Sustainability Case Studies Chapter 14: Japanese Women and Antinuclear Activism After the Fukushima Accident

The Fukushima Power Plant after the disaster.
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This is the 14th post in this blog series, Sustainability Case Studies, that is based on the book The Palgrave Handbook of Sustainability:  Case Studies and Practical Solutions edited by Robert Brinkmann (yours truly) and Sandra Garren and published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2018. Each post in the series will comment on the content of the chapter as well as some general take-aways or practical teaching or personal/organizational initiatives that could be gleaned from the chapter. Links to previous posts on the series (including the post that introduced the series) follow after the chapter review. 

This chapter, Japanese Women and Antinuclear Activism After the Fukushima Accident, by Professor Heidi Hutner of Stony Brook University, begins with an interesting review of the role of women in anti-nuclear activism since the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Women have been leading the anti-nuclear charge for generations and this chapter explores how women continued the activism after Fukushima. One of the drivers of this activism is that women and girls are unequally impacted by nuclear pollution which was highlighted in the Preamble to the 2017 UN Treaty to Prohibit the Use of Nuclear Weapons.

The case study section of the chapter reviews the events associated with the Fukushima disaster and the scope of the pollution problem that resulted when the cores were breached at the nuclear power plant. The levels of radioactivity in the area was shocking and the public was greatly dismayed by the amount of radiation released into the environment. All nuclear reactors in Japan were closed (not all of them are back online) and a new era of anti-nuclear activism, led by women, was born in Japan. Some protests had up to 170,000 protestors who marched to demand a clean up of the region and many Fukushima residents "occupied" areas of government spaces in Tokyo to shed light on the issue. Some of these protests continue to the present day. 

The chapter reviews the stories of a number of women activists who helped to drive public knowledge about the disaster and who sought greater government action to mitigate the problems of Fukushima and prevent future radiation pollution events. There are too many fascinating stories to account here. However, it is clear that many women were radicalized by the events of Fukushima and that this is part of a long tradition of women engaged with the ant-nuclear movement in Japan. The chapter also makes a case that Japan's patriarchal government and decision-making systems have driven much of the move to nuclear power in the last 70 years in direct contrast to women who have been pushing for an anti-nuclear future.

Click here for more information about the book.

A 2011 protest in Japan. Click for image credit.

Here are some discussion questions when using this chapter for a unit on activism, nuclear energy, and/or gender and the environment.

1. What was the Fukushima disaster and when did it occur?

2. What were the impacts of the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

3. Why are women so engaged with the anti-nuclear movement?

4. After the Fukushima disaster, a number of different types of protests emerged across Japan. Describe them.

5. Who is Mioko Smith and how did she set the stage for the protests that emerged after the Fukushima disaster?

6. How did the disaster impact farmer, Sachiko Sato?

7. What is the "partnership ethic" and why is it important in this case study?

8. What evidence is there that Japan's decision making around nuclear energy is an example of a patriarchal power system?

Previous posts in this series:

Introduction to the Blog Series
Chapter 1:  Sustainability Definitions, Historical Context, and Frameworks
Chapter 2. Sustainability and Natural Landscape Stewardship: A US Conservation Case Study 
Chapter 3. Policy Design for Sustainability at Multiple Scales:  The Case of Transboundary Haze Pollution in Southeast Asia
Chapter 4. Sustainable Water Resources Management:  Groundwater Depletion

Chapter 5. Drinking Water Infrastructure Inequality and Environmental Injustice:  The Case of Flint Michigan

Chapter 6. Sustainable Renewable Energy:  The Case of Burlington, Vermont

Chapter 7. Greenhouse Gas Management: A Case Study of a Typical American City

Chapter 8.  Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in China

Chapter 9. Waste Management Outlook for the Middle East

Chapter 10. Sustainability of Vicuña Conservation in Bolivia

Chapter 11. Marine Protected Areas in Canada
Chapter 12. Urban Social Sustainability:  The Case Study of Nottingham, UK

Chapter 13. Small Land Holdings in Karnataka, India

Major Sustainability Center at Northern Illinois University Taking Shape

In late 2018, Northern Illinois University (NIU) announced the formation of a new center aimed at community-based sustainability. The Center, called The Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability (NICCS) has worked to shape its future through a number of conversations with a variety of interested parties on the NIU campus. Recently, the university posted an update about the center here that many of my readers will find of interest.

The Center is still working out the details about its organization and focus. However, many of the faculty associated with the center have a deep understanding of the field of sustainability and it is clear that the future of the organization is bright. As the article points out, two biology faculty associated with the center have received substantial federal grants and many faculty are engaged with projects that bridge much of the work being done in departments and colleges with work supported by the Center. 

The Center will be housed in a new campus building that is currently in the planning stages. What is exciting about this project is that it has the opportunity to advance a regional and global approach to sustainability that also has a local context for the unique environment of Northern Illinois--one of the centers of the modern industrial agricultural system that also includes the vast Chicago megalopolis.

We're Not Pivoting -- We're In Rolling Motion

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All over the country universities are experiencing tough times. We are in the midst of a global pandemic, many campuses are experiencing budget crises, and the next few months may prove to be one of the most challenging political periods in our history. If we had only one of these problems, we would be in what many would call unprecedented times. 

In moments like this, I think it is worth considering our past. When my university, Northern Illinois University (NIU), graduated its first class of 16 students in 1900, I don’t think anyone back then could have imagined what we would be facing in 2020. 

Or could they?

 

About this time, American society was recovering from the Civil War, coming to terms with the Massacre at Wounded Knee, and dealing with great technological advances in transportation with the advent of the automobile and airplanes. Americans were coming out of the depression of the 1890s that left many destitute due to the lack of a governmental safety net. Books like The War of the Worlds  and The Picture of Dorian Gray were published that reflected a certain amount of social angst.

 

If we fast forward to the 1910's, we continue to see challenges. NIU saw significant enrollment declines due to World War I and classes were suspended on campus during October of 1918 due to the influenza epidemic of the era. NIU President Cook, writing during this time, said, “When we shall begin again is a matter for the future to decide. There is nothing that seems of consequence right now but the war and the epidemic.”

 

During 1918, whole families died from the flu. Around the world, the war and the pandemic were not the only issues. This was the year when the Russian royal family was assassinated within the sweeping events of the Russian Revolution, and a few short months before Zapata was killed near the culmination of the complex Mexican Revolution. These were very difficult times.

 

I could go through a range of changes and challenges that NIU and other universities faced since 1918:  The Great Depression, World War II, The Vietnam War, civil unrest in the 1960’s. During each of these moments, universities evolved and changed with the times.

 

I have no doubt that American universities will continue to be vibrant institutions on into the future. However, as history shows us, universities rose to the challenges they faced. As we look toward the next decade, we have to ask ourselves how universities will change with our times. 

I joke with my colleagues that the word of the year is "pivot". It seems like we pivoted to online course delivery back in the spring semester and around the country we are pivoting to a blended delivery system this semester with the expectation that we should be able to pivot to whatever the situation demands in the future. Over the last few weeks, I have added the word pivot to my administrative bingo sheet along with words and phrases like biggest bang for the buck, paradigm shift, leverage, put a pin in it, and my favorite, it is what it is.

 

But the term pivot implies that you are basically just circling a central point. Pivoting means that the basic conditions don’t change as you circle that central point.

 

In our current era, the term pivot isn’t really accurate. We are actually going through rolling motion. We are rotating around a central point which is itself going through motion. What matters in this rolling motion is that there needs to be intention of direction. Certainly we have outside forces like COVID and our national economy influencing our direction. However, we give up our own power of intention if we are only reactive to the changes impacting our direction.

 

We have the opportunity in higher education to make decisions over the next few years to direct us in a path of our choosing. Certainly we will have to deal with the momentum of our times—the issues of budget, COVID, and others. But we have choices in this unusual situation.

 

As we start to think what the fall of 2021 looks like when we start to emerge from a post COVID world (hopefully), we should do so with intentionality. At all levels of higher education, we need to think about what we want to be and how we want to get there. We need to put our own spin on things so that we don’t pivot in a single spot. We need to design our own forward motion.

George Washington Birthplace National Monument

Today I continue my series on all 129 U.S. National Monuments. This is in follow up to my series that featured open access photos of all of the U.S. National Parks. In the coming years, I will highlight open access images all of the U.S. National Monuments in alphabetical order.

Today's featured monument is George Washington Birthplace National Monument in Virginia. This is not one of the monuments that was under review for delisting as per executive order by the president. Following the photos is a list of U.S. National Monuments previously featured on this blog.

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Previous On the Brink posts on the U.S. National Monuments

Admiralty Island National Monument
African Burial Ground National Monument
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
Agua Fria National Monument
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument
Aniakchak National Monument
Aztec Ruins National Monument
Bandelier National Monument
Basin and Range National Monument
Bears Ears National Monument
Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument
Booker T. Washington National Monument
Browns Canyon National Monument
Buck Island Reef National Monument
Cabrillo National Monument
California Coastal National Monument
Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
Cape Krusenstern National Monument
Capulin Volcano National Monument
Carrizo Plain National Monument
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Cascade Siskiyou National Monument
Castillo de San Marco National Monument
Castle Clinton National Monument
Castle Mountains National Monument
Cedar Breaks National Monument
César E. Chávez National Monument
Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument
Chimney Rock National Monument
Chiricahua National Monument
Colorado National Monument
Craters of the Moon National Monument
Devils Postpile National Monument
Devils Tower National Monument
Dinosaur National Monument
Effigy Mounds National Monument
El Malpais National Monument
El Morro National Monument
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Fort Frederica National Monument
Fort Matanzas National Monument
Fort McHenry National Monument
Fort Monroe National Monument
Fort Ord National Monument
Fort Pulaski National Monument
Fort Stanwix National Monument

Fort Union National Monument
Fossil Butte National Monument
Freedom Riders National Monument

Five End of Summer Books for the Beach Bag from University Presses

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While many of us have spent a chunk of the quarantine writing, the folks at the beloved university presses around the county have been busy working with authors, copy editing, and publishing scholarship from the greatest minds in our land. I have selected five new books from the presses that my readers may find interesting. If you know of some other great new offerings, post them in the comments.

1. Swamp Souths:  Literary and Cultural Ecologies edited by Kristen L. Squint, Eric Gary Anderson, Taylor Hagood, and Anthony Wilson and publishes by LSU Press. When I was growing up in Wisconsin, I was deeply intrigued by the southern swamps as depicted in film and literature. After living in the south for two decades and spending considerable time in these swamps, I remain intrigued. They are a landscape apart in the reckoning of the American imagination. These places represent an otherness and exoticism that deserves this volume that makes a case for greater recognition in American cultural identity.

2. Wildly Successful Farming:  Sustainability and the NewAgricultural Land Ethic written by Brian DeVore and published by the University Presses of Wisconsin. Do you want to understand how we are transforming agriculture to be more sustainable? Look no further than this book that highlights via case studies how farmers are using sustainable innovation to repair our land and create a more sustainable world.

3. Building a Better Nest:  Living Lightly at Home and in the World by Evelyn Searle Hess and published by Oregon State University Press. As we strive to live greener lives we are often confronted by the unsustainable nature of our living space. This book questions many assumptions about modern life and documents a quest for living more sustainably in the world via intentional living off the grid and in touch with nature.

4. The Greenway Imperative:  Connecting Communities and Landscapes for a Sustainable Future by Charles A. Flink and published by the University Press of Florida. As we continue to look toward innovation in sustainable urban design, greenways will gain greater prominence as we reject cars for bikes and walking. This book is the definitive source for everything you need to know about greenways and why they will be more important as we strive for a more sustainable world.

5. Environmental Justice in a Moment of Danger by Julie Sze and published by the University of California Press. We are in a moment in society's history with great cultural and social disparities. This book highlights growing activism around key environmental justice issues like the Dakota Access Pipeline. The book notes these are dangerous times for the environment and for the environmental justice movement.

Great Lakes at Historic Levels

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The Chicago Tribune published an interesting article today by Patrick M. O'Connell about record high levels in Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes. It is worth a read here. As the piece points out, the shoreline in Chicago is seeing some significant inundation that is impacting access and threatening boater safety. The high levels are the result of global climate change associated with increased runoff associated with increased precipitation and warmer winters.

O'Connell notes that the Great Lakes have seen significant fluctuations in recent years and experienced record low levels just five years ago. The wild fluctuations are not normal and reflect the predictions of extreme conditions that many climate scientists have predicted as highlighted in recent reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Zora Neale Hurston Quiz Revisited

On this Juneteenth celebration, I wanted to revisit my Zora Neale Neale Hurston Quiz that I published back in April of 2015. I have long celebrated her writing as some of the most important 20th century environmental literature written in the English language. She has a distinct way of bringing elements of nature into her fiction and non-fiction that was relatively uncommon during her time.

The find the answers to the quiz, you can visit the original post here.

the original post follows.

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Zora Neale Hurston is one of what I call the Trifecta of early to mid- 20th century Florida women writers who had an impact on how we think about the environment. I've written about this trifecta here.

Hurston is perhaps one of the most interesting writers of the 20th century to call Florida home. She had a huge influence on 20th century writing and certainly on how we think about the environment in Florida.


1. Hurston is most famous for this book that depicts life in the Everglades for African American farmers. Name the book.

2. Weather is one of the most symbolic elements in the book referenced above. In what way does weather have a deus ex machina moment in the book?

3. Hurston wrote the above referenced book while living in this country. Name the country.

4. The book depicted a distinct human and environmental realism that was unique at the time. It was also very different from the tradition of this group (with a familiar New York name) with which Hurston is often associated. Name the group.

5. While a noted novelist and short story writer, Hurston earned a degree in this field from Barnard College. Name the field.

6.  In 1935, Hurston published this book that focuses on folklore from Florida. In it she reveals dozens of stories that have been passed down through generations--many of which bring in environmental or sustainability themes. Name the book.

7.  Hurston often used black dialect that was common in the south at the time. This was criticized by many for what reason?

8.  One of the things that I find refreshing about Hurston's work is that it shows people in relationship to their environment in very realistic ways. She also uses an abundance of environmental references. For example, Hurston speaks about her experiences as a black women in an interesting essay in which she uses environmental metaphors such as "For instance at Barnard. "Beside the waters of the Hudson" I feel my race. Among the thousand white persons, I am a dark rock surged upon, and overswept, but through it all, I remain myself. When covered by the waters, I am; and the ebb but reveals me again." Name the essay.

9. Although largely associated with Florida and New York, Hurston was actually born in this state and lived there until she moved to Florida when she was three years old. Name the state.

10. From the 1950's and until her death in 1960, Hurston lived in relative obscurity. She was buried in an unmarked grave in Fort Pierce, Florida. However a famous author revived interest in Hurston in 1974 when she wrote an essay for Ms. magazine titled "In Search of Zora Neale Hurston". She also dedicated a grave marker to her near her burial site. Name the author.

Seeking Chapter Authors for the Global Handbook of Sustainability

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I am in the midst of a new project that seeks to bring together great minds in helping to better define and describe the growing field of sustainability. The book, called The Palgrave Global Handbook of Sustainability, is a different type of publication. The volume will have dozens of articles on a range of topics within the interdisciplinary framework of sustainability. If you are in the sustainability field, I want you to be part of it.

The articles will not be peer-reviewed, but instead will be published online after I complete a review and after they go through a copy editing process with Palgrave Macmillan. I suspect that once I get a draft of a chapter, I can turn it around within a week or two. The volume will exist online and edits can be made to your article(s) up until the completion of the entire volume (which I suspect will take a year or two). Once it is done, the entire volume will be printed. You can check out my introductory chapter to the book here. The volume should prove to be one of the largest and most important sources of sustainability information every published.

If you are interested in being part of the project, take a look at the list below of main chapters. The ones that are highlighted have been taken. The others are up for grabs. You can also suggest a new chapter topic. I will update this list in future posts as the project progresses. Drop me an email at rbrinkmann@niu.edu if you are interested in joining a great group of authors in the production of this important volume.

Part 1. Introduction

Chapter 1. Defining Sustainability by Robert Brinkmann

Chapter 2. Organization of the Knowledge of Sustainability

Part 2. Environmental Sustainability

            Chapter 3. Defining Environmental Sustainability and Major Earth Cycles (could be 2 chapters)

Part 2a. Energy 

            Chapter 4. Global Energy Use

            Chapter 5. Oil and Natural Gas and Sustainability

            Chapter 6. Coal and Sustainability

            Chapter 7. Nuclear Power and Sustainability

            Chapter 8. Solar Energy

            Chapter 9. Wind Energy

            Chapter 10. Hydroelectric Power

            Chapter 11. Geothermal Energy

            Chapter 12. Other Green Energy Sources:  Wave, Tide, Current, etc.

            Chapter 13. Energy Conservation

Part 2b. Climate Change

            Chapter 14. The Science of Climate Change

            Chapter 15. The Evidence for Climate Change on our Planet

            Chapter 16. Greenhouse Gases and their Distribution and Production

            Chapter 17. Climate Change Challenges in Coastal Environments

            Chapter 18. Climate Change Challenges in the Arctic

            Chapter 19. The Evidence for Climate Change for Terrestrial Mammals, Forthcoming by Melissa Grigione, Pace University

            Chapter 20. Greenhouse Gas Management

Part 2c. Water

            Chapter 21. Global Water Use

            Chapter 22. Water Resources:  Aquifers, Reservoirs, Lakes, and Rivers

            Chapter 23. Desalination

            Chapter 24. Water Management

            Chapter 25. Innovations in Water Management: Agriculture, Forthcoming by Jacob Roday, Hofstra University

            Chapter 26. Innovations in Water Management: Industrial and Energy Applications

            Chapter 27. Innovations in Water Management:  Urban and Suburban Uses

Part 2d. Natural Resource Management

            Chapter 28. The State of the World’s Natural Resources

            Chapter 29. Forests

            Chapter 30. Wetlands

            Chapter 31. Oceans

            Chapter 32. Prairies, Mountains, and Other Ecosystems

            Chapter 33. Endangered Species and Extinction

            Chapter 34. Parks and Public Lands

            Chapter 35. Ecosystems Services

            Chapter 36. Urban and Suburban Ecosystems

Chapter 37.  Mining and Minerals 

            Chapter 38. Agriculture and Sustainability

            Chapter 39. Organic Food

            Chapter 40. Local Food, Slow Food, and the Small Farm Movement

            Chapter 41. Fish and Fisheries

            Chapter 42. Fish and Shellfish Farming

Part 2e. Waste and Pollution

            Chapter 43. Defining Waste and Pollution

            Chapter 44. Sewage and Sewage Treatment

            Chapter 45. Municipal Waste (Garbage) and Its Management

            Chapter 46. Industrial Waste and Its Management

            Chapter 47. Medical Waste and Its Management

            Chapter 48. Human Remains and the Sustainability of Death

            Chapter 49. Plastics

            Chapter 50. Radioactive Waste

            Chapter 51. Air Pollution, Wilma Subra, Subra Company

            Chapter 52. Water Pollution

            Chapter 53. Heavy Metal Pollution

            Chapter 54. Nutrient Pollution

Part 3. Sustainability and Equity

            Chapter 55. Defining the Social Equity Issues in Sustainability, Forthcoming by Deborah Gallagher, Duke University

Part 3a. Sustainability in the Developing World

            Chapter 56. The State of Sustainability in the Developing World

            Chapter 57. Human Rights

            Chapter 58. The Global South and Sustainability: Issues and Constraints

            Chapter 59. Small Island Developing States and Sustainability

            Chapter 60. Sustainability in Africa

            Chapter 61. Sustainability in Latin America and the Caribbean

            Chapter 62. Sustainability in Asia

            Chapter 63. Health and Sustainability in the Developing World

Part 3b. Environmental Justice and Racism

            Chapter 64. Background on Environmental Justice and Racism

            Chapter 65. Social Equity

            Chapter 66. Indigenous Peoples and Sustainability

            Chapter 67. Gender and Sustainability

            Chapter 68. Environmental Racism in North America

            Chapter 69. Environmental Justice in Europe

            Chapter 70. Environmental Justice in Asia

            Chapter 71. Environmental Justice in Latin America and the Caribbean

            Chapter 72. Stakeholder Engagement Forthcoming by Dr. Christian Wells, University of South Florida

Part 3c. Education and Sustainability

            Chapter 73. Environmental Education

            Chapter 74. Children and Sustainability

            Chapter 75. Informal Education and Sustainability

            Chapter 76. K-8 Sustainability Education 

            Chapter 77. High School and Sustainability

            Chapter 78. Higher Education for Sustainable Development:  Understanding the Concept, Roots, and Characteristis Forthcoming by Dr. Randa El Bedawy, The American University in Cairo

            Chapter 79. Sustainability at Universities and Colleges

Part 3d. International Benchmarking and National Sustainability Planning

            Chapter 80. The Sustainable Development Goals

            Chapter 81. International Organization for Standards ISO 26000

            Chapter 82. Human Development Index

            Chapter 83. National Plan 1

            Chapter 84. National Plan 2

            Chapter 85. National Plan 3

Part 3e. Urban and Regional Planning and Sustainability

            Chapter 86. Background on Urban and Regional Planning, Forthcoming by Dr. Constance Carr, Université du Luxembourg

            Chapter 87. Urban Approaches to Sustainability. Forthcoming by Dr. Michelle Beiler, Bucknell University

            Chapter 88. Urban Approaches to Sustainability: Transportation and Walkability, Forthcoming by Adriane Hoff, Sustainability & Beautification Committee of Wilshire Center Koreatown Neighborhood Council 

            Chapter 89. Urban Approaches to Sustainability:  Food

            Chapter 90.  Urban Approaches to Sustainability:  Zoning

            Chapter 91. Urban Approaches to Sustainability: Equity, Forthcoming by Dr. Jenni Cauvain, Nottingham Trent University

            Chapter 92. Resiliency

            Chapter 93:  Green Building

            Chapter 94:  Green Infrastructure

            Chapter 95:  Regional Planning

            Chapter 96:  Tiny House Movement, Co-Housing, and Land Trusts, Forthcoming by Dr. Elizabeth Strom, University of South Florida

            Chapter 97. Individual Carbon and Environmental Footprints

            Chapter 98. Minimalism

            Chapter 99. Intentional Communities

Part 4. Economics and Sustainability

            Chapter 100. Introduction to Economics and Sustainability

Part 4a. Business and Sustainability

            Chapter 101. Sustainable Business Management

            Chapter 102. The Circular Economy, Forthcoming by Dr. David Gibbs, University of Hull

            Chapter 103. Supply Chain Management and Procurement

            Chapter 104. Benchmarking for Businesses

            Chapter 105. Green Fashion

            Chapter 106. Green Investing and Financial Services

            Chapter 107. Green Information and Communications

            Chapter 108. Just in Time Production and Efficiency

            Chapter 109. Green Logistics and Transportation

            Chapter 110. Greenwashing

            Chapter 111. Business Ethics

Part 4b. Economic Development and Sustainability

            Chapter 112. Background on Economic Development Forthcoming by Aaron Deslatte, Indiana University

            Chapter 113. Economic Development to Protect Natural Assets

            Chapter 114. Economic Development and Equity

            Chapter 115. Green Entrepreneurship

            Chapter 116. Green Technology Transfer

            Chapter 117. Green Economic Incentives

            Chapter 118. Microcredit

Part 4c. Regulations

            Chapter 119. Introduction to Environmental Regulations

            Chapter 120. Environmental Law

            Chapter 121. The EPA and Its Regulations, Forthcoming by Dr. Adrienne Katner, Louisiana State University

            Chapter 122. Environmental Regulations in the European Union

            Chapter 123. Environmental Regulation in Asia

            Chapter 124. Environmental Regulation in the Global South

            Chapter 125. Protecting Water and Wetlands

            Chapter 126. Protecting Plants and Animals

            Chapter 127. Protecting Air

            Chapter 128. Protecting People

Part 4c. Travel, Tourism, and Recreation and Sustainability

            Chapter 129. Ecotourism

            Chapter 130. Green Conventions and Events

            Chapter 131. Green Restaurants

            Chapter 132. Green Hotels

            Chapter 133. Cruise Ships and Sustainability

            Chapter 134. Green Athletics and Sporting Events

            Chapter 135. Green Media

Part 4d. Consumerism

            Chapter 136. Global Consumption Patterns

            Chapter 137. Advertising for Consumption

            Chapter 138. Impacts of Consumption

            Chapter 139. Hoarding

            Chapter 140. Economic Disparities

Chapter 141.  Critical Discourses on Sustainability

Part 4e. Tools in Sustainability

            Chapter 142. Cost Benefit Analysis

            Chapter 143. Mapping, GIS, and Remote Sensing Forthcoming by Dr. Christopher Badurek, SUNY Cortland

            Chapter 144. Benchmarking

            Chapter 145. Community Engagement 

Part 5 Historical Considerations

Part 5a. Human History and Sustainability

            Chapter 146. History of the Environmental Movement

            Chapter 147. Prehistoric Human Development and Sustainability

            Chapter 148. The Archaeology of Sustainability, Forthcoming by Dr. Lynne Goldstein, Michigan State University

            Chapter 149. Sustainability in the Bronze Age

            Chapter 150. Sustainability and the Industrial Revolution

Part 5b. Great Figures of the Sustainability Field (note this list will expand and these chapters will be short bios)

            Chapter 151. Carl Sauer

            Chapter 152. H.D. Thoreau

            Chapter 153. Aldo Leopold Forthcoming by Dr. Christopher Badurek, SUNY Cortland

            Chapter 154. Rachel Carson

            Chapter 155. Zora Neale Hurston

            Chapter 156. Marjorie Stoneman Douglas

            Chapter 157. Gro Brundtland

            Chapter 158. Michael Mann

            Chapter 159. Al Gore

            Chapter 160. Octavia Butler, Forthcoming by Dr. Lisa-Marie Pierre, Bronx 
Community College
          Chapter 161. Bill McKibben

Part 6. Organizations (again, this list will expand, but the text will be short in most cases)

Part 6a. International Organizations

            Chapter 162. The United Nations

            Chapter 163. The World Health Organizations

            Chapter 164. Greenpeace

            Chapter 165. Natural Resource Defense Council

            Chapter 166. The Nature Conservancy

            Chapter 167. World Wildlife Fund

            Chapter 168. Slow Food International

Part 6b. National, Regional, or Local Organizations

            Chapter 169. U.S Council of Mayors

            Chapter 170. US Green Building Coalition and Passivhaus

            Chapter 171. 100 Resilient Cities

            Chapter 172. African Sustainable Energy Association

            

Case Studies in Suburban Sustainability Available for Preorder

My book, Case Studies in Suburban Sustainability, which I edited with Sandra Garren, is available for preorder with the University Press of Florida. Check it out here. The publication date is set for October 20th. 

The book is the first to examine how the suburbs can contribute to broader national and regional sustainability goals. Most books that examine the sustainability within a local or regional framework look at cities. In the book, we argue that cities are relatively easy places to do sustainability because of the top-down organization of governments and the reach of government services. Suburbs, in contrast, are extremely challenging places to advance sustainability agendas because of the diffused governments and government services, the density of infrastructure, and their political nature. However, it is important to make progress in these areas because of the massive size of their footprints in the United States when compared with other types of settlement patterns.

The book contains a range of case studies ranging from water and air pollution management to economic development and environmental justice. The book contains 17 chapters which include introductory and conclusion chapters by me and Dr. Garren. The introductory chapter highlights the history of sustainability and the importance of a suburban approach. The final chapter surveys some of the international issues associated with suburban sustainability, particularly in contrast to the United States, and also highlights themes that emerged from the case studies in the previous chapters.  I am sure that many of you interested in sustainability will want this one for your bookshelves.

8 Tips for College and University Students Planning for the Fall 2020 Semester

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I know that there is a great deal of angst out there among students as to what the fall 2020 semester will bring. Some universities are planning to open for on-campus courses. Some are planning to offer online courses only. And most others are somewhere in-between. Since many of my readers are college students and their parents, I thought I would provide 8 tips for how to plan for the upcoming fall semester.

1. Don't let this crazy time slow down your eduction. I know that some out there reading this are tempted to just give up on the fall semester given the various unknowns. However, across the country, university administrators, faculty, and staff are working hard to put together a very solid experience for Fall 2020 students. Whether your courses are going to be online or in-person is still a bit uncertain at this point. However, what I can guarantee is that students will be able to get the courses they need to advance their degrees. Uncertainty can be a bit anxiety inducing. Jut focus on the fact that you will be able to get the courses you need regardless of the delivery method. Keep your eye on the ultimate goal--your degree.

2. Evaluate your technology needs. It is hard to imagine, but there is actually a laptop shortage right now in the marketplace and there is quite a long waiting list for many electronic products. Thus, now is a good time to consider what you might need for the start of the fall semester and make the appropriate purchases. If costs are an issue for you, contact your university now to find out what types of laptop assistance they can provide. Many universities are offering laptop loans or other types of support for students who need some help.

3. If you plan to live on campus, follow campus rules when returning in the fall. Campus professionals have been working on guidelines to make campuses safe for students, faculty, and staff. Residence hall managers, for example, are working on plans to house students so that they can maintain safe distances from other residents. It is important to follow the rules set on campus behavior not only to protect yourself, but to protect others who work on or visit campus. Many university faculty and staff may be in those vulnerable categories we've heard about and students should try to limit their risks in order to keep the broader campus community safe.

4. Take some time to interact with the social media in your department, college, and university. Many universities are creating some amazing social media content right now which is helping to raise school spirit. Plus many departments and faculty members have upped their social media game and are adding value to student experiences as they learn from home. Explore what is out there in your department and university. Join in and add to the conversation and create some content of your own within your area of expertise. Student governments and other student organizations such as department clubs, Greek organizations, and interest groups are all active on social media and provide ways for students to participate without being on campus. I tend to find the best content on Twitter. However, Tik Tok and Instagram also have some great content.

5. Find ways to interact with your Department and your Fall 2020 instructors prior to the start of the semester. Drop instructors a note to introduce yourself with information about your background and your interest in the material. If you and they have time, arrange a short zoom meeting with a key faculty member or two who teach material of particular interest to you. Seek their career advice. If you have time, offer to assist with a research project in some capacity. These are the types of interactions you might have had in the Spring of 2020 if we would not have had COVID-19. Given that most faculty are likely to be place-bound for the summer. they will most likely be more than willing to take a Zoom call and would probably be glad to have some help on something. You could help with some research projects from home doing things like literature reviews, data analysis, and data visualization. You could also help with your Department's social media or outreach. These types of interactions will get you connected to your Department and faculty in meaningful ways.

6. Get to know your career services office. Every university has an office of career services that provides an array of services for students. At the very basic level, they will assist students in finding meaningful careers. However, they also provide an array of other services such as personal development, resume reviews, and interview practices. Take the time now to get to know what these offices offer. They have largely moved online during the lockdown and are glad tp provide online support.

7. Look for new auxiliary activities. It is hard to determine exactly what types of student activities will be available in the Fall semester due to the fact that things are changing rapidly. However, universities offer a range of really interesting online student activities. For example, some universities are offering online yoga and meditation classes. Others are offering (for a modest fee) online music instruction for non-music majors. Still others are offering online multiplayer games. Whatever your interest, I am sure you can find something at your university that will interest you. Take advantage of what your university is offering.

8. Discuss your finances with a student aid specialists and consider all scholarships. There are experts at all universities who provide support for students who need financial assistance. Now is a good time to reach out to review your situation so that you can figure out how to cover your educational costs. In addition, discuss scholarship opportunities with your Department to find out what might be available. Look for other scholarships in your community. Many organizations provide student scholarships. There are lots of people out there willing to help you. You have to take the time to ask for the help.