storyof how Hope College switchedtousingplasticandfoamis not happy.
Redemptionhassince occurredandthe lessonhasbeenlearned.Butthere isstill muchtobe done to
improve the environmental impactof campus activities.One of these initiativesthatreducedthe
environmental impactwhile savingmoneyalongthe wayisthe storyof how Hope went trayless.
The ideafor Trayless Tuesdays came aboutfromBob VanHeukelomandSteve Bouma-Prediger.Bob
had the ideafora while butwasunsure of how to start it.Steve,while ataconference ata college in
NorthCarolina, noticedthathislunchhe ate didnotallow himto take a tray. Thisgot himthinkingasto
whyHope didnot do awaywithtrays. AftermeetingwithBob,the GreenTeam, andthe EIG came up
the ideaof TraylessTuesdaysforthe startof the new year.Each Tuesdaytheywouldencourage
studentstogo traylessandthentheywouldcompare how muchwater,energy, detergent, andfood
waste wassaved.
The resultswere astonishing.Inasingle semesteralone theycutwaterby60,000 gallons,reduced
chemical detergentsandrisingagentsby1,500 pounds,reducedfoodwaste inlandfillsby38 tons,and
conserved532 kilowattof energy.The numbersprovedwithoutadoubtthat Hope shouldgo trayless. In
2009-2010 Hope wenttraylessandithas remainedthatwayeversince.
At firstthere wassome resistance fromthe studentbody,butthe savingswere worththe few
voicedcomplaints.Now nocurrentstudentatHope knowsthe difference betweentrayorno tray. For
them,there isonlytraylessdiningandawell-designeddininghall aroundthe conceptof nothaving
trays.
Concludingthoughts:
Thishumble storyof Hope College’s sustainability historyhasbeenajoyto researchand tell.As
we have seen,ecological sustainability isnotexplicitly includedinthe College’smission statementbutit
has beenanintegral partof campusthroughoutitshistory. Itis time forthe story of the greeningof
Hope College tobe toldand embraced so that we maycontinue togrow inthisarea and somedaybe a
leadingexample of aChristian liberalartscollege thatpromotes care forthe Earth, whetherin the
Hollandcommunity,WestMichigan, ourfine state of Michigan,ournation, orthe world.
11. As withanystory,thisis justone view anda veryincomplete one too.Itcapturesalmostall of
the mainelementsof Hope College’sgreenhistory,butthere are piecesmissing,suchas environmental
care earlyon inthe historyof the college,eventsthathappenedfromthe openingof the 20th
centuryto
the 1960s, andsome keyvoicesthatI was unable toreach.Some modernpiecesof the historymayhave
beenlosttoo since I didnot make itthroughevery editionof the Anchorandmy keywordsearchesdid
not bringup every eventthatincludedelementsof Earth-care.Despitethese shortcomings, otherscan
expanduponthis history forthere are manyvoicesinthisnarrative butonlyone story; the storyof
sustainability atHope College.
In conclusion,tisclearlyevidentthatHope College hasthe potential tobe a Christianleaderin
Earth stewardship. WheneverHope’shistoryislookedat,leadershippotential isalwaysthere. We can
smartlycreate a communitythatthinksbefore acting,communicatesandeducatesgenerations,and
leadsWestMichiganto be a bright greenspotonthe map.I cannot thinkof a greaterambitionfor this
resilientconservativecommunity thantolookwhatwe can do withsmartand strategicplanningwhen
we come together. So, Hope College,are youreadytoanswerthiscall?