Illinois Institute of Technology
ER-5: Sustainability Course Identification

The IIT task force for sustainability in education developed the following definition for sustainability. It was not designed to describe the development of making course material in addressing sustainability. Rather, it is a definition surrounding concepts that should be considered for integration in curriculum surrounding sustainability: "Sustainability" (in the sense used here) is short for "sustainable development". Development is the improvement of the human condition overall; sustainability (in a narrower sense) implies achieving that improvement in ways not precluding any future generation doing the same. There are, then, at least three aspects of sustainability so understood: 1. Technological: Meeting human demand for natural resources (including air and water), industrial products, energy, food, transportation, shelter, communication, pleasure, effective waste management, and the like, while protecting environmental quality. Development that damages the natural or social environment is not sustainable. 2. Social: Carrying on technological development in ways that improve, or at least do not worsen, the lives of those economically or otherwise disadvantaged, present or future. Development that increases poverty, oppression, or injustice is not sustainable. 3. Intergenerational: Carrying on technological development in ways that leave all future generations opportunities for development at least as good as the present generation has. Development that achieves success today at the expense of tomorrow is not sustainable.

IIT offers an array of course offerings focused on or related to sustainability. Staff at the Wanger Institute of Sustainable Energy Research (WISER) and select university staff went through and developed a list of classes that falls into either focused or related criteria based on the definition of sustainability in the curriculum.