The Implementer

December 2021

Accelerate Your Climate Awareness. Knowledge. Action. | Second Nature's Monthly E-Newsletter.
 

Save the Date!

In partnership with the Intentional Endowments Network (IEN), we are excited to announce the dates of the 2022 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit:

April 5-8, 2022

More information is coming after the New Year, stay tuned!  In the meantime, if you have not done so already, we encourage you to sign-up on our "Be in the Know" Summit email list to ensure you don't miss any updates and information.  

Pro Bono Consulting Round II

In Fall 2020, we announced a new Solutions Center initiative – Pro Bono Consulting.  Thanks to the generous support of Second Nature partners, CustomerFirst Renewables (CFR) and Brailsford & Dunlavey (B&D), we were able to offer this opportunity to support higher education institutions’ campus climate work.  

Due to the success of the inaugural round, we are thrilled to be able to offer a Round II*! 

For more information and to apply, please visit our Pro Bono Consulting Round II webpage.  Please direct any questions to: Steve Muzzy (smuzzy@secondnature.org).  

The deadline to apply for this opportunity is: January 5, 2022.
 

*This opportunity to exclusive to Climate Leadership Network signatories and University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) members.  Not sure if your institution is a signatory or UC3 member?  Please contact Steve Muzzy to find out. 
 

We Are Hiring!

That's a Wrap for the 2021 Pursuit!

To everyone who participated over this past year, thank you!  We are excited to continue working with all of you after the New Year, both as we look towards the 2022 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit, and beyond.  

Session recordings from all four milestone events will be publicly available after the New Year, so stay tuned for those, and in the meantime, you can watch recordings from the February and June milestones!
 

Build Back Better Act Advocacy

Yesterday - December 15th - in conjunction with the co-Chairs of the Climate Leadership Network, we sent a letter to members of the United States Senate expressing our support for the Build Back Better Act.  

The letter included specific bullet points for how the climate portions of the Act would benefit colleges and universities across the nation: 

• Substantial rebates and tax credits for energy efficiency, which will reduce energy costs for colleges and universities switching to renewables.

• The creation of a Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator, a finance entity that will use public funds to mobilize more private investment in renewable energy projects across the country, leveraging our investments in clean energy research and deployment. 

• The Civilian Climate Corps (CCC), which will employ thousands of young people to address the threat of climate change and help recent college graduates find full-time work in clean energy deployment, resilience, and conservation.

Questions? Please contact us at: policyteam@secondnature.org. 
 

In early November, the University of St. Thomas announced that they would be divesting from fossil fuels.  By doing so, they are among numerous Catholic institutions to make the commitment.  Their divestment plan will take place over the next five years.  
 

Congratulations to the University of St. Thomas for making this commitment!
 

Energy from the Sun: Collaborative Solar Facility Goes Online in Maine
Publication Date: November 15, 2021
Source: Smith College News

Three of the five New England institutions who are a part of this are Climate Leadership Network signatories!
 

Did You Know?

Our Climate Justice Fellow, Chaz Briscoe, recently added information about a City of Cleveland racial equity tool.  Be sure to check it out, and visit this page often as tools and resources will continually be added.  Questions? Please contact Chantal Madray (cmadray@secondnature.org).  
  

Monthly Policy Update: December 2021 

Questions about these Monthly Policy Updates?
Contact Amanda Belles (abelles@secondnature.org)
 

Washington Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference
March 2-4, 2022

The WOHESC 2022 program is now live!  You can find it here.  

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).  

Join your regional peer institutions for this conference focused on advancing your climate action efforts in the Pacific Northwest.   

Note: As a WOHESC community partner, we're able to offer you a 30% registration discount if you register at the button above. 

Thank You & See You Next Year!

From our team to you and yours, THANK YOU for your continued dedication to, and collaboration on, this crucial climate work that we have all undertaken.  As we all know, this work is not an easy feat, but it is a must, and takes all of us. 

As we look ahead to continuing this work together in 2022 and beyond, we also wanted to take a moment to celebrate some of the successes from this year.  

Please stay safe and healthy, and we look forward to seeing you after the New Year! 

 - Your Second Nature Team  

The Second Nature office will be closed Friday, December 24, 2021 through Sunday, January 2, 2022.  

Our office will be reopen on Monday, January 3, 2022.  
Happy New Year!