WATER SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM ON AN URBAN CAMPUS – POPULATION GROWTH, ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES, AND ECOSYSTEM RECOVERY

While thinking globally about population and water use, geoscientists must also recognize that we bring unique perspectives to local issues. Domestic water consumption in the US is among the world’s highest. Expanding urban and suburban populations are placing significant stress on local and regional water supplies. Within this context, however, great opportunities abound. It is now technically possible, for instance, for a small-sized university to be self-sufficient in water. But technical and economic feasibility are not enough; policy implications must also be considered. To create and apply appropriate water conservation policies to dynamic water systems, people must be aware of the effect of their everyday actions on water availability and quality. Few people realize that their product choices, multiple daily showers, and green lawns contribute significantly to stress on water supplies. Because US universities educate political and corporate leaders, education needs to include explicit information on sustainable water use on campuses that implicitly demonstrate sustainable practices. Pacific Lutheran University is currently working toward sustainable water use practices combined with sustainable water use curriculum in geosciences and environmental studies. Students, supervised by faculty and operations staff, are conducting research on campus water use, student attitudes toward water use, and sustainable water use alternatives. Although these actions are building awareness on campus, we are concerned that a self-sufficient university may contribute to sprawl by allowing water to be redirected to growth areas. Successful implementation of sustainable water use on campus would incorporate policy changes which direct water “saved” toward in-stream flows and ecosystem restoration. The voice of geoscientists, based on long-term, 4-D perspectives, is needed to educate the public and shape policy.