Presentation Title
Resilient CSUSB Water Conservation and Resource Management Strategies
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
College
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Major
Political Science
Session Number
2
Location
RM 208
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Jennifer Alford
Start Date
5-17-2018 1:30 PM
End Date
5-17-2018 1:45 PM
Abstract
As the global human population grows, it will become increasingly important to understand how humans manage natural resources for current and future generations. The management of water resources is of growing concern because water supports atmospheric, aquatic and lithospheric resources that sustain human, ecological and biological functions. Regions with relatively dry climates and growing human populations, such as San Bernardino, represent challenging settings for addressing water resource management. California State University at San Bernardino (CSUSB) is located near the headwaters of the Santa Ana River Basin; the most populated river basin in southern CA that traverses numerous biological, urban and rural communities as it flows from the mountains to the Pacific Ocean. In an effort to address CSUSB’s impact on Earth systems, a comprehensive sustainability plan, Resilient CSUSB, was developed to reduce the university’s strain on environmental resources, while simultaneously working to improve consumer behavioral patterns through education and research based programs. One of the preliminary strategies of the plan was to establish a baseline regarding the consumption of water resources. As part of this strategy, a water audit was implemented to identify the types of water usage on campus, and their relation to aquifer and municipal water resources to develop possible strategies to educate the community on ways to reduce water consumptive activities on campus. Findings suggest that water consumption activities (i.e. landscaping, drinking water, etc.) are highly variable over time and failure in infrastructure has resulted in activities that are not conducive in promoting water conservation.
Resilient CSUSB Water Conservation and Resource Management Strategies
RM 208
As the global human population grows, it will become increasingly important to understand how humans manage natural resources for current and future generations. The management of water resources is of growing concern because water supports atmospheric, aquatic and lithospheric resources that sustain human, ecological and biological functions. Regions with relatively dry climates and growing human populations, such as San Bernardino, represent challenging settings for addressing water resource management. California State University at San Bernardino (CSUSB) is located near the headwaters of the Santa Ana River Basin; the most populated river basin in southern CA that traverses numerous biological, urban and rural communities as it flows from the mountains to the Pacific Ocean. In an effort to address CSUSB’s impact on Earth systems, a comprehensive sustainability plan, Resilient CSUSB, was developed to reduce the university’s strain on environmental resources, while simultaneously working to improve consumer behavioral patterns through education and research based programs. One of the preliminary strategies of the plan was to establish a baseline regarding the consumption of water resources. As part of this strategy, a water audit was implemented to identify the types of water usage on campus, and their relation to aquifer and municipal water resources to develop possible strategies to educate the community on ways to reduce water consumptive activities on campus. Findings suggest that water consumption activities (i.e. landscaping, drinking water, etc.) are highly variable over time and failure in infrastructure has resulted in activities that are not conducive in promoting water conservation.
Description
Moderator: Dr. Cynthia Crawford
Panel: Be the Change: Students Cultivating Sustainability