Gwyndolyn Holtmeyer

 

November 30^th 2004

 

English 134-16

 

Dr. Marx

 

                                                The Talloires Declaration

 

            The Talloires Declaration was born in Talloires, France in 1990 at a conference

 

attended by presidents and chancellors from universities around the world. They believe

 

universities have a duty to take care of the land in order for it to be sustainable and

 

support future generations. The intention of the creators was to find a way to incorporate

 

environmental sustainability in all aspects of educational institutions. They came up with

 

the Talloires Declaration which is an official statement comprised of ten how-to steps to

 

create sustainability. It is supported by universities around the globe who want to

 

incorporate sustainability and environmental literacy in the classroom, in research, in

 

system operations, and in outreach programs. The claim of the Talloires Declaration is

 

“University leaders must initiate and support mobilization of internal and external

 

resources so that their institutions respond to this urgent challenge.” Already more than

 

three hundred university presidents and chancellors from over forty countries have signed

 

the declaration and have incorporated sustainability into their universities by following

 

the framework set by the ten steps.

 

            To understand the Talloires Declaration, one must know what sustainability is.

 

The dictionary definition of sustain is “to keep going: prolong.” Environmental

 

Sustainability is a way of using resources so that they are not depleted and it is a way of

 

living that uses environmental methods such as recycling, solar panels, and little use of

 

resources. In universities across the globe, sustainability has not been incorporated in

 

everyday campus life and this has caused concern about the environmental impacts of

 

those institutions.

 

Each of the ten steps of the Talloires Declaration is open for individual

 

interpretation by each university. The creators purposefully wrote the steps this way

 

because each campus has its own circumstances and environment. These guidelines

 

ensure that universities follow through with sustainability because they motivate and

 

inspire the establishment of a better world. It is good that the same steps are

 

followed by all the universities, that they are dedicated to creating a sustainable future,

 

and that they are held accountable for their actions.

 

            The first step of the Talloires Declaration is to spread the word of sustainability

 

and the ways to develop it at the university. By using every opportunity to raise public,

 

government, industry, foundation, and university awareness, the leaders are confident that

 

positive environmental changes will follow. If the public is educated about environmental

 

sustainability, a strong support system will be created and there will be movement in the

 

right direction to a future with sustainability.

 

            Step two requires the encouragement of information exchange in the community.

 

The goal of this step is for the public to spread the word about sustainability and start to

 

develop globally. Step three is about educating students through programs designed to

 

teach the importance of being an ecologically responsible citizen. The goal of this step is

 

to make sure all university graduates are aware of the importance of sustainability and to

 

make sure that as citizens they are environmentally proactive in the community. Stepfour

 

states that programs should be created to educate all university students on environmental

 

issues. The faculty must be environmentally literate in order to educate all undergraduate,

 

graduate, and professional students on the importance of sustainability.

 

            Step five follows the credo of Cal Poly which is “learn by doing.” In order to

 

teach sustainability, universities must take responsibility and practice what they preach.

 

Recycling, the conservation of natural resources, and waste reduction are examples of

 

ways to take responsibility for the environment in which our institutions reside. Step six

 

encourages the involvement of the surrounding community to find solutions to

 

environmental degradation. Step seven is to develop programs that will support

 

sustainability by environmentalists, the university faculty, and university administration

 

working together to support environmental sustainability.

 

            Steps eight through ten branch out to the surrounding communities of the

 

universities. It is important to begin educating about the importance of the environment

 

early in school so that people become accustomed to environmental practices and learn to

 

take part in conservation. The promotion of an environmentally sustainable future by

 

universities and international organizations will educate the student body and the citizens

 

about the importance of sustainability for future generations. The tenth and final step of

 

the Talloires Declaration deals with following through with what the declaration states.

 

There must be a continuation of the ideals and programs that universities have created in

 

order to make progress towards a sustainable future.

 

            The opening statement, “We the presidents, rectors, and vice-chancellors of

 

universities from all regions of the world…” and the final statement “We, therefore,

 

agree to take the following actions:” show that the Talloires Declaration has the support

 

of numerous universities that span the globe. At the end of the document after the ten

 

steps, there is a list of the members of the ULSF: University Leaders for a Sustainable

 

Future. These are the founders of the ULSF and the creators of the declaration. Below is

 

stated which universities have signed the Talloires Declaration. This addition of members

 

and universities involved is a strong support for the declaration and for the cause. Some

 

of the language used in the opening statements appeal to emotion. The document is well

 

written but the words and catch phrases are used to sway emotions. “Urgent actions are

 

needed,” deeply concerned,” and “urgent challenge” beg for environmental reform. Then,

 

the ten steps supply an action plan to change destructive habits and to show people how

 

to be environmental and ways to ensure a sustainable future.

 

            After reading and analyzing the Talloires Declaration, I have been convinced of

 

the need for environmental sustainability in the world. Initiating environmental changes

 

on university campuses across the globe will educate the public about the effects we have

 

on our environment, encourage people to work toward a sustainable future, and to get

 

involved in environmental programs put on by universities. It is important that we

 

practice environmental sustainability and that the public is educated so that the negative

 

effects of environmental degradation can be reversed in the world.