Sustainability: Mitigation and Adaptation-The Prairies

1. Sustainability: Mitigation and Adaptation-The Prairies Mandy Guinn, Kerry Hartman, Jen Janecek-Hartman

2. What is sustainability? • Sustainable developments are those which fulfill present and future needs (WECD, 1987) while [only] using and not harming renewable resources and unique human-environmental systems of a site: [air], water, land, energy, and human ecology and/or those of other [off-site] sustainable systems (Rosenbaum 1993 and Vieria 1993).

3. Sustainability

4. What is adaptation? • Adaptation is responding to change. • It can be done at an ecosystem or individual level. • In climate change terms how will species, populations and communities of flora and fauna adjust to climate changes such as increasing or decreasing temperatureor precipitation?

5. Examples of Adaptation at Societal Level Pew Center Environmental Impacts series focuses on implications of climate change for the United States.

6. What is mitigation? • Mitigation as it refers to climate change basically means reducing GHG emissions. • Usually means using less energy or reducing “your carbon footprint” • Can be accomplished at global, societal, or individual levels by consuming less energy produced by fossil fuels

7. Examples of Mitigation at Global Level • Global efforts have revolved around the KYOTO protocol due the fact that adaptation at a global level is unrealistic. • Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (Which was never ratified by USA) • Major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions • These amount to an average of five per cent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012. (http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php)

8. Examples of Societal Mitigation • Use energy more wisely • Use alternative energy-wind, solar, geothermal • Conserve energy • Recycling • Respecting traditional environmental knowledge • Rebates on energy efficient appliances and housing materials • Population control-female empowerment

9. Examples of Personal Mitigation • Reduce, reuse, recycle • Minimize carbon footprint • Don’t drive as much • Turn thermostat down • Don’t buy “Lunchables”-pack own lunch • Don’t buy bottled water-get re-useable water bottle • Complete the Calculate Your Carbon Footprint Activity: • http://www.ie.unc.edu/erp/resources/Calculating_Your_Carbon_Footprint.pdf (use website below to complete activity) • http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html • What other ideas do you have?

10. Resources for you to check out • Check out the Department of Energy website • http://www.pewclimate.org/docUploads/Adaptation.pdf

11. Activities • Students may choose from the following list: • Prepare a short presentation or report where you share traditional ecological knowledge regarding sustainability or adaptation in your area • Prepare a short presentation or report on the Tribal Nations of the Great Plains and how they have adapted to changes in climate over the centuries • Prepare a short presentation or report on the KYOTO Protocol. • Prepare a short presentation or report on your own state’s, reservation, or energy company’s plans to promote energy conservation • Prepare a short presentation or report on renewable and/or energy efforts in your area with special emphasis on applications in your area and how your Tribe could implement these into housing and waste management departments • Prepare a short presentation or report on recycling efforts in your area and how your Tribe is supporting and implementing these efforts • Interview a Tribal official on what your Tribe is doing to promote energy conservation, renewable energy and sustainable development • Complete a review on a scientific article regarding climate sustainability, mitigation or adaptation • Presentations and reports will be evaluated using included rubric