Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Gold Coast Before Cook Named Mount Warning, Tor Hundloe

Tor Hundloe

Extract: We could and should ask, where does the Gold Coast sit on a scale from 'good' to 'bad' in environmental terms? Sustainable or unsustainable? Is it progressing or regressing? It is far too early in the book to attempt to answer this. Maybe at the end of the book you will feel confident to make your own assessment. What we do in this chapter is to make obvious a small number of seemingly irreversible changes that have occurred since the first escaped convicts walked the Gold Coast beaches. We know that indigenous Australians have lived on the Gold Coast …

Enhancing Sustainability Through Designing For Adaptive Reuse From The Outset: A Comparison Of Adaptstar And Adaptive Reuse Potential (Arp) Models, Sheila Conejos, Craig Langston, Jim Smith

Craig Langston

Purpose – This paper aims to make the case for the development of an adaptive reuse rating tool targeted to new building design that maximises the embedded adaptive reuse potential of these buildings later in their life, thereby adding to built environment sustainability. Design/methodology/approach – This exploratory study retrospectively analyses successful adaptive reuse projects to establish and test a multi-criteria decision-making model for new design projects. This paper contains a report on the final stages of the research methodology (quantitative approach) used in the development of the adaptSTAR model that critically assesses the list of design criteria identified in the …

Sustainable Campus: Engaging The Community In Sustainability, Linda Too, Bhishna Bajracharya

Linda Too

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the major factors necessary for engaging university campus community in sustainability. While general awareness in sustainability issues has improved in recent years through mass media coverage, this knowledge is not always translated into actual sustainable practice. Studies have indicated that there are many factors for engaging the community in sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach – A multi-disciplinary literature review is first undertaken to distil the drivers that enhance participation in sustainability programmes by the university community. Next, to illustrate the applicability of the factors identified in the community engagement framework, two case studies …

Designing For Better Building Adaptability: A Comparison Of Adaptstar And Arp Models, Sheila Conejos, Craig Langston, Jim Smith

Craig Langston

Can sustainability and adaptability be integrated in a single decision tool for designing future buildings? Indeed, it is not possible to know what lies ahead for future buildings but, using current research on sustainability and the impact on natural resources and climate, it is possible to forecast the connection between built environment activity and sustainability. This paper demonstrates that the assessment of future adaptation in newly designed building is achievable by using the adaptSTAR model. This new design-rating tool, based on detailed analysis of 12 award-winning adaptive reuse projects in Australia, will assist designers in making decisions to achieve optimum …

Sustainable Campus: Engaging The Community In Sustainability, Linda Too, Bhishna Bajracharya

Bhishna Bajracharya

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the major factors necessary for engaging university campus community in sustainability. While general awareness in sustainability issues has improved in recent years through mass media coverage, this knowledge is not always translated into actual sustainable practice. Studies have indicated that there are many factors for engaging the community in sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach – A multi-disciplinary literature review is first undertaken to distil the drivers that enhance participation in sustainability programmes by the university community. Next, to illustrate the applicability of the factors identified in the community engagement framework, two case studies …

The Role Of Transformative Learning In Environmental Education, Jospeh Chen, Akilah Martin

Akilah Martin

Knowledge-based environmental education has been consistently found to be limited in its effectiveness due to its small and indirect role in promoting sustainable behavior, while focusing on the impact of social context has been found to be more conceptually relevant. Transformative learning theory is positioned to be foundational to environmental education based on its increasing focus on promoting social activism through personal transformations. We suggest four criteria in the development of an effective transformative environmental education methodology. Methodologies should (1) focus on change and not just knowledge attainment, (2) reveal behaviors in a real-world context, (3) highlight internal and external …

Ecological Issues: A Daoist Confucian Perspective, Pamela Herron

Pamela Herron

Abstract: The Dao De Jing is the foundation of Daoism while the Lun Yu, or the Analects of Confucius, is the central text for Confucianism. The Dao De Jing in particular has long been a popular text within the new age spiritual movement in Western culture. Both classic Chinese texts emphasize working toward a harmony with nature without the assumption of man set above plants, animals, mountains, water and other aspects of nature; rather man is a part of this greater whole. This paper explores specific references in both classic texts that reinforce this idea of man being simply part …

Sustainable Household Capability: Which Households Are Doing The Work Of Environmental Sustainability?, Gordon Waitt, Peter Caputi, Chris Gibson, Carol Farbotko, Lesley Head, Nick Gill, Elyse Stanes

Chris Gibson

This paper presents a framework for analysing which households are doing ‘their bit’ for sustainability in an era of climate change, using a two-stage cluster analysis of sustainable household capabilities. The framework segments households by their reported level of commitment to ‘pro-sustainability’ practices common to conventional government policies. Results are presented from a large-scale survey of Wollongong households, New South Wales, Australia. Results illustrate the importance of approaching household sustainability through everyday practices. Attention is drawn to the wide variation in participation in specific household sustainability practices. Investigation into sustainable household capability by household segments shows the limits of even …

The Impact Of Fresh Produce Specifications On The Australian Food And Nutrition System: A Case Study Of The North Queensland Banana Industry, Amy White, Danielle Gallegos, Tor Hundloe

Tor Hundloe

Objective: To use the north Queensland banana industry as a case study to examine the extent to which cosmetic standards set by retailers influence the amount of edible waste generated on-farm and the effect of this on the sustainability of the Australian food and nutrition system.Design: Waste audits were performed on-farm at a banana packing shed to quantify the amount of fruit discarded due to cosmetic imperfections. These data, together with production records provided by the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries and interviews with growers, were used to inform a nutritional analysis, a life cycle assessment and an economic …

Acting As If Tomorrow Matters: Accelerating The Transition To Sustainability, John Dernbach

John C. Dernbach

No abstract provided.

Legal Education For Sustainability: A Report On Us Progress, John Dernbach

John C. Dernbach

This article is an overview of sustainability efforts in US law schools. It describes two sets of drivers for these efforts—inside and outside the legal profession. Drivers from within the legal profession include the American Bar Association as well as several state and local bar associations; law firms and other law organisations; and current and prospective law students. Drivers from outside the legal profession include clients, universities and colleges, nongovernmental organisations, and government. This article then describes what US law schools are now doing in the areas of curriculum, research, buildings and operations, community outreach and service, student life, and …

Business Sustainability And Undergraduate Management Education In Australia, Josie Fisher, Ingrid Bonn

Ingrid Bonn

There is a large and rapidly expanding academic literature arguing that there is an urgent requirement for businesses to become more sustainable. There is also a demonstrated need for managers to develop a better understanding of sustainability and the appropriate strategies required to improve business sustainability. In addition, there are international calls for educators to address sustainability in their programs. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which business sustainability is being incorporated into undergraduate business and management courses in Australian universities. The high percentage of international students enrolled in these courses suggests our findings have …

Green Buildings: An Asset Manager's Dream Or Nightmare?, Linda Too

Linda Too

The mounting evidence on climate change has thrust the sustainability issue to the forefront of many political agendas. Current research has provided many business cases for sustainable design and construction. While commercial green buildings have been the mainstay, the green phenomenon has also spread to educational facilities. This paper provides a case study of the new Mirvac School of Sustainable Development Building at Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia. With its extensive green features, it is applying to be the first six-star rated green educational building in Australia. To this end, the management of green buildings will be a challenge for …