by Ryan Harding

I am confident that, with Earth Day on the immediate horizon, the nation’s biggest publications have begun to compose those bannerheads that will run on April 22, as the whole news media takes up its annual tradition of, for a day, fixing its gaze on environmental issues. For one day, we will collectively turn our eye to the issue of sustainability, reading retrospectives on the environmental movement, which trace its genealogy, and connect the movement’s past to its present and future, or op-eds on environmental degradation, carbon emissions, and water scarcity. However, I have always found the practice of celebrating the Earth—that blue and green rough-skinned globular object we ride through space—one day a year to be somewhat offbeat. Throwing the Earth a party which, in terms of scale and magnitude, might resemble a Queen’s Golden Jubilee arouse in us the same sense of purpose, excitement and focus as, say, the theme of monarchy, royal nuptials. Admittedly, likening Earth Day to a celebration of the Queen’s fiftieth anniversary trivializes what the day is, and the evocative purpose it serves—Earth Day represents a day on which the world can unite not only in common purpose, but on which humanity can publicly express and reflect on its support of conservation, helping to further embolden and revitalize a movement whose object is to turn “sustainability” and “conservation” into household terms. This analogy does, however, illustrate a point: the Earth deserves more than a Day.

John Viera, Director of Sustainable Business Strategies at Ford Motors, recently contributed an article to GreenBiz plotting the trajectory of sustainability education in America, creating a cultural climate conducive to the growth of sustainability into a corporate imperative. Although, for the most part, the target of Viera’s analysis is rather narrow, his conclusions throw an interesting light on the future of sustainability in American business and education, and implicitly addresses the fleeting attention we pay to the Earth on its day, answering the question, “What happens after Earth Day?”

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by Angie Crone

As this year’s 17th conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Durban, South Africa, resulted in yet another stand-off among today’s leading nations, there are plenty of reasons to share in the embitterment and despair shadowing the climate change community. And while the Durban discussions did lead to a few positive outcomes –the Green Climate Fund and a sustained forum for discussing the issue, for example—the conference, unsurprisingly, was another failure of the global community to come to an agreement of how to slow the heating of the planet. The conference did, however, heed a rather constructive lesson: the climate change issue exceeds the realms of the climate community. This isn’t necessarily a newsflash, of course, but it brings into focus a new question: who is equipped to handle the climate crisis?

In a recent New York Times article, Mary D. Nichols, chairwoman for California’s Air Resources Board, poignantly stated, “Progress is going to come from the bottom up, not the top down.” The proactivity of regional climate commitments such as the Midwest Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord and the Northeast’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative which incorporate public stakeholders, private business, non-governmental organizations, and individuals have shown that bottom-up strategies are well-positioned to make meaningful contributions in combatting climate change. Additionally, industry specific agreements have been instrumental in identifying and mitigating their own contributions to the increasingly unpredictable climate. 

Let’s consider the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).  The ACUPCC has emphasized the importance of higher education taking a new lead by preparing for and responding to impacts and implications of climate change that include unprecedented effects on infrastructure, ecosystems, energy and water supplies, food production, national security, and people’s livelihoods.  With the US Census Bureau reporting that there are 4,495 higher education institutions in the United States and with college enrollment having increased 38% between 1999 and 2009, the ACUPCC has a unique opportunity to develop cutting edge solutions and best-practices in the fight against climate change.

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On July 21st, the APUS Sustainability Committee held the First Annual Sustainability Summit.  Attended by key stakeholders and decision makers within the community, including representatives from local institutions of higher education and local government, the Summit provided a forum for these individuals to discuss ways in which they can promote sustainability.  APUS President, Dr. Wallace E. Boston, welcomed the group.  He discussed the history of sustainability at APUS and provided a chronological examination of the university system’s renovations of several historic buildings in Charles Town, West Virginia.  Mr. Edward McMahon of Urban Land Institute (ULI) in Washington, DC discussed the elements required to create sustainable (green, walkable, mixed-use areas) communities.  Dr. Clement Solomon, Director of the Office of Sustainability at West Virginia University (WVU) addressed the audience, sharing the successes that WVU has had in developing a holistic approach to sustainability.  Finally, Mr. Noah Mehrkam of Arcland Property Group discussed strategies for promoting and developing green building. 

To read more about the First Annual APUS Sustainability Summit, visit Dr. Boston’s blog and read his article about the event.

by Shawn Skinner

In recent years, organic produce has increasingly become part of the diet of health-conscious consumers.  Various bean sprouts and alfalfa sprouts are found in many salads and sandwiches at cafes and restaurants.  Despite the surge in popularity, some consumers are beginning to feel uneasy about eating sprouts due to the recent European E. coli outbreak.

According to a Reuters article, the outbreak has primarily centered in Germany, and has resulted in about 2,300 infections and 23 deaths.  German officials originally pointed to Spanish cucumbers as the source, but further investigation led to the possibility of bean sprouts from a German farm in Lower Saxony being the culprit.  Two previous outbreaks, one in Japan in 1996 and the other in the U.S. in 1997, were both linked to sprouts.  According to scientists, the warm, moist growing conditions are also “ideal incubation ground for any microbe.”

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by Kelly Wenner

In April 2011, The Princeton Review partnered with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to publish the Princeton Review’s Guide to 311 Green Colleges.  The Review evaluated colleges and universities on their environmentally-related policies, practices and academic offerings.  The rating, on a scale of 60-99, demonstrates whether students have a healthy, sustainable campus life; how a school is preparing students for employment in a clean energy economy; and how environmentally responsible a school’s policies are. The Review asked 703 voluntary school participants to answer questions created in consultation with ecoAmerica, a non-profit consumer research group.  Questions covered ranged from “What is the percentage of food expenditures that go toward local, organic or otherwise environmentally preferable food?” to “Does the school have an environmental literacy requirement?”  The 311 schools chosen for the book received scores of 80 or above in the assessment. 

College applicants using the guide will find a wealth of information about each of the schools.  In addition to the standard application, admission and financial aid information, each school profile contains “green highlights” and “green facts” detailing campus environmental and sustainability initiatives, as well as availability of environmental studies programs and green job career guidance.  Also included are a glossary of 40+ “green” terms and acronyms and a listing of schools with “green” distinctions such as LEED-certified buildings. To learn more, or to download the free guide, visit http://www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.aspx.