Professors win $40,000 grant

By Scott Norgaard     9/10/09 7:00pm

With Houston as their backdrop, a team of Rice and University of Houston researchers will put Mother Nature to the test by evaluating the city's sustainability. After being awarded a $40,000 grant from the Shell Center for Sustainability, which is based out of the School of Social Sciences, the researchers will team up to craft a set of measurements to determine whether or not Houston's progress is feasibly sustainable.The areas of specialty for the three researchers - Jim Blackburn, professor in the practice of environmental law; Stephen Klineberg, sociology professor and director of the Urban Research Center of Houston; and Barton Smith, economics professor and director of the Institute for Regional Forecasting at the University of Houston - represent three key areas to test Houston's sustainability.

"Sustainability is both an exciting and interesting area, because it combines the environment, economy and social thinking," Blackburn said. "That is really the challenge of it. Seldom do we consider these three things together."

The research that Blackburn is planning to do runs in tandem with a new course on measuring sustainability, which will be offered next semester. Blackburn and his students will attempt to come up with indicators that can help determine a city's sustainable future.

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"We want to get new research off the ground and spark new areas to come up with new information," Shell Center Associate Director Lilibeth Andre said.

Since its inception in 2003, the Shell Center has been funding research projects that incorporate faculty and students and include an interdisciplinary element.

The research, which is planned to study a variety of economic, social and environmental indicators over time, could have a large impact on the city, Blackburn said. He said Houston is currently not complying with either the Federal Clean Air Act or the Federal Clean Water Act. In addition, Blackburn points to the loss of wetlands and the dangers of flood plains as indicators of Houston's current environmental dangers.

Blackburn said these negative characteristics of Houston may play a role in the economy, which is currently undergoing a dramatic shift toward greater concern for sustainable development.

"I think we are moving toward an economy that is defined by terms different than GDP," Blackburn said. "I don't think you will be able to think of growth without environmental footprint being taken into account. ... If a certain company is looking to relocate its headquarters, they might choose not to be located in a place that is highly flood prone, has air that is unhealthy or has cancer-causing emissions."

Jones College freshman Kirby Kempe said he believes now is the time for environmental responsibility.

"Now that we have the technology and the resources to know how our decisions are impacting the environment, not doing anything would be irresponsible," Kempe said. "I think everyone has an obligation to reduce their footprint."

It may take a long time for the fruition of Blackburn's research to impact Houston, but he is ready for the difficult, multilayered challenge. In attempting to address the problem, Blackburn, his team and his students may not find a comprehensive solution, but the professor will take the difficulties in stride.

"We may find that we are measuring the wrong thing," Blackburn said. "It is very much going to be a true intellectual exercise of searching. ... That is what is going to be fun and difficult. I actually think of sustainable development as more of a process.

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