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NOTABLE NEWS
Exciting Announcement . . .
Second Nature Anecdotes: a new storytelling page!
We know you are doing incredible climate and sustainability work on your campuses and within your communities. So much in fact, that we cannot highlight it all in the Implementer and on social media (a great problem to have)!
Which is why we're excited to introduce our new Second Nature Anecdotes page - another mechanism to highlight your climate action using your own stories and words.
Some examples of potential content for the Anecdotes page:
- Your institution achieved carbon neutrality - celebrate this major accomplishment while also talking about how you got it done.
- Your college/university is working with a local community on a climate project - talk about the project, provide photos, tell the story.
- Your institution is incorporating racial justice into your climate action plan - talk about how and why.
Your institution has climate stories, and we want to hear them! Here's how it works:
- Pull together the content you would like to submit to us for consideration of posting on the Anecdotes page. This means, your write-up/story, photos (optional), your logo, and all content being requested on the submission page.
- Submit it via the submission page!
- We will review your submission, and let you know either way if we will be posting it to the Anecdotes page.
Note: This opportunity is currently only available to Climate Leadership Network signatories, University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) members, and our partners. If you have any questions, please contact Amanda Belles (abelles@secondnature.org).
Our Climate Advocacy Work
We have a page for that.
In response to feedback from you, we continue to move forward with advocacy focused in three areas:
1. Amplifying the voice of the Higher Education sector on the state, federal, and global levels.
2. Providing higher education institutions with current and updated information on policy initiatives, legislation, and more in relation to climate in their states, at the federal level, and at the global level.
3. Presenting cross-sector climate advocacy opportunities to the higher education sector through some Second Nature partners.
We now have a new Advocacy page on our website to keep you up-to-date on that work.
*New* Climate Justice Section
Because climate justice requires racial justice.
In partnership with our member institutions, we have created a Climate Justice section on our website to help accelerate the work of racial and climate justice in, and through, higher education.
In the Climate Justice section, you will find terminology, key challenges and opportunities for the higher education sector, and more.
You will also find information on the Climate Justice Working Group which meets during the Climate Action Pursuit Milestone events.
Questions? Please contact Chantal Madray (cmadray@secondnature.org)
MONTHLY MERIT
Two years ago, Colgate University achieved carbon neutrality, which in and of itself is a major accomplishment. However, Colgate isn't stopping there. On Earth Day (April 22, 2021), Colgate President Brian W. Casey signed the Climate Commitment of the Presidents' Climate Leadership Commitments.
In doing so, Colgate University has re-emphasized and accelerated their commitment to climate and sustainability on their campus.
Congratulations Colgate University for illustrating your continued commitment and leadership when it comes to climate action and as part of the Climate Leadership Network!
Interested in learning more about the Climate Leadership Network and how your institution can become a Network signatory? Being a Climate Leadership Network signatory means support from Second Nature and your Network peers to help you reach your campus climate goals, plus access to exclusive opportunities, tools, and resources to aid you in your climate action. Contact Steve Muzzy (smuzzy@secondnature.org) for more information.
The University of Michigan is incredibly busy these days, focused on ramping up their commitment to campus climate action.
Recently, University of of Michigan President Mark Schlissel announced that U-M has a goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, and laid out a detailed plan of action for how they will reach that goal.
Additionally, U-M will soon have half (50%) of their electricity come from renewable sources. It's also anticipated that by the end of this year, they'll have reduced their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 25% since 2011.
Interested in learning more about the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) - a coalition of research institutions committed to climate action and cross-collaboration - and how your institution can become a member? Contact Alex Maxwell (amaxwell@secondnature.org) for more information.
RAPID RECOGNITIONS
After 111 years, on May 21st, Carleton College switched from steam heating to hot water geothermal energy. More. . .
The University of Arizona is switching over to 100% renewable energy, and also looking to move their carbon neutrality goal date sooner. More. . .
Ecologists at the University of California, Riverside are part of a $1 million (grant funded) project to aid tribal nations in Southern California in adjusting to climate change. More. . .
Cornell University led a study focused on fishing behaviors for inland fishing families in Cambodia and how that could or could not relate to climate change.
More. . .
The University of Maryland is moving up their carbon neutrality goal date to 2025, and they also have a goal to have an all-electric fleet of vehicles by 2035. More. . .
This Fall, the University of Toronto will launch a brand new Community Climate Resilience Lab that will focus on community climate resilience and incorporate a racial justice lens. More. . .
Since achieving carbon neutrality in 2018, American University continues to advance their commitment to taking climate action - now with a new campus sustainability plan for the next five years. More. . .
OPPORTUNITIES
We Need Your Expertise!
Seeking experts to contribute to the Solutions Center.
As we add content to the Solutions Center, we are in need of experts to review and contribute information.
The Solutions Center identifies carbon and energy reducing activities to support campus climate action goals.
The objective of the Solutions Center is to help campuses review more quickly the solutions available and to help build a presentation for decision makers to be able to assess and prioritize decisions faster in order to accelerate climate action.
Interested in being a potential expert for the Solutions Center? Please contact Steve Muzzy (smuzzy@secondnature.org). Also be sure to visit the page.
Virtual Global Climate 2021
July 8, 2021
In advance of COP26 this November, a virtual global higher education conversation and celebration hosted by The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education (EAUC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is being held on July 8th. For more information
and to register, click on the button below.
Image Credit: https://www.eaucconference.org.uk/
BONUS BULLETIN
The Pursuit June Milestone is Here!
Make sure you're registered and ready to join us.
If you still have not yet registered for the Climate Action Pursuit June Milestone (June 10th-11th), you are almost out of time.
Not only will you miss out on important conversations focused on environmental justice, climate action planning, and next level conversations, you will miss out on the opportunity to directly engage and interact with your campus climate peers.
The June Milestone is all about direct engagement and interaction. That means prime opportunities to have 1:1 conversations without even having to travel anywhere to do so.
Updates re: Second Nature Team
We wanted to keep everyone informed about some staff and role changes with the Second Nature team.
It is with bittersweet news that we share that Andy DeMeo, our Climate Programs Data Manager's last day with Second Nature is tomorrow, Friday, May 28th.
Andy has been a tremendous asset to our team and will be greatly missed, however, we are extremely excited for his next adventure!
Thank you for everything Andy, and good luck, we are excited for you!
Alyssa Attonito, one of our Climate Program Interns this Spring, completed her time with us last week. Alyssa also interned with Second Nature last year, and because she's so amazing, we asked her to come back again and she did! The main focus of her work was on the Solutions Center.
Thank you for your contributions to the team - twice over - and enjoy your summer!
We are excited to introduce you to the newest member of the Second Nature team, Sanghamitra (Mia) Sen, who is our Climate Program Associate!
Mia's main focus areas are on the newly initiated Climate Asset Mapping Project (CAMP) and the management of the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) program.
We are so happy to have you on the team Mia, and look forward to the opportunity for others to work with you!
Big News Coming Soon. . .
Stay Tuned. . .
In the coming weeks (mid-June) we will be announcing the awardees for the second round of the Acceleration Fund!
Hint: if you receive the Implementer via your inbox, you're already on the list for getting the announcement once it goes out!
RELEVANT RESOURCES
2019-2020 Impact Report
A few weeks ago, we announced that our 2019-2020 Impact Report was now available. In case you missed it, you can access it at the button below.
May Edition Available
The May 2021 edition of our Monthly Policy Updates came out a few weeks ago, and you can read it by clicking on the button below.
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.
