Invitation to Create Questions for Sustainability Literacy Test
The Sustainability Literacy Test is designed to assess and improve the quality of sustainability education for undergraduates around the world. In the U.S., AASHE is part of the governance and is participating to create a revised and updated version 2 test that addresses knowledge about sustainability challenges and skills required to create systemic change for a sustainable future. Anyone is invited to participate in drafting version 2 questions.
2016 Star of Energy Efficiency Awards
The Alliance to Save Energy invites schools and individuals to submit a nomination that spotlights your organization or another group or individual that has made significant strides toward leadership and commitment in the energy efficiency field. This year’s awards will be presented Sept. 22 in Washington, D.C., at the Alliance’s 24th Evening with the Stars of Energy Efficiency Awards dinner. Nominations are accepted by April 1.
Call for Applications: Sierra Youth Coalition’s Executive Committee 2016-2017
Sierra Youth Coalition is currently recruiting dedicated, empowered and proactive youth leaders for a seat on its Executive Committee. The official decision-making body, the committee is comprised of nine youth from across the U.S and is responsible for shaping the Sierra Youth Coalition's direction, organizational governance and supporting the staff team.
Sustainability Culture Indicator Pilot: AASHE Member 50% Discount Ends Soon
Developed in 2011 and since used in dozens of organizations around the world, the Sustainability Culture Indicator is an online survey for measuring the key elements of sustainability in organizational culture. In order to develop case studies of the application of the Sustainability Culture Indicator in an AASHE STARS context, a pilot with a limited number of AASHE members is being offered. Institutions interested in joining this pilot need to express their interest before March 31, which is also when the AASHE member discount expires.
Call for Applications: 2016 Fuller Challenge
Each year, The Buckminster Fuller Institute (BFI) invites scientists, designers, architects and students from all over the world to submit their innovative solutions to some of humanity’s most pressing problems. A $100,000 prize is awarded to support the development and implementation of one outstanding strategy. New in 2016 is the Fuller Challenge for Students category. BFI will identify and support outstanding student proposals from currently enrolled, university-level individual students and student teams. While student proposals will not be in the running for the $100,000 grand prize, the selected finalists and winner will receive support, media recognition and benefits through BFI's Catalyst Program. Deadline for entry is April 1 at 5 p.m. Eastern.
AASCU Excellence & Innovation Awards
The purpose of these awards is to recognize and honor American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) institutions demonstrating excellence and innovation in their approach to sustainability and sustainable development, achieving student success, regional and economic development, and leadership development and diversity. Applications are due by April 22.
Second Nature 2016 Climate Leadership Awards
The Second Nature Climate Leadership Awards, in partnership with USGBC's Center for Green Schools, recognize innovative and advanced leadership in sustainability, climate mitigation and resilience at signatory campuses of the Climate Leadership Commitments. They do so based on demonstrated advances in innovation, embedded opportunities and student preparedness with relation to sustainability and climate action. Applications are due by April 25 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern.
GUPES Green Gown Awards
The call for applications is now open for the GUPES Green Gown Awards. Supported by the United Nations Environment Program and the Global Universities Partnership on Environment and Sustainability (GUPES), the GUPES Green Gown Awards are open to GUPES members. The application period closes on May 31 at 6 a.m. Eastern.
AASHE Member Discount: Save on Organizational Change Workshop With GreenerU
In this interactive workshop, GreenerU has partnered with two host universities, Columbia University and Johns Hopkins University, to bring higher education professionals a full-day Facilitation for Organizational Change workshop. The workshop will focus on developing and practicing the essential skills of a confident and effective facilitator to support organizational change on your campus. Enter the AASHE member discount code to receive a $50 discount on your registration prior to payment. You can save an additional $50 if you register before May 6.
College Sports Sustainability Makeover Contest
The Green Sports Alliance is conducting a contest to help college sports programs kick-start or upgrade a sustainability program in their stadiums and enhance the visibility of all campus sustainability efforts. The winning two campuses will receive 10 brand new customizable recycling bins donated by Max-R or GreenDrop, a full compostable food service product upgrade donated by Eco-Products, and on-site expert sports facility assessments, workshops and recommendations from ESPN and CU Boulder sports sustainability experts. Winning campuses will be chosen on the basis of need, suitability, leverage and likelihood of success. Deadline to apply is May 1.
Develop a Photovoltaic Roadmap for Your Campus: SSCC Pre-Conference Workshop
With support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative, the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) is offering free technical assistance to university teams pursuing campus investment in solar energy. Teams will meet one-on-one with technical experts at the Smart and Sustainable Campuses Conference and pre-conference events in Baltimore, April 3-5, to further define solar photovoltaic investment opportunities for their campus. Teams that submit a completed campus roadmap will receive $500 reimbursement stipends for up to four individuals per university team.
Sustainability Culture Indicator Pilot: AASHE Member 50% Discount
Developed in 2011 and since used in dozens of organizations around the world, the Sustainability Culture Indicator (SCI) is a ready-made online survey for measuring the key elements of sustainability in organizational culture. In order to develop case studies of the application of the SCI in an AASHE STARS context, a pilot with a limited number of AASHE members is being offered. Institutions interested in joining this pilot need to express their interest before March 31.
Harvard Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership Informational Session
Learn more about the Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership program by attending one of two webinars, led by Leith Sharp, director of the executive education program. The webinar presents the nuts and bolts of the four-day residential executive education offering and responds to questions from prospective applicants and those interested in promoting attendance to a senior leader in their organization or network. Ms. Sharp will be joined by past program participants from across a variety of sectors who will discuss their experience with the program and its value to their work. The program informational sessions are offered on March 28 and April 11 from noon to 12:45 p.m. Eastern.
2016 Collegiate Athletics Sustainability Survey
This survey, launched by AASHE and the Green Sports Alliance, seeks to better understand and empower the campus and community partnerships necessary to advance sustainability in collegiate athletics. This survey is intended for any higher education staff member working with campus sustainability and/or collegiate athletics. AASHE and the Green Sports Alliance will use the survey's results to design programs and resources to help expand opportunities and mitigate identified barriers for collaboration between campus sustainability stakeholders and colleagues in athletics and the community. A summary report of the survey findings will be published in late spring, released at the 2016 Green Sports Alliance Summit in Houston, June 28-30, and shared at the AASHE 2016 Conference in Baltimore, October 9-12. The survey will take 10-15 minutes to complete and closes on March 23 at 5 p.m. Eastern.
Power Dialog Webinar Series
This webinar series supports the Power Dialog happening on April 4. To help students prepare to engage with state officials about the Clean Power Plan and the U.S. climate commitment in Paris, a series of webinars will address topics such as public health, renewable energy and energy efficiency, jobs and environmental justice.
Plate of the Union: A Call for Action on Food & Farms
Plate of the Union is a campus challenge for young people to leverage their political power. Through the challenge, Plate of the Union is seeking student groups to develop and execute organizing plans that drive engagement in the 2016 election cycle. Groups can win up to $5,000. Applications are due by March 21.
Climate Leadership Awards
The Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), in partnership with Solution Generation, will honor one ACCU-member institution with a $10,000 award for its excellence in climate leadership. The selection committee will reward the institution with the most innovative outreach efforts to engage its campus and broader community in climate and sustainability solutions. ACCU higher education member institutions are welcome to submit proposals March 1 - May 2, 2016.
Energy Dept. Solar Funding Opportunity
The U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative released a new funding opportunity designed to increase foundational knowledge of solar technology evolution, reduce solar deployment barriers and improve state energy planning practices. A brief, mandatory concept paper is due March 8.
Call for Papers: Integrating Education for Sustainable Development Throughout All Educational Levels
The special volume of the Journal of Cleaner Production (JCLEPRO) will highlight how education for sustainable development (ESD) can be integrated in a deeper and more holistic way through all spheres of education. The special volume will focus on recent developments and future visions in the field of ESD on all levels of education (from kindergarten to universities and adult education), and present and promote critical discussion of ESD. Contributions from scholars throughout the world representing different disciplines and educational functions are welcomed.
Call for Films: Real Food Films 2016
Produced by Real Food Media, Real Food Films welcomes four-minutes-or-less films on food, farming and sustainability by March 1. The team of judges and advisors is looking for powerful films about sustainable food and farming, compelling stories, original voices and stunning cinematography about coverage of underreported issues, innovative sustainability strategies, and compelling stories of food producers and workers. Grand prize winner will receive $5,000 and film debut, first runner up is slated $2,000, and there are cash prizes for three awards, student, people's choice and a special award.
Sustainability Officers Retreat
AASHE and the University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus will co-host this retreat designed for and by staff charged with leading institutional transformation for sustainability. Featuring Leith Sharp (Harvard University's Center for Health and the Global Environment), Aurora Winslade (Swarthmore College) and Leanne Bilodeau (the University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus), the retreat format will allow for the type of creative, intellectually curious, open-ended discussion that emerges best in a relaxed, safe environment. Through an intensive two and a half days of presentations, discussions, reflection, sharing and experiential learning activities, participants will explore common issues facing sustainability officers, learn about change management strategies and develop skills to be more effective sustainability leaders. Deadline to apply is April 15.
Call for Nominations: Best of Green Schools 2016
The Center for Green Schools at USGBC is now accepting nominations for Best of Green Schools program. The Best of Green Schools higher education institution category recognizes higher education schools or faculty members who have made a significant contribution to the K–12 green schools movement through partnership, research and/or scholarship. Winners will be announced at the 2016 Green Schools Conference and Expo, March 31-April 1 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Nomination deadline is Feb. 26.
Northeast Campus Sustainability Consortium 2016 Conference: Request for Proposals
The Northeast Campus Sustainability Consortium 2016 conference theme is Sustainability Professional Skillshare taking place from March 31 through April 1 at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Conference organizers are currently seeking proposals for conference presentations with a particular interest in engagement and outreach, education for sustainability, diversity and affordability, health and wellness, food and dining, and facilitation. Submission period ends Feb. 19.
University Partners Wanted to Explore & Strengthen Off-Campus Housing Sustainability
Currently comprised of a group of 10, mostly university towns, RentRocket.org is an innovative solution attempting to address sustainability challenges posed by the off-campus impact of student housing. RentRocket aims to enable renters to see and compare not just basic amenities but also information like utility costs, accessibility to alternative modes of transit and recycling options. RentRocket now seeks additional university partners interested in further exploring and developing ways to reduce the impact of the off-campus university housing environment.
Call for Papers: Just Sustainability: Hope for the Commons
The Seattle University Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability invites papers for its second biennial conference Just Sustainability: Hope for the Commons to be held in Seattle on Aug. 7-9. Authors will have the opportunity to publish papers in a special issue of the journal Interdisciplinary Environmental Review. Papers related to environmental justice and sustainability from all fields of discourse, including but not limited to environmental studies, theology, business, philosophy, engineering, education, law, international development, anthropology, religious studies, geography and the natural sciences are welcomed. Abstracts of no more than 200 words are due by Feb. 22.
Campus Behavioral Energy Efficiency Survey
The Duke University Center for Sustainability and Commerce is collaborating with Duke Energy Corporation to research behavioral energy efficiency programs on college campuses. Campuses are invited to participate in a short survey about energy efficiency engagement and education efforts on campus. The information provided will be aggregated with information from colleges and universities across the country to better understand how energy education and engagement can be implemented in higher education to reduce energy consumption and contribute to the mitigation of climate change. For all who participate in the survey, results and analysis for use by your college or university will be provided.
RecycleMania Open Registration
Interested parties can now sign up to participate in Recyclemania, a friendly competition and benchmarking tool for college and university recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities to their campus communities. Over an eight-week period each spring, colleges across the U.S. and Canada report the amount of recycling and trash collected each week and are then ranked in various categories based on most recycling on a per capita basis, best recycling rate as a percentage of total waste, and amount of combined trash and recycling. Full registration in the competition must be completed by Feb. 4.
ISCN 2016 Call for Abstracts
The International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) has opened its call for abstracts for ISCN 2016 being held at University of Siena in Italy from June 13-15. Abstracts should be relevant to the conference focus, Leadership for Sustainable Development, and relate to one of the themes: innovative infrastructure and user behavior, holistic campus planning and sustainable urban models, and sustainability skills and competencies. All abstracts are due by Feb. 26.
SPLC 2016 Summit Call for Proposals
The Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council’s annual Summit brings together hundreds of visionary purchasing and sustainability professionals, suppliers and NGO experts from diverse sectors and regions in order to share, simplify and spread the best sustainable purchasing practices across the economy. This year's program welcomes your proposals for interactive workshops, roundtable and panel sessions, lightning talks and more. Submission deadline is Feb. 12.
SPLC Leadership & Case Study Awards
The Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council’s annual awards program recognizes organizations for leveraging institutional purchasing power to advance the long-term health and vitality of society, economies and the planet. There are two types of awards, both based on case study submissions: outstanding case study awards and leadership awards. All submissions are due March 18.
Eighth Annual International Sustainable Campus Network Award Application
The International Sustainable Campus Excellence Awards recognize sustainable campus projects that demonstrate leadership, creativity, effectiveness and outstanding performance. The award categories have been modified this year to reflect the evolution of campus sustainability. Campus projects can be submitted for one of the following categories: Buildings and Innovative Infrastructure, Campus Planning and Management Systems, Innovative Collaboration, or Student Leadership.
2016 EPEAT Purchaser Awards Open Application Period
All organizations that purchase EPEAT-registered products (Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool) are eligible to apply for the EPEAT Purchaser Awards. This award program recognizes the efforts of those driving environmental improvements through environmentally preferable electronics purchasing. Applications are being accepted through March 23.
Northeast Regional Sun Grant Center 2016 Competitive Grant Program
The mission of the Sun Grant Program is to focus the abilities of the nation's colleges and universities in partnership with the private sector and federal laboratories to enhance national energy security and independence through the development, distribution and implementation of bio-based energy technologies, the promotion of bio-based diversification and environmental sustainability of the region's agriculture, and the promotion of opportunities for bio-based economic diversification in rural communities. Strategic programmatic areas for 2016 include decentralized and distributed feedstock, bioenergy and bio-product systems, life cycle analysis, air and water quality impacts, and carbon mitigation and sequestration. Pre-proposals required, due by Feb. 8.
Campus Kitchen Project $5K Grant
Sponsored by the AARP Foundation, the Campus Kitchen Project is offering $5,000 startup grants to colleges and universities that are interested in creating food security for the older adult population in their community. The deadline to apply is Feb. 5.
