Extension Education for Sustainable Communities

North Central CRD

Program Leaders Meeting

September 8-9, 2008

JERRY HEMBD

State SpecialistCommunity and Economic Development

University of Wisconsin-Extension

Associate Professor of EconomicsDepartment of Business and Economics

University of Wisconsin-Superior

Overview

• Context Community Economic Development Systems View

• UWEX Sustainability Team Evolution Current Priorities

• Challenges . . . Looking Ahead

Personal Context

• State specialist (Wisconsin, starting year twelve)• Program leader (Iowa, three years)• UWEX Sustainability Team co-leader (third year)• Foundations of Practice (Community Sustainability)• NNSLE (ANREP)• Sustainable Management Degree (On-line, adult students)• Local/applied commitments

– Coalition for Eco-Industrial Development (industrial ecology)– Sustainable Twin Ports/Early Adopter Project (The Natural Step)– Northwest Wisconsin Workforce Investment Board (green jobs)– Wisconsin Arts Board (creative economy)

• Past editor, Journal of the Community Development Society

Four Challenges Posed by the Transition to Sustainability

• We need more accurate models, metaphors, and measures to describe the human enterprise relative to the biosphere.

• It will require a marked improvement and creativity in the arts of citizenship and governance.

• The public’s discretion will need to be informed through greatly improved education.

• It will require learning how to recognize and solve divergent problems, which is to say a higher level of spiritual awareness.

Source: David Orr. The Last Refuge: Patriotism, Politics, and the Environment in an Age of Terror. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2004.

The Three Waves of Community Economic

Development

Plus OneThree Waves Portion Derived from:

Blakely, Edward J., and Bradshaw, Ted K. Planning Local Economic Development: Theory and Practice. 3d ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2002.

Drabenstott, Mark. “Rethinking Federal Policy for Regional Economic Development.” Economic Review, Vol. 91, No. 1 (First Quarter 2006).

Eberts, Randall W. “Overview of State and Local Economic Development Policies and Practice in the United States.” In Local Governance for Promoting Employment—Comparing the Performance of Japan and Seven Countries, pp. 87-102. Edited by Sylvain Giguere, Yoshio Higuchi, and the Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training. Tokyo, Japan: The Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training, 2005.

Shaffer, Ron; Deller, Steve; and Marcouiller, Dave. “Rethinking Community Economic Development.” Economic Development Quarterly, February 2006.

First Wave

Industrial Recruiting1950s to early 1980s

Driver• Export base

Goal• Attract outside firms

Strategies• Financial incentives• Industrial parks

Keys to success• Government funds for

subsidies and tax breaks

• Industrial infrastructure

Second Wave

Cost CompetitionEarly 1980s to early 1990s

Driver• Efficiency and scale

economiesGoal• Retention and expansion

of existing firmsStrategies• Reduce taxes• Deregulation• Industry consolidation

and cost cutting

Keys to success• Health of existing firms• Training programs• Social and physical

resources

Third Wave

Regional CompetitivenessEarly 1990s to present

Driver• Innovation and

entrepreneurshipGoal• Enhance regional

resources to promote industrial clusters

Strategies• Entrepreneurship• Clusters• Building regional

collaboration

Keys to success• Distinct regional assets

such as– Human capital– Higher education– Amenities– Creative economy

• Leadership and development of quality environment

• Bridging economic and community development

The Fork in the Path

Current trajectory

Technical tinkering

Incremental adjustment

Paradigm change

Sustainability revolution

Radical overhaul

Fourth or “New” Wave

Sustainability Revolution and Paradigm ChangeEarly 1980s and still evolving

Drivers• Sustainable development

and systems thinkingGoal• SustainabilityEmerging Strategies• Eco-municipality

movement (The Natural Step)

• Localization

• Valuing ecosystem services

• Precautionary principle• Local food systems• Sustainable (eco) tourism• Triple bottom line business• Industrial ecology• Alternative and renewable

energy sources

The Five Characteristics of the Sustainability Revolution

1. Remarkable similarities among sustainability groups in overall intentions and objectives

2. A large and diverse number of such groups3. A wide range of issues addressed by such

groups4. Leadership by a group of decentralized

visionaries rather than a single charismatic figurehead

5. Varying modes of action: oppositional and alternative

Source: Edwards, Andres. The Sustainability Revolution. New Society Publishers, 2005.

“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of

future generations to meet their own needs.”

Intergenerational equity

Source: World Commission on Environment and Development. Our Common Future. The Brundtland Report. Oxford University Press, 1987, p. 43.

Defining Sustainable Development

“It contains two key concepts: the concept of “needs,” in particular the essential needs of the world’s poor,

to which overriding priority should be

given; and the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology

and social organization on the environment’s ability to meet

present and future needs.”

Intragenerational equityLimits

Defining Sustainable Development

Source: World Commission on Environment and Development. Our Common Future. The Brundtland Report. Oxford University Press, 1987, p. 43.

Evolving Views of the Community

Unconnected or silos view Interconnected or linkages view

Interdependent, nested, or systems view

EnvironmentEconomy

Society

EnvironmentEconomy

Society

Environment

Society

Economy

PoliticalCapital

NaturalCapital

CulturalCapital

HumanCapital

Financial Capital

Built Capital

Social Capital

Healthy EcosystemVital Economy

Social Well-Being

Community Capitals Framework

Source: Cornelia Butler Flora, North Central Regional Development Center, 2004

Natural Capital

Financial Capital

Manufactured Capital

Human Capital

Economy

Society

Natural Capital

Social Capital

The Five Capitals Framework

Source: Forum for the Future

Natural Capital (Ecosystem)

Manmade Capital (Economy)Source: Daly, Herman. Ecological Economics. Island Press, 2004

Finite Global Ecosystem

Eight Global-Scale Challenges Where Progress Has Been Lacking

• Climate disruption

• Losing the forests

• Losing the land

• Losing freshwater

• Losing marine fisheries

• Toxic pollutants

• Losing biodiversity

• Over-fertilizing with nitrogenSource: Speth, James Gustave. The Bridge at the Edge of the World. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2008.

Conceptual Reform in Economics:Seven Big Ideas

• Adjust economic scale

• Shift from growth to development

• Make prices tell the ecological truth

• Account for nature’s contributions

• Apply the precautionary principle

• Revitalize commons management

• Value women

Source: Gardner, Gary, and Prugh, Thomas, Project Directors. State of the World 2008: Innovations for a Sustainable Economy. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008.

Authors:

Sherrie Gruder, UW-Extension, Madison, Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center

Anna Haines, UW-Stevens Point, Center for Land Use Education

Jerry Hembd, UW-Superior, Northern Center for Community and Economic Development

Lisa MacKinnon, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin

Jane Silberstein, UW-Extension, Ashland County

Impetus for Development of Toolkit

Finding Extension’s educational role Maintaining relevance in a rapidly changing

environment Responding to questions from clientele and

clientele groups that cut across program areas Emerging “team” interest and community-level

requests Deciding to “do something”—take a first step—

rather than “do it all” at once

Intent and Content of Toolkit

• Premise Local government can lead by example

• Focus on the internal workings of local government • Energy• Buildings• Procurement• Transportation• Human resources• Investment

• Provide ideas and specific actions• Local government transformation• Models of sustainable practices

Structure of Toolkit Chapters

• Purpose

• Strategy

• Actions

• Case Studies

• Resources

Wisconsin Eco-municipalities

City of Washburn

City of Ashland

City of Madison

City of Bayfield

Town of Bayfield

Douglas County

Johnson Creek

City of Marshfield

City of Manitowoc

City of Neenah

City of Menasha

Town of Cottage Grove

La Crosse

La Crosse County

City Beloit

City of Baraboo

City of Sheboygan

Dunn County

Village of Spring Green

Duluth, MN

• A science- and systems-based definition for sustainability

• A decision-making framework and process to help organizations and communities plan for sustainability

• A shared language provides a compass to help us know if we’re moving in the right direction

Source material from TNS Canada

The Natural Step Framework

UWEX Sustainability Team

• Earlier effort in late 1980s• New effort initiated in late 2006• State specialist and county faculty co-chairs • Twenty-nine members on roster

Thirteen county-based faculty Ten state specialists Six non-CNRED Extension Five external members

• Two-thirds active members• Handful of “lurkers”

Evolution of Sustainability Team

• Sustainability Toolkit• Rendezvous I – August 2006 – Organize

What is being done already, as far as we know, to advance the principles and concepts of sustainable community development?

What needs to be undertaken that is not already occurring?

What are the barriers and opportunities related to the identified needs?

Wrap-up and commitment to remain involved

Evolution of Sustainability Team

• Rendezvous Redux – November 2006 – Action Planning

Communication Tools Products Team wellness

• Team Protocols, Scoping Form, Plan

• Engineering Sustainability in the Global Enterprise Forum – Nov/Dec 2006

Peak oil, climate change, carbon constraints, liquid assets, ecodesign, life cycle analysis, Wall Street view of sustainability

Evolution of Sustainability Team

• Institutional Response – 2007 to 2008• Team Retreat – June 2007 – Regrouping

Zoomerang survey results Resources? (fact sheets, web, PowerPoints) Growing eco-municipality movement and interest

in The Natural Step

• Eco-municipality Gathering and Sustainable Business Conference – April 2008 Extension identified as best partner for eco-municipality clearinghouse

• Vision for Relevance White Paper – April 2008

Evolution of Sustainability Team

• Team Funding for Sustainability In-service – May 2008 (additional funding from Dean)

• Face-to-face with Momentum – June 2008 – Focus on Commitment

In-service development Capacity center/clearinghouse

Start with eco-municipality resources Expand to support in-service and add other resources

Fact sheets/products/curriculum development

• Building Community Series request – Focus on Sustainability

• Evolving Partnership with Energy Independent Communities program

Building Community Series 2008-2009 Sustainability

Community Sustainability—Setting the Stage Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy Comprehensive Community Planning and

Sustainability Sustainable Business Practices Green Collar Jobs Local Food Networks Sustainability Indicators and Measures Community Organizing for Sustainability

• Energy efficiency & renewable energy 69%• Sustainable business practices/strategies 59%• Community organizing for sustainability 59%• Local food networks 53%• Green collar jobs 53%• Ecological economics 53%• Sustainability indicators 47%• Full cost accounting & life cycle analysis 44%• Comprehensive planning and sustainability 41%• Ecological and carbon footprints 34%• Systems thinking 34%• Green building 31%• Science of rapid climate change 25%• Sustainable agriculture 22%• Sustainable forestry 19%• Industrial ecology 16%• Peak oil 12%

Building Community Series on SustainabilityTopic Preference Survey

How would you rate your knowledge of sustainability?

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Excellent, I'm comfortable leading groupsworking on sustainability

Good, I can use The Natural Stepprinciples

Moderate, I know the basics

Low

None

Interest in Sustainability in Your County

Low27%

Medium46%

High27%

A Vision for Relevance

• Question: Should Cooperative Extension galvanize and lead a public shift to sustainability in response to climate change?

• Answer: The time is NOW for Extension to engage individuals and communities for environmental stewardship, through Sustainable Living Education.

Source: A Vision for Relevance by Members of the National Network for Sustainable Living Education (an initiative of the Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals) – February 14, 2008.

Essential Steps to Engage with Sustainable Living Education

A. Educational programs must be multidisciplinary.

B. Educational programs must holistically address the total energy, water and carbon footprint of the lifestyle choices of our stakeholders.

C. Educational programs must take place now – with in-service and other professional trainings for our existing workforce.

Source: A Vision for Relevance by Members of the National Network for Sustainable Living Education (an initiative of the Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals) – February 14, 2008.

Essential Steps to Engage with Sustainable Living Education

D. Educational programs must focus on how choices, decisions and behaviors affect natural resources, equity, and economic development at the local, regional, national and global scales.

E. Extension must be the model for others to emulate. We have to walk our talk.

F. With success at the personal and family level, and a constituency ready to effect community change, Extension can help communities rethink their municipal systems that constrain our options for living sustainably.

Challenges

• Disciplinary/programmatic silos versus organizational initiatives (and institutional inertia)

• Reductionist versus systems thinking (holistic science)

• Incremental versus radical changes (and opportunities for innovation)

• Behavior change versus engaging at the level of values

• Technological optimism versus precautionary principle

• Community responses versus global problems

Challenges

• Short- versus long-term thinking/strategies• From carbon footprint to ecological footprint• Following versus leading• Predictable choices versus becoming agents of

change• Technical tinkering versus radical overhaul• Dealing with effects versus underlying causes• Working within the system versus transformative

change of the system• Weak versus strong sustainability

Challenges

• The world economy will double in size in fifteen years

• Growth is the enemy of environment

• The globalization of market failure

• Moving beyond the “psychology of previous investment”

• Delinking social welfare with output

More Than There Is Time For

• Sustainability science – focuses on the dynamic interactions between nature and society

• Ecological economics – addresses the interdependencies between human economies and natural ecosystems

• Systems thinking – component parts of a system can best be understood in the context of relationships with each other and with other systems, rather than in isolation

• Sustainability frameworks like The Natural Step and Natural Capitalism

“First they laugh at you, then they ignore you, then they fight you, then you win.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Comments?

Questions?

Northern Center for Community and Economic Development

Jerry Hembd, Director

University of Wisconsin-SuperiorBelknap & Catlin, PO Box 2000Superior, Wisconsin 54880Phone: 715-394-8208Fax: 715-394-8592E-mail: jhembd@uwsuper.eduWebsite: http://www.uwsuper.edu/ncced