Education for a Sustainable Future and a Greener Economy

Debra Rowe, Ph.D.Professor

Sustainable Energies and Behavioral SciencesPresident

U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development

• Part I What are green jobs?

• Part II What is education for a green and sustainable future?

• Part III What are our sustainability challenges?

• Part IV National Trends

• Part V Solutions and Resources for you!

How Many Green Jobs? Starting with the obvious green jobs.

• The Solar Energy Industries Association, estimates that 110,000 jobs will be created in solar energy by the end of next year

• The American Wind Energy Association estimates that if the industry meets President Obama's goal of doubling renewable energy output in the next three years, the wind sector will create 185,000 jobs in that time period

• But that’s the tip of the iceberg

Thanks to Carolyn Teich, AACC, for some materials in this slide

Partial list of green jobs: the obvious choices

Traditionally, community college, career and technical education, and even the National Science Foundation focus on technicians:

• Energy auditor• Wind energy technician• Insulation and weatherization technician• Photovoltaics (solar electricity) installer• Thermal solar installer (hot water and space heating and

pool heating)

Upstream green jobs: jobs needed before technicians get hired

• Energy/utility policy analysts and policy makers• Employees in state and local energy related offices • Energy efficiency and renewable energy products financiers,

manufacturers, distributors, and salespeople• HVAC and other contractors with energy efficiency and

renewables expertise/product line• Energy Service Company (ESCO) employees • Corporate social responsibility officer• Sustainability oriented purchasing agent and business VP• Energy manager• Facilities director

Partial list of green jobs: some of the less obvious choices

• Resource conservation/efficiency manager• Measurement and verification technician• Material scientist• Environmental engineer technician• Biomass plant designer, manager, technician• Utility plant operatives• HVAC/ building automation technician controls specialist• Refuse and recycling worker• Sustainable agriculture specialist• Groundwater heat pump contractor/installer• Wave power system designer/installer• Forestry & wildlife worker

Partial list of green jobs: some of the less obvious choices

• Hydrogen, batteries and other energy storage specialists• Water reservoir and watershed engineer• Green building designer• Heating/cooling/ventilation scientist and engineer• Construction worker with green installation expertise• Lead paint/asbestos abatement specialist• Electrical technician• Energy statistician • Recycling director• Environmental maintenance worker• Greenhouse gas analyst/broker

Partial list of green jobs: some of the less obvious choices

• Industrial engineer• Engineering manager• Green products distribution designer/manager • Sales and marketing staff for sustainable products• Brownfields real estate developer• Sustainable business process designer• Corporate recycling manager• Environmental economist• Sustainability entrepreneur• Environment, health and safety director• Environmental quality certification specialist• Geographic information systems specialist

Partial list of green jobs: some of the less obvious choices

• Hazardous materials handler• Sustainable operation manager/consultant• Socially responsible investment advisor• Sustainability officer• Trainer/educator for green jobs• Sustainability communications/marketing• Fostering sustainable neighborhoods project manager• Environmental journalist• Permaculture designer and contractor • Sustainable landscape architect• Natural resources manager• Sustainable communities planner

Partial list of green jobs: some of the less obvious choices

• Sustainable development policy analyst• Groundwater professional• Restoration ecologist• Climate change risk assessor and mitigation professional• Sustainable transportation planner• Water pollution control technician• Watershed manager• Wildlife biologist• Agricultural extension specialist• Environmental communications specialist• Environmental conflict manager• Power purchase negotiator

What is a green job?A limited but still helpful view below

• The Department of Labor recently tagged over 100 occupations in the O*NET database as being green occupations.  http://online.onetcenter.org/find/green . 

• Browse by the 12 identified green economy sectors:• Agriculture and Forestry; • Energy and Carbon Capture and Storage; • Energy Efficiency; Energy Storage; Environment Protection;• Government and Regulatory Administration; • Green Construction; Manufacturing; • Recycling and Waste Reduction; • Renewable Energy Generation; • Research, Design and Consulting Services;• Transportation.   

What is a green job?The Department of Labor categorizes green jobs into one of the following:

• Green increased demand occupations: increase in the employment demand for an existing occupation. 64 occupations meet this definition.

• Green enhanced skills occupations: significant change to the work and worker requirements of an existing occupation. 60 occupations meet this definition.

• Green new and emerging occupations: generation of a new occupation relative to the O*NET taxonomy. This new occupation could be entirely novel or “born” from an existing occupation. 45 occupations qualify with another 46 occupations identified as candidates

• The O*NET green center has a wealth of “green” resources.

The Pervasiveness of Green

• SOC listings are incomplete, although nearly 900 distinct occupations are identified

• Every job will have a green tinge to it, since energy waste, toxins, food chain disruption and ecosystem destruction will be costly and unacceptable, IF we pay attention!

• Predicting employment? Follow the money and help create the businesses

Certifications and Needs Assessments

• I have multiple pages of certifications – how do you know which ones will emerge as the standards?

• The marketplace is moving quickly, including:• new initiatives that create new workforce demands • new standards

• Great to see the movement but difficult to design for – need to design flexible degrees!

• Example: Recovery Through Retrofits, Major federal initiative for retrofits of middle class homes for energy efficiency, including national workforce standards and removal of financing bottlenecks - http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/Recovery_Through_Retrofit_Final_Report.pdf

Overwhelmed by all the details?

Take a more conceptual and systemic approach.

This will create more success in educating for a green and sustainable economy

Sustainable Development is often defined as:

“meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of

future generations to meet their own needs”

World Commission on Env. and Development. (1987). Our Common Future. England: Oxford University Press.

 

StrongEconomy

SocialWell-being

Flourishing Environment

SustainableSociety

Triple Bottom Line of Sustainability

Education for a Sustainable Society:

“enables people to develop the knowledge, values and skills to

participate in decisions …, that will improve the quality of life now without

damaging the planet for the future.”

 

Applied Knowledge/

TechnologicalSkills

Private Choices and Behaviors-Habits

Public Choices and Behaviors-Laws

Sustainable Communities

Sustainable Economies

EcosystemEcosystem

EcosystemEcosystem

Why is environmental responsibility such a high priority?

• Freshwater withdrawal has almost doubled since 1960 and nearly half the world’s major rivers are going dry or are badly polluted (New Internationalist, no. 329)

• 11 of the world’s 15 major fishing areas and 69% of the world’s major fish species are in decline (State of the World, Worldwatch Institute)

• Climate change (global warming) exists, a major culprit is fossil fuels, and impacts are very serious. (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report: Summary for Policymakers: The Science of Climate Change)

Effects -Climate Change

Disruption of food production and the food chain

More extreme weather events

Disruptions of ecosystems, including water supplies

Spread of disease e.g. West Nile, Malaria, Dengue

Fever

Submersion of land masses – sea level rise50% of world’s population lives on the coasts

= Civilization Disruption and National Security ThreatSource: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, NASA, and National

Defense University

Why is Climate Change Important?

It is outside of the normal variability of climate.

We are the first generation capable of determining the habitability of the planet

for humans and other species.

The decisions of this generation are crucial. 

Why climate change and other environmental Issues are so important

Our decisions will create:

more scarcity and suffering, or a future of greater abundance and higher quality of life

life supporting

resources

declining

consumption of life supporting

resources

rising

Global Perspective

Why is EFS such a high priority?

1. Much of the public doesn’t know that we are exceeding the carrying capacity of the planet and that if everyone lives like we do in the U.S., we will need 4 to 6 planets of resources.

2. Public doesn’t know we can reduce human suffering and environmental degradation now while building stronger economies

3. A rapid shift in mindset is needed and education to action is the key.

Read Plan B: Mobilizing to Save Civilization

by Lester Brown, founder of Worldwatch Institute

Explains how to get to sustainable clean energy solutions, sustainable practices and policies, poverty reduction, and economic health, and what each of us can/needs to do

Downloadable at www.earth-policy.org

Great sections to include in any course – actions near the end

U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development:

Convene, Catalyze and Communicatewww.uspartnership.org –free resources

Sector Teams: Business, Higher Education, K-12, Communities, Faith, Youth…

Business principles of sustainability:

•Cradle to Cradle (McDonough)• Biomimicry (Benyas – Like nature, efficient

and not toxic)•World Business Council for Sustainable

Development (www.wbcsd.org)•Natural Step (Sweden and U.S.)•Natural Capitalism (Lovins, Harvard

Business Review)•More accurate economic indicators and

markets – Hazel Henderson

Trends in sectors – some examples

• Business – LOHAS - Japan, SOL Sustainability Consortium, Businesses for Social Responsibility, Shareholders, Investors (e.g. Goldman Sachs and Swiss RE)

• Communities - Mayors Climate Protection and Smart Growth, Sustainable Communities Partnerships, Coalitions, Community Planning

• K-12 – U.S. Summit and collaboration, national webinars and resources

• Faith - Religious Partnership and Interfaith Alliance, Regeneration Project

• Youth – Climate Challenge, Reduce Your Impact, Action Campaigns, Powershift, National Teach-in…

Higher education is taking a leadership role to prepare students and provide the information and knowledge to achieve a sustainable society.

What does it look like?

For higher education, Sustainable Development is being integrated

into:

Curricula Research

Operations

CommunityOutreach andPartnerships

Student Life Professional Development

Mission andPlanning Purchasing

public awarenesslegislation

Internationally, a taste…

• In Sweden, it is a law that all undergraduates be educated about sustainability

• High priority in higher education principles in European Union

• U.N. Decade and other ESD international conferences in Mexico, Bonn Declaration

• Earth Charter in Costa Rica – vision • Association of Canadian Community Colleges

• Global Sustainability Group out of MIT• Japanese campaign for sustainable living as

patriotism

GREAT NEWS!!!Growing National Trend in U.S.:

Over seventeen national HE associations and twenty national

disciplinary associations are creating initiatives

on Education for Green and Sustainable

Committed to the advancement of sustainability throughout

higher education

AACC American Association of Community Colleges AASCU American Association of State Colleges & UniversitiesAASHE Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher EducationACCED-I Association of Collegiate Conference & Events Directors - International ACE American Council on Education ACPA College Student Educators International ACUHO-I Association of College & University Housing Officers International AGB Association of Governing Boards of Universities & CollegesAPPA Association of Higher Education Facilities OfficersCCCU Council of Christian Colleges & UniversitiesNACA National Association for Campus ActivitiesNACUBO National Association of College & University Business OfficersNAEP National Association of Educational ProcurementNAICU National Association of Independent Colleges & UniversitiesNIRSA National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association

SCUP Society for College & University Planning

Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium www.aashe.org/heasc

1. Presidents2. Academic Officers3. Student Affairs4. Trustees 5. Campus Activities6. Facilities7. Business Officers8. Planners9. Events Directors10. Recreation Directors11. Purchasers12. More….. On campus Sustainability Committees

•Higher Education Sustainability Fellows Programs•HEASC News Digest and shared publications•HEASC Resource Center - Socially,

economically and environmentally responsible procurement, operations, planning, leadership, learning outcomes and more!!

•Media Strategies for Sustainability •Informing Legislation

Resources

DANS – the Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability www.aashe.org/dans - click on

ResourcesInclude this in all disciplines and gen ed

• American Psychological Association

• Sociology• Religion• Philosophy• Math• Broadcasting• Architecture• Engineering (civil,

mechanical, eng. ed.)• Business

• Ecological Economics• Chemistry• Biology• American Association

for the Advancement of Science

• Computer Research• Humanities• STEM disciplines• Political Science• Anthropology• More…

Academic Disciplines and U. S. Partnership created DANS

Infusing green/sustainability into:

1. Curricula, including textbooks2. Promotion and tenure and accreditation3. Informing legislation and policy4. Informing the public5. Professional identity as an academic

See the resources at www.aashe.org/dans

AACC Actions

Board• AACC Resolution on Sustainable Development • AACC Resolution in Support of the U.N. Decade of

Education for Sustainable Development• Sustainability Task Force

Collaborations:• HEASC • AASHE - Sustainability Tracking and Rating System• Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)• Green for All – Pathways Out of Poverty Models• National Wildlife Federation – Educational Webinars• EcoAmerica - Database

AACC Actions (continued)

• Workforce Preparation for a Sustainable Economy theme at next AACC Convention

• 4 HEASC Sustainability Fellows• Community College Journal and Times publications• Community College Monthly Conference Calls – join us!• Members informing legislators• Web site – www.aacc.nche.edu/sustainable and upcoming

Sustainable Economy Resource Center• Sustainability Affinity Group of the World Federation of

Colleges and Polytechnics - http://wfcp.accc.ca/

The American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment

Climate Leadership in Higher EducationOver 650 presidents in all 50 states

Resources (for presidents, students and you!)

• Education for Climate Neutrality and Sustainability – very good!!

• Energy Performance Contracting Toolkit• ACUPCC Voluntary Carbon Offset Protocol • ACUPCC Climate Action Planning Wiki• ACUPCC Reporting Tool• ACUPCC Implementation Guide• ACUPCC GHG Inventory Brief• ACUPCC Webinar Series• ACUPCC Solutions Page (includes links to

further resources)

So many examples at so many colleges!

Association for the Advancement of

Sustainability in Higher Education

AASHE (AY-shee)

www.aashe.org

Sign up for the free bulletin

Search the extensive resources and the digest

Join as an institution

HE Sustainability Examplesmore at www.aashe.org Annual Digest

• Systemic integration•Georgia Tech•University of North Carolina• Arizona State•Moraine Valley Community College….

• Transportation•UC Boulder•Many community colleges

HE Sustainability Examplesmore at www.aashe.org Annual Digest

• Green Computing• League for Innovation • Educause

• Food•Marshalltown, Seattle… CC Organic Gardens• Yale

• Institutionalization in job descriptions and performance reviews• From Cornell to Lane Community College

HE Sustainability Examplesmore at www.aashe.org Annual Digest

• Energy Conservation, Renewable Energies & Climate Change – Modeling solutions• Over 400 greenhouse gas inventories completed• University of Minnesota Morris – wind power and biomass• Turtle Mtn CC - wind• At least 11 campuses installed or announced plans to

install more than 1 MW each of solar energy in 2008, including Contra Costa Community College District (CA)

• Los Angeles Comm College District!! – funding models to go all conservation and renewables with community purchasing.

HE Sustainability Examplesmore at www.aashe.org Annual Digest

• Green Building• Built into all bid requests• So many examples, from Maricopa colleges to…

• Socially and Environmentally Responsible Purchasing• Rutgers, Stanford, OCC

• Waste Minimization• 400 colleges in RecycleMania

A more comprehensive way of looking at education in the green economy

1. Everyone interacts with the planet and the ecosystems we depend upon for life

2. Everyone has an important role to play in helping to create a sustainable future

3. Some of the most crucial jobs in green haven’t been created yet

4. Not just green jobs, but green thinking

5. Green thinking, systems thinking, creating effective change

6. Including and also much greater than technicians

7. Community colleges have a unique and important role that requires new actions.

HE Sustainability Examplesmore at www.aashe.org Annual Digest

• Curricula• Miami Dade Community College – learning outcomes in

general education• Univ. of Wisconsin – Oshkosh – essential learning outcome• Arizona State University – required for all students• Comm. Colleges – Article at AACC site/sustainable• 650 colleges in the ACUPCC, many are Comm. Colleges• S in the schedule and recognition for

graduation/transcript• Positive scenarios and futures fairs (description at

DANS website)

Modeling for Students and the Public

• Individuals at the college doing it and telling their stories too – posting their stories

• Sharing the links – e.g. low cost energy conservation and solar, environmentally/socially responsible purchasing and investments (http://www.greenamericatoday.org/ and www.socialinvest.org)

• The campus as a living lab for a sustainable future

The lab and the campus can also be a community demonstration center for sustainability

Next Steps:

• All of us engaged as effective change agents to create a sustainable future

• From apathy caring involvement.

• Know that our daily decisions affect the quality of life of people around the globe.

• Help business, government and non-profits go green and sustainable – real world assignments

• Sustainability culture – MTV’s Breaking the Addiction to Oil

Next Steps

Building healthier self-concepts.We can change society for the better.

Tell the stories of success and persistence.

Imagine a country where all college students get credit for helping to solve our societal problems

through their academic assignments.

Aids with retention and economic development

Key Places to Place Sustainability:

Create a college wide Sustainability Committee

• MissionMission• Strategic PlanStrategic Plan• BudgetBudget• OrientationOrientation• Campus Map and Campus Map and SignageSignage

• Building Building PoliciesPolicies

• Operations and Operations and Purchasing Purchasing PoliciesPolicies

• Student LifeStudent Life• Infused Infused throughout throughout curricula curricula

• First Year First Year Experience Experience

• Gen Ed CoreGen Ed Core• Curricula ReviewCurricula Review• Community Community PartnershipsPartnerships

• Workforce Workforce DevelopmentDevelopment

• Continuing Ed and Continuing Ed and Community EventsCommunity Events

Some Educator Resources for green technician education – just a taste

• Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) – training and best practices www.irecusa.org

• Consortium for Education in Renewable Energy Technology (CERET) – www.ceret.us - also NSF funded, online for faculty development, remote students and pass-through degrees

• National Council for Workforce Education – examples at colleges http://www.ncwe.org/documents/GoingGreen.pdf

• American Wind Energy Association – new curricular project – www.awea.org

• AACC Green Resources at www.aacc.nche.edu/sustainable and www.aacc.nche.edu/Resources/aaccprograms/ate/conf2009/Pages/GreenResources.aspx

Additional Resources

1. Greener Buildings News at www.greenbiz.com

2. Energy Star – U.S. Dept of Energy http://www.energystar.gov

3. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies – http://www.eere.energy.gov/

4. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - http://www.ipcc.ch/

5. Natural Capitalism by Lovins

6. National Renewable Energy Labs – www.nrel.gov

7. Alliance to Save Energy – http://www.ase.org/

8. ATEEC – www.ateec.org

9. American Solar Energy Society – www.ases.org

Key Implications: GREEN THINKING for all!!

1. All technology programs need to incorporate green and triple bottom line principles, skills and applications into curricula, including construction, HVAC, automotive, manufacturing, electrical and plumbing, health, etc.

2. Skill building for all levels of students – complete the learning (not just the house plans, but all the way through the marketing materials).

3. All students in all degrees need to be literate about our sustainability and greening challenges and be able to engage in solutions as consumers, employees, community members and investors

4. Lifelong learning for public.

Core knowledge and skills for all

• Literate about our sustainability challenges – (www.myfootprint.org, www.earth-policy.org, including the triple bottom line conceptual frame)

• Engagement in real world problem solving

• Skills and attitudes to be systemic thinkers (local-national-global) and effective change agents

• Optimism and interpersonal skills

• Civic Engagement in policies for a green and sustainable future

Core knowledge and skills for alltechnical students

• Further conversation via AACC electronic learning community and national project

• Electrical and thermodynamic applied basics, applied math, etc.

• Make the invisible visible: Energy analysis, greenhouse gas and other pollution analyses, life cycle analysis, cradle to cradle. All of these included in the daily product creation, selection, installation/servicing decision processes

• Assertiveness skills to integrate green/sustainability into the workplace

On the forefront in Minnesota

• Energy technical specialist degree plus certificate in one of four specialties - ethanol production, biodiesel production, wind turbine maintenance, and solar energy assessment. The certificate programs, which can be completed in as little as one semester, will be available online.

• The colleges: Alexandria Technical C., Century C., Minnesota West Community and Technical C., South Central C., St. Cloud Technical C., Hibbing CC, Itasca CC, Mesabi Range Community and Technical College and Vermilion C., Rainy River CC = Minnesota Training Partnership for a Sustainable Energy Economy.

• Partnering state-run WorkForce Centers will help recruit students and place graduates in jobs.

Federal grant supports:

• a semi-annual energy job vacancy report, • two interactive learning modules for use in secondary

schools • Energy Careers Web site, www.MnEnergyCareers.org, for

students, job seekers and teachers. • Gail O’Kane, “…degree (and) … certificates …recognizes

that a great deal of uncertainty remains about which energy sources will prevail…. But with a core set of skills, students will be well-positioned to complete additional training quickly as new energy technologies emerge.”

• The core curriculum approach was championed by the industry-led Minnesota Energy Consortium, which helped fund a study that identified the necessary core skills.

Where are the green jobs?

Clean Technology Jobs Listings • http://jobs.cleanedge.com/ – Source for clean tech job

seekers • http://www.cleanloop.com/ – Clean technology job listings

and opinions, as well as a blog • http://cleantech.jobthread.com/ – Job listings of commercial

clean technologies • http://cleantechjobs.cleantechies.com – Many listings of

clean tech jobs • http://jobs.greenbiz.com/ – Jobs from employers that focus

on cleantech practices • http://technicalgreen.net/job‐listing – Green tech job listings

Where are the green jobs?

Environmental Jobs Listings • http://www.environmentalcareer.com/ – Helping people work for the environment

• http://www.ecoemploy.com/jobs/ – Abundance of environmental jobs and careers posted here

• http://www.environmentaljobs.com/ – Saving the planet one job at a time

• http://www.ecojobs.com/ – 500+ environmental jobs and career listings

• http://www.environmentalcareer.info/ – Listings that help people work for the environment

• http://www.miscojobs.com/jobs/L_4/index.htm – All types of worldwide environmental jobs

• http://www.justmeans.com/index.php?action=jobsearch – List of environmentally friendly jobs

• http://jobs.grist.org/ – Jobs from grist – environmental news and commentary

• http://www.ehscareers.com/ – This job board includes many postings from Fortune 500 Employers

Where are the green jobs?

Renewable Energy Jobs Listings • http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/careers/

jobseekers – Renewable energy jobs • http://www.sustainjobs.com/ – Sustainability, climate

change, and renewable energy jobs • http://www.jobsinwindpower.com/ – Jobs in wind power • http://www.jobtarget.com/home/index.cfm?site_id=770 –

Jobs from AWEA • http://www.jobsinsolarpower.com/ – Solar powered jobs • http://www.solarjobs.com/ – Find a job in the solar industry

Where are the green jobs?

General Green Jobs Listings • http://www.greenjobs.com – Brings together recruiters and job seekers for green jobs • http://www.greenjobs.net/ – Offers job listings as well as a green job e‐mail list • http://www.coolclimatejobs.com/ – Best source for green collar jobs in the U.S. &

worldwide • http://www.sustainlane.com/green‐jobs – Online community for green activists plus jobs • http://green‐jobs.monstertrak.com/ – Green careers and green living resources • http://www.greenjobsearch.org/ Find green jobs from across the web • http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/jobs‐k‐green – Find green jobs, research salaries, and more at

Yahoo HotJobs • http://www.hortjobs.com/ – Job listings for the green industry • http://www.sierraclub.org/greenjobs/ – Scroll to the bottom of the page to check out jobs by

state • http://www.greenjobsphilly.org/ – Searching for a green job in Philadelphia? This site is for

you. • http://www.greencollarblog.org/ – A blog and job listings about jobs in the green collar

industry • http://greengigs.blogspot.com/ – Virtual jobs with a green twist

Where are the green jobs?

General Green Jobs Listings cont. • http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/greendreamjobs.main – Green dream

job board • http://jobs.treehugger.com/ – Many different green and other jobs listed • http://www.chicagoenvironment.org/jobintern/index.cfm – Green jobs in the Chicago area • http://www.mngreenjobs.com/ – Green jobs in Minnesota provided by MN Green Jobs

Task Force • http://www.jobsinbiofuels.com/ – Ethanol and biofuel jobs • http://careercenter.usgbc.org – Jobs from the U.S. Green Building Council • http://jobs.care2.com – Listings of jobs with socially responsible companies • http://bsr.org/resources/jobs/index.cfm – Jobs from Business for Social Responsibility • http://www.netimpact.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=4 – Changing the world through

business

Non‐Profit Jobs Listings • http://www.idealist.org/ – Thousands of jobs listed, mostly from non‐profit organizations

• http://www.opportunityknocks.org/ – Nonprofit jobs, including green collar jobs

• http://cgcareers.org/findajob/viewjobs – Provides current jobs listings from nonprofits

Where are the green jobs in your institutional marketing?

Put the above links in your career centers and educate your counselors.

One step further and this is crucial!

Key Actions beyond the tcc norm with excellent benefits for you:

1. Recognize Technical and Community Colleges are often the neutral high credibility source for the public – work with your state energy office, utilities, news outlets and others to educate the public about the urgency to act. (Benefit – gets you students)

2. Convene partnerships, community forums, etc. to catalyze entrepreneurship, and organizational and government policies that will build a healthy green economy! Include pathways out of poverty, discussions on quality of life and happiness research. (Benefit – new opportunities/green growth, e.g. Cleveland,Richmond Solar)

3. Reach out to associations of builders, mechanical contractors, plumbers, engineers, manufacturers, chambers of commerce, economic developmt agencies and others to show them how to go green (Benefits - builds your advisory committees/programs)

The Power of What You Do

• We can choose a sustainable future

Congratulations for all you have done!!

Congratulations for all you will do in the future.

Let your enthusiasm show!

For more information, contact Debra Rowe at

dgrowe@oaklandcc.edu