 "Photo: Jim Comeau, Staff Photographer")
It's a gorgeous Tuesday; warm and sunny with just enough of a breeze at your back. For those able to enjoy the weather, it's a reminder of what makes San Diego America's Finest City.
Geoffrey Chase, dean of the Division of Undergraduate Studies, sits in a conference room on the fourth floor of Centennial Hall waiting for the Green Group meeting to begin. Chase is at the head of the table, physically present in Room 4450, but the discussion pulls his mind elsewhere - namely, outside.
Chase and fellow Green Group member Pat Dintrone pass the time while other members arrive by talking about the Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos, where Charles Darwin did a number of studies that eventually led to his theory of evolution, are the destination for anyone interested in the natural environment. Not only is much of the island untouched by human hands, the extent to which the animals are in charge is almost on the level of "The Jungle Book." The Galapagos Islands' land iguanas don't sing catchy tunes about life lessons, but they do act as tollbooth guards. Should a hiker encounter an iguana on a path, they are encouraged to wait for the iguana to let them pass. That's something that Chase said he has to see.
"I'm drawn to the natural world," Chase said. "I spend time out in natural environments whenever I can. Being in a city is exciting, but I like the moments where I can get away, whether it's Mission Trails Regional Park or the Galapagos Islands or Canyonlands of Utah. I like spaces that are diverse and put you in touch with the natural world."
So Chase sits inside on this beautiful Tuesday afternoon in hopes that this hour indoors will help keep the outdoors beautiful forever. Chase's goal with these Green Group meetings is to decide what role San Diego State can play in keeping the campus and its community sustainable. Sustainability provides the best outcome for both humans and the natural environment in the present and the future.
"Sustainability is not an endpoint, but a process, a vision, a guide," Chase said. "It's something we can use as populations grow and develop. As we move on through time, we have to make sure we do things in a way that our children, their children and their children have a better life, better resources, have access to health care, to what they need to thrive."
Despite his love for everything green, Chase said he knows a Galapagos Island environmental paradise would never work in San Diego, and he's not advocating for it. What he's advocating for is a more conservative attitude.
"It's very complicated because I actually am in favor of living today to its fullest," Chase said. "I think the issue is what do we mean to the fullest. I would say to the fullest is full awareness that there are many future generations, hopefully, that will come after us, a larger set of populations and processes. Living life fully is seeing yourself in that larger picture rather than in terms of your own individual needs that moment."
With the SDSU Senate's unanimous decision on Tuesday to establish a sustainability committee, Chase's picture is becoming clearer.
"That it went through unanimously is a mark of tremendous faith," Chase said.
Drafted by faculty, students and staff in a joint effort, the resolution acknowledges that sustainability is both a national and statewide concern. The decision puts SDSU in the position to lead in research and teaching on sustainability. Chase expects that the initial duties of the committee will be to work broadly and decide where SDSU can make the greatest impact.
"My hope is the committee becomes a conduit for sustainability, sets policy directions, integrates sustainability through daily operating process," Chase said. "We're focused on helping all of us move toward a future that is more sustainable than the one that is currently in front of us."
With no Galapagos iguana-like problems in the way, there's nothing to stop the committee from marching forward on the path to sustainability.
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