RRU Sustainability

Sustainability at RRU

Royal Roads University (RRU) has taken the initiative to create a sustainability plan. They have come up with several goals to become a green, sustainable university.

GHG Management

RRU has set a goal of reducing GHG emission on campus by 50 % from 2007 levels by 2020. They also hoped to be carbon neutral by 2010. The later has been achieved. In 2010, RRU was able to become carbon neutral, by carbon offsets. This is a system where you measure your emissions, and once a year, pay $25/tonne for that total.

Going “Grid-Positive”

I believe this is the loftiest goal RRU has set for themselves. They hope to be off the grid by 2018. Between 2001 and 2005 energy consumption on campus was reduced by 30%. Further efforts include installation of Solar Thermal hot water systems on the Nixon building and the Learning and Innovation Centre (LIC). Solar Thermal hot water systems involve the installation of solar panels to collect energy and heat the water system to a constant temperature, as to reduce the amount of energy required to heat the water from cold to hot. There is also potential for a shallow well geothermal system on campus. Further research must be completed to determine if this is feasible for the site.

Transportation Demand Management

RRU would like to achieve a pedestrian friendly campus, and reduce the presence of single occupancy vehicles. They are currently looking into the feasibility of implementing a U-pass for the Victoria bus system, with the hope to increase ridership, as well as increasing the bus service to campus. They are also trying to reduce the number of single occupancy vehicles onsite by encouraging carpooling. The idea of providing priority parking for carpoolers, as well as reducing the price for parking for those that carpool are being looked at. Also, as a deterrent for single occupancy vehicles, there is the potential of increasing the yearly parking fee, possibly making it a monthly fee, or reducing the amount of parking available on campus.

Ecological-Sensitive Siting and Heritage Conservation

http://www.royalroads.ca/news-release/1-million-awarded-
royal-roads-help-save-energy-lower-emissions

RRU is located on a National Historic Site, and is required to maintain the history located here. New development is only permitted on disturbed areas. Recently, $1 million was awarded to RRU to retrofit the heritage buildings on-site to make them more energy efficient. Completion of these retrofits will reduce RRU's carbon footprint.  

RRU is also in the process of re-establishing a wetland. There is an area, approximately 10 acres in size located between the Mews Conference Center and Cedar Building, down to the Esquimalt Lagoon. It was originally a wetland, but was drained and used for pastureland 100 years ago by the Dunsmirs. The area is linked to Esquimalt Lagoon, local stream and a pond system that is a habitat for Cutthroat Trout and Coho Salmon. There is also a fish ladder connecting the pond system to Esquimalt Lagoon. Recently, the practice of draining the area has been ceased, and natural vegetation and water flow have returned to the area.

University Stewardship

A program has been set in place to get the staff, faculty, and student body more involved in an on campus program called Campus Green. Currently, an extensive recycling and composting program is present on-site, which successfully diverts approximately 73 % of waste from the local landfill. The composting program diverts 10 tonnes of paper towel a year through composting.

Habitat Cafe, the on campus cafeteria, was the first Green Table Certified establishment on Vancouver Island (http://green-step.ca/?page_id=40). The on-campus custodial staff have been using a chemical free cleaning system for the past 10 years. The use of micro-fibre cloths and chemical free products has been successfully maintained.

As part of their sustainability plan, I believe that RRU needs to get the on-campus students more aware of the actions being taken. A Sustainability committee has been created, made up of representatives from the on campus cohorts, however, the remaining student body needs to become involved in some way. It would be beneficial during on campus orientation to have an introduction to the Sustainability Plan that RRU has developed so that new learners can become aware and potentially take part; either by volunteering their time, or providing suggestions or new ideas.

RRU has a large resource within the student body that should be utilized. The sustainability group is a step in the right direction.

https://sustainability.royalroads.ca/sites/default/files/web_files/Sustainability_Plan_summary.pdf

https://sustainability.royalroads.ca/sites/default/files/web_files/Sustainability_Plan_summary.pdf

The Cost of Inaction

Species Extinction – The Extinction of 32% of the World’s Amphibian Population

Photograph by Kevin Chodzinski, My Shot. National Geographic

The Wood frog can go into complete hibernation for the winter

months, and proceed to "thaw out" in the spring.
http://www.royalroads.ca/news-release/1-million-awarded-royal-roads
-help-save-energy-lower-emissions

There are visible signs across the world that mankind is on a path of unsustainable development. Clear cut landscapes, the increasing rate of desert encroachment due to drier and hotter climate conditions as well as human activity, and the increased extinction rate of amphibians. The latter was first noted in 1989 the First World Congress of Herpetology in Canterbury, England. A decline in researchers study populations was noted, however no action was taken. Now, 20 years later, over 200 amphibian species have experience population decline, as well as reports of at least 32 species extinction (http://www.nzfrogs.org/Amphibian+Extinction+Crisis.html).

Amphibians are very versatile creatures, having survived mass extinctions, surviving through droughts and extreme temperature increases, and surviving without food for many years. They are responsible for keeping invertebrate pests under control, and play a large role in the global ecosystem. They are both predator and prey, as well as food source in some parts of the world. Studies have been done on many species, identifying some chemical compounds produced by the frogs as medically beneficial to humans.

So what is causeing the decline of such a resisliant species?

NZ frog attributes human activity as the main cause of declining amphibian populations. Habitat destruction due to human population results in fragmentation of the world’s landscape. Pollution causing increased acidity of breeding fresh water pools, and climate change results in increase temperatures. Breeding times for frogs are influenced by environmental temperatures, potentially moving the frogs breeding season to earlier in the year. Predators and predation, and overexploitation of frogs for commercial food use are also contributors to population declines.

Our continued activities of unsustainable development will continue to affect the amphibian populations across the world. In essence we are destroying a wonderful creature’s habitat, in an effort to benefit ourselves. When stated like this, it seems that we are a very self centered species, only concerned with actions that will bring us the greatest benefit.

A decline if amphibian populations was first seen 20 years ago, and no action was taken at that point. Now, we have lost 32 species to extinction, and countless other animal, plant and invertebrate species due to our actions. Society realizes that our actions are detrimental, however actions to address this and alter our behaviour is only being taken by a small few. We need to make an effort as a society to repair the results of inaction.

Small groups have formed to help save the frog, such as NZ Frog (http://www.nzfrogs.org/NZ+Frogs/Save+the+frogs.html)  and The Amphibian Survival Alliance (http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/aug2009/2009-08-26-02.html).

For more information of the decline of the amphibian population, please visit NZ Frogs at http://www.nzfrogs.org/Amphibian+Extinction+Crisis.html, as well as an article by the BBC at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8292690.stm

What is Sustainability Development?

Sustainable development, as defined by the Brundtland Commission, is “development that meets the needs of today’s generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (source: Lecture notes, Chris Ling, Friday January 7, 2010).

I believe that in order to achieve this, there needs to be a balance between economic, social and environmental sustainability.

Environmental sustainability can be considered to live within the means of our natural environment, using only what can be regenerated. There are two categories of Natural Capital: Renewable Natural Capital and Non-Renewable Natural Capital. Renewable Natural Capital is considered to be natural systems that can replenish themselves using energy from the sun (i.e. forests), and Non-Renewable Natural Capital is passive systems that can’t easily replenish themselves (i.e. coal) (source: Lecture notes, Chris Ling, Friday January 7, 2010).

To a certain extent our economy relies on our natural capital. Deforestation (renewable natural capital) allows for the development of agricultural land (production of grains and legumes), as well as the pulp and paper industry. Over consumption of our forests compared to their ability to regenerate, creates barren landscapes, reduction of soil moisture, increased erosion, and potential collapse of the agriculture and pulp and paper economies (for example). This is not considered to be sustainable.

Use of our non-renewable resources, such as coal, allows society to produce electricity. Increased energy consumption would result in over use of our coal resources, which may run out at a faster rate. As coal is considered non-renewable natural capital, society would not likely see this source regenerate within our lifetime.

Overconsumption of our natural capital, both renewable and non-renewable, could potentially result in reduced natural capital available for future generations, resulting in an economic shift to un-sustainability and would not provide socially sustainable development. Yes, new technologies would be developed to accommodate the lack of coal for power production (i.e. wind power), and the lack of forest products, however, this would not be considered to be environmentally sustainable.

A balance of the three criteria - social, economic and environmental sustainability - would ensure that there would not be overconsumption of our natural capital (renewable and non-renewable). Future generations would then have access to this natural capital and sustainable development would be achieved.