We are a presidential committee composed of student, faculty, and staff representatives from the campus community, appointed by the President with the charge to provide vision and advice to the campus community in evolving all aspects of CSM activities, instructional and operational, towards sustainability.

White Paper

Vision for Sustainability at the Colorado School of Mines

Executive Summary:

We propose forming a Sustainability Committee for the Colorado School of Mines. This committee would be constituted as a "University Committee" composed of student, faculty and staff representatives from the campus community, appointed by the President with the charge to provide vision and advice to the campus community in evolving all aspects of CSM activities, instructional and operational, towards sustainability. Defining the charge, membership, and operation will be addressed following approval in principle of this initiative.

Background:

Decades ago, Rafael Salas, who became the first director of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, predicted that the most potent force in human affairs in the years ahead would be not the nuclear bomb, but the "aspiration bomb" - the explosive pressure of the frustrated aspirations of billions of the world's people.

Today, the impact of that bomb is apparent. Nearly one of every four people in the world lives in abject poverty, surviving on less than $1 a day.[1] Two billion people live without electric power. In many areas of the world, drought is the norm and potable water the exception. As Dave O'Reilly, chairman and CEO of ChevronTexaco, has noted, "the issues of poverty and meeting basic human needs to be the defining challenge of the 21st century."[2]

To lift their people to higher standards of living, China, India and other developing nations have undertaken some of the most rapid economic expansion in recent history. Millions of Asians are crossing the $5,000 per year income threshold that triggers consumer economies.[3] This expansion has begun to exert enormous pressure on natural resources and the environment. Between 2001 and 2025, world energy consumption is expected to climb by 54%, led by economic growth in the developing world[4]. The world's energy systems and ecosystems - notwithstanding nature's remarkable resilience - are straining to keep up.

The challenge for science, engineering, and technology today and into the future is to raise the standard of living for billions of humans without causing environmental damage that threatens the quality of life on earth. Along with shifts in societal attitudes and behaviors about waste and consumption, we will need new technologies that produce clean energy from infinitely regenerative sources, new energy infrastructure sensitive to the ecosystems around it, new and less energy- and pollution-intensive techniques for obtaining minerals, new ways to deal with carbon emissions and other environmental concerns, and new strides in resource efficiency. In short, we need a new generation of scientists and engineers committed to and skilled in the knowledge and practices that promote sustainability.

With its legislated educational missions in energy, materials, and resources, the Colorado School of Mines is uniquely qualified to be a world leader in this effort. Our challenge is to embrace the principles and practices of sustainability in our curricula and operations, as well as inculcate the knowledge and values needed to prepare CSM students for the careers of their future.

The seeds of a strong commitment to sustainability are firmly planted in CSM's mission statement, approved by the Board of Trustees in 2000, which dedicates the institution "to educating students and professionals in the applied sciences, engineering, and associated fields related to.the economic and social systems necessary to ensure their prudent and provident use in a sustainable global society. This mission will be achieved by the creation, integration, and exchange of knowledge in engineering, the natural sciences, the social sciences, the humanities, business and their union to create processes and products to enhance the quality of life of the world's inhabitants. The Colorado School of Mines in consequently committed to serving the people of Colorado, the nation, and the global community by promoting stewardship of the Earth upon which all life and development depend." Commenting on this vision in his 2003 CSM commencement address, Lord Browne of Madingley, the Group chief Executive of BP, said "Those are not accidental words.They reflect high ambition.and we share your commitment to responsible stewardship of the natural environment."

Aligned with the mission statement are CSM's strategic goals which commit the institution to "cultivate world class expertise in.earth, materials, energy, environment" (Goal 1); to develop "strong leadership and citizen qualities" in students (Goal 2); and to "align graduate programs with professional and societal needs" (Goal 4).

CSM already is active in education, research and internal practices that support sustainability. As examples, (1) the School has also made notable efforts to increase energy efficiency and conserve water in its buildings and operations, (2) the faculty conduct research in renewable and alternative energy; (3) all undergraduate students take the core courses, "Nature and Human Values" and "Earth and Environmental Systems", which introduce students to the concept of sustainability, and (4) the School has innovative undergraduate and graduate educational programs including courses on recycling and waste minimization, undergraduate "humanitarian engineering" and "humanitarian and technology studies" minors, and the graduate degrees in Hydrologic Science and Engineering and International Political Economy of Resources.

A central component of the envisioned "Sustainability Committee" is student participation. Many CSM student groups have already pledged their support for student representation in a CSM Sustainability Committee including: the Graduate Student Association (GSA), Earthworks, Engineers for a Better World, and the Student Committee for Environmental Science and Engineering (SCESE). Funding has been obtained to provide small stipends for five student sustainability representatives to help CSM join over 400 other universities with student sustainability representatives. Based on the history of other campus sustainability projects, the supporting partners expect that this investment will yield significant returns in reduced operating costs.

The urgent and global need for realistic pathways to sustainability has created a new level of opportunity, indeed obligation, for CSM and its students. A deliberate and aggressive effort not only to teach but to practice sustainable development will:

Status at Mines

The white paper was approved by the president and the Sustainability Committee is now an official presidential committee

Members

    Department Heads


  • Jim McNeil, Physics

    My purpose in helping to create the Sustainability Committee is to make Mines a center of excellence for sustainable engineering education and practice. I believe our generation has a duty to future generations to provide them the opportunity to enjoy a high quality of life, both here in the United States and abroad. As the planet's population increases, the strain on resources, the environment, economic systems, and political and cultural establishments will demand far-sighted innovative thinking.  Mines can play a leadership role in guiding humankind to a high quality and sustainable future.  As a Sustainability committee member my goal this year is to work with the faculty to create a common curricular theme, "Sustainability Across the Curriculum", that would inculcate the value and discipline of sustainability in the practice of engineering.

  • Bob Siegrist, Environmental Science and Engineering

    Sustainability has always permeated the practice of civil and environmental engineering - as a registered professional engineer for nearly 30 years now, I have first-hand experience through career positions in the U.S. and abroad. More recently sustainability has become a dominant consideration for all of the science and engineering disciplines. There is a heightened national and global level of awareness that sustainability is critical to the future of life on earth. I am interested in serving on the Sustainability Committee to help ensure that CSM delivers on its inherent responsibilities to educate and advance sustainability processes and practices here on Campus as well as nationally and globally through our research and educational efforts directly and through our graduates who leave CSM for their respective careers.

    • Academic Faculty

  • J. Thomas McKinnon, Chemical Engineering

    My interest in the Sustainability Committee is primarily to promote awareness and motivate action regarding the greatest technical, economic, social and moral problem humankind has ever faced – climate change.  The four cornerstones of the CSM mission – energy, environment, earth, and materials – all are critical components in dealing with this issue so CSM is poised to be an international leader in this area.  What we are lacking is leadership which I believe can be motivated and inspired by this committee.  My goals for the committee are in education, outreach, and research.  In education, I would like to see the committee promote Sustainability Across the Curriculum.  In outreach, I would like to see CSM promote Earth Day 2007 as Climate Action Day with seminars, outside speakers, and a climate fair.  In research, I would to see the committee serve as a clearinghouse for climate and energy-related research on campus.   

  • David R. Munoz, Engineering

    My primary interests in the Sustainability Committee are in the processes of installing the educational components of sustainability (science and experiential design) into the curriculum at CSM. I am already directing the Humanitarian Engineering minor efforts on campus, which is certainly related. As you know the concept of sustainability is very broad. Therefore, a systems orientation toward reaching solutions to complex multidimensional problems is absolutely necessary. Additionally, because of the interdisciplinary nature of the problems, the solutions will be the outcomes of interdisciplinary teams. My experience, motivation and technical expertise (mechanical engineering in the thermal sciences and design) make me well suited to work on these type problems.

  • Masami Nakagawa, Mining Engineering

    My association with the notion of sustainability goes back to the year of 1992 when I was invited to be a participant at the Complexity Summer School at Santa Fe Institute. Sustainability issues were rigorously discussed in the context of complex systems. Now I am in the mining department and would like to pay more attention to the life-cycle of mined land from the notion of complex system/operations. The Equator Principles developed in 2003 treats every mining project as a category “A” project. This particular classification is given to a project that is likely to have significant adverse environmental impacts that are sensitive, diverse, or unprecedented. In addition, with the newly proposed program in nuclear engineering, sustainability issues associated with uranium mining will certainly be one of the focused areas I would like to initiate. The visiting committee to the department strongly suggested that I include some discussions on sustainability in as many mining classes as possible. I am planning to modify a class (Mine Plant Design) to incorporate their suggestions. These would be my immediate contributions at the departmental level; however, I have a larger vision for the school. The four strategic areas (resources, energy, materials, and environment) are obviously the vital components for a sustainable society. I would like to help develop a program that integrates all of these four areas to broaden students’ perspectives and eventually lead the school to become an academic institution with a reputation that CSM graduates have big visions for eco-efficient engineering practices. I plan to use a part of my sabbatical leave at the Santa Fe Institute to formulate a strategy at a highly scientific/technical level and translate it to help implement it into a school vision. I will also initiate a dialogue with the program of Earth and Environmental Engineering at Columbia University to develop an active collaboration, exchange faculty/students, and develop/share visions for a future sustainable society.

    • Administrative Faculty


  • Dan Lewis, Athletics

    I have an extreme interest in what the Sustainability Committee stands for and the potential it has for a positive impact on our campus and for our State. I feel very strongly that renewable energy, recycling and alternative energy sources are extremely important for our current and future generations.

    My personal commitment is to recycle all plastic, paper and metals from our home use and I have had a compost pile for the past twenty years. Additionally, my family and I walk or ride our bikes and take the RTD to work and other venues when possible.

    • Classified Staff


  • John F. Skok, Goelogical Engineering

    The concept of sustainability has permeated my psyche since childhood, instilled there by my father’s depression-era inspired motto “Never waste anything”. Now that I have children, the opportunity to serve on CSM’s Sustainability Committee is welcome as a means of helping to ensure for them a high quality of life in the future.

    I believe that just as CSM has a responsibility to educate our students in the extraction of earth materials and energy, it is our responsibility to help develop 21st century leaders in the concept of sustainability of the earth and it’s environment.

    My interest in the Sustainability Committee is to help build a bridge between the classified staff and the academic side of the university. As a classified employee, I believe I can help develop a good crossover because of my close relationship with the research and teaching that takes place in the department of Geology and Geological Engineering. There are over 280 classified staff on campus and I think we can serve almost as an experimental laboratory for the development of sustainability concepts and implementation.

    • Student Members


  • Jon Meuser, Graduate Student, Environmental Science

    College campuses world-wide are making substantial gains toward a sustainable society through demonstrations of currently available, but largely unimplemented practices.  Through integration of sustainability into the classroom, we have the opportunity to instill the values of sustainability in future leaders. Through demonstrations   on our campus, we have the opportunity to lead the world.  

    Universities have the unique opportunity to draw from the student body for inspiration and perspiration in this effort.  As a representative of CSM graduate students, bridging the boardroom and classroom to educate and actuate both students and administration is a general goal.  Moreover, I seek to introduce student idealism while balancing the wisdom of faculty and staff in moving towards a campus that demonstrates the highest achievement in permanently sustainable teachings and practices.

  • Natalie Wagner, Undergraduate Student, Engineering-Civil

    My interests and involvement in this committee stems from my first year hear at CSM and my campaign for a student bus pass.  I generally feel that as an institution that prides itself on creating the leaders of tomorrow, a significant component is sustaining the school, teaching sustainable development to the students, and inspiring conscious stewardship of the earth’s precious resources.

    • Affiliate Members


  • John Spear, Environmental Science

    Currently, I am an Assistant Professor in the Division of Environmental Science and Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. As part of my service obligations, I currently serve (2006 / 2007 school year) on the following campus committees: Biosciences and Bioengineering at Mines Committee; Nuclear Engineering Graduate Program Committee; Sustainability Committee with subcommittee involvement in both Steering and Speakers committees; Geochemistry Advisory Committee. In addition I work with the Outdoor Recreation Center (ORC) on guiding trips to different environments (e.g., caving).

Participation

Meetings are open to all. We will be meeting at 9am in the F&O Workroom (2nd floor of Guggenheim). The next meetings are: March 6, April 3 and May 1. If you have further questions please contact Jennie Kenney Jennie.Kenney@is.mines.edu.

Webmaster: Lee Smith (lrsmith@mines.edu)