2015 Campus Sustainability Month
Building on the long standing success of Campus Sustainability Day (historically held on the 4th Wednesday in October), the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) is inviting campuses to join them in celebrating Campus Sustainability Month during the month of October 2015. The month will provide many opportunities to engage and inspire incoming students and other campus stakeholders to become sustainability change agents. For more information on how to participate, see the AASHE Campus Sustainability Month Page.
Our Role in Campus Sustainability Day
Campus Sustainability Day (CSD) is an annual celebration of sustainability in higher education. Every October, colleges and universities are encouraged to create events to recognize the achievements of, and challenges for, the tens of thousands of students, faculty, and staff working to instill sustainability principles in higher education institutions and their surrounding communities. Starting in October 2015, AASHE is inviting campuses to join them in celebrating an expanded version of this event: Campus Sustainability Month. For more information and to aprticipate, visit the AASHE Campus Sustainability Month Page.
Anthony Cortese, founder and former president of Second Nature, was instrumental in developing the idea and first celebration of campus sustainability day. Second Nature has supported the annual day of celebration by hosting the keynote broadcast, and collaborating with dozens of other organizations to share information about events and opportunities each October. Starting in 2015, Second Nature has taken a step back from direct planning and active participation in Campus Sustainability Day, while continuing to support it and encouraging all members to celebrate sustainability on their campuses.
ANNUAL EVENTS
2014 - Empowering Change on Campus and in the Community
In 2014, Second Nature produced a short keynote video in which Higher Education sustainability leaders and partners discuss ways in which students can make a difference, be a part of sustainability solutions, and build a career in the sustainability field.
Featured Speakers:
- Wendell Brase, Administrative Vice Chancellor, University of California, Irvine; and Co-chair, University of California Global Climate Leadership Council
- Timothy Carter, President, Second Nature
- Meghan Chapple, Director, Office of Sustainability, George Washington University
- Blaine Collison, Managing Director- Network Services, Altenex
- Rebecca Edler, Sustainability Coordinator, College of Menominee Nation
- Katharine Jacobs, Director, Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions, University of Arizona
- Jacqueline Johnson, Chancellor, University of Minnesota, Morris
- Elizabeth Kiss, President, Agnes Scott College
- M. Lee Pelton, President, Emerson College
- Wim Wiewel, President, Portland State University
Special thanks to Second Nature intern and Boston University student, Karolina Kenney who helped develop the idea behind this video! Stay tuned in the following months for in-depth interviews with sustainability leaders –including the above speakers– focusing on Sustainability and Higher Education.
2013 - Climate Adaptation: Resilient Campuses & Communities
campussustainablityday.org
Watch the Recording
In 2013, Second Nature produced a shared campus sustainability day website for all supporting organizations to promote and share information, events, and celebration related to the annual event. The website, campussustainabilityday.org hosts information about the annual keynote broadcast, maintains an informational listserv, and relevant social media information. Second Nature will host a keynote broadcast on the 2013 theme at 2pm EST on October 23rd, 2013 - see past event details.
2012 - Climate Adaptation: Preparing Students for a Changing Climate
Watch the 2012 Keynote Broadcast
2012 regional conversations held nationwide
This 10th anniversary celebration of CSD was the largest to date. Second Nature hosted a live conversation and keynote broadcast "Preparing Students for a Changing Climate" and organized regional conversations on the theme with supporting organizations. The keynote broadcast attracted more than 300 institutions from 17 countries. In addition, 151 institutions posted their events in celebration of Campus Sustainability Day, triple the number from 2011. CSD 2012 also had an active social media presence, with its own Facebook page and Twitter hashtag (#campusday) for the first time. This Storify page captures the photos and stories from CSD 2012.
2011 - Useful Education: Sustainability in Admissions, Retention, and Educational Value
Visit the 2011 Second Nature CSD homepage
Second Nature hosted the Keynote Webcast
View the Q&A about sustainability and college admissions
The webcast entitled “A Useful Education: Sustainability in Admissions, Retention, and Educational Value,” highlighted the role of sustainability in shaping current and prospective student visions for their college experience. The webcast focused on the experiences and insights of several campuses, while the subsequent Q&A portion included an all-day dialogue with questions and video responses from students, admissions officers, college administrators, and faculty and staff from campuses across North America.
Questions about Campus Sustainability Day?
Contact Gabriela Boscio at 617-722-0036 ext. 208 or gboscio@secondnature.org.