Most people who work in the sustainability field ask themselves: How might this decision affect the environment? How might it affect other people? What economic costs and benefits are associated with this decision? They look at alternatives, analyze all three elements and strive to find a sustainable balance. Students and staff in BSU’s Sustainability Office, however, have a somewhat different perspective, both in how they see the environment and what is included in the definition of the term sustainable.
Their vision of sustainability is inspired by the Anishinaabe creation story, where humans were created last and are dependent on animals, plants and Mother Earth to survive, yet nothing is dependent on humans. In the BSU Sustainability Office, the environment is seen as all-encompassing with real limits that need to be understood and respected. This is in contrast to more conventional definitions of sustainability, where the environment is merely one balancing element along with the economy and society. Therefore, the office engages in work that recognizes a healthy society and healthy economy cannot exist without a healthy environment.
“In our office, we also discuss getting enough sleep, eating right and exercising,” says Erika Bailey-Johnson, BSU’s sustainability director. “We talk about not sitting for too long. We talk about reducing stress and finding outlets for anxiety. We don’t ride a bike just because it saves us money or doesn’t create emissions when we use them; we also ride it because it’s good for us. We paint and sing because it feeds our soul.”
This expanded understanding of sustainability that includes individual wellness has led the Sustainability Office to engage a bit differently with campus issues. Several years ago when the campus was deciding to go tobacco free, the office was approached with the supportive argument that it would help rid the campus of cigarette butt waste. However, the people in the office saw many other reasons to get involved given their unique perspective on sustainability. They saw the movement away from use of tobacco products as one that promoted overall health and wellness and therefore contributed to a more sustainable future.
Often campus project proposals arise that have many competing pros and cons. For example, when the BSU Student Senate voted to have the university provide 24-hour computer labs, an obvious sustainability concern was increased energy use. But the office also considered a sustainability benefit from the reduced stress and anxiety students might experience if they would no longer be prevented from using the existing computer lab because of their complex work and life schedules.
Some projects at BSU can be seen as more conventional sustainability initiatives. One of these is the purchase of enough wind energy from Ottertail’s Tailwinds program to power the Hobson Memorial Union. Another is BSU’s first renewable energy technology installation on campus, a solar transpired air collector. The dark metal-clad installation covers the building’s air intake valve, creating a space in which air entering the building is preheated, reducing use of energy for winter heating. The campus also has several native planting beds that reduce water and energy use as a result of decreased maintenance while promoting the health of bees and other pollinators. Still another example is the Sustainability Office’s waste management work, such as an expanded recycling program, a “Donate Don’t Dumpster” campaign, as well as the campus Free Store for donated gently used goods, that have led to a 30 percent reduction in waste production and a doubling of campus recycling since 2006.
However, the office also sees these projects in relation to their own model, such as the way renewable energy projects also promote health and wellness by decreasing air emissions that contribute to respiratory disease and cancer. Likewise, native planting beds also decrease the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides that can contaminate drinking water. A more comprehensive example is the way that waste reduction, reuse and recycling contribute to an overall understanding of the earth’s material limits.
Ultimately, the goal of the BSU Sustainability Office is to identify all of the concerns surrounding the many choices we face and look at them through a more holistic lens.
“We challenge members of our community to ask themselves: Does this decision impact our use of resources in an unsustainable way or produce waste that the earth cannot recycle?” says Bailey-Johnson. “Will other people be impacted by this decision? How will this decision financially impact me and society? How does this decision impact my physical and mental well-being?”
When we engage in those types of questions before we make decisions, we will likely come to a more sustainable decision.
To learn more about BSU’s sustainability model or the projects it engages with, visit www.bemidjistate.edu/offices/sustainability or contact Erika Bailey-Johnson at ebaileyjohnson@bemidjistate.edu or (218) 755-2560.
Diana Kuklinski and Anna Carlson are members of the Bemidji Sustainability Committee.