�鶹��Ƶ College Recognized for Sustainability Initiatives that go Above and Beyond</h1> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ College Recognized for Sustainability Initiatives that go Above and Beyond</h1> <p>swargo — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 19:06:06 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ College Recognized for Sustainability Initiatives that go Above and Beyond</span> <span><span>swargo</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-11-23T14:06:06-05:00" title="Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 14:06">Tue, 11/23/2021 - 14:06</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>�鶹��Ƶ College has been named a 2021 Excellence in Energy Award winner by NRG Energy, Inc. for the significant impact of its sustainability initiatives that achieve notable environmental and social benefits.</em></p> <hr> <p> </p> <p>OBERLIN, OHIO -- �鶹��Ƶ College has been named a <a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrg.com%2Finsights%2Fpeople-and-community%2Fwinners-embrace-energy-possibilities-.html&esheet=52533452&newsitemid=20211117006271&lan=en-US&anchor=2021+Excellence+in+Energy+Award+winners&index=1&md5=53a5073543a659ffe7a4b8b0fdc60708">2021 Excellence in Energy Award </a>winner by NRG Energy, Inc. �鶹��Ƶ was recognized for the significant impact of its sustainability initiatives that go above and beyond standard sustainability practices to achieve notable environmental and social benefits.</p> <p>“Sustainability is embedded throughout our entire culture at �鶹��Ƶ College,” said Meghan Riesterer, assistant vice president for <a href="/environmental-sustainability">campus energy and sustainability</a>. “�鶹��Ƶ College signed the Carbon Commitment and set a deadline to get to carbon neutrality by 2025. This past summer we took a really important step towards getting to carbon neutrality when we launched a $140 million, four-year campus-wide conversion to geothermal heating and cooling that will position the institution as a national leader in the clean energy space.”</p> <p>The Excellence in Energy Awards recognize NRG customers who demonstrate a strong commitment to the planning and achievement of their environmental and community goals. Through the annual celebration of these awards, NRG is shining a spotlight on successes and milestones that are shaping a better future through energy.</p> <p>“Our customers motivate us every day at NRG,” said Robert Gaudette, senior vice president of NRG Energy, Inc. “We want to honor them for their passion to drive positive change by optimizing their energy solutions and giving back to the community. These awards are about celebrating how organizations can lead the way by taking responsibility for their energy future to benefit their operations and their communities.”</p> <p>About NRG</p> <p>At NRG, we’re bringing the power of energy to people and organizations by putting customers at the center of everything we do. We generate electricity and provide energy solutions and natural gas to millions of customers through our diverse portfolio of retail brands. A Fortune 500 company, operating in the United States and Canada, NRG delivers innovative solutions while advocating for competitive energy markets and customer choice, working towards a sustainable energy future. More information is available at <a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrg.com&esheet=52533452&newsitemid=20211117006271&lan=en-US&anchor=www.nrg.com&index=2&md5=b024152e1ab94dd1a65969c6e6597d20">www.nrg.com</a>.</p> <p>About �鶹��Ƶ </p> <p>Ranked among the nation’s top liberal arts schools, �鶹��Ƶ College is known for its exemplary academic and musical pedagogy and its commitment to social justice, sustainability, and creative entrepreneurship. The college, founded in 1833, holds a distinguished place among American colleges and universities as the first to grant bachelor's degrees to women in a coeducational environment and was a leader in the education of African Americans. The Conservatory of Music, a recipient of the National Medal of Arts, was founded in 1865, making it the oldest continuously operating conservatory in the United States.</p> <p> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Releases</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-11-23T12:00:00Z">Tue, 11/23/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Scott Wargo</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3716">Office of Environmental Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">William Bradford</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ Releases Environmental and Social Responsibility Report</h1> <p>swargo — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 23:12:16 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ Releases Environmental and Social Responsibility Report</span> <span><span>swargo</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-04-22T19:12:16-04:00" title="Thursday, April 22, 2021 - 19:12">Thu, 04/22/2021 - 19:12</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>OBERLIN, OHIO -- �鶹��Ƶ’s first <a href="https://go.oberlin.edu/esr-report">Environmental and Social Responsibility Report</a>, released today, shares the many ways in which students, faculty, staff, and the broader �鶹��Ƶ community are working together to inspire the world we need.</p> <p>“We are committed to environmental stewardship and promoting social equity on college campuses and in communities across the country and world,” says President Carmen Twillie Ambar. “There is so much passion for this work in �鶹��Ƶ—both on campus and in the city—that we felt it important to chronicle the energy and drive. This report showcases just some of our ongoing commitments and progress.”</p> <p>�鶹��Ƶ leads by example, and the influence it holds among the nation’s top liberal arts institutions is amplified by its actions. The report provides a wide-ranging look at the efforts of �鶹��Ƶ to address environmental and social responsibility in three spheres of influence: </p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"><strong>Campus Commitment</strong></p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Since its founding in 1833, �鶹��Ƶ has been a community dedicated to environmental stewardship, social engagement, diversity, equity, and inclusion. The report covers �鶹��Ƶ’s many commitments on campus, where students, faculty, and staff drive change from all areas of the institution. For example:</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">• In 2006, �鶹��Ƶ was first among its peer institutions to commit to achieving carbon neutrality. In summer 2021, �鶹��Ƶ will launch a multi-year, campus-wide conversion to geothermal energy, taking an important step toward the goal of being a carbon-neutral campus by 2025.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">• When completed in 2000, the Adam Joseph Lewis Center forEnvironmental Studies was recognized as one of the top53 game-changing buildings of the past 170 years by Building, Design +Constructionmagazine.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">• Over the last decade, the college has invested in a broad spectrum of energy-efficient technologies and installed a 10-acre solar array.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">• Advocating for and advancing issues of social justice and equity have been central to the ethos of �鶹��Ƶ College since its founding. �鶹��Ƶ took an additional step forward last year when President Carmen Twillie Ambar launched the Presidential Initiative on Racial Equity and Diversity. The initiative was established in direct response to increasing injustice and racial tensions in America, and focuses on elevating and advancing �鶹��Ƶ’s more than 180-year commitment to the education and rights of Blacks in America.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"><strong>Community Commitment</strong></p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">�鶹��Ƶ College and the city of �鶹��Ƶ are inextricably linked, as they were founded by the same people in 1833. The college sits in the center of the city with no boundaries to separate it—literally or figuratively—from the city of �鶹��Ƶ. The report explores community partnerships in education and service; environmental stewardship in the community; and work to foster strong social connections in the community. For example:</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">• The college partners with more than 100 local social service agencies, schools, religiously affiliated service organizations, grassroots community initiatives, and municipal government entities that result in opportunities to give back. </p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">• Each year, more than 1,200 students volunteer about 115,000 hours in programs such as teaching Spanish to elementary school students, serving as math and reading tutors, assisting with musical education, transporting donated food to nonprofit food pantries, and promoting a sustainable transportation system on campus and in the community.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">• �鶹��Ƶ College is working closely with the city of �鶹��Ƶ to build an ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable model of a post-fossil-fuel community. </p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"><strong>Global Commitment</strong></p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">�鶹��Ƶ’s reach extends beyond its campus and its community—each year �鶹��Ƶ graduates launch careers in locations around the world. Through education, leadership, and service, they are academically prepared and personally driven to change the world for good. The report details �鶹��Ƶ’s work to educate the next generation of global sustainability and social responsibility leaders, including:</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">• �鶹��Ƶ encourages its students to recognize interdependence among social systems, the natural environment, and economies, and model this intersectional approach in our own community in order to drive the world we live in today toward the thriving world we need for the future.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">• Experiencing, understanding, and embracing other cultures is an invaluable part of an �鶹��Ƶ education. �鶹��Ƶ's global perspective is not limited to the classroom, but shines through in the experiences, living and learning spaces, and activities available to students.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">• The report provides a wealth of examples of alumni and faculty efforts, progress, and outcomes across a spectrum of environmental- and social responsibility-related initiatives.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">To learn more about �鶹��Ƶ’s dedication to environmental stewardship, social engagement, and commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion, see <a href="https://go.oberlin.edu/esr-report">INSPIRING THE WORLD WE NEED: �鶹��Ƶ’s Commitment to People and Planet</a>.</p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong>About �鶹��Ƶ</strong> </em></p> <p><em>Ranked among the nation’s top liberal arts schools, �鶹��Ƶ College is known for its exemplary academic and musical pedagogy and its commitment to social justice, sustainability, and creative entrepreneurship. The college, founded in 1833, holds a distinguished place among American colleges and universities as the first to grant bachelor's degrees to women in a coeducational environment and was a leader in the education of African Americans. The Conservatory of Music, a recipient of the National Medal of Arts, was founded in 1865, making it the oldest continuously operating conservatory in the United States.</em></p> <p style="text-align: center;">- ### -</p> <p> </p> <p>Contact:</p> <p>Scott Wargo<br> Director of Media Relations<br> 440-775-5197<br> Scott.Wargo@oberlin.edu</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Report captures a community dedicated to environmental stewardship, social engagement, diversity, equity, and inclusion.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Releases</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-04-22T12:00:00Z">Thu, 04/22/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Scott Wargo</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3499">Climate Action</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">William Bradford</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ College Recognized by EPA as 2017-18 College and University Green Power Conference Champion</h1> <p>swargo — Tue, 01 May 2018 19:59:32 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ College Recognized by EPA as 2017-18 College and University Green Power Conference Champion</span> <span><span>swargo</span></span> <span><time datetime="2018-05-01T15:59:32-04:00" title="Tuesday, May 1, 2018 - 15:59">Tue, 05/01/2018 - 15:59</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>OBERLIN, OHIO — �鶹��Ƶ College announced today that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized it as Champion in the 2017–18 College and University Green Power Challenge. �鶹��Ƶ College currently uses more green power than any other school in the North Coast Athletic Conference.</p> <p>Since April 2006, EPA’s Green Power Partnership has tracked and recognized the collegiate athletic conferences with the highest combined green power use within the program. The Conference Champion Award recognizes the school that uses the most green power in a qualifying conference.</p> <p>�鶹��Ƶ College beat its conference rivals by using nearly 16 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power. �鶹��Ƶ College is procuring a utility green power product from �鶹��Ƶ Municipal Light & Power and also is generating green power from several on-site renewable energy systems using solar resources. This commitment to green power demonstrates a sustainable choice that helps to reduce the negative health impacts of air emissions including those related to ozone, fine particles, acid rain, and regional haze.</p> <p>According to the U.S. EPA, �鶹��Ƶ’s green power use of nearly 16 million kWh is equivalent to the electricity use of more than 1,000 average American homes annually.</p> <p>In the 2017–18 challenge, the 38 collegiate conferences and 109 schools competing collectively used nearly 3.6 billion kWh of green power. EPA’s Green Power Challenge is open to any collegiate athletic conference in the United States. To qualify, a collegiate athletic conference must include at least two schools that qualify as Green Power Partners, and the conference must collectively use at least 10 million kWh of green power. EPA will restart the 13th<sup> </sup>season of the College and University Green Power Challenge in fall 2018 and conclude it in spring 2019. For more information, visit: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/greenpower/college-and-university-challenge" target="_blank">www.epa.gov/greenpower/college-and-university-challenge</a>.</p> <p>“We are very honored and proud to be designated conference champion in EPA’s College and University Power Challenge” said Meghan Riesterer, assistant vice president for campus energy & sustainability. “As a preeminent liberal arts college with a storied history of leadership in inclusion and sustainability, �鶹��Ƶ College strives to educate and inspire a multi-disciplinary way of thinking about the world that incorporates an ethic of environmental care, social equity, and financial responsibility. The advanced energy and power solutions of our physical campus result in a more resilient, de-carbonized operations that help us use our campus as an educational tool for student learning as well as acts as a model to higher education and beyond.”</p> <p><strong>About EPA’s Green Power Partnership</strong></p> <p>The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that helps increase green power use among U.S. organizations to advance the American market for green power and development of those sources as a way to reduce air pollution and other environmental impacts associated with electricity use. The Partnership currently has more than 1,600 Partners voluntarily using more than 48 billion kWh of green power annually. Partners include a wide variety of leading organizations such as Fortune 500® companies; small and medium sized businesses; local, state, and federal governments; and colleges and universities. For additional information, please visit <a href="http://www.epa.gov/greenpower" target="_blank">www.epa.gov/greenpower</a>. </p> <p>For more information about EPA’s College and University Green Power Challenge, visit the Challenge website at <a href="https://www.epa.gov/greenpower/college-and-university-challenge" target="_blank">https://www.epa.gov/greenpower/college-and-university-challenge</a>.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Releases</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2018-05-01T12:00:00Z">Tue, 05/01/2018 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3499">Climate Action</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">John Petersen</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ Receives Ohio EPA Grant to Integrate Environmental Dashboard in Urban School Districts</h1> <p>Anonymous — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 21:10:52 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ Receives Ohio EPA Grant to Integrate Environmental Dashboard in Urban School Districts</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2017-02-10T16:10:52-05:00" title="Friday, February 10, 2017 - 16:10">Fri, 02/10/2017 - 16:10</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>OBERLIN—The college has received a $49,689 grant from the Ohio EPA’s Ohio Environmental Education Fund (OEEF) for a pilot project to provide curricular development and teacher training in four Ohio school districts that have already installed or plan to install Environmental Dashboard technology.</p> <p>Developed at �鶹��Ƶ College with EPA support, the <a href="http://environmentaldashboard.org">Environmental Dashboard</a> makes flows of water and energy through buildings and whole communities and environmental conditions visible, engaging and teachable, while also linking these to smart environmental decision-making. The dashboard combines real-time feedback with “Community Voices” to draw attention to positive actions of youth and community members who are already working to build more resilient and sustainable communities. </p> <p>An �鶹��Ƶ team will coordinate curricular integration in Akron Public Schools, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), and Toledo Public Schools. �鶹��Ƶ City Schools, which piloted curricular integration of the Environmental Dashboard with earlier grants, will play a leadership role. The pilot will lay the groundwork for expansion within and beyond these districts.</p> <p>The grant will support teacher workshops, which will create expertise in Environmental Dashboard technology and engage educators in developing and testing lessons that emphasize authentic and active student learning experiences and community engagement. Resulting instructional units will follow best practices, be aligned with learning goals and standards, and will be hosted on a <a href="http://environmentaldashboard.org/edresources/">searchable database</a> accessible to the growing number of schools using dashboard technology. </p> <p>Partly in response to the successful OEEF-funded �鶹��Ƶ pilot, the dashboard is proliferating in northeast Ohio. In spring 2015, dashboard technology to monitor electricity was installed in all 42 Toledo public schools. In summer 2015, dashboard monitoring was installed in four Akron public schools. And in June 2016, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District committed to installing the dashboard to monitor and display electricity, water, and gas use in nine STEM-focused schools. </p> <p>In Cleveland, the dashboard will be used in a cross-section of schools, including a dual language K-8 school, a career tech high school, and several K-8 STEM schools. </p> <p>“Since fall 2011, the CMSD Department of Science Education has focused on incorporating environmental science at all grade levels in all schools. We feel that environmental science aligns with Ohio’s Learning Standards for Science, increases opportunities for experiential learning and provides real world application of scientific skills and processes,” says Kirsten Mahovlich, CMSD’s curriculum and instruction content manager for science, grades 7-12.</p> <p>The pilot continues CMSD’s efforts to accelerate engagement in innovative and authentic learning experiences where students investigate global issues through the lens of their community, and the real-time data will connect students to problems that are multifaceted, says Tim Sisson, the CMSD’s STEM content manager.</p> <p>“The Environmental Dashboard is the next element of the STEM learning matrix the district has been striving to create for the last five years,” Sisson says. “This matrix includes initiatives with local education partners, including Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center, Natural History Museum, Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland Aquarium and the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, along with WKYC supported weather stations and the district’s pK-8 STEM- focused efforts. The matrix provides scholars a connected learning experience where they author their learning and develop their own knowledge matrix leading to deeper learning and meaning for applications in life.” </p> <p>For more than a decade the �鶹��Ƶ community—both college and city—have served as a pilot for developing Environmental Dashboard as a technology and an approach. “For several years we have been working with educators in the �鶹��Ƶ City Schools, and it is exciting to now be engaging with large urban districts which obviously have their own distinct challenges and opportunities,” says John Petersen, creator of the dashboard and �鶹��Ƶ’s Paul Sears Professor of Environmental Studies and Biology. “Using the technology to help students see themselves as connected and empowered decision-makers within their schools and communities is critical at all scales.</p> <p>As part of the project, Palmer Conservation Consulting, an energy consulting firm headquartered in Toledo, is working with participating Akron and Cleveland schools to complete meter installation and configuration of the building dashboards. </p> <p>The �鶹��Ƶ dashboard team includes Petersen along with Cindy Frantz, professor of psychology; Rumi Shammin, associate professor and director of the environmental studies program; Augustus Arthur, project manager of the Environmental Dashboard; and Darrel Tremaine, �鶹��Ƶ’s sustainable technology coordinator.<br> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Releases</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2016-12-20T12:00:00Z">Tue, 12/20/2016 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25351">Environmental Studies and Sciences</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/environmental-studies" hreflang="und">Environmental Studies and Science</a></div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ Awarded Grant for Asian Studies and the Environment</h1> <p>Anonymous — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 18:01:20 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ Awarded Grant for Asian Studies and the Environment</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2016-11-07T13:01:20-05:00" title="Monday, November 7, 2016 - 13:01">Mon, 11/07/2016 - 13:01</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>�鶹��Ƶ College has been awarded a four-year, $400,000 implementation grant through the Luce Foundation’s Luce Initiative on Asian Studies and the Environment (LIASE) program. The program encourages “innovative approaches to Asian studies at the undergraduate level through the lens of the environment and sustainable development,” as well as expansion of “Asia-related curriculum across the disciplines.”</p> <p>Launched in 2010, LIASE is designed to foster broader understanding of Asia to address environmental challenges that demand global cooperation. This will require engaging individuals with interdisciplinary training, comparative perspectives, knowledge of local conditions, and an understanding of historical and cultural contexts, all aims of �鶹��Ƶ’s LIASE project.</p> <p>The implementation grant builds upon a one-year (2014-2015) LIASE exploratory grant from the Luce Foundation, with both awards centered on the theme Sustainability and Resilience in the Face of Environmental Stress and Extreme Events. The current implementation grant will engage faculty, students, and staff across the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and Conservatory of Music. �鶹��Ƶ’s LIASE programming uses the lenses of natural/physical phenomena and the underlying geological, biological, chemical, or physical processes responsible for either extreme events or gradual environmental change; the context of the built environment and the ways in which human infrastructure, population distribution, and economic and other factors relate to a topic or question; and the cultural, ethical, behavioral, and social implications of the ways human societies create meaning in relation to the non-human environment. Activities will include faculty development seminars, guest speakers and visiting artists, curriculum development grants, study tours in Asia for student-faculty groups, and support of student research on Asia and the environment. </p> <p>The first event held under the auspices of LIASE implementation grant was a September 8, 2016 symposium on “Slow Violence and Resilience in Asia: Intergenerational Environmental Legacies” featuring Brett Walker, Regents Professor of History at Montana State University, Bozeman, and Tang Ya, professor of environmental science at Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. Tang opened the standing-room-only event with a lecture entitled “Ecological Engineering in the Treatment of Environmental Problems in China,” and Walker’s presentation was entitled “Natural and Unnatural Disasters: 3/11, Asbestos, and the Unmaking of Japan’s Modern World.” As part of their visit, Professor Tang met with students in Associate Professor of Geology Zeb Page’s first-year seminar The Anthropocene, and Professor Walker spoke with students in Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Chie Sakakibara’s 300-level Environmental Studies class Indigenous Peoples and Climate Change. Students from a range of majors discussed environmental topics and education with the guests during a lunch meeting. Walker and Tang also met with faculty from East Asian Studies, Environmental Studies, Geology, and Sociology. </p> <p>Looking ahead, Ann Sherif, professor of Japanese and co-director of the grant, described plans to “increase content about environmental issues in our intermediate- and upper-level Japanese and Chinese language classes, and design co-curricular activities so that students in elementary language classes can engage.” Steven Wojtal, professor of geology and LIASE co-director, is excited that the grant will encourage the study of Asian languages and culture among students with little or no prior training in those fields, in particular students majoring in the natural sciences. For students with no prior experience in studying Asia, the grant will support a tiered approach, beginning with on-campus programming such as lectures, exhibitions on Asian art and nature at the Allen Memorial Art Museum, and on-campus Winter Term projects, continuing with expanded curricular coverage of Asian environmental issues and study trips to Asia, and culminating with support for student and faculty research on Asian environmental issues or in Asia. </p> <p>Sherif notes, “We value experiential learning. We value being in that place, breathing in that air—whether it is clean or dirty—and talking with people, meeting with people, walking around and getting a sense of the place, but there will be a strong academic component too. Before all of the trips there will be some kind of class so students can learn about the issues they are going to explore, something about the history and the culture of the places, and also establish learning goals. The better prepared they are, the more they know going in, the more they will learn.” </p> <p>The next LIASE activity will be a November 14-15 event on “Activism and the Environment in Indonesia.” </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Releases</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2016-09-26T12:00:00Z">Mon, 09/26/2016 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25336">East Asian Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/east-asian-studies" hreflang="und">East Asian Studies</a></div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>GLCA Grant to Bring Environmental Dashboard to New Colleges</h1> <p>Anonymous — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 18:03:18 +0000</p> <span>GLCA Grant to Bring Environmental Dashboard to New Colleges</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2016-11-07T13:03:18-05:00" title="Monday, November 7, 2016 - 13:03">Mon, 11/07/2016 - 13:03</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>�鶹��Ƶ College has been awarded a grant from the Great Lakes College Association (GLCA)—a consortium of 13 private liberal arts colleges located in Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio—as part of its “Expanding Collaboration Initiative” funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.</strong> The grant is awarded for a project in partnership with Albion College, Antioch College, DePauw University, and Hope College.</p> <p>The project, called “Environmental Dashboard Implementation in Multiple GLCA Colleges to Foster Collaboration across Campuses,” will foster programs of teaching, research, and outreach across college campuses to heighten awareness of how human behaviors affect the well-being of the natural environment, as well as the sustained vitality of human society in local settings and the broader global context. It includes collaborative initiatives that seek to educate populations on college campuses, in public school systems, and in local communities about how changing practices can result in a more vibrant and sustained future for humanity.</p> <p>Developed at �鶹��Ƶ College, the <a href="http://www.EnvironmentalDashboard.org">Environmental Dashboard</a> is a communication technology that combines real-time display of water and electricity use in buildings, organizations, and whole communities with photographs and words contributed by community members that celebrate positive thought and action. Using LCD monitors and websites, the dashboard employs compelling graphics to reconnect people with the natural world by making flows of resources visible and promoting sustainable behavior.</p> <p><strong>During the next two years, a core team of faculty and staff across the five participating campuses will work to install Environmental Dashboard technology to engage their respective institutions in curriculum development, research, and community outreach around the tool and instill cross-campus dialogue and collaboration.</strong> They will be joined by an extended team of up to 25 faculty from multiple academic disciplines who will be recruited through a series of workshops and outreach initiatives that will take place on the five campuses in spring 2015. The project seeks to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders, including faculty, staff, administrators, facilities personnel, sustainability officers, and students, to make the Environmental Dashboard a common digital platform for communication, collaboration, and creativity.</p> <p>“Creating a shared vision of a sustainable community requires the culmination of questions, perspectives, interactions, and actions of a diverse group of stakeholders,” says <a href="http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/environment/faculty_detail.dot?id=27118">Md Rumi Shammin</a>, associate professor of environmental studies and project leader. “An ongoing challenge is to provide meaningful opportunities for people to have closer ties with nature, natural resources, and each other in this digital era. This project opens up exciting new possibilities for interdisciplinary innovation on sustainability within and across the participating campuses and their communities using the interactive digital landscapes of the Environmental Dashboard.”</p> <p>The project is a collaborative effort of a team of 17 faculty and staff members from the five campuses, including <a href="http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/environment/faculty_detail.dot?id=20759">Cindy Frantz</a>, associate professor of psychology; <a href="http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/environment/faculty_detail.dot?id=21089">John Petersen</a>, director and professor of environmental studies; and Deborah Roose, director of the <a href="http://catalog.oberlin.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=10&poid=1101&returnto=143" target="_blank">�鶹��Ƶ College Educational Alliance Network (OCEAN)</a>.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Releases</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2015-02-10T12:00:00Z">Tue, 02/10/2015 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ in the Running for $5 Million Energy Prize</h1> <p>Anonymous — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 18:03:18 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ in the Running for $5 Million Energy Prize</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2016-11-07T13:03:18-05:00" title="Monday, November 7, 2016 - 13:03">Mon, 11/07/2016 - 13:03</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>�鶹��Ƶ has been selected as one of 50 communities competing for the Georgetown University Energy Prize, a national $5 million competition that aims to rethink the way American communities use energy.</p> <p>The announcement was made Wednesday, January 14, on the <a href="https://socialenterprise.georgetown.edu/event/gu-energy-prize" target="_blank">Georgetown University Energy Prize</a> website. Representatives from <a href="http://www.oberlinproject.org/">the �鶹��Ƶ Project</a> shared the news with the community at a press conference in the �鶹��Ƶ Public Library.</p> <p>The competing communities are distributed among 26 states across the U.S. Athens County is the only other Ohio community in the top 50.</p> <p>�鶹��Ƶ will work to reduce its energy consumption through 2016. The Georgetown University Energy Prize will announce 10 finalists in early 2017 and the winner of the $5 million prize in June 2017.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Releases</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2015-01-20T12:00:00Z">Tue, 01/20/2015 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ Recognized as Climate Positive Participant</h1> <p>anagy — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 18:04:39 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ Recognized as Climate Positive Participant</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2016-11-07T13:04:39-05:00" title="Monday, November 7, 2016 - 13:04">Mon, 11/07/2016 - 13:04</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>OBERLIN, OH—The City of �鶹��Ƶ and �鶹��Ƶ College are one step closer to achieving climate positive status. </p> <p>The �鶹��Ƶ Project, a joint effort of the city and college, has adopted a climate positive roadmap to reduce the community’s overall greenhouse gas emissions below zero. The plan has moved �鶹��Ƶ to the second phase of a four-step process for earning a “climate positive” designation from the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group’s Climate Positive Development Program (CPDP). The Climate Positive Development Program was launched in partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), and the U.S. Green Building Council.</p> <p>Making a commitment to reducing greenhouse gases below zero is to not just minimize harm, but to have a positive impact on the environment by investing in projects that lead to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in surrounding communities.</p> <p>CPDP aims to go “beyond carbon neutral” by creating a model for cities seeking to grow in ways that are environmentally sustainable and economically viable. Climate Positive Developments will reduce the emissions they create and offset the remainder by removing emissions from their adjacent communities. </p> <p>In 2010, the city and college each signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the CPDP committing to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas emissions below zero. �鶹��Ƶ is only one of 18 cities worldwide (three in the United States) that is part of this select group. �鶹��Ƶ is the first partner site in North America to move to the next stage of the process.</p> <p>“�鶹��Ƶ is distinct in that its climate action plan applies to an existing community, not a new development project,” says Kristin Braziunas ’08, assistant director of the �鶹��Ƶ Project.</p> <p>“Putting proof of concept into reality, the Climate Positive Development Program is pleased to be working with such innovative partners as �鶹��Ƶ and �鶹��Ƶ College, and we are privileged to be able to recognize the �鶹��Ƶ Project’s Climate Positive roadmap and the strategies and tactics laid out,” says Zachary Tofias, Director of the C40 Climate Positive Development Program. “Providing a tangible, locally relevant example of the future of sustainable development, C40 cities and governments around the world will learn from the �鶹��Ƶ Project’s roadmap, which charts out their ambitious path to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By proving that communities’ actions can reduce their carbon emissions, the �鶹��Ƶ Project’s results will be studied in order to be replicated around the world and shall serve as a model for the future of low carbon district scale development.”</p> <p>The result of broad citizen input and a committee jointly led by City of �鶹��Ƶ and �鶹��Ƶ Project staff, �鶹��Ƶ’s climate action plan was adopted by City Council in March 2013 and includes a climate positive roadmap endorsed by the college in April 2013. The action plan:</p> <ul> <li> <p>Commits the City of �鶹��Ƶ to reduce greenhouse gas emissions community-wide 50 percent by 2015, 75 percent by 2030, and below zero by 2050; </p> </li> <li> <p>Commits the City to tracking progress with a revised greenhouse gas inventory every 5 years;</p> </li> <li> <p>Includes the College’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2025;</p> </li> <li> <p>Identifies current and anticipated projects to achieve emissions reductions goals in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency, green building, transportation, zero waste/solid waste and wastewater, land use, local foods and agriculture, carbon offset markets and sequestration, policy, and finance; and</p> </li> <li> <p>Establishes a measurement and verification plan to track progress toward greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals.</p> </li> </ul> <p>“We are very pleased with the progress our community is making in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We are on track to reach the goal of a 50 percent reduction by 2015,” says �鶹��Ƶ City Manager Eric Norenberg. “I am optimistic that through continued collaboration with �鶹��Ƶ College, other community institutions and our residents, we will achieve future milestones as well.”</p> <p>About the �鶹��Ƶ Project: The �鶹��Ƶ Project is a joint effort of the City of �鶹��Ƶ, �鶹��Ƶ College, and private and institutional partners to improve the resilience, prosperity, and sustainability of the community. </p> <p>The �鶹��Ƶ Project is currently focused on six core goals: creating one of the first climate positive cities in America; creating new and supporting existing business ventures in energy efficiency and solar deployment, food and agriculture, and the sustainable use of local resources; conserving 20,000 acres of green space and developing a robust local foods economy to meet 70 percent of consumption; creating an educational alliance between the college, the �鶹��Ƶ City Schools, the Joint Vocational School, and Lorain County Community College focused on integrating sustainability into education at all levels; developing a 13-acre Green Arts District at the U.S. Green Building Council Platinum level; and serving as a model that can be replicated in other communities. More at <a href="http://www.oberlinproject.org/">oberlinproject.org</a></p> <p>About the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group: C40 is a network of large and engaged cities from around the world committed to implementing meaningful and sustainable climate-related policies and programs locally that will help address climate change globally. C40 works in an aligned partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) Cities program of the Clinton Foundation. CCI Cities became the delivery partner of C40 in 2006. The closer alliance between the two organizations—announced in the spring of 2011—brings significant resources and infrastructure that will enhance and accelerate their historic activities and positions the combined effort as one of the preeminent climate action organizations in the world. To learn more please visit <a href="http://www.c40.org/">www.c40.org</a>.</p> <p>Contact: Kristin Braziunas, Assistant Director, The �鶹��Ƶ Project kbraziunas@oberlinproject.org 440-775-6219</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Releases</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2013-08-06T12:00:00Z">Tue, 08/06/2013 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Amanda Nagy</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ Named Finalist in Second Nature Climate Leadership Awards</h1> <p>Anonymous — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 18:04:51 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ Named Finalist in Second Nature Climate Leadership Awards</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2016-11-07T13:04:51-05:00" title="Monday, November 7, 2016 - 13:04">Mon, 11/07/2016 - 13:04</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>�鶹��Ƶ College was named a finalist in the fourth annual Second Nature 2013 Climate Leadership Awards, an annual competition among colleges and universities that are signatories of the <a href="http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org">American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment</a> (ACUPCC).</p> <p>The awards program is sponsored by Second Nature, a national nonprofit that seeks to create a sustainable society by transforming higher education, and PlanetForward, a media company that published news, opinion, and insight about energy, climate, and sustainability.</p> <p>"�鶹��Ƶ has been and continues to be a pioneer in the movement toward a sustainable future,” says Rob Lamppa, �鶹��Ƶ director of sustainability and energy management. “From administrative and board leadership, curricular engagement, green buildings and energy, to outreach and community-wide involvement through alumni and the <a href="http://www.oberlinproject.org">�鶹��Ƶ Project</a>, the college is working to engage all its constituencies behind this initiative. The selection of �鶹��Ƶ as a Second Nature Climate Leadership Award finalist is recognition of our strong commitment to see this through, and of our intent to remain a leading example of how to get there." </p> <p>This year drew the largest and most competitive pool of nominations to date. Second Nature will partner with PlanetForward on a public voting competition featuring the finalists’ climate leadership and campus innovations during Earth Month (April 2013).</p> <p>“The caliber of this year’s nominations is unparalleled,” said ACUPCC Director Ashka Naik. “The depth and breadth of climate leadership and sustainability education programs demonstrated by these finalists is a reflection of their deep commitment to truly innovative solutions for a sustainable future.”</p> <p>The awards will feature a public, online voting component. Each of the 20 finalists will produce a video that promotes its specific sustainability efforts. Voting will be open during Earth Month. Last year’s voting competition drew more than 70,000 video views and 14,000 votes.</p> <p>In late spring, award winners will be chosen, independent of the video voting competition, by members of the Second Nature Board not affiliated with ACUPCC signatory schools.</p> <p>More information on the awards is at the Second Nature <a href="https://secondnature.org/" target="_blank">website</a>.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Releases</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2013-01-29T12:00:00Z">Tue, 01/29/2013 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ Tops Center for Green School's "Best of Green Schools 2012" List</h1> <p>Anonymous — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 18:04:39 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ Tops Center for Green School's "Best of Green Schools 2012" List</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2016-11-07T13:04:39-05:00" title="Monday, November 7, 2016 - 13:04">Mon, 11/07/2016 - 13:04</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>�鶹��Ƶ College was named the <a href="https://centerforgreenschools.org/announcing-best-green-schools-2012-117" target="_blank">Best 4-Year Higher Education Institution</a> on the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Center for Green Schools “Best of Green Schools 2012” list. The second annual ranking recognizes top educational institutions and individuals across the country for embracing environmental initiatives.</p> <p>“Year after year we continue to be blown away by the ingenuity and innovation of communities across the country and around the world,” <a href="https://centerforgreenschools.org/best-green-schools-2012-release" target="_blank">says Rachel Gutter</a>, director of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC. “In these challenging economic times, we’ve seen an impressive commitment on the part of schools, communities, and leaders to make the places where our children learn healthy and safe, while putting money back into the classrooms where it belongs.”</p> <p>�鶹��Ƶ College is recognized as the Best 4-Year Higher Education Institution for its “innovative curriculum, research and work opportunities, and educational events and programming” that “aim to engage all member of its community in sustainability issues.”</p> <p>The USGBC highlights many aspects of �鶹��Ƶ’s commitment to sustainability and environmentalism, including five Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified buildings, the largest <a href="http://new.oberlin.edu/home/news-media/press/detail.dot?id=3982197">solar array</a> of any private, four-year liberal arts college in the United States, student work opportunities such as living machine operators, the <a href="http://new.oberlin.edu/home/news-media/detail.dot?id=4770801&parentCatKeyI=&catKeyI=&catSet=comm-pr,con-pr">Green Ecological Design and General Efficiency (EDGE) Fund</a>, a responsible investing student group, and the Recycled Products and Bike Co-ops. In addition, USGBC praises the city and college’s commitment to become one of the first climate positive cities in the country with the Clinton Foundation Climate Positive Development Program.</p> <p>“We want sustainability to be the default condition on campus, where it becomes just the way we live and work, and how we do things at �鶹��Ƶ,” says Rob Lamppa, �鶹��Ƶ’s director of sustainability and energy management. “This award recognizes our continued efforts to move in this direction. We need to keep leading by example, as we all have a stake in this."</p> <p>In the past five years alone, �鶹��Ƶ has received much recognition for its work in environmentalism and sustainability, including a first place ranking in both <i>Sierra</i> magazine’s Top 10 “Coolest Schools” and <i>The Daily Beast</i>’s “Greenest Schools” list; the highest grade on the College Sustainability Report Card, an annual report published by the Sustainable Endowments Institute; and a gold ranking from the Sustainability Tracking Assessment & Rating System (STARS), a new program from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.</p> <p>Visit the <a href="https://centerforgreenschools.org/" target="_blank">Center for Green Schools website</a> for more information. </p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Releases</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2013-01-22T12:00:00Z">Tue, 01/22/2013 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2369">Environment & Sustainability</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> </article> </main></body></html>