The Implementer - May 2020
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The Implementer
April 2020
Photo by Gustavo Quepón on Unsplash
MONTHLY MERIT
ASU Achieves Scope 1 and Scope 2 Carbon Neutrality
At the end of April, Arizona State University (ASU) announced that they achieved carbon neutrality.
ASU had a goal of having zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in their campus operations by 2025.
By reaching Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon neutrality, they have accomplished that goal six years early. Congratulations to ASU! ASU is also a member of the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3), and between 2007 and 2016, they reduced emissions per on-campus student by 33.9 percent.
University of California: Now 100% Fossil Free
The University of California announced on Tuesday, May 19th, that their investments are now 100% fossil free, which also means that they became the largest school in the United States who has accomplished this. With 285,000 students, 10 campuses, five medical centers, three affiliated national labs and a statewide agriculture and natural resources program, this is a tremendous accomplishment; congratulations University of California!
The University of California is one of the founding members of the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3), and has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2025. In 2016, they made the largest solar purchase ever done by a U.S. university.
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.
University of Arizona
California State University - Sacramento
Lewis & Clark College
University of California, Irvine
Radford University
Portland Community College
The Ohio State University - Columbus Campus
University of Pittsburgh
Syracuse University
Tufts University
Northland College
Loyola University - Maryland
Colorado Mountain College
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development
New Signatories Join the Climate Leadership Network
Welcome Saint Mary's College!
Saint Mary's College of California has pledged to take climate action by signing the Climate Commitment of The Presidents' Climate Leadership Commitments.
In doing so, they also become a Climate Leadership Network signatory. Congratulations to Saint Mary's College for taking this major step, and welcome aboard!
Welcome Shippensburg University!
Shippensburg University located in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania has also signed the Climate Commitment of The Presidents' Climate Leadership Commitments.
With this climate action, they become a signatory of the Climate Leadership Network. Congratulations to Shippenburg University, and welcome!
Villanova's Renewable Energy News
Villanova University recently announced that they signed a multi-year renewable energy contract, which will advance their commitment to environmental sustainability, and take them a step closer to reaching their goal of being carbon neutral by 2050.
The University of Toledo Goes Solar
At the end of April, The University of Toledo announced that they had purchased a 2.3-acre, 332-kilowatt solar array for the Health Science Campus.
With the purchase of the solar array, The University of Toledo is anticipating that they will save $30,000 a year.
Endowments Taking Action
The Intentional Endowments Network (IEN), a partner of Second Nature's, recently released an Impact Update highlighting the positive impact that different intentionally designed endowments are having. Included in this Update were some of the Climate Leadership Network signatories and/or University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) members and the work that they are doing:
NOTABLE NEWS
Enhanced GRITS Features Available to You
Climate Leadership Network signatories and University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) members now have access to enhanced GRITS features through at least September 2020.
Second Nature, in partnership* with the Sustainable Endowments Institute (SEI), are excited to be able to offer this opportunity to you in light of challenging budget circumstances faced by many higher ed institutions.
Reports Feature Now Available
For the first time ever, the GRITS Reports feature is now available within free GRITS accounts.
The Reports feature allows you to analyze emissions, energy, water, waste and financial savings from your projects and generate informative charts and graphs based on both past performance and projected future impacts.
To access this feature, simply click on the Reports tab at the top of GRITS to begin using this feature.
Photo Credit: SEI/GRITS
Photo Credit: SEI/GRITS
Track Up to Ten (10) Projects Now
As a part of your basic access account, Climate Leadership Network signatories and UC3 member schools have been able to track and save up to five (5) projects in GRITS. However, you will now be able to track twice as many projects in GRITS (up to 10), through at least September 2020.
Big News. . .Coming This Summer
Later this summer, Climate Leadership Network signatories and UC3 members will be invited to receive free advance access to a new GRITS Goals suite of features.
GRITS Goals is designed to help schools develop and manage their climate action plan process, including creating scenarios to reach intermediate and long-term carbon reduction and energy efficiency targets.
In a few months, Second Nature will host a webinar with SEI to explore GRITS Goals, but if you would like to learn more before then, please contact: support@gogrits.org.
Photo Credit: SEI/GRITS
*In 2018, Second Nature and the Sustainable Endowments Institute (SEI) joined in partnership to be able to provide Climate Leadership Network signatories and University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) members free basic access to the GRITS platform for energy efficiency and sustainability project tracking.
BONUS BULLETIN
Keynote Speaker: Tim Carter
On Thursday, May 7th, Second Nature President Tim Carter was the academic session keynote speaker at the Central Coast Climate Summit Series (virtually).
The session was focused on "Education and the Influence on Policy Within the Context of Climate Change." The summit series was hosted by California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB), Greenpower, Central Coast Climate Collaborative, and the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MEAP).
RELEVANT RESOURCES
COVID-19 and Climate Change
Health Care Without Harm, a partner of Second Nature's, recently created a virtual resource library focused on the interconnection between COVID-19 and climate change.
May Policy Update is Available
In case you missed it, our May 2020 Policy Update is available. We send out these Monthly Policy Updates on the second Thursday of every month. If you are looking for a previous month's issue, you can find it on the Second Nature website. You can also sign-up to receive a copy on the Monthly Policy Update directly to your inbox.
FREE Virtual Course Focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
There is currently a free, six-week online course focused on the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) available to anyone who may be interested in taking the course.
The course is being hosted by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), and was created by a consortium of global entities.
May Webinars - All Now Available
During the month of May, Second Nature - together with some of our partners - hosted three different webinars. More information on each, including a link to the recorded webinar is available below.
Organizing a Renewable Energy Buying Consortium to Cut Energy Costs and Curb Carbon Emissions: How We Did It & How You Can Too
Learn how Lehigh University, Lafayette College, Muhlenberg College, and Dickinson College banded together to achieve the scale needed to build a solar project big enough to supply 100% of their renewable energy needs.
Photo Credit: Second Nature
Photo Credit: Second Nature
Solutions Center: Helping You Understand Your Carbon Reduction Options
Second Nature has partnered with CustomerFirst Renewables and Brailsford & Dunlavey to launch the Solutions Center - a platform that helps campuses quickly review the solutions available and to help build a presentation for decision makers to more easily assess and prioritize decisions faster in order to accelerate climate action.
Here Comes the Sun: Shining a Light on How Solar Projects Can Inform Sustainability and Curriculum Goals
During this webinar, you will learn more about Saint John’s multi-faceted role in renewable energy, which includes serving as the project host landowner, solar subscriber, clean energy community advocate, and educational leader.
Photo Credit: Second Nature
ONCOMING OPPORTUNITIES
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.
BIG NEWS
Coming soon, Second Nature will be announcing which colleges and universities will be receiving grant funding through the Climate Solutions Acceleration Fund. Please stay tuned for that announcement! If you don't already follow us on social media, be sure to follow us now so that you don't miss the announcement.
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