Online Event - VERGE Energy Conference

VERGE Energy Conference (VERGE 20) will take place on October 26-30, 2020.  This online event can be attended from anywhere, The central theme at VERGE 20 will focus on how energy systems can be decarbonized, decentralized, digitized and democratized. It will specifically explore systemic solutions to the climate crisis focusing on clean energy, electrified, transportation, the circular economy, carbon removal and sustainable food systems. VERGE 20 will be attended by more than 15,000 leaders, it will feature 300+ speakers. 400+ sessions.  Participants at this conference come from the private and public sectors, utilities, solution providers, investors, and startups.

Open Letter Warns Us to Stop Wasting Time and Act Now

An open letter to world leaders warns that we must act now or face the collapse of civilization.

The clock is ticking and what we do in the coming months will determine our future or lack thereof.  On  July 16, 2020 Greta Thunberg, Luisa Neubauer, Anuna De Wever and Adélaïde Charlier published the open letter. Since then, more than 125,000 people have signed this letter which speaks to our moral responsibility to act.

An excerpt from the letter reads as follows:

The Facts Call Americans to Vote for Leaders Who Support Science-Based Policy

The ruling administration's mishandling of the coronavirus gives Americans a reason to reflect on the implications of a government at war with science.  We cannot ignore the tragedy of the 180,000 Americans that have succumbed to COVID-19, however, there is an upside to this horrible plague.  If nothing else it has helped to educate the electorate about President Trump's inability to respond to a crisis. This virus is but one example of the many ways that the Trump administration is at odds with the majority of Americans.  Despite the fact that a growing number of Americans support climate action, this president is also the world's leading advocate of climate denial.

University of Queensland Goes 100% Renewable

The University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia has become the first institute of higher learning in the world to have its entire energy consumption offset by renewable energy produced from its own assets. With 50,000 solar panels on campuses in Brisbane and Gatton generating 7 megawatts (MW) the university was already Australia's largest solar energy producing university. The new Warwick facility that was completed in 2020 generates about 160GWh per year making UQ energy neutral. The new facility not only meets its current electricity needs it also offsets projected future demand.

Inflection Point: America's Turning Tide

Coverage of the 2020 Democratic National Convention from the perspective of four key participants. Former first lady Michelle Obama and former president Barack Obama who called on Americans to defend their democracy. Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris who offered us an intimate portrait of her life and career and the Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden, whose speech earned praise from both the left and the right.

Online Event - 2020 International Climate Action Challenge

This kick off event will take place on August 26 & 27, 2020.  This initiative will help you jump-start your environmental or community initiative in 90 days. The action-packed two-day FREE Kick-Off Event will give you tips for launching your initiative. You can meet the mentors and connect with fellow challengers.

This event is for anyone interested in participating in the Challenge. Get your free pass to the Challenge Kick-Off Event that will give you instant access to the Challenge Quick Start Guide.

Princeton Review Ranking of Green Colleges (Top 20)

Here are the top 20 green colleges as listed in the tenth Guide to Green Colleges. Out of almost 700 schools it surveyed 413 colleges were selected and profiled for the 2019 edition. Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s Editor-in-Chief, explains that schools are selected based on their "exemplary commitments to sustainability". According to a 2020 survey, a solid majority (64%) of college applicants and their parents are interested in environmental and sustainability issues. These rankings provide information about a college's commitment to the environment that can make it easier to choose a school. 

The Milano School of Policy, Management, and Environment Graduate Programs at The New School

Policy and Environment Graduate Programs at The New School in NYC prepares you to become a leader in your field while promoting social justice. Their master’s degree programs enable you to critically examine contemporary environmental and urban policy systems, develop equitable and sustainable solutions, and launch a thriving, transformative career.

Learn to become agents of change from a world-class faculty. Their innovative, collaborative cross-disciplinary approach to  learning extend far beyond the classroom.

Trump is Targeting Mail-In Ballots in an Effort to Suppress the Vote and Undermine Democracy

Voting by mail is the only safe way to vote during a pandemic, however, U.S. President Donald Trump is using his bully pulpit to do everything he can to ensure these vote don't get counted. This president is forcing people to make the choice between their personal safety and their right to vote. This is a clear political calculation designed to help him win reelection.  Trump's attempt to deprive people of their right to vote by mail is more than just an attempt to suppress the vote, it is a self-serving attack on democracy.  As Michelle Obama said at the 2020 Democratic National Convention "they are doing everything they can to stop us from voting".

Biden Leads the Most Climate Friendly Presidential Ticket in the History of the Democratic Party

Climate action is a high profile election issue in 2020 and presumptive Democratic nominee Joseph R. Biden Jr. gets the urgency of this crisis. His inclusion of Kamala Harris as his running mate cements the Biden ticket as the most climate forward presidential candidacy in the history of the Republic. Biden's climate focus is critical because the U.S. is currently ranked as the worst performing country in the world on climate action.  Another four years of Trump could augur the end of civilization as we know it.

Advocates of Climate Action and Environmental Justice Laud Biden's Selection of Harris as his Running Mate

Presumptive Democratic presidential  nominee Joe Biden recently named Kamala Harris as his running mate prompting Sierra Club President, Ramon Cruz Diaz to say the VP pick, "cements" the Democratic ticket as "the strongest ever for proposed climate action." Harris is the first black woman and first person of Indian descent to be nominated for vice president by a major party. Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, North America Director of 350 Action, said, "Harris has demonstrated a solid understanding of the scale of the climate crisis".

Virtual Event - Sustainability Week 2020: Disruption as a Catalyst for Action

This virtual event will take place on October 5th - 9th 2020 1pm - 3pm BST (8am - 10am EDT). It includes 10 hours of curated content over 5 days. As Greta Thunberg declared at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos in January 2020, “Our house is on fire.” From scorched landscapes to melting ice caps and polluted oceans, the impacts of climate change are clear and immediate.

Abandoned Oil Wells Leaking Methane and other Contaminants

Methane may be less visible than oil spills but it is another serious corollary of fossil fuel extraction. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. According to a 2020 special report by Reuters, millions of abandoned wells are leaking methane. This report indicates that it is difficult if not impossible to hold companies accountable after they fold or sell a well. Across the U.S. the number of abandoned wells has increased by more than 12 percent since 2008 according to the EPA. The spate of fossil fuel industry bankruptcies we are seeing in 2020 is increasing the number of abandoned wells.

The Symbiotic Relationship Between Trump and the Fossil Fuel Industry

Donald Trump is the world's most powerful advocate of the industry that is at the heart of the climate crisis. It is an irrefutable scientific fact that if we are to minimize global warming we must stop burning coal, oil and gas. The fossil fuel industry has known this for decades. However, they concealed that information and launched sophisticated disinformation campaigns to deceive the public so that they can keep profiting from their energy dominance. Their rejection of science and climate denial have brought us to the brink of collapse. They are complicit in the systemic racism that plagues the U.S. They have a long history of environmental racism and funding police including falsely characterizing peaceful protestors as terrorists.

Oil Spills Illustrate the Dangers of Fossil Fuels

Oil spills are inevitable, they are difficult to clean-up and they can have devastating effects on local ecosystems. Here are few examples of oil spills that illustrate the dangers of fossil fuels. 

The fossil fuel industry is driving feedback loops that include both melting permafrost and sea level rise.  It is not hyperbole to say that the fossil fuel industry is pushing us towards tipping points that could cause the collapse of civilization.

Comprehensive Green School Information and Resources 2010 - 2019

In 2019 the Green Market Oracle (GMO) is reprising its annual Green School Series. This series is for people who want to know what schools are doing to be more sustainable, it is also for students and professionals interested in sustainability focused programs, degrees and courses.

Over the course of the last decade the GMO has published almost 400 articles related to environmentally oriented academics, sustainable infrastructure and green initiatives in pedagogical settings.

Online Event - Sustain, Scale, Impact: Building a Sustainable Business Model

These free online events from the the Idea Center at Miami Dade College will take place on August 13th at 5 PM EDT, August 27th 12 PM EDT, September 9th at 4 PM EDT.  These sessions are intended for those behind early stage projects, startups and organizations that aims to address social or environmental issues.

GMO's Annual Green School Series 2019

Each year since 2010 the Green Market Oracle (GMO) publishes a series of posts addressing a wide range of green school related subjects. In addition to green buildings, this series has reviewed hundreds of sustainability-focused schools and accreditation as well as a wide range of related topics. The tenth edition of the GMO Green School Series included 17 posts bringing the total to 399. To see all the posts from preceding years click here. Posts in the 2019 Green School Series addressed green school buildings, climate curricula, climate denial, protest and education in the Trump administration.

The Fossil Fuel Industry is Financing the Militarization of Police

A recent report has revealed the fossil fuel industries, utilities and banks have extensive ties to police groups. Police organizations in big cities like Seattle, Chicago, Washington, New Orleans and Salt Lake City have all received funding from oil giants including Chevron, Marathon and Shell. Funds are diverted to and through these groups without public input or oversight. Some of this money is used to pay for training, weapons, equipment, and surveillance technology.  Fossil fuel companies even have senior staff serving as directors of some police foundations.

The Fossil Fuel Industry's Environmental Racism and Funding of Racist Police

As revealed in a July 27th report, fossil fuel companies are guilty of environmental racism and they also support racist cops who terrorize the communities they are supposed to be policing. The fight against racism is intimately connected to the fight for environmental justice. It is no secret that people of color are far more likely to be exposed to dirty air and polluted water and they are also much more likely to to be the victims of police brutality.

The Power of Protest in 2020

The freedom to participate in non-violent protest is an essential part of a healthy democracy. Over the years such protests have been crucial to the advance of a range of issues from women's rights to civil rights.  Most recently the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement stood up to police brutality and helped to bring real reforms to cities across the United States.

From income inequality to gun violence protestors are fighting for justice. These interrelated undertakings include the struggle against environmental racism. All around the world climate demonstrations are being led by young people. People like Greta Thunberg and many others show us the true power of protest.

The Plague Economy: Inequality and the Preoccupation with Growth

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed fault lines that highlight weaknesses in our economic system. Unfettered capitalism imperils biodiversity and endangers the future of civilization. Julia Steinberger echoes these sentiments saying that confronting capitalism is the only way we can "avoid disaster". We will not be able to protect the natural world or combat global warming without changes in corporate governance and more specifically the fiduciary obligation to deliver profits.

Online Workshops - Enhancing Federal Clean Energy Innovation

The remaining workshops in the National Academies series will take place August 3 - 7, 2020. These workshops are titled: Advanced Manufacturing and the Climate Crisis: Changes and Opportunities, Challenges and Opportunities for Cross-Agency and Cross-Sector Collaborations and Thinking Globally.

Republicans, Conservative Groups, Veterans and Donors Opposing Trump's Reelection

Veterans and conservative groups are criticizing Trump calling him a failure and a traitor. Even some Republicans are openly disagreeing with him for the first time. Trump is the most consistently unpopular president in the history of the republic and his support is eroding even among the minority that make up his base*. Trump's support is collapsing because he is on the wrong side of all the major issues of the day. His strategy divides Americans with culture wars, systemic racism, secret police, portraying protestors as terrorists, disinformation, conspiracy theories, corruption, nepotism, cronyism, disparaging popular media and rejection of science.

Casting Peaceful Protestors as Terrorists is the Key to Trump's Authoritarian Gamble

The U.S. has seen months of sustained protests against racism and police brutality, in response Trump is using militarized police dressed in camouflage combat fatigues to intimidate people in Portland. He is also threatening to do the same in many other Democrat run cities. Trump justifies his brazen political theater by casting peaceful protestors--American citizens--as terrorists and enemy combatants.

Trump Uses the Pandemic to Help his Family, Friends and the Fossil Fuel Industry

U.S. President Donald Trump is infamous for his corruption and nepotism and his COVID-19 relief package is no exception. As reported by ProPublica, a venture backed by Trump’s son and Kushner companies, all received tax dollars as part of the federal government's relief package. Businesses tied to Trump’s family and associates stand to receive as much as $21 million in government loans. Trump donors were also major beneficiaries. According to the Associated Press as much as $273 million in federal coronavirus aid was awarded to more than 100 companies that are owned or operated by major Trump donors.

Virtual Event - Sustainable Communities Conference: Bringing Projects to Life

FCM’s Sustainable Communities Conference (SSC): Bringing projects to life will take place online on Tuesday, October 20, 2020 – Thursday, October 22, 2020. This is Canada’s leading sustainability event for municipal leaders and practitioners. The theme of this year’s conference is Bringing projects to life. Delegates will explore the issues that are fundamental to building sustainable communities. And they’ll get exclusive tools and resources to help bring their municipal projects to life.

Are Green Buildings and Energy Efficiency Enough?

Buildings are a leading source of climate change causing greenhouse gas, and as such they are an essential part of carbon reduction efforts. Driven by lower costs and carbon abatement, green buildings offer tremendous benefits. New technologies like smart systems that access data in real time make it easy to identify savings opportunities. Buildings are becoming more efficient and their energy demand is expected to keep declining. This may be why the building sector and energy efficiency have outpaced most official projections.

Nationalism is Antithetical to Environmentalism

Nationalism is a disaster for the environment. Nationalistic regimes fixation on deregulation undermines human health and destroys biodiversity. Nationalist leaders have a tendency to eradicate climate action, abandon multilateral deals and sell off protected lands. According to ecological economist Clive L. Spash environmentalism is not faring well in the age of nationalism. His analysis reveals that nationalism justifies the exploitation of others,

The Sources of Disinformation and the Cognitive Biases that Fuel Climate Denial

We are on the cusp of the collapse of civilization and yet a dogmatic minority of climate deniers continue to be a salient political constituency that resists climate action. The polls show that although most Americans support climate action, there is still a significant number of people who resist the facts. The US is the world's leading climate denying nation and this has serious real-world implications. As reported by The Guardian,Australian researcher Rebecca Huntley has found that science based arguments are not getting through to some people. These are the people who vote for climate denying governments in places like the United States, Australia and Brazil.

Online Green Economics Conference: Crises Survival Solutions (Climate, Economy & Biodiversity Loss)

This free online event will take place on July 24th-26th, 2020. The the 15th annual Green Economics Conference is titled "Survival Solutions for the Crises: Climate, Economy and Biodiversity Loss" will take place on the zoom platform. This three day interactive, virtual conference will bring a diverse group of people together on Zoom for a global day sharing thoughts, solutions, campaigns, analysis and debate.  Topics include the green economic recovery, no more business as usual, global reset, build back better, a just transition, diversity, holism, sustainability, and  SDGs.

Its Now or Never for Climate Action: How We can Save Biodiversity and Ourselves

We are on the cusp of the collapse of civilization. Time is growing perilously short but key events in the coming year could put us on track to deal with the multiple interconnected crises we face. To all but the willfully ignorant there is more than ample scientific evidence to indicate that we are facing a biodiversity crisis and a climate emergency. It is still possible to reverse this trend but we must act quickly.

COVID-19 has Uncovered the Fault Lines of a Broken Civilization

The coronavirus has laid bare systemic racism, rampant inequality and environmental degradation. This virus has brought to light the inhumanity of economic disparity and it has revealed the insanity of our genocide against nature. It has unmasked incompetent leaderships and exposed the glaring weaknesses of a system that myopically pursues short term profits at the expense of the biosphere on which all life depends.

We are on the Cusp of the Collapse of Civilization

We have known the situation on Earth is dire for many years. In 2019 reports surfaced that predicted the end of civilization. While these scientists were criticized for their overly pessimistic assessments, more recent research suggests the situation may be even more perilous than they predicted. According to recent research published by the AGU, we may have underestimated CO2 emissions from thawing permafrost by as much as 14 percent.

Virtual Event - Sustainability Week 2020 Disruption as a Catalyst for Action

Sustainability Week 2020 Disruption as a Catalyst for Action will take place on October 5th - 9th 2020 1pm - 3pm BST (8am - 10am EDT) . This virtual event will feature 10 hours of curated content over 5 days. Some of the topics that will be covered during Sustainability Week 2020 include: Scaling action on sustainability amid covid-19 / Can bold policies save the world? / Are you suffering from eco-anxiety?

Hope in the Midst of Despair - A Collection of Environmental Success Stories

This is a time of hope, it is also a time of great despair. The United States is ruled by a dangerous man who has declared war on nature. He is an unapologetic racist who is fanning the flames of a deadly pandemic. His actions have directly contributed to the 3,097,538 cases of coronavirus in the U.S. and the 133,991 Americans who have died from the disease.  Worse still, his multiple failings are expected to contribute to the deaths of tens of thousands of additional souls in the coming months.

Trump's Support is Collapsing Because He is on the Wrong Side of History

Trump is swimming against the tide of history and he is hemorrhaging support. The polls indicate that Trump is on the wrong side of almost all of the key issues of the day. The combination of racism, mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic, environmental rollbacks, tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and overt corruption are causing this presidency to implode. Trump has removed those with expertise from all levels of government. In their place he has given foxes the run of the hen house hiring fossil fuel industry advocates rather than qualified individuals. He has fought with allies like Canada while praising the dictators in Russia, North Korea and Brazil.

Webinar - The Post-Covid Sustainability Agenda: Revolution, Retreat or Return to Normal?

The Economist presents a Sustainability Week Insight Hour webinar titled "The post-covid sustainability agenda: revolution, retreat or return to normal?" will take place on July 7th 2020, 6am PST | 2pm BST | 3pm CET | 9am EDT. This webinar features a conversation with Axel Weber, Chairman, UBS Group.

Rascism, Hate and Police Brutality are Alive and Well in Canada

Canadians often see the systemic racism of their southern neighbors as a uniquely American phenomenon. However, the evidence suggests that racism and is alive and well in Canada. There are hundreds of hate groups in Canada and Canadians are involved thousands online channels that espouse rascism, misogyny and other extreme right-wing views.. Canada is a bastions of the white supremacy movement. As reported by the Canadian Anti-Hate Network there are over 300 active right-wing extremist groups in Canada.

Canada's Climate Action in the Era of COVID-19

Canada's federal Liberal government has put forth the most progressive climate action plans the country has ever seen, but they also support fossil fuels. The federal government has bought the Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline which was designed to ferry tar sands bitumen some of the dirtiest, most carbon intensive energy in the world.  Tar sands oil is not only a major contributor to climate change it is also a threat to biodiversity. Such policy dualism can best be described as an oxymoron.