This new book assesses trends in 28 areas of American life - including education; forestry; transportation; oceans and estuaries; religion; and governance - and makes incisive recommendations in each area for achieving a sustainable America.

"The new administration would be wise to use this as a guide book for its policies." - The Honorable Timothy E. Wirth, President, United Nations Foundation and Better World Fund.

Download the chapter Higher Education: More and More Laboratories for Inventing a Sustainable Future, by Wynn Calder and Julian Dautremont-Smith, here.  

Click here to order Agenda For A Sustainable America. 

The Talloires Declaration is a declaration of sustainability that university presidents can sign. The declaration has already been signed by over three hundred presidents.

The Association of University Leaders for a Sustainable Future has resources available to help enable schools and universities follow through with implementation plans after making and/or signing declarations.

The Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) established in 1965, is the an association focused on the promotion, advancement, and application of effective planning in higher education.

The Peer Campus Sustainability Final Report, May 2005 compared environmental sustainability programs and recommended improvements. See how these reports and improvements can help your institution.

Illinois Wesleyan University is one example of many higher education institutions that include commitments to social justice and environmental sustainability. View the IWU Mission Statement

The participating organizations in the Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability have declared their commitment to education for a sustainable future. They recognize that the engagement of the academic disciplines is critical to advancing the broad goals of sustainable development and seek to help higher education exert strong leadership in making education, research, and practice for a sustainable society a reality. DANS members include over twenty national disciplinary associations. Monthly conference calls focus on sustainability in curricula, professional development, standards, cross disciplinary projects, legislation, and efforts to educate the public.

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) is a network which includes resources for syllabi and profiles of institutions which are infusing sustainability in education.

Lesson plans for multiple disiciplines created by Miami Dade faculty as a result of their professional development in ESD.

The University Leaders for a Sustainable Future database also contains links related to curricula, sample syllabi and listservs.

ULSF Sustainable Degrees are examples of Sustainability Related Degree Programs.

USGBC is committed to supporting educators in using the built environment as the context for learning. USGBC promotes the reorientation of K-12 and higher education programs toward sustainability and green building as a tool for preparing students to enter the green marketplace.

Education for Sustainability: Guides for Teaching and Learning
In an effort to provide a framework for enhancing teaching and learning in sustainability, the Sustainability Team at the University of Gloucestershire (UK) has released two installments of its Education for Sustainability (EfS): Guides for Teaching and Learning series.

A Guide for University Managers on Needs and Opportunities explores strategic needs, benefits and the potential for EfS in the curriculum and in partnership with external organizations. A Guide for Educators on Teaching and Learning Approaches provides orientation on the aims and principles of EfS to inform curriculum development work.

Read these articles and journals on sustainability in higher education. Also visit the Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability.

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education

Journal of Education for Sustainable Development (Sage)

The Climate Change Resource Center

American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), is a high-visibility effort to address global warming by garnering institutional commitments to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions, and to accelerate the research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize the earth's climate.

Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) is a professional, membership-based association of colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada whose mission is to promote sustainability in all sectors of higher education - from governance and operations to curriculum and outreach - through education, communication, research and professional development. AASHE produces a free weekly e-bulletin - an e-newsletter of green campus news, events, and opportunities. Click here to subscribe.

AASHE's resource center includes AASHE bulletin archives, and annual AASHE digest, and articles and on-line resources on funding mechanisms for campus sustainability programs; assessment tools, reports and indicators; books, journals, and articles; discussion lists and electronic newsletters; calendar of campus sustainability events; strategic and master college and university plans that include sustainability; an environmental policy "bank"; directory, job descriptions, and salary survey for campus sustainability officers; a campus sustainability website listing; listing of academic sustainability programs; course descriptions for campus sustainability courses; resources for campus environmental operations, i.e. energy and climate change, green buildings, food and dining, grounds and landscaping, purchasing, recycling, transportation, etc.

The Association of Higher Education Facilities Offices is dedicated to the maintenance, protection, and promotion of quality educational facilities. At this site, put in the search word "Sustainable".

Campus Ecology Program is a program of the National Wildlife Federation which supports and promotes positive and practical conservation projects on campus and beyond. Campus Ecology's website provides access to an annual yearbook of successful green campus programs, information on student fellowships, and profiles of campus programs in the areas of assessment, building design, dining services, energy, environmental literacy, habitat restoration, management systems, purchasing, transportation, waster reduction, and water. A variety of training opportunities are provided including on-line seminars.

Clean Air Cool Planet (CACP) is an organization which partners with businesses, communities, campuses, and science centers to identify and promote solutions to climate change. CACP's Campuses for Climate Action program provides a campus climate action toolkit which includes a free downloadable Campus Carbon Calculator.

College and University Recycling Council is a network of campus-based recycling professionals, sponsored by the National Recycling Council. Sponsors a e-mail discussion list for campus recycling coordinators and holds annual national conferences.

Green Power Partnership ia a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program provides advice and resources to prospective green power purchasers and publicity to green power leaders.

Green School List hosted by Brown University is for the exchange of ideas, support, and technical information between people who are working on institutional change to improve the environmental performance of schools.

HEEPP Green Listserv serves as a forum for event announcements, questions, and the sharing of information and resources related to green purchasing.

Higher Education Associations for Sustainability Consortium (HEASC) is a network of higher education associations with a commitment to advancing education for a sustainable future, both within their constituencies as national higher education associations and within the system of higher education itself. Members include:

• American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)
• ACPA-College Student Educators International (ACPA)
• American Association of State Colleges & Universities (AASCU)
• Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers (APPA)
• Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
• Association of College & University Housing Officers International (ACUHO-I)
• Association of Governing Boards of Universities & Colleges (AGB)
• National Association for Campus Activities (NACA)
• National Association of College & University Business Officers (NACUBO)
• National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP)
• National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA)
• Society for College & University Planning (SCUP)

HEASC resource center contains links to the sustainability website pages of the members, articles, and webinar materials.

Higher Education Climate Action Project is designed to engage higher education institutions across the United States in reducing climate disruptions by limiting greenhouse gas emissions and promoting a sustainable future.

The Solid Waste Policy Group at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey has created an Enviro-Purchasing guide to help you learn about enviro-purchasing policy, determine your role in enviro-purchasing policy, and investigate environmentally preferable products and services.

Sustainable Consumption and Production - a lengthy list of publications compiled by UNEP's Division of Technology, Industry, and Economics.

United Students for Fair Trade is a national network of student organizations advocating around Fair Trade products, policies, and principles.

Take the Graduation Pledge of Social and Environmental Responsibility. Students at over one hundred institutions of higher learning have already pledged "to explore and take into account the social and environmental consequences of any job I consider and will try to improve these aspects of any organizations for which I work.

Harvard's Campus Green Teams - The question guiding this manual is: How can we create frameworks to ignite, resource, organize and focus students and staff to achieve campus sustainability? Two programs developed by the Harvard Green Campus Initiative (HGCI) to address this question are described on this website. They are the Green Living Program (GLP) and Student Internship Program (SIP).

Visit the sustainability web pages of College Student Educators International that includes sustainability learning outcomes, campus activities list for sustainability, sustainability living campaigns, and more.

The Association of University Leaders for a Sustainable Future has resources to link you to local community and regional outreach and services.

The Council of Environmental Deans and Directors are representatives that come together to improve the quality, stature, and effectiveness of academic environmental programs at U.S. universities and colleges. Facilitated by the National Council for Science and the Environment.

The Council of Environmental Deans and Directors are representatives that come together to improve the quality, stature, and effectiveness of academic environmental programs at U.S. universities and colleges. Facilitated by the National Council for Science and the Environment.

The University of New Hampshire Office of Sustainability Programshas links to current projects in culture and sustainability, education, food and society, and more.

ASAE and the Center for Association Leadership have been working on principles and tools to help associations and their members be socially responsible. See case studies, principles, checklists and resources.

Learn and Serve America supports and encourages service-learning throughout the United States, and enables over one million students to make meaningful contributions to their community while building their academic and civic skills.

Learn and Serve America provides direct and indirect support to K-12 schools, community groups and higher education institutions to facilitate service-learning projects by:

• - Providing grant support for school-community partnerships and higher education institutions;
• - Providing training and technical assistance resources to teachers, administrators, parents, schools and community groups; and
• - Collecting and disseminating research, effective practices, curricula, and program models.

Efforts are underway to link sustainable living educators through a Sustainable Living Education National Network of natural resource and extension professionals, who will investigate, educate, and model sustainable living practices to individuals, families, institutions, businesses, camps, and schools. Sustainable living embodies a thoughtful approach to leading fulfilling, productive, and environmentally responsible lives. Successful sustainable living balances economic, social, and environmental needs while meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations.

See the resources of the Community Sector Team of the U.S. Partnership.

Academic Impact is a global initiative that aligns institutions of higher education with the United Nations in actively supporting 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, literacy, sustainability and conflict resolution. Academic Impact also asks each participating college or university to actively demonstrate support of at least one of those principles each year. We encourage our campus members to visit the UNAI website to see if their campus might commit to the initiative and join more than 1,000 institutions around the world that have done so.

The Northwest Earth Institute is excited to share the Quarterly Sustainability Salon Series.
 
What is the Salon Series?: A simple electronic PDF that includes article excerpts and accompanying discussion questions on a variety of sustainability topics. Excerpts are from NWEI course books and provide you with a short, informal resource for starting sustainability-focused discussions on your campus.
 
Ways you can use this tool:

• In the classroom with students - as a way to engage students in one session of discussion and critical thinking on complex sustainability topics
• In residence halls with students or student leaders - as a way to engage participants in dialogue on sustainability topics
• During New Student Orientations – as a way to spark conversation and introduce key concepts of sustainability
• As a discussion starter amongst faculty or staff during sustainability-focused meetings
• As a tool for curriculum trainings and workshops around how to integrate sustainability into the curriculum
• We hope this tool will serve to further sustainability dialogue and action on your campus!

 
Download the Spring/Summer 2011 Sustainability Salon Series tool here
 
NWEI’s innovative discussion courses have been used successfully by more than 150 campuses around the country. To learn more about NWEI's sustainability curricula and order NWEI course books, click here.