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The Implementer
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Higher Education Leading on Climate
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Produced by Second Nature
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January 2017
In this issue…
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Don't Miss Today's Deadline
Well Done, Hampshire College!
California's Disaster Cycle
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Don't Miss Today's Deadline
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Last Chance to Lock in Your Early Bird Rate
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Today is your last chance to register for the 2018 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit with the Early Bird Rate. Join the Summit and continue the WASI conversation! We are excited to announce that Dr. Philip P. DiStefano, Chancellor, University of Colorado Boulder and other distinguished speakers will be joining us for the event, co-hosted by Second Nature and the Intentional Endowments Network. The Summit will focus on cross-sectoral collaboration and grand solutions to the climate challenge, from February 4-6 in Tempe Arizona.
Register now to take advantage of Early Bird Rates.
Two Implementation Workshops Announced at the Summit
Resilience Across Campus & Community: Is your campus addressing climate resilience, or planning to do so? Join us and learn tools to help guide and launch resilience assessment and planning efforts on campus and in collaboration with your community.
Climate Action (re)Boot Camp: This workshop will help kick-start your GHG and Climate Action efforts! Join us for a climate action boot camp! This workshop will provide a refresher on the basic components of climate action planning, and bring you up to date on reporting requirements for each Climate Leadership Commitment.
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Well Done, Hampshire College!
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100% Solar Energy on Campus
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Hampshire College, a signatory in the Climate Leadership Network, is working diligently on reaching its commitment to carbon neutrality! The residential college now has 100 percent of its electricity sourced from 15,000 photovoltaic arrays on two fields that have a capacity of 4.7 megawatts. The college is buying the electricity at a fixed rate for about half the rate the college had been paying. The project is estimated to save the college about $400,000 a year in electricity costs for up to 20 years, for total estimated savings of $8 million.
Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash will also present at the Summit on "The New Normal: 100% Clean Energy.
Read More
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California's Disaster Cycle
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Henry Fountain, New York Times News Article
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In recent years California has been subject to an increase of natural weather disasters. The continued increase in temperature has caused for more frequent severe wildfire seasons, which may lead to more deadly mudslides as well. That’s because in California, as in other fire-prone regions, fires and mudslides are inextricably linked. The connection was demonstrated again this week, when, following recent devastating fires, California was hit by torrential rainfall. The rains, as much as an inch an hour in some places, caused mudslides on steep denuded slopes.
We will continue to see disastrous weather events and our signatories in California are preparing by building resilient campuses. To learn how to assess your campuses readiness, take a look at our Campus-Community Resilience Assessment .
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JAN 1 - MAY 1
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Climate Leadership Network Reporting Period
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JAN 17
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Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) Arbitrage Process an EPA Green Power Partnership Webinar
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JAN 18
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Resilience Assessments from Phoenix and Portland Campuses
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JAN 25
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Purchasing Carbon Offsets 101
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FEB 4-6
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Save the Date! 2018 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit
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RESOURCES
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New Resources for the New Year
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Asset Mapping Guidance
Through the Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitments, campuses are working toward climate resilience goals. One of the initial steps to increase climate resilience is completing a Campus-Community Resilience Assessment through which schools understand the current state of resilience activities on campus and in the surrounding community. This assessment will help schools develop initial indicators of resilience and identify strengths and assets, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities related to climate change. See the Resilience Assessment Guidance document for more details.
View Guide
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FROM THE SECOND NATURE BLOG
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Why Review a Climate Action Plan?
Janna Cohen-Rosenthal, Second Nature
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In the time since signatories submitted first Climate Action Plans (CAPs) in 2009, the return on investment from renewable energy and other technologies has dramatically increased, which could significantly change carbon reduction goals. So, when the new Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitments launched in 2015, we advised signatories to review and update their CAP at least every five years. As the former Implementation Liaison at Brandeis University, I personally submitted a CAP in 2009. The Institution recently created an excellent CAP update. While it makes business sense to revise CAPs to take advantage of cost savings, there are also other good reasons to review public plans and targets frequently.
Continue Reading
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Asset Mapping for Resilience
Melissa Hom, Second Nature Intern, Northeastern '17
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The resilience assessment is meant to provide a baseline of current resilience activities on campus and in the community, develop initial indicators of resilience through a multi-stakeholder process, and identify current vulnerabilities related to climate change. Schools should keep a particular eye on overlaps and gaps in assets and vulnerabilities between the campus and community. To help a campus identify strengths, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities, creating an asset map helps visualize and determine existing resources in a defined area, such as a college campus, surrounding community, or both. To take the first steps toward asset mapping, it is important to do preliminary planning.
Continue Reading
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