Resources and Conversation on Sustainability in Law Libraries
I am the author of the new Sustainability Law Librarian column published in the Spectrum. Please join the conversation and share ideas about column articles and sustainability in general.
I intend top publish additional information related to each column article to help individuals understand and take action relating to sustainability in their library’s/organizations. In addition, I hope the blog will help us share and discuss issues relating to sustainability. I hope you will join the conversation!
The first article in from the new column is: “The Triple Bottom Line and Why We Care about Sustainability.”
See my Diigo list of resources on topics covered in this article at the bottom of this post.
Topics covered in this article:
What is Sustainability?
See the article for 2 definitions. Do you have something to share?
Why do we care about sustainability?
We care because scientific consensus says human caused climate change is happening and the world is warming at an unprecedented rate. We face a 5 to 10 degree rise in temperature in this century with no policy and a 2 to 5 degree increase with aggressive worldwide policy. These predictions are based on the most sophisticated computer models. Scientist have claimed that more than 2-3 degrees increase will set off catastrophic and irreversible changes. See MIT charts at: http://test-globalchange.mit.edu/resources/gamble/no-policy_F.html
See my 2009 Power Point presentation: “Librarians and Environmental Sustainability” at: http://www.aallnet.org/chapter/coall/selden.ppt At risk is our health, national security, water resources, plant and animal extinctions, entire island states….
This presentation presents scientific data and reports relating to projections for our future.
What is the “triple bottom line?”
Classic book on the TBL – http://tinyurl.com/2c44v45
Tip: save energy, money and reduce your climate impact by using energy efficient lighting.
See page 6 EPA’s Law Office Guide to Energy Efficiency at: http://www.abanet.org/environ/climatechallenge/lawofficeguide.pdf
My Relevant Links From Diigo:
- How to limit risk of climate catastrophe
- Indigenous Peoples Climate Change Assessment
- IPCC – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The Panel along with Al Gore received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. - Homepage | Pew Center on Global Climate Change: The Pew Center on Global Climate Change
Great web site covering many aspects of climate change in easy to understand reports. - Workshop Proceedings: Assessing the Benefits of Avoided Climate Change: Cost-Benefit Analysis and Beyond | Pew Center on Global Climate Change: The Pew Center on Global Climate Change
- Climate Change Odds Much Worse Than Thought
MIT super computer predictions. - The triple bottom line: how today’s … – Google Books
- fact_sheet_climate_deal.pdf (application/pdf Object)
- Energy & Environment | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team
Obama’s 80% reduction in C02 by 2050 pledge. - World needs to axe greenhouse gases by 80 pct: report | Reuters
Consensus on 80% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050 to avoid catastrophic climate change. - How to… make a green team work | printweek.com | Environmental News and Jobs from the Environment Sector
- sustainability-plan.pdf (application/pdf Object)
City of Ft. Collins, Colorado Action Plan for Sustainability. Policy and recommended strategies. 2004 - lawofficeguide.pdf (application/pdf Object)
EPA Law Office Guide to Energy Efficiency. Page 6 has section on lighting.
David Selden
National Indian Law Library/NARF
dselden@narf.org
AALL Spectrum Blog 