Sustainability in Higher Ed: How Thoughtful Computing Choices Result in Meaningful Impacts

Tick. Tock. We’re running out of time…time to significantly decarbonize our global economy by 2030 to hold warming temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This is a daunting task, and colleges and universities are uniquely challenged, but also uniquely positioned, to be leaders in this effort. Higher education institutions drive innovation in thought, research, and information dissemination. Institutional practices can often make it difficult for universities to conduct useful cost-benefit analyses about computing, but their ability to conceive and execute plans with a 30- to 50-year timespan provides an investment horizon beyond that of most individuals. The luxury of taking the long view is an advantage that higher education has over almost any other type of organization. This session will explore how higher education can use its unique advantages?time horizon, research expertise, physical footprint, cultural capital, and more?to drive sustainable change to benefit all of us.