The Implementer

June 2020

Photo by Mona Eendra on Unsplash

There is No Climate Justice Without Racial Justice. 

Second Nature stands in solidarity with those on the front lines pushing for systemic change, racial equality and justice across the nation. As with climate justice, we understand that the fight for racial justice isn’t based on one incident; but rather generations of injustice and indifference.  

Justice of any kind - including climate justice and racial justice
- can not happen when inequalities exist.

We all have a responsibility to do our part to affect meaningful change.    

At Second Nature, we know that our organization can do better, and that we need to do better. Now is the time to move our justice goals from aspiration to action. We will listen, learn, and pursue programs linking climate and racial justice in partnership with front-line organizations that have been at the vanguard of this intersectional work....(more/full statement) 

MONTHLY MERIT

Acceleration Fund Awardees Announced

Earlier this month, we announced the colleges and universities who received funding through the Climate Solutions Acceleration Fund for their proposed climate action projects. We received over 50 proposals from schools of every size, shape and category.  One of the eligibility requirements was that a college/university had to be a Climate Leadership Network signatory and/or a University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) member.

To access a copy of the announcement press release, learn more about the other eligibility requirements, and more, please visit our Climate Solutions Acceleration Fund page.      

Congratulations to the Colleges and Universities Who Received First Round Funding:

A Tremendous Thank You to the Acceleration Fund Proposal Review Committee!

RAPID RECOGNITIONS

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 have reaffirmed their commitment to climate action.  Second Nature is thankful for their 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.  

NOTABLE NEWS

"On behalf of the entire Second Nature team, thank you to President Napolitano for your leadership in 2018 to initiate the creation of UC3 and your continued leadership thereafter,” said Tim Carter, president of Second Nature. “In just two short years, UC3 has accomplished much under your guidance and we look forward to accelerating that progress under the leadership of President Ono.”

BONUS BULLETIN

Race to Zero Campaign

Race to Zero is a United Nation's campaign focused on mobilizing entities in a variety of global sectors - including higher education - who are focused on being net zero by 2050.  The goal is to build momentum leading up to COP26.    

This effort includes cities, regions, businesses and more, from 120 countries, making it the largest coalition to ever come together with the mission of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.  Second Nature is excited to be one of the partners for Race to Zero.

If you are a college or university who is a Climate Leadership Network signatory who has already committed to being carbon neutral by 2050, you are already part of the Race to Zero Campaign.  If you are not, and you are interested in joining, please contact Steve Muzzy.  

RELEVANT RESOURCES

We Have a Major Announcement . . .

We are excited to share the following virtual opportunity with you, which will take place on Thursday, July 16, 2020, at 1PM EDT.  

COVID-19, Climate and Higher Ed: Defining the Sector’s Responsibility in Solving Global Challenges

We invite you to join us for a virtual panel discussion with:

• Secretary John Kerry, Distinguished Fellow for Global Affairs at Yale University and the Visiting Distinguished Statesman for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former Secretary of State (panelist)
• Rafael Reif, President of The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (panelist)
• Elsa M. Núñez, President of Eastern Connecticut State University (moderator)

This discussion will focus on the lessons learned from the rapid response to COVID-19, and how those lessons can be applied to combating climate change, taking into account concerns about racial justice.  The conversation will highlight how universities’ research, tech transfer and education activities can help address climate change.

More Information Coming Soon!

ONCOMING OPPORTUNITIES

HAPPENING TODAY! YOU CAN STILL REGISTER!

WEBINAR: Solar-Plus-Storage: A Winning Combination for Your Campus to Achieve Climate Action Goals

Thursday, June 25, 2020 | 1-2:15PM EDT

Hear how the West Valley-Mission Community College District and SunPower worked together to install an integrated solar and storage project in the heart of California's Silicon Valley. 

Speakers:
 - Chris Elias, Sr. Director, C&I Strategy & Business Development, SunPower
 - Javier Castruita, Associate Vice Chancellor, Facilities Development and Operations, West Valley-Mission Community College District.

Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) Special Event (Virtual)

Wednesday, July 8, 2020 | 8-10AM EDT

HESI - a partnership between the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, UNESCO, United Nations Environment, and numerous others - is organizing a special event to be held during the 2020 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.   

WEBINAR: Urban Forestry Carbon Offset Protocol: Developing Projects through the Offset Network

Thursday, July 9, 2020 | 2-3PM EDT

The Offset Network, now hosted by Second Nature, presents a new pathway for colleges and universities to develop carbon offset methodologies. New methodologies can undergo a technical expert review process to obtain approval for use through the Offset Network. Learn about this new pathway, and the first protocol to complete the technical review process.

Speakers: 
– Matt Arsenault, Program Manager, Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative, Duke University
– Emma Fulop, Program Coordinator, Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative, Duke University
– Ruby Woodside, Climate Programs Senior Manager, Second Nature

WEBINAR: Engaging in Cross-Sector Climate Action With Local And State/Provincial Government Officials

Wednesday, July 15, 2020 | 2-3:15PM EDT

This webinar will involve participants in a conversation about how universities can engage local and state/provincial government officials in cross-sector climate action, drawing on the experiences of several of Second Nature’s University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) members.

Speakers: 
 – Dennis Carlberg, Associate Vice President for Sustainability; Boston University
 – John Madden, Director of Sustainability and Engineering, Campus and Community Planning; University of British Columbia 
 – Marjorie Kaplan, DrPH, Associate Director, Rutgers Climate Institute; Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
 – Peter Stiling, PhD, Assistant Vice Provost of Strategic Initiatives; Director of the Office of Sustainability; University of South Florida

WEBINAR: Universities Making a Difference by Integrating Climate Action and Sustainability Across the Curriculum

Monday, July 20, 2020 | 3-4:15PM EDT

The social contract between universities and the societies they serve is changing. It used to be enough for universities to do research and educate students. Increasingly, however, we are being asked to engage tangibly and actively with the problems faced by the societies which fund us. This webinar will: explore those challenges and opportunities facing universities, outline an agenda for transforming the campus into a living laboratory/agent of change in the community, and involve participants in a conversation about how universities can integrate climate action across the college or university curriculum.

Speakers: 
 – Brian G. Henning, PhD, Professor of Philosophy and Environmental Studies; Faculty Fellow for Sustainability; Gonzaga University
 – Grace Wang, PhD, Professor and Department Chair of Environmental Studies; Western Washington University
 – John Robinson, PhD, Professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and the School of the Environment; Presidential Advisor on the Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability; University of Toronto

WEBINAR: The Collaborative: A One-Stop Shop for Electrifying Your Fleet

Wednesday July 22, 2020 | 3-4PM EDT

This webinar will engage participants in a conversation about how colleges and universities can become involved in the Climate Mayors EV Purchasing Collaborative – an unprecedented collaborative and partnership between Climate Mayors, the Electrification Coalition, and Sourcewell aimed at accelerating the transition to electric vehicle fleets by removing barriers to purchase.

Speakers: 
 – Sarah Reed, Program Manager; Electrification Coalition
 – James Ritchotte, Director; Climate Mayors
 – Tom Poveromo, Fleet Procurement; University of California, Los Angeles

Webinar: GRITS Goals: A Powerful New Tool for Climate Action Planning

Thursday, July 30, 2020 | 1-2PM EDT

Join Second Nature in partnership with the Sustainable Endowments Institute (SEI) and SIMAP for a webinar to preview GRITS Goals, a new suite of features within the GRITS project-management platform.

Speakers: 
- Mark Orlowski, Founder & Executive Director, Sustainable Endowments Institute (SEI)
- Rob Andrejewski, Director of Sustainability, University of Richmond

American Climate Leadership Summit 2020 (Virtual)

Thursdays, August 6-27, 2020 | 2PM EDT

Hosted by ecoAmerica, this Summit will offer different virtual, three-hour sessions every Thursday during the month of August, all focused on climate change.  Second Nature is excited to be an endorser of this Summit! You can find more information about this Summit - including the session topics, by clicking on the button below.    

Greenbuild 2020 (Virtual)

September 10 | October 1 | October 22 | November 10-12

Are the building professionals at your college/university looking for opportunities to learn about making the buildings on your campus more green?  This may be a virtual opportunity of interest.  Greenbuild 2020 will be hosting three virtual summits this fall leading up to the virtual expo in November.