DEC 101993 PROGRAM IN ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING EDUCATION AND RESEARCH Thank you for your November 29, 1993 request for my opinions on how the Federal government an encourage activities such as those being developed at MIT in university programs across the nation. You ask how would I envision at what level of support should my recommendations be enacted for timely benefit to the Nation? The goal here should be to bring academia into partnerships with government and industry in helping to do research in new environmental technologies and to help to educate the future generations of students who will work with and evolve these technologies. I would argue that relatively small additional resources are needed if provisions to bring academia, government and industry together are added to existing programs. Examples are: 1. 2. The National Science Foundation routinely funds curriculum development and DOE, ARPA and NIST are all interested in manufacturing and in new industrial technology transfer and development. Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing is an integral part of such efforts not a side show. Encourage any new government/industry manufacturing efforts to bring in academia for research in technologies and life cycle methods. For a relatively small increment, universities can become part of important industrial systems/energy and environmental conservation research that cannot be carried out on their own. Interaction with industry and government on large scale studies and technology transfer will bring new ideas, create better understanding of problems and greatly influence engineering and scientific education. What I am proposing is small and would add to existing programs. Fifty to one hundred million dollars/year added to NSF's budget for training and curriculum development in environmental technologies and life cycle with required industry and/or government participation would make a major difference in the whole fabric of engineering and scientific education throughout the country. NSF should particularly be pushing industry/university interactions on developing, testing and eventually reaching standards on life cycle approaches and uses. Simply requiring academic participation and a greater focus on environmental technologies and environmentally conscious manufacturing, perhaps even within present budgets for DOE, ARPA and NIST, would also have a major impact on university programs. Universities do research to expand the knowledge they teach. Having access to the latest that is being developed in industry related to these environmental topics would quickly allow universities to bring these ideas back into the classroom. All this would require is that a life cycle component be included along with university participation in any new government, industrial initiative. ecollection ESPRIT General Information Sheet Esprit Ecollection A Line of Socially and Environmentally Responsible Clothing At Esprit Ecollection, we believe the best fashion statement is one that positively affects the world around us: aesthetically, culturally, and environmentally. In 1990, Esprit initiated a company-wide eco audit to incorporate ecological considerations into daily business decisions. This transformation in our thinking prompted us to look beyond the surface of fashion. We've carefully examined every element of clothing manufacturing, from fabrics to dyeing processes to buttons and trims. The result is a finished product that implements the best environmental alternatives currently available, supports rural artisans, and helps preserve endangered cultures. The following are some examples of the extra energy we invest in our Ecollection garments. We support organic farmers who grow crops without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Our purchase of certified organically grown cotton promotes safe and sustainable farming practices which do not contaminate air or water supplies. In order to eliminate the water and energy used in dyeing and prevent excess dyestuffs from entering the environment, we use naturally colored cotton. • Low Impact Dyes When we do apply color, we guarantee that it is the most environmental solution Tencel® Low Impact Cellulosic Fiber Similar to rayon, this material is made from the pulp of sustainably harvested trees, and uses a solvent which is continually recycled and benign in the waste water. Our wooden buttons are handpainted by artisans from the Watermark Cooperative. Based in an economically depressed region of North Carolina where employment opportunities for women are few, the Watermark Cooperative provides job training as well as much needed income, and enables its members to become economically self-sufficient. · Reconstituted Glass Buttons Our reconstituted glass buttons and beads support a traditional craft in Ghana. These are made from old bottles which are ground to a fine powder, mixed with pigments, and refired. In collaboration with the Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts, Esprit's order for handbeaded bracelets helps preserve a threatened culture. Each bracelet features the Huichol's traditional spiritual and religious symbols. 900 Minnesota Street. San Francisco, CA 94107-3000. 415 648 6900 ecollection ESPRIT General release Wear and Care Esprit's Fall '93 Ecollection In 1990, Esprit became the first company to dedicate an entire clothing line to "Wear and care," is how Esprit co-founder Susie Tompkins describes the innovative and From fiber to finished product, Esprit Ecollection examines every step of the “Clothing is one of our primary mediums of self expression, and in these times, people 900 Minnesota Street. San Francisco, CA 94107-3000. 415 648.6900 |