Degrees That Matter: Climate Change and the University (Urban and Industrial Environments)

By Ann Rappaport

How members of college and university communities can take action on climate change: strategies, projects, and lessons in how to motivate complex organizations to make changes.

Universities and colleges are in a unique position to take a leadership role on global warming. As communities, they can strategize and organize effective action. As laboratories for learning and centers of research, they can reduce their own emissions of greenhouse gases, educate students about global warming, and direct scholarly attention to issues related to climate change and energy. Degrees That Matter offers practical guidance for those who want to harness the power of universities and other institutions, and provides perspectives on how to motivate change and inspire action within complex organizations.

The authors, drawing on almost a decade of experience leading the Tufts Climate Initiative and other institutional "greening" efforts, provide both the basic facts and more detailed information about climate issues. Some chapters can be used as stand-alone action guides for specific areas, while others put climate action in scientific, economic, and political contexts. The authors discuss the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions on campus and the importance of an emissions inventory for setting goals and strategies. They consider decision making (and decision makers), costs, budgets, and institutional priorities, and describe different emission reduction projects. They look at the importance of master planning for the university and the value of action by individual community members. Finally, they suggest climate action projects for the classroom and offer guidance for tapping student energy. Their aim is to inspire others to take on global warming regardless of organizational setting.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0262681668
• ISBN13: 9780262681667
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: Mit Press
• Length: 372 Pages
• Weight: 1.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 8.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Step aside old farts, the debate is over, at least for college students

I'd love this book if I was a college student eager to see my campus act responsibly. While the old, conservative farts are busy waging verbal wars over whether carbon is responsible for planetary warming, I'd use this book as the basis of a pro-active campus-wide green revolution. Much more interesting and worthwhile than being a university internet 'eco-warrior'. Every university campus adminstrator should be given a copy of this release.