Focus on Energy: Start a Focus Chapter for Energy Solutions
Focus the Nation (FTN) has partnered with AASHE to offer Forums-to-Action (F2A) framework to 20 AASHE member institutions for the 2013-14 academic year. F2A creates energy solutions while developing students’ leadership skills to launch careers in energy. Apply now to take advantage of this opportunity to pilot the impact of FTN’s student engagement approach on increasing campus energy-related sustainability goals. FTN will select campuses to ensure a diversity of regions, demographics, and institutions. Contact Focus the Nation for more details.
Seeking Classroom Resources from Sustainability Champions
AASHE is seeking ideas and resources used to teach sustainability for its new Academic Commons. This resource aggregates lesson plans, syllabi, lab assignments, case studies and more in one searchable place. AASHE encourages the higher education community to help make this an invaluable resource by contributing all of the course materials or links to materials that have proved useful in educating for sustainability.
Call for Entries: Higher Education Recycling Bin Grant Program
The Coca-Cola Company and Keep America Beautiful invite entries for the 2013 Coca-Cola Recycling Bin Grant Program, which now includes a grant specifically for higher education recycling programs. Applications will be accepted through March 4, 2013.
Call for Papers: SustainUS Citizen Science Competition
U.S. students ages 13-26 are invited to submit original scientific research or position papers to the Citizen Science Technical Board for the 2013 Citizen Science paper competition. Winners will, in addition to publication, have the chance to present their work at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Submissions are due March 1.
U Vermont Campus Sustainability Leadership Program
The University of Vermont Continuing Education is offering a five-day Campus Sustainability Leadership Program this summer. This program will focus on the institution's role in the transformation to a sustainable future with opportunities to expand the professional network of participants and learn from leaders in the field. The program will be led by Debra Rowe, president of the U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development. The program can be taken as a professional certificate program or for three college credits.
Clean Air-Cool Planet 2013 Fellowships
Clean Air-Cool Planet is inviting applications for its 2013 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 March 1.
Renewable Energy Train-the-Trainer Academies Summer 2013
The Consortium for Education in Renewable Energy Technology (CERET) has announced that applications are now open for its Biofuels and Photovoltaic Summer 2013 Renewable Energy Train the Trainer Academies. These academies will give educators from across the nation hands-on renewable energy experiences taught by veteran industry installers and experts.
Call for Applications: AASHE 2013 Awards Program
For 2013, AASHE is expanding the recognition it gives to students through its annual awards program. Two student groups will be recognized for leadership to advance campus sustainability along with two student research awards. In addition, AASHE will recognize the achievements of two associate colleges and two four-year institutions. The awards will be presented during a ceremony at the AASHE 2013 conference in Nashville, TN. The deadline to apply is May 10, 2013. More information is available on the AASHE awards website.
Deadline Extended for Campus Conservation Nationals 2013
The deadline for Campus Conservation Nationals 2013 has been extended to April 5! Beginning in February, the 2013 competition will once again challenge college and university campuses to achieve the greatest electricity and water use reductions during a three-week period. During last year’s competition, participating institutions saved 1.5 million gallons of water and $158,000 in energy costs.
Call for Proposals: Cape Breton U Sustainability Conference
(Canada): The Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) invites proposals for presentations at its Annual International Conference, "Sustainability: Learning to Live, Learning for Life." The main themes of this year’s conference, to be held June 20-22, 2013 at Cape Breton University, are community, learning and sustainability. Presentations can be about teaching practices, innovative programs, the physical and virtual spaces in which teaching and learning take place, educational policy, or research on teaching and learning. The deadline to submit is Feb. 1, 2013.
AASHE Seeks Nominations for Ed. & Prof Dev Steering Committee
AASHE is currently seeking campus representatives who are sustainability directors, sustainability staff and faculty to join the AASHE Education and Professional Development Steering Committee. Committee members will provide guidance and feedback on the strategic and fiscal direction of AASHE education projects, initiatives and resources supporting the advancement of sustainability in higher education. To be considered, a completed application form must be submitted by Friday, Feb. 1, 2013.
Call for Case Studies on Greening Collegiate Athletics
AASHE is collaborating with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Green Sports Alliance to publish and promote case studies in greening campus sports. Please share your success stories and get recognized while helping other institutions learn from your efforts. Stories are being accepted through March 1, 2013.
National Collegiate Wind Competition
The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has issued a Request for Proposals to participate in the inaugural National Collegiate Wind Competition. The competition is a forum for undergraduate college students of multiple disciplines to investigate innovative wind energy concepts; gain experience designing, building, and testing a wind turbine to perform according to a customized market data-derived business plan; and increase their knowledge of wind industry barriers.
Campus Sustainability Web Application Seeks Beta Users
Sustainability or facility managers looking for a new way to facilitate energy challenges on campus and engage students are invited to be part of Byngo's new web application beta program. Launching in February on 10 campuses, the program is designed to save energy and change behavior with or without on-site hardware.
Deadline Extended! AASHE's 2012 Sustainability Staffing Survey
AASHE is collecting information on paid sustainability positions in higher education for its biennial staffing report. Jobs at all levels are being surveyed - from program assistant to vice chancellor/VP for sustainability – and from any college or university in the U.S. and Canada. The survey and report are important vehicles for increasing understanding of the rapidly growing career field of sustainability professional in higher education, including both general sustainability staff and more focused positions such as recycling manager or curriculum development specialist. Results are frequently used by the media and by administrators, students, faculty, staff, and others. AASHE requests your help in taking the survey and distributing the survey link to all who are eligible. The deadline has been extended to January 11, 2013. Please take a moment to complete the survey.
Free Solar Consultations for AASHE Members
As part of a new collaboration with EcoMotion on AASHE’s Campus Solar PV Installations Database, AASHE members are invited to take advantage of a free solar consultation with EcoMotion’s solar advisors. EcoMotion advisors serve as a solar buyer’s representative, helping organizations navigate the process of cost-effectively purchasing solar technology, contracting installation services, negotiating financing and mitigating the risk of system underperformance.
Limited-time AASHE Discount Offer
AASHE is offering three introductory discount packages for new first-time AASHE members and STARS Participants through Jan. 31, 2013. Packages include a 10 percent discount on AASHE membership and one free AASHE 2013 conference pass, a $250 discount on STARS Registration for new first-time participants, and a 20 percent discount on AASHE membership, $400 discount on STARS registration and one free AASHE 2013 conference pass for institutions that sign-up to be a first-time AASHE member and a STARS Participant at the same time.
Focus the Nation to Host Campus Sustainability Focus Group
Focus the Nation will be hosting focus groups in January with sustainability professionals that work at higher education institutions. The sessions will focus on student engagement strategies that are used to achieve sustainability goals. Fill out this survey if you are interested in joining a focus group.
C2C Fellows Workshop
C2C Fellows weekend training workshops, sponsored by the Bard Center for Environmental Policy, focus on concrete skills development, including fundraising and communication. Graduates of the weekend workshops are eligible for partial scholarships to CEP’s masters programs in environmental policy, climate science and policy, and green business, as well as $1,000 scholarships for follow-on leadership trainings.
Calling All Academic Sustainability Superstars
Your talents, knowledge and best practices are needed to kick off AASHE's new Academic Commons! We envision the Commons as a place that will capture and share all of the amazing ideas and resources that you use in teaching sustainability -- all in one searchable place. These can be in the form of lesson plans, syllabi, power point presentations, or even a scan of the napkin where you jotted down an idea for a new course or activity. Whatever form it takes, we need your help to make this the invaluable resource we imagine it to be. Visit the Academic Commons to learn more and submit your materials.
Student Representatives Needed for Clinton Global Initiative U
AASHE has been invited to participate in the Clinton Global Initiative University 2013 on April 5-7 at Washington University in St. Louis. As a part of its participation, AASHE can reserve space for three students to represent AASHE. Students must be 18 years of age, enrolled at an AASHE member institution of higher education at the time of the meeting and be responsible for funding their participation. In addition, attendees are required to make a commitment to action. To self nominate, students wishing to represent AASHE should click here and complete the form by Dec. 18, 2012.
Call for Papers: The Journal of Sustainability Education
The Journal of Sustainability Education invites submissions for its Spring 2013 special issue under the theme of experiential education. Preference will be given to authors who address social justice issues for populations that have been marginalized. Submissions are due by Jan. 13, 2012.
Call for Proposals: Alfred State Sustainability Conference
The college's second annual sustainability conference, "Innovations in Technical Education to Advance Sustainability: Student Leadership” seeks paper, poster, and panel presentations and invites submissions of abstracts on any topic related to the conference theme. The primary purpose of the conference, to be held June 6-8, 2013, is to bring together technical education practitioners and scholars to present cases, concepts, or ideas that advance, or have the potential to advance, sustainability through innovative educational practice. The deadline to submit is Dec. 7, 2012.
Ithaca College Online Sustainability Leadership Certificate
The program offers the chance to credential sustainability work through single seminars or a six-seminar sustainability leadership certificate. All work is completed online. Participants will learn to assess the sustainability of their organization's policies and practices, communicate sustainability initiatives and evaluate best practices. New online seminars begin 11 times each year, and the next two session start dates are on November 29 and January 24. Discounts are available to AASHE members. Upcoming seminars include "Tools and Techniques for Planning and Managing Sustainability Projects" and "A Systems Approach to Sustainability." Most Ithaca sustainability seminars are now GBCI (Green Building Certification Institute) approved.
AASHE Seeks Nominations for Professional Dev't Steering Committee
AASHE is currently seeking campus representatives who are sustainability directors, sustainability staff and faculty to join the AASHE Education and Professional Development Steering Committee. Committee members will provide guidance and feedback on the strategic and fiscal direction of AASHE education projects, initiatives and resources supporting the advancement of sustainability in higher education. To be considered, a completed application form must be submitted by Friday, Dec. 14, 2012.
Call for Proposals: Smart and Sustainable Campus Conference
The 2013 Smart and Sustainable Campuses Conference is accepting submissions for presentation and workshop proposals until Dec. 31, 2012. Slated for April 15-16, 2013 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: community connections, fostering behavior change, the campus as a learning laboratory, strategic implementation, the built environment, and innovation.
Call for Proposals: Society for Teaching & Learning in Higher Ed
(Canada): The Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education invites proposals for presentations at its annual international conference, "Sustainability: Learning to Live, Learning for Life." Proposals will be accepted until Dec. 15, 2012. The annual conference on June 19-22, 2013 at Cape Breton University will provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information on post-secondary teaching and learning.
Deadline Extended: Second Nature Climate Leadership Awards
Second Nature has extended the nomination period for its 4th Annual Climate Leadership Awards to November 30. Nominations are invited from American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) signatory institutions to highlight the ways that senior leadership, academic and curricular initiatives, institutional efficiency and innovative financing are being used to adapt to a changing climate. Finalists will be featured in a public voting forum on PlanetForward.org during spring 2013, with award winners announced and recognized at the ACUPCC Presidential Summit.
Environmental Leadership Program 2013 Fellowship
The Environmental Leadership Program is accepting applications for its 2013 Fellowship Program. The program brings together environmental and social change leaders from academia, business, government and the non-profit sector. It offers intensive leadership training and regional networking opportunities. The application deadline is Feb. 1, 2013.
EPA P3: People, Prosperity and the Planet Competition
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency invites higher education student and faculty teams to participate in a competition to design solutions for a sustainable future. Winners of the first phase of the competition will receive a $15,000 grant to develop their idea. Designs will then compete at the National Sustainable Design Expo in April 2013 for the P3 Award and a $90,000 grant for real world application. Applications will be accepted through Dec. 11, 2012.
Deadline Extended: AASHE Curriculum Leadership Workshops
This year AASHE is introducing a new approach to differentiating its curriculum workshops. There are now three levels of workshops based upon the participant experience and role in higher education. AASHE's Sustainability Across the Curriculum Leadership Workshop is a level II workshop in the series and is designed for faculty leaders and program directors. The Advanced Level III workshop, Sustaining Leadership for Curriculum Transformation, is a pilot offering focused on the transformation of higher education broadly and will develop strategies for transforming the curriculum, sustaining and strengthening vision and leadership skills, and shaping the structures within each school and across schools that can reach deeper levels and national arenas. The next workshops are slated for Jan. 7-8, 2013 at Emory University (Georgia) and Jan. 14-15, 2013 at San Diego State University (California). The deadline to apply for both is November 5.
Ithaca College Online Sustainability Leadership Certificate
The program offers the chance to credential sustainability work through single seminars or a six-seminar sustainability leadership certificate. All work is completed online. Participants will learn to assess their organization's green policies and practices, communicate sustainability initiatives and evaluate best practices. New online seminars begin 11 times each year. Next two session start dates: November 1 and 29. Discounts are available to AASHE members. Upcoming seminars include "Integrating Sustainability into Training and Curriculum" and "Tools and Techniques for Planning and Managing Sustainability Projects." Most Ithaca sustainability seminars are now GBCI (Green Building Certification Institute) approved.
STARS Discount During AASHE 2012
AASHE is offering a discount on STARS registration in celebration of the AASHE 2012 conference. Starting today through October 21, institutions that register as first-time STARS Participants will receive a $250 discount on STARS registration. Registration will be discounted to $650 for AASHE member institutions and to $1,150 for non-members. This offer applies to new registrants only. Please use the coupon code "MYSTARS" upon registration to receive the discount.
AASHE Sustainability Across the Curriculum Leadership Workshop
AASHE's latest Sustainability Across the Curriculum workshops are slated for Jan. 7-8, 2013 at Emory University (Georgia) and Jan. 14-15, 2013 at San Diego State University (California). These workshops are for faculty leaders of all disciplines who wish to develop curriculum change programs around sustainability on their campuses. Through an intensive two days of presentations, exercises, discussions, reflection and planning, participants will become familiar with the philosophy of change in higher education developed through the Ponderosa Project at Northern Arizona University and adapted at Emory in the Piedmont Project. The deadline to apply is October 29.
Rainforest Alliance Student Video Contest
As part of a new college outreach initiative, the Rainforest Alliance is hosting the 2012 “So Practical, It’s Radical” College Video Contest, which invites U.S. college students to submit a short video about what they are doing to make their campus more sustainable such as recycling programs, school gardens, sustainable food sourcing and more. The deadline to submit is October 28.
STARS 2.0 Public Comment Period is Now Open
The STARS 2.0 Public Comment Period will take place from Monday, October 8 through Friday, November 30. Feedback may be submitted on behalf of an individual, institution, organization or business through the Public Comment Form on the STARS website.
Campus Conservation Nationals 2013
Registration for Campus Conservation Nationals 2013 is now open with a deadline of November 1. The nationwide resource use reduction competition challenges college and university campuses to achieve the greatest electricity and water use reductions during a three-week period. During the 2012 competition, participating institutions saved 1.5 million gallons of water and a total of $157,925 in energy costs. Competition begins February 2013.
EPA P3: People, Prosperity and the Planet Competition
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency invites higher education students and faculty to apply for its competition to design solutions for a sustainable future. Winners of the first phase of the competition will receive a $15,000 grant to develop their idea. Designs will then compete at the National Sustainable Design Expo in April 2013 for the P3 Award and a $90,000 grant for real world application. Applications will be accepted through Dec. 11, 2012.
Ithaca College Online Sustainability Leadership Certificate
The program offers the chance to credential sustainability work through single seminars or a six-seminar sustainability leadership certificate. All work is completed online. Participants will learn to assess their organization's green policies and practices, communicate sustainability initiatives and evaluate best practices. New online seminars begin 11 times each year. Next two session start dates: October 11 and November 1. Discounts are available to AASHE members. Upcoming seminars include "How Green is Your Organization: Sustainable Infrastructure" and "Integrating Sustainability into Training and Curriculum." Most Ithaca sustainability seminars are now GBCI (Green Building Certification Institute) approved.
STARS 2.0 Public Comment Period Begins Oct. 8
A draft of AASHE’s STARS 2.0 has been finalized through collaboration with the STARS Steering Committee and Technical Advisors. This will be the first major update of STARS since the release of the original STARS 1.0 in 2010. On Oct. 8, 2012, AASHE will begin seeking feedback on proposed changes through a six-week public comment period.
Student Training for Environmental Protection Puerto Rico 2013
This five-day course is designed to give students the skills needed to become effective environmental advocates and organizers. The program will focus on environmental justice and anti-oppression. During the week, participants will learn how to create successful and diverse groups that will be able to run effective environmental campaigns on their campuses or in their communities.
U.S. Institute of Peace to Offer Peace-building Grants
The U.S. Institute of Peace and the Institute of International Education have launched a mini-grant program for peace-building events. This program will support American colleges, universities and public libraries to enable them to hold events that advance and promote the understanding of peace-building and international conflict resolution. The deadline for applications is Nov. 1, 2012.
Real Food Challenge to Host National Campus Food Day
(U.S.): The Real Food Challenge (RFC) is partnering with the Center for Science in the Public Interest to plan the second annual Food Day across campuses nationwide on Oct. 24, 2012. The event aims to bring attention to the issues of obesity, supporting sustainable farming and making real food available to everyone. RFC is seeking students, staff and faculty members to be campus coordinators for the event. Last year more than 35,000 people participated in campus-organized events at more than 225 colleges and universities nationwide.
Student Opportunity: International E-Waste Design Competition
Organized by the University of Illinois, the Third International E-Waste Design Competition invites students to explore solutions to both remediate the existing e-waste problem and prevent e-waste generation in the future. Ideas must be submitted by November 1, 2012.
'Back-to-School' Limited-time AASHE Discount Offer
AASHE is offering “Back-To-School” discount packages for both first-time AASHE members and first-time STARS Participants starting August 27 and running through Sept. 21, 2012. First-time 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.
Biomimicry Institute Student Design Challenge
The Biomimicry Institute invites submissions for its 2012 Student Design Challenge, open to students from any university. Students are challenged to use biomimicry to design a solution that improves water access and management. Teams must register by Oct. 19, 2012 to participate.
Ithaca College Online Sustainability Leadership Certificate
The program offers the chance to credential sustainability work through single seminars or a six-seminar sustainability leadership certificate. All work is completed online. Participants will learn to assess their organization's green policies and practices, communicate sustainability initiatives and evaluate best practices. New online seminars begin 11 times each year. Next two session start dates: September 20 and October 11. Discounts are available to AASHE members. Upcoming seminars include "How Green is Your Organization: Sustainable Policy and Practice" and "How Green is Your Organization: Sustainable Infrastructure." Most Ithaca sustainability seminars are now GBCI (Green Building Certification Institute) approved.
Student Opportunity: Project Green Challenge
Organized by Teens Turning Green, the 30-day Project Green Challenge encourages high school and college students to experience conscious living, informed consumption and the collective impact of individual actions. Kicking off Oct. 1, 2012, the initiative will include daily green challenges with supporting resources, tips, facts and a Green Guide. Twelve finalists will be flown to California for the two-day educational summit Green University, where they will learn more about making a large impact in their own communities.
Arbor Day Foundation Volunteer Contest
Between September 4-28, students who sign-up for a volunteer opportunity through Arbor Day's Volunteer Center will be eligible for daily prizes and a chance to win a Kindle Fire, trees planted in their honor, or a donation to their favorite local nonprofit organization. Students can register for opportunities at local conservation-related organizations.
