by Beth Gray

In 2009 the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) published a resource entitled, Financing Sustainability on Campus.  Ben Barlow, a consultant for Second Nature, and Andrea Putman, Director of Corporate Partnerships at Second Nature, team up to author this resource and do a very good job at exploring a variety of funding options that can be helpful in pushing forward with sustainability initiatives.  At just over 100 pages, this publication is a worthwhile resource for anyone tasked with implementing sustainability initiatives on a college or university campus.  Read the rest of this entry »

by Beth Gray

In February 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, commonly known as the Recovery Act.  According to the Administration’s website established to track the Recovery Act and the funds allocated from it, the purpose of the Act is three-fold: to “create new jobs and save existing ones,” to “spur economic activity and invest in long-term growth,” and to “foster unprecedented levels of accountability and transparency in government spending.”  The Recovery Act included more than $80 billion in clean energy investments.  As institutions of higher education begin addressing their own carbon footprints and the issues related to climate change in general, there are opportunities for them to apply for funds through the Recovery Act in order to implement projects that can help.

Various government agencies have been provided with portions of the total allotted in the Recovery Act and institutions of higher education may find funding for their sustainability projects through these agencies.  For example, the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is responsible for some $16.8 billion of Recovery Act funding.  Included in that total is some $11.3 billion for projects related to weatherization, state energy programs, and conservation block grants.  Additionally, according to Financing Sustainability on Campus, a National Association of College and University Business Officer’s publication, the Recovery Act allocated $3.1 billion to the State Energy Program (SEP) “for onward allocation by state energy offices to higher education institutions and other organizations within their jurisdictions.” 

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by Beth Gray

The National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) is a great resource for anyone in higher education.  In 2009, NACUBO teamed with Second Nature to publish a book titled, Boldly Sustainable: Hope and Opportunity for Higher Education in the Age of Climate Change.  The book, written by Second Nature leaders Peter Bardaglio and Andrea Putnam, is a must-read for anyone interested in the issue of climate change as it relates to higher education.  Virtually every aspect of the higher education environment is addressed from the perspective of climate change.  From sustainable business models to greening dining halls and dormitories, the authors have managed to create a veritable encyclopedia of sustainability for higher education leaders interested in sustainability.  In September 2009, American Public University System’s (APUS) President, Wallace Boston, Jr., published a thorough review of Boldly Sustainable on his blog.  I encourage you to read President Boston’s thoughts on the work and take a look at Bardaglio and Putnam’s book for yourself.  I am sure that you will find it worthwhile.