Course Projects

Current Events

• Obama’s 1-2 punch– “Our only real solution — a strategy to reignite consistent

growth so we can narrow our income gaps and lift the middle class — never got a serious airing.”

– “In his book “The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth,” the Harvard economist Benjamin Friedman argues that periods of economic growth have been essential to American political progress; periods of economic prosperity were periods of greater social, political and religious harmony and tolerance.”

– “we can’t stimulate our way to prosperity but have to invent our way there”

What is a Steady State Economy?

• Constant throughput– Can extract renewable raw materials no faster

than they regenerate (stocks and flows)– Emit waste no faster than it is absorbed (stocks

flows)– Use up non-renewables no faster than we develop

renewable substitutes (flows + technology)– Must retain capacity of ecosystems to generate

ecosystem services (fund-services)

Why 350? Sustainability• Stock and flow thresholds

Why 350? Justice

Why 350? Justice

How soon must we achieve it?Warming expert: Only decade left to act in time‘We have a very brief window of opportunity,’ NASA scientist says

What is required?

• >80% reduction in CO2 emissions– What’s sustainable?– What’s fair?

• Population stabilization

How do we achieve it?

• New technologies?• Reduced consumption?• Smaller populations?• All three?

Where will we focus?

• Food systems– >80% reduction in CO2 footprint of Burlington’s

food systems• Transportation systems

• Housing systems

Goals

• OVERALL GOAL: Lay the groundwork for transitioning to a steady state economy in Burlington

• Develop objectives and methods for long term research project• On some projects it may be possible to do the actual research• What would we eat, how would we produce it, and where?• What would be impacts on quality of life? Health, happiness, economics,

ecosystem

• Rely on existing studies: what approaches did they use?• Apply these approaches to Burlington• Prepare grant proposal, conference presentation,

communication strategy, etc..

Food System

• Goal: Determine lowest carbon emissions compatible with a healthy diet for all Burlington residents, and impacts on quality of life

• Objectives– Determine CO2 footprint of different food systems (ag

practices, transportation, processing)– Determine what combination of these will meet Burlington’s

nutritional needs while minimizing CO2 emissions– Assess impacts on ecosystem, economy, health, subjective

well-being– Communication strategy

More specific Food System Objectives

• Evaluate footprint of food grown locally by professionals and amateurs

• Assessing current trends in local area food movement - cost/benefit

• Assess weakest links in Burlington food system• Communicate the need to change our food

system

Possible Food System Projects• Victory Gardens• Current Co-ops, farmers markets, CSA’s, etc.• Impacts of local Ag on local ecology (Ex. Phosphorus in Lake

Champlain)• Education (Elementary and Secondary) , School Gardens• Integrating active travel with food sources• Assessment of Local Food movement – (Food miles)• Assessing local food production techniques• School Lunches• Distribution Assessment – Poverty and Nutrition in Burlington

CSA Working membershipsCreating opportunities across the economic spectrum

Food system methods• I outline method in funded research project for modeling CO2

footprint of different farming practices (very technical)• Assist grad student in assessing potential for 80% reductions in

emissions from dairy in Vermont• Determine sustainable diet for Burlington: WWF Livewell: a

balance of healthy and sustainable food choices• Worldwatch report 188: Innovations in Sustainable Agriculture:

Supporting Climate-Friendly Food Production• Friel, S., A. D. Dangour, T. Garnett, K. Lock, Z. Chalabi, I. Roberts,

A. Butler, C. D. Butler, J. Waage, A. J. McMichael and A. Haines (2009). "Public health benefits of strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions: food and agriculture." The Lancet 374(9706): 2016-2025.

Transportation System

• Goal– Assess impacts on quality of life of transportation

system compatible with 350 ppm• Objectives– Establish current state of travel including active

travel, car travel, community transport, etc.– Evaluate impacts on SWB, environment– Create potential policies to encourage active/

alternative transport – Communication: e.g. divest now! posters

Transportation System Methods• Impacts on health of different transportation systems in Burlington:

Minneapolis, Copenhagen, >80% reductions– Woodcock, J., P. Edwards, C. Tonne, B. G. Armstrong, O. Ashiru, D. Banister,

S. Beevers, Z. Chalabi, Z. Chowdhury, A. Cohen, O. H. Franco, A. Haines, R. Hickman, G. Lindsay, I. Mittal, D. Mohan, G. Tiwari, A. Woodward and I. Roberts (2009). "Public health benefits of strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions: urban land transport." The Lancet 374(9705): 1930-1943.

• Monetary impacts: savings to individuals and urban infrastructure costs

• Impacts on mental well being, happiness – Could design day diary method survey, roughly outlined in draft proposal

• Methods for financing public transportation using land value tax, tax increment financing

Housing/Buildings

• Goal– Assess impacts on quality of life of housing/buildling

systems compatible with 350 ppm• Objectives– Establish current state of travel including active travel,

car travel, community transport, etc.– Evaluate impacts on SWB, environment– Create potential policies to encourage active/

alternative transport – Communication: e.g. divest now! posters

Housing/Buildings

• New construction standards– “No Furnaces but Heat Aplenty in ‘Passive Houses’”

• Retrofitting existing houses– What retrofits offer a positive monetary return at what

interest rates?– What retrofits offer a positive energy return?– How do we finance them?– What policies will lead people to adopt them? E.g.

review literature from behavioral economics• VEIC and Burlington Electric are great resources

Student Climate Culture Ownership Reclamation Series

• Help strengthen the working relationships between the student divestment campaign, the localized economy movement, and the cooperative ownership movement.

• February: public debate on fossil fuel divestment, timed to coincide with Board of Trustees meeting

• March-April: five smaller forums (1.5 hours each) on variety of new economy topics (ie. Healthcare, cooperatives, transition Burlington, etc.)

• mid-April: large summit• June 9-12: student-organized panel at the USSEE

Conference at UVM