Achieving SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] and Engaging Higher Education Using EPA Tools
Citation:
Smith, B., J. Daniel, AND F. Cochran. Achieving SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] and Engaging Higher Education Using EPA Tools. Assoc. for the Advancement oif Sustainability in Higher Education, Pittsburgh, PA, October 02 - 05, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
To promote EPA tools for supporting sustainability training in higher education
Description:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a suite of freely available, web-based tools that assist diverse audiences, including higher education institutions, in tackling local and regional environmental problems, building capacity, and meeting their sustainability and resilience goals. In this session, attendees will get an overview of a selection of EPA tools related to fostering sustainable and healthy communities while also addressing numerous Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The session will also include an in-depth introduction to one multi-faceted tool, EnviroAtlas, illustrating how this tool can be used in both higher education and beyond the classroom to inform SDGs. EnviroAtlas provides a collection of web-based resources for exploring human health impacts, and environmental and socioeconomic data relevant to the SDGs. EnviroAtlas contains two primary tools: An Interactive Map, which provides access to hundreds of maps at multiple extents and scales for the U.S., and an Eco-Health Relationship Browser, which displays evidence-based research on the linkages between ecosystems services and human health. EnviroAtlas resources are broadly applicable for informing research, decision-making, and education. Higher education and K-12 curricula have been developed using EnviroAtlas tools, and EnviroAtlas has been used in multiple higher education institutions. Session attendees will come away with ideas on how readily available geospatial data can contribute to education and decision-making for sustainability. Our main goals for this session are to: (1) Introduce the suite of EPA sustainable and healthy communities research tools. (2) Demonstrate EnviroAtlas in the context of higher education and SDGs. (3) Provide the audience with a walk-through of geospatial indicators to address sustainability and SDG targets at multiple scales. At the core of this interactive session is an initiative to actively engage the audience in learning, discussing, and interacting with EPA tools, with a specific focus on the EnviroAtlas tool. In addition to participants receiving a folder of materials, there will be opportunities for attendees to engage and participate in guided collaborative conversations with one another throughout the session. These opportunities will build on each other, with groups changing to increase conversation and collaboration amongst participants, concluding with a large-group discussion.