Category: Sustainability

Sustainability in Joliet

Here in my hometown of Joliet, Illinois, one of this spring’s biggest events is happening this coming Saturday, May 21st, at the Public Library’s Black Road branch by the Rock Run Forest Preserve. It’s the GR2011 Sustainability Festival, a family-friendly celebration of nature, green technology and innovation, recycling, and environmental conservation.

Volunteers at last year's GR2010 Festival in Joliet

Based on the tremendous and somewhat unexpected success of last year’s inaugural festival, GR2011 should be even bigger and better. And with an impressive line-up of live music as well as local food vendors, the Festival is living proof that that promoting environmentalism and having fun aren’t mutually exclusive pursuits.

Even more importantly, in the year since the Will County Forest Preserve, the Joliet Public Library, Joliet Junior College, and the City of Joliet collaborated on 2010’s festival, the Joliet region has continued to take meaningful steps toward becoming a environmentally progressive and more sustainable community. That movement is part of a larger wellspring of environmental activism throughout the Chicago region, from the inner city to the outer suburbs.

Consider just a few representative examples here at home. Tonight at the Black Road Library is a free screening of the film, “Fresh,” which profiles farmers and food entrepreneurs who have developed creative approaches to sustainable agriculture. The movie is the fourth of weekly screenings leading up to the GR2011 Festival, and the film series has been a refreshing addition to the city’s cultural scene.

JJC greenhouse (photo: Steinkamp Photography / Legat Architects)

Two other key players on the local sustainability scene are JJC and USF, both of which are undertaking a variety of environmental initiatives. I visited JJC on their Earth Day celebration last month, and spoke with several students and faculty who are passionate about environmental stewardship, green design, and sustainable agriculture. The college is emerging as a regional leader in campus greening initiatives, and the faculty there are just starting to collaborate on an exciting new sustainability curriculum.

Meanwhile, USF and the recently-lauded grassroots organization Cool Joliet have broken ground on a community garden along busy Plainfield Road on the city’s near-West Side. The newly-constructed raised beds herald the forthcoming transformation of this neglected vacant lot into a productive green space.

Cool Joliet is also working on a similar garden at nearby Farragut school, which reportedly will be one of several school gardens planned in District 86. This bodes well for the 11,000 children in the district, as such gardens not only beautify school grounds, but also serve as multidisciplinary learning laboratories, points of contact with nature, and much-needed sources of fresh produce.

All these efforts show that sustainability is not just a trendy buzzword or an abstract concept. It’s a practical and fundamentally positive approach to environmental stewardship that foregrounds green entrepreneurship and social justice.

Don’t just read about it here, though. Come to the GR2011 Festival in Joliet on May 21st and see for yourself!

A version of this post, “Festival Celebrates What’s Green,” was published as my monthly op-ed column in the Joliet Herald-News on May 19th, 2011 (p14).

NU Summit on Sustainability April 1-2

I received word of this upcoming sustainability conference via email. The theme of the gathering is “Environmental Equity in the 21st Century,” and many of the events are free. Majora Carter is a major force these days in urban sustainability and social justice, having started her activist work in the Bronx.

The first annual Northwestern University Summit on Sustainability will be held April 1 & 2 on the Evanston campus. A keynote speech by Majora Carter, a MacArthur “Genius Award” Fellow, will take place on Friday, April 1st from 7 to 9 PM.  The event will continue on April 2nd, with sessions on Policymaking for Environmental Justice; Sustainable Urban Planning; Food as a Lens for Understanding Inequities; Stories of Local Transformation; and Sustainability in Corporations.

Other speakers include:
– Michael Dorsey, assistant professor of environmental studies at Dartmouth
– Mari Gallagher, principal of Mari Gallagher Research and Consulting Group
– Nia Robinson, the former Director of the Environmental Justice and Climate Change (EJCC) Initiative

This event is open to the public.  Find details at http://www.nusos.org/

Summer Internship Opportunities

I just caught wind of two very cool environmental internship opportunities for this summer — one local (Village of Glenview, IL), the other international (through Columbia University). For those of you who have time and would like to get hands-on experience in sustainability-related work experiences, this is something to check out.

(1) Ecological Restoration Intern
This summer position is with the Village of Glenview, which has an active and progressive natural resource management / environmental restoration program, headed by restoration ecologist Robyn Flakne. Dr. Flakne is a former adjunct professor of science in the College of Professional Studies, and will also be co-leading a field trip with me at the Schaumburg Park District on Sunday, April 10th. This is a terrific opportunity to learn about cutting-edge ecological restoration techniques and earn some bucks in the bargain. The application deadline is April 1st, 2011 (submission by email required).

Details about the position are available here: Natural Resources Ecological Intern – Glenview IL

(2) Summer Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduates (SEE-U)
Applications are now being accepted for the 2011Summer Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduates (SEE-U) program, offered by the Center for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC) at Columbia University’s Earth Institute. SEE-U provides undergraduate students of all majors from all colleges and universities across the country with a global understanding of ecology and environmental sustainability through lectures, labs, and fieldwork carried out in unique natural settings.

– Students earn 6 academic credits in just 5 weeks. 
– No prerequisites required to enroll. 
– Fellowship funding is available through CERC.

Summer 2011 Field Sites

May 21 – June 25, 2011
The Atlantic Forest – Sao Paulo, Brazil 

May 28 – July 2, 2011
El Yunque National Forest – Puerto Rico 

July 9 – August 13, 2011
Punta Cana – Dominican Republic 

The program has a rolling admissions process. The next application review date is March 28, 2011. If you would like to learn more, please visit  www.cerc.columbia.edu/?id=see-u or contact Mr. Desmond Beirne at CERC at djb2104@columbia.edu or 212-854-0149. Students can apply online via ApplyYourself: www.cerc.columbia.edu/?id=see-u-app-process

Wild Things Conference This Saturday (March 5)

The fourth biennial Wild Things conference will take place all day tomorrow at the University of Illinois at Chicago. This day-long conference brings together the region’s best experts, hardest working professionals, most dedicated volunteers and anyone interested in nature. Technical presentations and interactive workshops explore the latest in natural areas conservation, wildlife protection and monitoring, and sustainability. The conference is organized in “tracks” designed for everyone from newcomers to experts. There is special focus on empowering citizen scientists, stewards and advocates with information, networking and good ideas.  Among the speakers scheduled are Roosevelt Professors Mike Bryson and Carl Zimring, as well as a keynote address by Aldo Leopold expert Curt Meine.

Keynote Presentation
Curt Meine
Green Fire: The Legacy of Aldo Leopold in the Chicago Region (includes a preview of a new film about Leopold)

Curt Meine will discuss the powerful role of famed conservationist Aldo Leopold in the birth and evolution of ecosystem conservation. Meine will highlight Leopold’s legacy as seen in the people, ecosystems, and history-making conservation initiatives of the Chicago area. He will also present a selection from the first full documentary film about Leopold, which is premiering this spring. Curt is a conservation biologist and writer based in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. A new edition of his 1988 book Aldo Leopold: His Life and Work has just been published by the University of Wisconsin Press. Curt currently serves director for conservation biology and history with the Center for Humans and Nature; senior fellow with the Aldo Leopold Foundation; and research associate with the International Crane Foundation.

For registration information, directions, and other details, see the conference overview page.

Summer Offerings in Sustainability Studies

The Sustainability Studies program at RU is pleased to unveil the summer schedule, including the debut offerings of three SUST courses.

During the May 4-week session, Professor Greg Buckley will offer SUST 390 Special Topics — Sustainability of the National Parks at both the Schaumburg campus and in a 10-day trip to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  Enrollment for this special seminar is capped at eight students, so we urge you to look at Professor Buckley’s preview of the course and indicate soon whether you wish to participate in this unique experience.

In the session running from May 31 to August 19, we will offer three courses.

We will announce more new courses for the fall very soon, but if you are interested in taking courses this summer, please contact your RU academic advisor for registration details and consultations on financial aid options. Registration for the summer session begins March 1. If you are not currently a Roosevelt University student, we encourage you to investigate our degree options, and our course listings.  For more information, please visit  our Sustainability Studies website, call 1-877-277-5978 (1-877-APPLY RU) or email  applyRU@roosevelt.edu.

Sustainability of the National Parks: New Summer SUST Travel Course

This exciting new course, offered for the first time at Roosevelt University by Professor Gregory Buckley of the College of Professional Studies, provides a detailed look at the sustainability of America’s National Parks. This course examines the historical impetus and individuals that launched our national park system, and how the mission of the National Park Service has evolved to reflect the emerging ideals of conservation, environmentalism and sustainability.

SUST 390 will also explore historical and contemporary issues of National Park sustainability, such as the historical threats to park wildlife and ecosystems, commercial and political exploitation, and the ever-increasing stress put on the most popular parks by an escalation in the number of visitors. Readings and discussions will also examine procedures put into place by the National Park Service to make  park facilities and their operations more “green.” Field trips include a visit to a local forest preserve, as well as a 10-day trip to Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.

For more information on Professor Buckley’s course, including required meetings at RU’s Schaumburg Campus and the travel itinerary for the North Dakota trip, see his course preview page for SUST 390 National Parks.

Midwest Real Food Summit 2011

Here’s another great opportunity to learn about sustainable food issues and systems, with a special focus on urban food production and consumption. This one’s to be held at Northwestern University in Evanston.

Midwest Real Food Summit 2011: Urban Food Systems in Development
Northwestern University, Evanston IL, Feb. 18 – 20.

Food is culture, food is community. It is what unites us, sharing a meal together. However, the system that produces and distributes and controls food in this country is flawed. The Midwest is the epicenter of our commodity food system and as students learning in midwest institutions we have the responsibility and the power to educate ourselves and those around us about the issues in the modern U.S. food system. That’s where this summit comes in!

For details and registration (students can attend for $25), see the Food Summit’s website.

Help RU Win a $250K Sustainability Grant

You and your friends can help Roosevelt University win a $250,000 grant from Pepsi that will be used to make the Schaumburg Campus an environmentally sustainable facility.

All you have to do is vote once a day during the month of January at this site: http://www.refresheverything.com/rugreenrooseveltuniversity. You can also vote on Facebook. The organization with the most votes receives the grant.

Should Roosevelt win, we plan to use the grant money in Schaumburg for the following projects:
— construction of a LEED-certified greenhouse that is powered by solar energy
— development of an organic garden to teach students how to grow native plants that will enhance the surrounding landscape
— replacement of the present asphalt in the parking lot with pervious concrete.

Roosevelt’s application is sponsored by RU Green, a student organization which was established to promote ecologically-conscious students, staff and faculty. Please help us win this major grant by voting only once a day!

Paul Matthews, Assistant Vice President, Campus Planning & Operations
Address replies to: pmatthews@roosevelt.edu

Student Conference on Sustainable Agriculture

I just got word via email of an interesting academic conference for students to be held at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, on April 2-3, 2011. The focus is on sustainable agriculture, and one of the keynote speakers is Milwaukee-based urban farmer Will Allen, founder of Growing Power. The conference is being organized by the Sustainable Lawrence University Gardens, and is described as

a regional conference for college students dedicated to sustainable gardening and farming initiatives (whether well established or not yet realized). SISA will facilitate a much needed exchange between students involved in and interested in agricultural projects at colleges and universities throughout the midwest. Interested faculty and staff are encouraged to attend as well.

 More information can be found at the conference website; the registration is inexpensive ($20) and lodging assistance is available.

Register Now for the Wild Things 2011 Environmental Conference

The Wild Things conference is a fun and educational all-day event sponsored biannually by the Chicago Wilderness organization and other partners, and covers a vast array of topics related to urban ecology, conservation, gardening, wildlife, science, politics, and environmental activism. Some of the presentations and workshops have more of a scientific bent; others are directed toward environmental policy; but many have a humanities component to them (such as how we represent and conceptualize the natural environment, apply concepts of “wilderness” to urban landscapes, think about environmental ethics, etc.).

Advance registration is required (the deadline is Jan. 30th for early online registration, which features a cheaper rate). Students can attend inexpensively for $15 — cheap for an event of this topic and quality. The conference will be a great potential source of ideas about urban ecology and other matters related to sustainability, wilderness, etc., and is also a cool networking opportunity. Professors Mike Bryson and Carl Zimring will be in attendance as well as co-presenting a talk at 4pm (session D6) on RU’s new Sustainability Studies program. In particular, we highly recommend the keynote address at 9am by Curt Meine, a terrific presenter who will discuss the life and legacy of Aldo Leopold, one of the most important American environmental writers (as well as an ecologist) of the 20th century. That talk will include a preview of a new film about Leopold, who exemplified the integration of science and the humanities in his engagement of the natural world.