UN Conference on Sustainable Development Declaration
Leaders of the international academic community are invited to sign a declaration in advance of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development committing to the development of sustainable practices for higher education institutions. Signatories of the declaration agree to teach sustainable development concepts, encourage research on sustainable development issues, "green" their campuses and support sustainability efforts within their communities.
Call for Entries: Citizens' Summit for Sustainable Development
The Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (CT) seeks applications for its U.S./Canada Citizens' Summit for Sustainable Development, slated for March 24-25, 2012. Leading to the upcoming 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), the summit will bring together emerging leaders from academia, business, civil society, government, and politics to generate new knowledge, policy and action for sustainability in the U.S. and Canada. Applications will be considered on an ongoing basis but space is limited.
Call for Entries: Green Living Project Student Film Competition
Green Living Project invites submissions for its Student Film Project. The competition encourages students to submit films of five minutes or less that share a unique, creative and compelling story about a local or global sustainability-related project. Sample sustainability topics include wildlife conservation, sustainable food, resource conservation, community development, renewable energy, sustainability-related education and sustainable travel and tourism. The submission deadline is May 25, 2012. Winners will be screened at Green Living Project's Washington D.C. Film Premiere in June.
Call for Submissions: Student Sustainability Film Festival
The Media Institute for Social Change invites submissions for its third annual Student Sustainability Film Festival. Students can submit short films about what their campus or community is doing to make it more sustainable for a chance to receive cash prizes and be shown at various campus and conference screenings. Entries are due by May 17, 2012.
Student Opportunity: MobilizeU Competition
AASHE has partnered with Earth Day Network for the launch of MobilizeU, an international collegiate competition calling upon students to mobilize their campus communities around four weeks of environmental activism surrounding Earth Day 2012 (March 29 - April 29). Students worldwide are encouraged to join the movement as a regional coordinator or school coordinator and organize activities including campus clean-ups, new voter registration drives and Earth Day events. Coordinators will share a photo or video documenting their efforts on the MobilizeU Facebook page.
U.S. Dept. of Education Seeks Successful EfS Case Studies
The U.S. Department of Education invites higher education institutions and nonprofits to provide examples of innovative and promising education for sustainability strategies, programs and practices. The department is seeking examples of sustainability curriculum or programs that have helped retain students and increase their completion of courses, degrees or certificates by April 30, 2012.
U.S. Dept. of Labor Job Training Grants for Community Colleges
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the availability of up to $500 million in federal grants for job training programs at community colleges. Part of a $2 billion program approved in 2010, the funds will be used to expand and improve education and career training programs that can be completed in two years or less. The deadline for applications is May 24, 2012.
International Sustainable Campus Network Excellence Awards
The International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) invites nominations for its fourth annual ISCN Excellence Awards. Categories include buildings, campus and integration. Award winners will be formally celebrated at the ISCN "Power of Partnerships" conference on June 20, 2012.
Win a Trip to Rio+20: United Nations Conference
The United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) and Aarhus University in Denmark invite students and faculty to join the global PRME Leaders+20 case competition. Those who integrate sustainability perspectives into new or existing course descriptions and curricula, demonstrate an inspiring cross-generational cooperation between students and faculty, and present their team's innovative ideas in writing and video have a chance of winning the first prize trip to Rio+20: United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in June 2012.
Clean Air-Cool Planet 2012 Fellowships
Clean Air-Cool Planet is inviting applications for its 2012 Fellowships program. The 10-week, full-time summer positions pair students with real-world projects to advance innovative climate change solutions and leadership. Fellows are provided mentorship, networking opportunities and a stipend. The deadline to apply is February 24.
Create a Regional Center of Expertise on Sustainable Development
The United Nations University is accepting applications for new Regional Centers of Expertise on education for sustainable development. A chance to learn from international partners working on sustainability, this network of formal and informal education organizations works to deliver education for sustainable development to local and regional communities.
Energy Department Clean Energy Workforce Training Grants
As part of President Obama's blueprint to help U.S. businesses cut energy costs, become more competitive in the global market and reduce pollution, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program have announced up to $1.3 million for clean energy workforce training programs. Higher education institutions can apply to partner with MEP Centers to create building efficiency training programs that are tailored to building operators, building managers and energy service providers. Applications are due March 30, 2012.
Ithaca College Online Sustainability Leadership Certificate
Ithaca College's (NY) online professional certificate program offers practitioners the ability to credential their work as sustainability coordinators or advocates on college campuses and in other organizations across professions. With the option to register for a single course or a six-course certificate, participants will learn to assess their institution's green policies and practice, communicate sustainability initiatives and evaluate best practices. New classes begin 11 times each year. Each online class is 16 days long, but work can be completed anytime on any schedule. Next two session start dates: Feb. 23, 2012 and March 22, 2012. Discounts are available to AASHE members. Next courses include "How Green is Your Organization: Sustainable Policy and Practice" and "How Green is Your Organization: Sustainable Infrastructure."
Turn Out the Lights for Earth Hour 2012
The World Wildlife Fund is encouraging higher education institutions to raise awareness about the world's environmental challenges and empower students to make sustainable choices every day by turning off non-essential lights for one hour on March 31 in support of Earth Hour. Last year, Earth Hour reached 1.8 billion people from more than 5,000 cities and towns in 135 countries and territories across every continent. Students can register online to join the Earth Hour community and create an event.
American Wind Energy Conference Scholarships
The American Wind Energy Association is offering scholarships to attend its Windpower 2012 Conference & Exhibition, to be held June 3-6, 2012 in Atlanta, Ga. Those looking to enhance their knowledge of the wind industry are invited to apply. Applications will be accepted through March 16.
Call for Abstracts: Sustainability in Higher Education Conference
Webster University's (MO) Sustainability Coalition invites abstract submissions for its first annual sustainability conference. Themed "The State of Sustainability in Higher Education and our Role in Society," the conference will feature AASHE Executive Director Paul Rowland as the keynote speaker. Submissions for presentations and posters from St. Louis-area universities and colleges are encouraged in areas including environmental sustainability, social sustainability, economic sustainability, cultural sustainability and human rights. The deadline for submissions is Feb. 24, 2012.
Climate Studies Course for Minority-Serving Institutions
The National Science Foundation is supporting a long-term partnership between the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and Second Nature to introduce the AMS Climate Studies course to 100 minority-serving Institutions nationwide. Faculty members will attend an expenses-paid, five-day course implementation workshop in Washington, D.C. to learn the latest in climate science. The implementation workshop, offered annually for a four-year period beginning in May 2012, will leverage the climate expertise of scientists from NASA, NOAA and many other D.C.-area educational and research institutions. Applications will be accepted through March 20 for the upcoming May workshop.
Environmental Leadership Program 2012 Fellowship
The Environmental Leadership Program is accepting applications for its 2012 Fellowship Program. Geared toward emerging environmental and social change practitioners who are looking to connect their specialized work to larger environmental and social concerns, the program offers intensive leadership and skill training, and regional networking opportunities. Three retreats and additional optional trainings help participants improve their strategic communications and strengthen outreach tactics to diverse constituencies. The application deadline is April 2, 2012.
Global Sustainability Initiative International Project Teams
The College of Natural Resources and Environment at Virginia Tech's Global Sustainability Initiative is inviting applications for a series of international projects designed to provide graduate students and professionals with hands-on experience exploring sustainability challenges around the world. Participants are organized into consulting teams to examine the complexities and solutions for sustainable development in a variety of international contexts. Applications to join a project team in China, South Africa and Russia are currently being accepted.
Opportunity to Shape the Vision of STARS 2.0
AASHE's STARS Steering Committee is inviting comments on the draft version of STARS 2.0, the first major update of STARS since the release of STARS 1.0 in 2010. The draft vision is intended to respond to the many comments and suggestions that AASHE's STARS staff and committee members have heard from the campus sustainability community. While public comments are encouraged in the interest of transparency and to facilitate dialogue among interested parties, comments sent to stars@aashe.org are also welcome.
SJR Call for Papers: Green Workforce Development
Sustainability: The Journal of Record is looking for manuscripts and best practice case studies on the role community colleges are playing in green workforce development. Success stories with tangible results from green workforce programs, and partnership stories between community colleges and the private sector, and between community colleges and universities are encouraged. The manuscript deadline is April 1, 2012.
Student Opportunity: Focus the Nation 'Forums-to-Action' Program
Designed to develop new student leaders to drive solution oriented clean energy collaborations between their campuses and communities, Focus the Nation invites students to launch a Forums-to-Action (F2A) team on their campus. Requiring a weekly time commitment of four to 10 hours, the F2A program engages students in a rigorous, experiential learning, multidisciplinary curriculum that culminates in a student-led project that addresses local clean energy needs.
Call For Presentations: AASHE 2012 Conference
The call for presentations for the AASHE 2012 Conference and Student Summit, to be held in Los Angeles, opens February 21. Sign up to receive more information about the conference and call for presentations. A complete submitters packet with instructions and detailed walk-throughs will be available for download when the call for presentations opens. AASHE 2012 is slated for October 14-17.
Philadelphia Student Opportunity: Social Business Leader Program
Ocean friendly retailer United By Blue has launched an on-campus opportunity for Philadelphia-area college students for the spring 2012 semester. Through its Campus Crew program, students will learn about running a sustainably minded business with the chance to participate in a brand design competition. The program will be offered nationwide in fall 2012.
Student Opportunity: Join the 'CliMates' International Think Tank
Students looking to expand their knowledge of climate issues are invited to join the CliMates international student think tank. With the goal of researching, debating and finding innovative solutions to climate destabilization, members interact online and will meet for the first CliMates conference in fall 2012. Created in 2011 by 30 Parisian students, CliMates aims to form delegations around the world including the U.S. and Canada. Professors and scholars can also join the project as associated experts, reviewing the work of the delegations.
Sustainable Farming, Local Food Systems Summer Practicum
In cooperation with the environmental studies program at Tompkins Cortland Community College (NY), the Groundswell Center for Local Food & Farming will offer a summer practicum in sustainable farming and local food systems. Held May 31-June 26, 2012, participants will explore issues affecting social justice and sustainability of agriculture and food systems through readings, discussion, lectures, field trips, labs and immersion in the actual work of operating a sustainable small farm. The practicum is designed for students from any discipline or non-students who are interested in learning more about sustainable agriculture, local food systems and small-scale farming.
Textbook Reviewers Needed: Help Educate for a Sustainable Future
AASHE is supporting partner organization DANS (Disciplinary Associations' Network for Sustainability) and the Mobilizing Disciplinary Societies on Behalf of our Students and our Planet initiative to answer the demand from educators and students for sustainability-related materials in all disciplines. Major textbook publishers Cengage and McGraw-Hill are currently looking for reviewers who can suggest ideas about how to educate for a sustainable future. These ideas will be used as examples and themes in textbook revisions by the publishers. Anyone involved in education for a sustainable future - in any academic discipline - interested in this opportunity can email their contact information to EducationForASustainableFuture@gmail.com (include contact's discipline in the subject line) and they will receive a follow up email with more details. Reviewers will receive remuneration for their work.
Ars Electronica 'Next Idea' Art and Technology Grant
Higher education staff and students with innovative campus sustainability projects from around the world are encouraged to apply for Ars Electronica's "Next Idea" grant. The art and technology grant invites submissions for "new and extraordinarily promising ideas" in the form of artistic, social, technological and/or scientific innovations. The Austria-based digital media organization seeks to nurture projects that deal with energy, mobility and access in relation to the future of humankind. Submissions will be accepted through March 2, 2012.
Free Access to Int'l Journal of Sustainability in Higher Ed
The International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education is providing free access to its content from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5, 2012. Anyone interested may browse all published issues with the following information: username: Environ2012; password: emerald.
Institute for Emerging Sustainability Leaders Workshop
The Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research invites applications for a 12-day Institute for Emerging Sustainability Leaders in Peru, slated for June 24 to July 6, 2012. Themed "Education for Sustainability," this inaugural study tour is open to students, educators and professionals in the field of education for sustainability, as well as individuals interested in developing a planetary perspective on the challenge of educating for sustainability.
Registration Open for 2012 RecycleMania
The registration deadline for the 2012 RecycleMania tournament has been extended to February 3. Featuring a new video contest and new "electronics" category, the nationwide competition invites colleges and universities to compete to see who can reduce, reuse and recycle the most campus waste. The tournament will run from Feb. 5 to March 31, 2012. RecycleMania is a project of the College and University Recycling Council and is supported by Keep America Beautiful and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WasteWise Program.
Student Opportunity: Start a 'Net Impact' Chapter
Net Impact, a nonprofit that works to train leaders in sustainability, corporate responsibility and social entrepreneurship, invites higher education students to start a Net Impact chapter on their campus. Chapter activities include speaker events, career treks and professional development workshops. Chapter founders receive step-by-step instructions on how to offer unique programming that meets the needs of local members.
SustainU College and University 'oneShirt Challenge'
SustainU, a producer of apparel using fabrics made from 100 percent recycled materials that are manufactured in the U.S., invites colleges and universities to join its 2012 collegiate clothing drive, "oneShirt Challenge." Participating institutions will compete to collect the most clothes from their community during Earth Week 2012 (April 16-21). Last year, nearly 100 schools participated for the title of "Big Shirt on Campus," collecting more than 2 tons of clothing from their communities.
Call for Abstract Reviewers: AASHE 2012 Conference
More than 250 volunteers are needed to help create a quality, timely and exciting AASHE 2012 Conference program. Each reviewer will be assigned 15 to 20 submissions and paired to sessions by topical focus. Sign up to receive more information about becoming a reviewer.
Ithaca College Online Sustainability Leadership Certificate
Ithaca College's (NY) online professional certificate program offers practitioners the ability to credential their work as sustainability coordinators or advocates on college campuses and in other organizations across professions. With the option to register for a single course or a six-course certificate, participants will learn to assess their institution's green policies and practice, communicate sustainability initiatives and evaluate best practices. New classes begin 11 times each year. Each online class is 16 days long, but work can be completed anytime on any schedule. Next two session start dates: Jan. 26, 2012 and Feb. 23, 2012. Discounts are available to AASHE members. Next courses include "A Systems Approach to Sustainability" (LEED-certified for 15 GBCI CE hours), "The Sustainability Coordinator as Organizational Change Agent" and "How Green is Your Organization: Sustainable Policy and Practice."
Pittsburgh Green Central Student Design Competition
The City of Pittsburgh invites higher education students in Pittsburgh to design Green Central, the city's first communications hub for sustainable information. Successful designs will include space dedicated to recycling pick-up and drop-off, three research computers, and displays for standard and electronic information including posters, brochures, event awareness, resource guides, photos and program applications. Students may compete individually or in groups of up to five. The winning design team will be awarded a $25,000 budget and a Kindle Fire for each member. The registration deadline for students is January 30. Contact PghGreenCntr@gmail.com for more information or to register.
Deadline Extended: 'America's Next Eco-Star' Campus Competition
U.S. college or university students, faculty and administrators are encouraged to submit nominations for SmartPower's "America's Next Eco-Star" competition. Each school can nominate up to three contestants, chosen by the school's sustainability director, who can accept the challenge by submitting a video about their commitment to clean energy and energy efficiency on campus. Nominations and video submissions will be accepted through Jan. 31, 2012.
Call for Articles: Int'l Student Journal for Social Change
Columbia College's (SC) International Undergraduate Journal for Service-Learning, Leadership, and Social Change invites articles from undergraduate students. Case studies of a service-learning project; reflection on service-learning and the development of personal leadership; or articles that discuss the development of a service-learning project and the impact of the project on the community served will be considered. Articles will be accepted through Feb. 15, 2012.
Call for Entries: AASHE's 'Higher Education Occupation' Project
AASHE is soliciting the thoughts of the higher education community to better understand the relationship between the Occupy movement and the establishment of a just and sustainable society. Students, faculty, staff and administrators: we invite you to submit a photo and statement of about 200 words on what the Occupy movement means to you in the context of higher education sustainability . Examples include access to affordable education and an end to mounting student debt. AASHE will compile the results into a photo essay that will appear in AASHE's Campus Sustainability Perspectives blog, be announced in the AASHE Bulletin, and be included in the upcoming "2011 Higher Education Sustainability Review." Please submit a high-resolution photo of yourself or a photo related to your experience in the Occupy movement. The tentative deadline is Jan. 10, 2012, but we will accept later submissions for those still returning from holiday break. Contact Margo Wagner at margo@aashe.org with any questions.
Call for Proposals: CA Higher Education Sustainability Conference
Hosted by the University of California, Davis, the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference invites campus staff, faculty, students and administrators to submit proposals on case studies, pilot programs and replicable best practices. The conference seeks speakers who have crossed silos within their institutions to create sustainable change, infuse concepts of sustainability into curriculum, and/or pursue research questions related to sustainability. Submissions are due by Jan. 20, 2012.
Call for Submissions: Student Peace Conference
Organized by students at the University of Notre Dame (IN), the Notre Dame Student Peace Conference invites submissions for this year's theme, "Strategies of Peace: Transforming Conflict in the Modern World." The conference committee is seeking undergraduate and graduate student papers, presentations and media displays including photography, performances and films that explore the various approaches to building sustainable peace in the modern world. Suggested presentation topics include sustainable development, global citizenship, social entrepreneurship, education and cultural understanding, social networking and Arab Spring. Submissions are due by Jan. 23, 2012. The conference will take place March 30-31, 2012.
Limited-time AASHE Membership and STARS Discounts
AASHE is offering discount packages for both first-time AASHE members and STARS Participants through Feb. 15, 2012. New members that sign up for an AASHE membership will receive a 10 percent discount and one free AASHE 2012 conference pass. First-time STARS Participants will receive a $250 discount on STARS registration. New institutions that sign up for both AASHE membership and STARS will receive a 20 percent discount on AASHE membership and a $400 discount on STARS registration, plus one free AASHE 2012 conference pass.
Odebrecht Sustainable Development Award for Students
Engineering and construction services company Odebrecht USA and thermoplastic resin manufacturer Braskem invite entries for the Odebrecht Organization's inaugural U.S. sustainable development award. Open to undergraduate students who are studying engineering, architecture, building and construction management or chemistry, the award will recognize innovative practices, methods and ideas in the areas of new building techniques, new chemical and petrochemical processes and alternative uses of sustainable materials. The first place project will receive a total of $40,000 ($20,000 to the student(s), $10,000 to the faculty adviser and $10,000 to the university). Entries will be accepted from Jan. 2, 2012 to May 31, 2012.
Call for Proposals: Greenbuild 2012 Ed Sessions and Reviewers
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is currently accepting proposals from industry experts for Greenbuild 2012 International Conference and Expo education sessions and associated Greenbuild summits including the Residential Summit, Green Jobs Summit, Legal Forum and Research Track. The deadline for submittals is Jan. 13, 2012. USGBC is also seeking peer reviewers to evaluate session proposals. Reviewers are eligible to present at the events and will receive a $100 discount off a full Greenbuild conference registration.
Call for Proposals: Smart and Sustainable Campuses Conference
The 2012 Smart and Sustainable Campuses Conference is accepting presentation and workshop proposal submissions until Jan. 5, 2012. Slated for April 16-17, 2012 at the University of Maryland, the conference will look at defining, understanding and creating solutions to sustainability issues facing campuses. Proposals are welcome in the areas of: life cycle of the built environment, community connections, the campus as a learning laboratory, fostering behavior change, and strategic implementation.
Win a Tree Campus USA Tree Planting Event
In partnership with AASHE and Toyota, the Arbor Day Foundation invites higher education institutions to apply for a chance to win a Tree Campus USA event, which will include the planting of 100 trees as part of a service learning project or Arbor Day celebration in spring 2012. To be eligible, institutions will have begun the process of becoming a Tree Campus USA and have a sustainability, forestry, horticulture, natural resources or environmental sciences department, and/or an active student group/program. Applications will be accepted through Jan. 7, 2012.
AASHE Member Opportunity: GLAD Waste Diversion Grant
The Glad Products Company has announced a collaboration with AASHE to provide a series of grants to AASHE college and university members that are designed to help reduce game day waste during football season. Applications will be accepted through Dec. 15, 2011.
Call for Proposals: Northeast Campus Sustainability Conference
Syracuse University's (NY) Sustainability Division invites students, faculty and staff in the Northeast to submit proposals for its eighth annual Northeast Campus Sustainability Consortium Conference. Themed "Climate, Community and Culture," the conference will take place April 2-4, 2012 at the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel and Conference Center. Proposals will be accepted through Jan. 20, 2012.
Start a Food Recovery Network Chapter
The University of Maryland invites students, staff, faculty and administrators to start their own Food Recovery Network on their campus. A network of student groups at the university started the initiative to pick up surplus food from campus dining halls, catered events and sporting events that would otherwise be composted, and donate it to local shelters. In a given week, the university's Food Recovery Network has about 60 unique volunteers from 11 student groups and is on track to donate about 15,000 meals this fall 2011 semester. The founders have now incorporated the Food Recovery Network as a nonprofit with the mission of exporting this program to other colleges and universities across the U.S. Email frn.umd@gmail.com for more information.
