Today is a historic day with Barack Obama becoming our 44th president. With that change in Washington we’ll be having our own changes in Arizona with Janet Napolitano joining the Obama team as United States Secretary of Homeland Security. Many changes will come with that, but for this blog what might change in Arizona’s environmental policies? Here are a couple articles that speculate what may come.

Governor change could alter Az climate policy

PHOENIXM — The potential exit of Gov. Janet Napolitano for a position in the Obama administration could mean changes in state climate policies.

Environmental groups, elected officials and other political watchers say that a new Republican administration under Jan Brewer would likely significantly reduce Arizona’s involvement in the Western Climate Initiative.

Napolitano was an active and founding member of the regional effort, which brings several Western states together to limit and reduce man-made greenhouse gases, among other things… link

Everyone in the nation is being severely impacted by the economic downturn, and the public universities are no exception.  You may wonder why I would discuss ASU budget cuts on the Arizona Sustainability blog but the main heart of innovation is found in the universities.  Researchers, both student and professional, work tirelessly to find better ways to address problems ranging from social to medical to environmental.  The research that goes on at ASU is invaluable to society.

The strides that have recently been made by their Global Institute of Sustainability working together with the School of Earth and Space Exploration and other departments have been encouraging, now the budget cut seems a direct cut on our future and potential.  Most research is conducted based on grant funding which is not dependent on the state budget, for the most part, however, for the professors, students, and researchers to remain at ASU they rely on state funding for pretty much everything else.  I am discouraged and worried that all of the education system (primary, secondary, and higher) gets hit hard when the economy suffers and that directly translates to more strain on students and teachers making success more difficult to attain.  The future of innovation in the field of sustainability is on the chopping block, not just for ASU but for all Arizona universities and public schools.  There has got to be a better way?

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY News Release

January 15, 2006

Proposed Budget Cuts Would Severely Damage ASU, Negatively Impact 67,000 Students and their families, and Would Put Arizona on the Path to Resembling a Third World Country

TEMPE, Ariz. – The options proposed by the state legislature today would cut the university system’s budget by up to $243 million for the remaining few months of fiscal year 2009 and $388 million for fiscal year 2010. This would be the largest higher education budget reduction in the state’s history. Cuts of this magnitude would require Arizona State University to reduce costs by up to $126 million in less than five months and $194 million next fiscal year.

ASU opened its FY09 budget year having already taken more than more than $37 million in state funding cuts in the previous 18 months, resulting in the elimination of 265 jobs. Since that time, it has taken additional actions in preparation for the possibility of further reductions that has led to a cumulative elimination of almost 500 staff positions and over 200 faculty associates, the disestablishment of two schools and a reduction in the number of nursing students.

ASU administrators say that it is unreasonable and irresponsible to expect ASU, the state’s largest university and the producer of more than half the state’s bachelor’s degrees each year, to suffer cuts anywhere this magnitude without severely curtailing the service it provides its 67,000 students and reducing the enormously important role it plays in the state’s economy.

“The fact that the legislature has known about the state budget problems for months and failed to take appropriate and effective action to minimize harm to Arizona’s families and economy is unconscionable,” says ASU President Michael M. Crow. “Our students and their families, ASU alumni, and the working men and women of Arizona—all of whom are taxpayers and will be impacted by this action—deserve better.”

“The decisions made by our elected leaders concerning the FY09 and FY10 budgets will be the most important political decisions made in the nearly 100-year history of the state,” he continued. “For that very reason, there needs to be a thoughtful and public discussion of the options. Otherwise the Arizona of the future may more closely resemble a far-off, Third World country than nearby states such as Colorado and Texas.”

Arizona State University pumps $3.2 billion dollars each year into the state’s economy and creates tens of thousands of jobs. Each year it graduates more than 14,000 students, including engineers, nurses, mathematicians, scientists, teachers and entrepreneurs. These graduates, which include more than 151,000 alumni still living in the state, are responsible, in turn, for tens of billions of dollars of the state’s gross domestic product and constitute the largest single group of taxpayers in Arizona.

“You can’t cut your way out of a budget deficit of this magnitude,” said Dennis Hoffman. “The legislature needs to consider other options because a budget cut of this magnitude, if taken, will cause a sharp drop in the state’s GDP and prolong what is already a painful recession.”

ASU had already been planning for an additional cut of five percent by taking actions to reduce expenses while preserving educational quality, access to a college education, and the production of a skilled workforce. Cuts of the magnitude proposed today would cause the university to layoff and/or furlough additional employees, and consider program reductions that might affect students entering in fall 2009 and beyond.

SOURCE:

Virgil Renzulli, virgil.renzulli@asu.edu

(480) 965-8526 direct line

MEDIA CONTACT:

Terri Shafer, terri.shafer@asu.edu

(480) 965-3865 direct line / (602) 363-2318 cell

Arizona State University

Tempe, Arizona USA

www.asu.edu

Related: Arizona university presidents discuss proposed budget cuts

Very cool little blog on ASU’s GIOS building over at Inhabitat. Head over there and check out some nice pictures of the building. Lots of cool green features in this renovated building. I remember when it was really dark and drab back when it was the nursing school building.

Old bequeaths new in the form of Arizona State University’s Global Institute of Sustainability, situated in the campus’ beautifully renovated former Nursing Building. Conceived by Lord, Aeck & Sargent along with Gould Evans Associates, the $6 million renovation included asbestos abatement and standard modernization for classroom use along with a bundle of environmentally and sustainable enhancements. Their innovation turned a once dreary, old and dark building into a new institute filled with enough daylight to inspire its new inhabitants as they look for ways to improve the environment, the economy, and the social challenges we all face today.

Inhabitat

This is a great discussion on  KJZZ about renewable energy in Arizona with Greater Phoenix Economic Council president and CEO Barry Broome and Arizona Corporation Commission chairwoman Kris Mayer.

( Phoenix, AZ ) KJZZ’s Here and Now examined Arizona’s renewable energy policies with Corporation Commission Chair Kris Mayes and Barry Broome, President and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. Economics Professor Robert Michaels explained why he is opposed to renewable energy standards. The show also touched on the potential of wind power.

http://kjzz.org/news/arizona/archives/200901/hereandnow-renewableenergy

Image: stringberd

Lake Superior State University just published their 2009 list of words that should be banished from the Queen’s English for being mis-used, over-used, or being  just plain useless. Environmental buzzwords such as “green,” “going green,” and all it’s variables top the list of words that people are sick of hearing. Carbon Footprint or Carbon Offsetting also made the list of words people would like to hear less of.

Environmental buzzwords are getting the axe this year. “Green” and “going green” received the most nominations.

GREEN – The ubiquitous ‘Green’ and all of its variables, such as ‘going green,’ ‘building green,’ ‘greening,’ ‘green technology,’ ‘green solutions’ and more, drew the most attention from those who sent in nominations this year.

“This phrase makes me go green every time I hear it.” Danielle Brunin, Lawrence, Kansas.

“I’m all for being environmentally responsible, but this ‘green’ needs to be nipped in the bud.” Valerie Gilson, Gales Ferry, Conn.

“Companies are less ‘green’ than ever, advertising the fact they are ‘green.’ Is anyone buying this nonsense?” Mark Etchason, Denver, Colo.

“If something is good for the environment, just say so. As Kermit would say, ‘It isn’t easy being green.’” Kevin Sherlock, Hiawatha, Iowa.

“If I see one more corporation declare itself ‘green,’ I’m going to start burning tires in my backyard.” Ed Hardiman, Bristow, Va.

“This spawned ‘green solutions,’ ‘green technology,’ and the horrible use of the word as a verb, as in, ‘We really need to think about greening our office.’” Mike McDermott, Philadelphia, Penn.

Lake Superior State University

I might have to agree that it is over used and abused. Maybe it’s time to lay off the green and find another term to over use. Perhaps next year it can be “sustainability.”