No images? Click here
The Implementer
August 2021
Accelerate Your Climate Awareness. Knowledge. Action. | Second Nature's Monthly E-Newsletter.
MONTHLY MERIT
UofL Reaffirms Climate Leadership
University of Louisville (UofL) President Neeli Bendapudi recently signed the Carbon Commitment - one of the three Presidents' Climate Leadership Commitments - reaffirming their commitment to climate action. UofL first signed the Carbon Commitment in 2008, and they are working towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Thank you to the University of Louisville for reaffirming your climate leadership!
Pima CC Joins the Climate Leadership Network
Pima Community College Chancellor Lee Lambert signed the Climate Commitment, adding Pima Community College to the Climate Leadership Network.
Welcome to the Climate Leadership Network Pima Community College!
RAPID RECOGNITIONS
College Implements New Energy Conservation Measures
July 13, 2021 | Source: The College Today
OSU takes measures to reduce water usage in response to statewide drought conditions
July 19, 2021 | Source: OSU Newsroom
UC ranks first among colleges and universities in green power usage
July 27, 2021 | Source: UC News
Panelists discuss environmental hazards, ways to combat injustices
July 30, 2021 | Source: The Pitt News
Bennington College and Bennington Museum selected as Frankenthaler Climate Initiative Grantees
August 5, 2021 | Source: VermontBiz
Oberlin College secures $80 million in Certified Climate Bonds for Sustainable Infrastructure Program
August 6, 2021 | Source: The Morning Journal
OU Office of Sustainability, student ambassadors begin progress toward Climate Action Plan
August 9, 2021 | Source: The Post
If you haven't done so already...
Add abelles@secondnature.org to your sustainability press release lists, sustainability newsletter lists, etc!
NOTABLE NEWS
February 6-8, 2022 Miami, Florida
Climate action takes urgent action and solutions; we know this. One opportunity for you to take action now and share vital long-term solutions, is by submitting a session proposal for the 2022 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit before it's too late.
The proposal submission deadline is: Tuesday, August 31, 2021
The six intersectional themes of the 2022 Climate Leadership Summit are below. While the focus on these thematic areas began during the 2021 Climate Action Pursuit, our work continues through the Summit.
Community
Knowledge
Neutrality
Policy
Racial Justice
Student Leadership
Climate Action Pursuit Update
In case you missed the February and June milestones of the Climate Action Pursuit (there's still two more milestones to come!), you can now access the session videos from the February Kick-Off. The June session videos are only available for Pursuit registrants at this time.
Believe the Science. We Must Act Now.
Our Statement in Response to the IPCC Report
Earlier this month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)'s Working Group I released their AR6 Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis report reaffirming that we are in a climate emergency, and we must act now to make a difference.
We issued a statement in response to the report, calling on all of us to further accelerate our climate action now.
BONUS BULLETIN
Happening Today!
There's still time to register.
Webinar: Disruptive New Approach to Carbon Offsets: Climate Vault and Vanderbilt
Thursday, August 26th | 1-2pm EDT
Within the big picture of carbon reduction, many universities are looking for the opportunity to offset emissions in order to reach carbon neutrality in an increasingly aggressive time frame, often to supplement longer term investments in greener infrastructure. This webcast will feature a new approach to offsetting that effectively takes action on climate change quickly while minimizing the challenges and uncertainty that come with traditional voluntary offset programs. Join us on August 26th to learn about the innovative collaboration between Climate Vault and Vanderbilt that allowed Vanderbilt to reach carbon neutrality 30 years ahead of schedule.
Speakers:
– Dr. Michael Greenstone, Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor of Economics, University of Chicago, Founder Climate Vault
– Mr. Eric Kopstain, Vice Chancellor for Administration, Vanderbilt University
Thank You to Our Summer Fellows!
The work you did, and the support you provided for us this summer allowed us to continue ramping up our climate action efforts. Thank you, and we are excited for the next adventures you embark on!
Natalie Davidson
Allegheny College Fellow
Alex Kiefus
Tufts University Fellow
Molly Tarvin
Allegheny College Fellow
Please Meet Shaina Maciejewski!
We are excited to introduce you to the newest member of our Second Nature team - Shaina Maciejewski! Shaina is our new Climate Programs Data Manager, and her primary focus will be on managing databases and creating visualizations, and supporting outreach-related to the Climate Leadership Network. She will also provide data-based support for our cross-sector, policy, and strategic partnership initiatives.
From day one she has been an asset to the Second Nature team, and we look forward to when she will have the opportunity to work with some of you!
Four Star Charity Recognition
We recently learned that we have earned a 4-Star rating from Charity Navigator. We are honored to have received this recognition, which means that anyone who is interested in donating to our organization, can do so with confidence.
OPPORTUNITIES
Free Conference!
Building a Better World: Women and Climate Justice
September 23-25, 2021
Agnes Scott College’s second annual Women’s Global Leadership Conference will convene internationally recognized scholars, private sector experts, political leaders, and community activists to engage in intentional conversations, form innovative partnerships for addressing climate injustice, and develop creative strategies for building more resilient communities.
Women frequently bear the brunt of the social violence, political instability, and environmental degradation caused by climate change but at the same time, they are also important change agents in the transition to a more sustainable and just future.
With the “Building a Better World” conference Agnes Scott combines its strong commitment to sustainability and its innovative SUMMIT global learning and leadership experience to address the full range of climate-justice experiences of women and other marginalized identities. NOTE: to register for free, please use the discount code "Partner" during the registration process.
"Revenge of the Electric Car": A Panel Discussion
Friday, September 24, 2021 | 6PM EDT
University of California, Merced is hosting a panel discussion focused on the film, "Revenge of the Electric Car". This event is free and open to the pubic. For more information, including how to view the film prior to the panel discussion, click on the button below.
Virtual Conference: Renewable Energy Markets™ 2021
September 27-30, 2021
The annual Renewable Energy Markets™ (REM™) conference convenes a broad spectrum of industry professionals who are rapidly transforming the global clean energy marketplace.
REM™ brings corporate leaders, policymakers, and suppliers together to collaborate and guide the rapidly expanding market. Attendees explore emerging trends in policy, exchange best practices in renewable energy procurement and marketing, review the latest technology and market innovations, and help shape the future for renewable energy.
REM™ 2021 will be held online September 27–30. The conference is organized by the nonprofit Center for Resource Solutions and co-sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Conference: Washington Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference
We are proud to be a community partner for the Washington Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference (WOHESC), taking place March 2-4, 2022 at South Seattle College (there's virtual access as well).
As a WOHESC Community Partner, we're able to offer you a 30% registration discount as well! To access the discount, click on the "Register Here" button to the right.
RELEVANT RESOURCES
Looking for Upcoming Events?
We now have a page for finding that information - our Upcoming Events & Opportunities page!
This page is a fluid page; it will be continuously updated. In addition to information on events we're hosting/co-hosting, you will also find information on events we are supporting partners of.
Climate Leadership Network signatories and/or UC3 members - do you have an upcoming big event such as a conference, webinar series, etc that you think would be relevant to your peers? Please feel free to email Amanda Belles (abelles@secondnature.org) that information, and if we agree, we may add it to the Events & Opportunities page. Note that all determinations will be made by us.
To find the page on our website: click on the word "Learn" on the top of the page, and you will find the page "Events & Opportunities" in the dropdown. Click on it, and you're in!
Monthly Policy Update: August 2021
Didn't get a chance to read our latest Monthly Policy Update? Now you can; click on the button to the left.
Also, if you haven't done so already, be sure to subscribe to the email list to receive these updates in your inbox every month. Climate policy work happens fast; don't miss out on being in the know.
GRITS Gold Medal Challenge Winners Announced
In the July Implementer, we shared an opportunity provided by Sustainable Endowments Institute (SEI), a Second Nature partner, to participate in their GRITS Gold Medal Challenge.
The winners have been announced! For more information, you can read their blog post about it.
Image Credit: SEI
Thank You for Helping Us, Help You, Accelerate Your Climate Action.
The colleges and universities listed below are Climate Leadership Network signatories and/or University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) members that financially reaffirmed their commitment to climate action this year. Second Nature is thankful for their financial support that allows us to offer the resources, relationships, credibility and knowledge to accelerate climate action in, and leverage the strengths of, colleges and universities.
Alamo Colleges
Albion College
American University
Appalachian State University
Arizona State University*
Augsburg University
Austin College
Ball State University
Bates College
Bay de Noc Community College
Bellevue College
Bentley University
Bluefield College
Boston University
Brandeis University
Broome Community College
Bucknell University
Butler University
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
California State University-Channel Islands
California State University-Chico
California State University-East Bay
California State University-Northridge
California State University-Sacramento
California State University-San Bernardino
Carleton College
Case Western Reserve University
Chatham University*
Chesapeake College
Claremont McKenna College
Clarkson University
Coe College
Colby College
Colgate University
College of Menominee Nation
College of the Atlantic
College of the Holy Cross
Colorado College
Colorado Mountain College
Concordia College-Moorhead
Cornell University
Dallas College Richland Campus
Davidson College
Delta College
DePauw University
Drake University
Duke University
Earlham College
Eastern Connecticut State University*
Eastern Kentucky University
Eastern Mennonite University
Eastern Washington University
Emerson College
Emory & Henry College
Framingham State University
Franklin & Marshall College
Frostburg State University
Furman University
Gateway Technical College
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Southern University
Gettysburg College
Goshen College
Grinnell College
Gustavus Adolphus College
Hamilton College
Haverford College
Hollins University
Institute of American Indian Arts
Iowa Lakes Community College
Jefferson Community College
Kalamazoo College
Kankakee Community College
Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University
Lafayette College
Lane Community College
Lasell University
Lewis & Clark College*
Life University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola University Chicago
Luther College
Maricopa County Community College District
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Miami University
Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Mills College
Milwaukee Area Technical College
Mississippi State University
Mt. Hood Community College
New York University
North Iowa Area Community College
Northeastern University
Northern Arizona University
Northland College
Oakton Community College
Oberlin College
Ohio University
Pacific University
Paul Smith's College
Pomona College
Portland State University
Pratt Institute
Queen's University
Radford University
Randolph College
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Salem State University
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Sewanee: The University of the South
Shasta College
Shippensburg University
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Smith College
Sonoma State University
Southern New Hampshire University
Southwestern University
Spelman College*
State University of New York at Buffalo
State University of New York College at Oswego
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
SUNY Orange
Swarthmore College
Syracuse University
The George Washington University
Thomas Jefferson University
Towson University
Truckee Meadows Community College
Tufts University
Unity College
University of Arizona
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Davis
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Riverside
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of Central Florida
University of Cincinnati
University of Denver
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Louisville
University of Lynchburg
University of Maine
University of Maryland Baltimore County
University of Maryland Global Campus
University of Massachusetts Medical School
University of Miami
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Minnesota-Morris
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Mount Union
University of North Carolina at Asheville
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh
University of Richmond
University of San Diego
University of San Francisco
University of Southern Mississippi
University of St. Thomas
University of Utah
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
University of Wisconsin-Stout
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Villanova University
Virginia Wesleyan University
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington and Lee University
Washtenaw Community College
Wells College
Western Colorado University
Western Technical College
Whitman College
Whitworth University
William Rainey Harper College
Wofford College
Worcester State University
*Honor Society
Accelerate Your Climate Awareness.
Subscribe to our Implementer list to get this e-newsletter automatically every month if you aren't already, and you can also subscribe for some of our other lists as well.
