Sustainability Q&A: Dr. Stacy Bondanella Taninchev

What is your position and department?

Associate Professor, Political Science

What does sustainability mean to you?

Being an international relations scholar, the word sustainability first makes me think of the definition of sustainable development, which is being able to meet the needs of the present without depleting resources for the future generation. It involves social, environmental, and economic sustainability. We had a discussion at a faculty conference once about sustainability at Gonzaga, which involved some discussion about making our lives as faculty and as human beings sustainable here at Gonzaga. That was the first time I thought about sustainability outside of the global development context. So now sustainability to me means being able to continue doing what you need to do and thriving economically and socially without doing unnecessary harm to the environment. If we relate it to faculty, staff, or student lives, I suppose we should think about how we can continue to do what we do here at Gonzaga without people being over-taxed, given the increasing demands on our time.

How have you been involved in promoting sustainability on campus?

I have not been very involved in sustainability on campus, other than trying to do my part to recycle and avoid over-using financial and material resources. For example, I try to print documents double-sided when possible.

What are some things you do in your personal life to live sustainably?

Going back to my answer regarding what sustainability means to me, I have to point out that when I think of sustainability in my personal life, I think only of the environmental aspect. I recycle and try not to overuse water and other resources. I also try to educate my students about environmental degradation, although that is only a very small portion of some of my classes. In the Model United Nations, for which I am the faculty advisor, we deal with topics of sustainability more often. Also, as the President of the Spokane Chapter of the United Nations Association, I put in some efforts to educate the community about the sustainable development goals (SDGs) that were to replace (and now have replaced) the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015. I am attaching a picture of one of my Model UN students (Matthew Quetti) at the booth I set up regarding the SDGs at Earth Day last year.

How could Gonzaga continue to improve its sustainability efforts?

I do not have a recycling bin in my office so I collect paper, cans, and bottles in my office and then try to remember to take them with me when I go by the elevator where the nearest recycling bin is located. I know that does not require much effort, but perhaps more people would do more recycling if they had a bin right next to their desk.

How will you continue to promote sustainability after you leave Gonzaga?

I will probably do so in much the same way that I do now — through my teaching and attempting to avoid over-using resources.