May 2012: Classes, Training & Community

Live at PICA Next Year!

Interested in living in the PICA community? If you enjoy living sustainably, gardening, sharing home-cooked meals, and living in a friendly educational community, PICA (Program in Community and Agroecology) might just be the place for you! Details on how to sign up for the Village's amazing themed housing can be found here. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Bethany Hecht.

Summer Writing Workshops
This summer, UCSC Environmental Studies lecturer and research associate Sarah Rabkin will be offering a five-day writing retreat in the northern Sierra Nevada and two workshops at Sitka Center for Art & Ecology, on the Oregon coast. For more information, please click here.

AASHE Rio +20 Webinar - Increasing Collaboration to Build a Sustainable Future: May 10
Co-produced by AASHE, this webinar is the first in the Security and Sustainability Forum's "Run up to Rio +20" webinar series. AASHE's Executive Director Paul Rowland will host a panel of academic and industry thought leaders in a discussion about existing sustainability initiatives and collaborative efforts, and how they can be augmented to help meet the goals being established at the United Nations Rio +20 Summit. The webinar will take place 1:15 p.m. Eastern, May 10.

CURC Recycling Webinar - Campus and Community Outreach: May 10
Recycling Education and Awareness: Tools, Tips and Ideas for Campus and Community Outreach," hosted by the College & University Recycling Coalition (CURC) and co-sponsored by AASHE, will cover tools and communications strategies specific to college campuses. Participants will learn how to increase program visibility through national events including Recyclemania; maximize reach through collaborations with campus-based and community organizations; and effectively utilize social media and other free communications tools. This webinar will take place 1:00 p.m. Eastern, May 10.

Workshop for Integrating Sustainability into Education: Registration Deadline May 15
This three-day workshop, to be held June 4-6, in San Diego, CA, and allows academic faculty to explore how they can meaningfully integrate sustainability, which is broadly defined, into their classrooms. Presentations on sustainable agriculture, sustainable communities, and biomimicry; a visit to the San Diego Zoo; a presentation on sustainability initiatives at Balboa Park; a Kumeyaay exhibit and presentation at the Museum of Man; and an optional excursion to the Mission Bay Aquatic Center, with tour and canoeing/kayaking afterwards. Limited to 40 participants, register now!

IDEASS Now Accepting Applications: Deadline May 25

Are you an innovative, entrepreneurial, and self-motivated student seeking opportunities to put ideas about sustainable design, social change and environmental stewardship to the test? A new interdisciplinary program: Impact Designs, Engineering and Sustainability through Student Service (IDEASS) is now accepting applications for class enrollment for the 2012-2013 academic year. Juniors and Seniors from all majors are encouraged to apply. Click here for details!

Summer Institute on Sustainability and Energy: Apply by June 1
Graduate and senior-level undergraduate students are invited to apply for this University of Illinois at Chicago interdisciplinary program that explores a broad spectrum of sustainability and energy related topics including policy, economics, health, science, engineering, environment, urban planning, business and entrepreneurship. Themed "Election 2012: Energy, Economics and Environment," the August 2012 institute will use the presidential election as the point of departure for a critical analysis of national energy and sustainability issues. For fullest consideration, applications should be submitted by June 1.

Webinar: Creating a Bike-Friendly Campus Culture: June 6
Best for those institutions that are still in the foundational stages of developing a campus-wide alternative transportation strategy, this Academic Impressions webinar will take a step-by-step approach to creating a bike-friendly culture on any campus using Duke University (NC) as an example. Supported by AASHE, this event will start with basic initiatives including bike racks, bike storage rooms and bike maps, and move into deeper investments like developing effective town/gown relationships. It will take place at 4 PM online. Click here for more information and to register.