WOHESC

Protecting Vāsā (Ocean) - Pacific Climate Justice to Protect Sacred Space ▾

Vāsā (Ocean) is a term that is found throughout several Pacific and Austronesian languages. Today, it is popularly used by Samoans to denote "ocean/sea." Its etymological deconstruction can be as followed - Va: Space that relates rather than space that separates and Sa: Sacred, respect, the unknown. When the terms are combined, they form a new word Vāsā = sacred pace or the space that is sacred. When thinking about Ocean and the fight to protect the Pacific, one must come to terms with an understanding of what is sacred. A journey in higher education can be seen as a journey through Vāsā, time spent with our community could be a journey through Vāsā; The importance of climate justice in the Pacific Islander community is helping others to see Ocean as not just a body of water that separates us from the Continental US, but as a Sacred Space that connects our work. The Pacific Climate battle is not only one to save the islander nations, but a baseline to save our planet as a sacred space. Come and learn about the sacred journey of our Pacific Climate Warriors and the nations that we represent, both in the Pacific and our US team based in Portland, OR. We look forward to sharing our ups and downs, lefts and rights & everything in between as we explore the infinite knowledge Vāsā has to offer. "We should not be defined by the smallness of our islands, but by the greatness of our oceans." - Epeli Hau'ofa This workshop looks to explore the leadership of Pacific Islanders in the global climate movement. We'll explore our narratives that drive our work and reshape our understand of community, space and Ocean from an Indigenous Pacific Islander framework.

Makerusa Porotesano | Director of Multicultural Services, Portland Community College

Sustainability Funds Lightning Round

Lessons Learned from Establishing and Managing a Green Revolving Fund ▾

The Green Revolving Fund at Lane Community College supports projects by providing funding the initiatives that reduce resource use use (e.g., energy, water, waste) or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions (e.g. renewable energy). One of the objectives of this fund is to empower any member of the college community to submit project proposals for approval regardless of their role on campus. Sharing information of how our organization has managed this funds can help other institutions establish similar funds or improve existing ones.

Luis Maggiori | Sustainability Coordinator, Lane Community College

Learning from Those Around Us: A Campus Sustainability Fund Example on the Importance of Place in Our Path to Justice + Sustainability ▾

The Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) was established in 2009 at the University of Washington–Seattle with the original purpose of operating as a green fund to support students’ innovative climate change solutions. From its start as a student-led grassroots campaign, the CSF has evolved from a grant-driven body into a hub for intersectional sustainability. The CSF is informed by the Just Transition framework, which guides its shift from extractive relationships towards those of regeneration + collective well-being. In this panel you will hear from their exclusively student-staff as they explore core concepts of sense of place, weaving interconnectedness in their work to promote resilience, exercising deep democracy through community-led projects, and building reciprocity between their University and the larger Seattle community.

Tatiana Brown | Associate Program Director, Campus Sustainability Fund, University of Washington

Kort Maeda | Outreach and Education Coordinator, Campus Sustainability Fund, University of Washington

Boe Zhou | Project and Grant Coordinator, Campus Sustainability Fund, University of Washington

Highlighting and Supporting Strong Collaboration Networks for Sustainability Grant Programs ▾

To address the complex and intersectional work that is making our colleges, universities, and communities more sustainable, we must uplift and support networks of communication and collaboration. Hosted by WWU’s Sustainability, Equity, & Justice Fund Grant Program, in this session you will hear about the successes, needs, and questions of sustainability grant programs representing a diverse range of colleges and universities. You will then get an opportunity to participate in an interactive discussion about how we can engage across the region to provide students opportunities to make sustainable change on their respective campuses.

Zinta Lucans | Grant Program Manager for the Sustainability, Equity, and Justice Fund, Sustainability Engagement Institute, Western Washington University

Meli Bernal | Student Ambassador for the Sustainability, Equity, and Justice Fund, Sustainability Engagement Institute, Western Washington University

GHGs: From Measurement to Management ▾

This session will present UW's latest GHG Emissions Inventory, including a full and first-ever look at 'Goods and Services Purchased' as part of our Scope 3 emissions. With this new information, UW is taking a step back to re-assess how we manage our measured emissions in order to scale-up and GO BIG!

Lisa Dulude | UW Director of Sustainability, University of Washington

Marilyn Ostergren | Energy and Sustainability Specialist, University of Washington

Sustainable Campus Landscapes Lightning Round

Achieving Sustainable Campus Grounds with the Green Grounds Certification ▾

This participatory panel discussion will center around the Green Grounds Certification, a new certification for institutions of higher education that recognizes schools pioneering the transition to organic landcare and also serves as an incentive for schools to join this landcare revolution. The session will cover how to qualify and apply, and will feature speakers from campuses that have been certified at the Platinum Level, the highest level of certification available. Come learn about how to green your campus grounds and join the Green Grounds Community.

Sheina Crystal | Director of Communications and Campaigns, Re:wild Your Campus

Tyson Kemper | Grounds Supervisor, University of Washington Bothell and Cascadia College

Shannon Britton | Assistant Director Grounds and Waste Management, Seattle University

Stephan Classen | Assistant Director of Sustainable Practices, Cascadia College

Considerations in Creating a Sustainable Campus Landscape Masterplan ▾

For many universities there is an expectation that campus landscapes maintain a traditional look and style that is often focused on grass lawns and lush green foliage. However, maintaining this look can be resource intensive, produce negative impacts, and ultimately be unsustainable. At EWU, we have taken a critical look at our landscape management and have found it to be out of step with our broader sustainability goals. To address these concerns we have developed and begun to implement a campus landscape master plan to bring our outdoor spaces in line with other sustainable practices. In this presentation we will discuss the process to rethink and rewild our campus in a way that is innovative and transformative for a campus that, up until recently, always had the traditional collegiate style.

Erik Budsberg, PhD | Director of Sustainability, Eastern Washington University

Mary Voves | Vice President of Business and Finance, Eastern Washington University

Sonja Durr | Senior Lecturer in Design, Eastern Washington University

Michael Terrell | Principal, Michael Terrell Landscape Architecture, PLA

Tree Campus Higher Education Institution ▾

This case study session will showcase how Boise State University received national recognition as a Tree Campus Higher Education Institution and met campus sustainability goals in the process. The campus tree project started through an Environmental Studies service-learning course and has continued to grow into a collaborative partnership that engages engages students, faculty, staff, and multiple community partners. The project illustrates how college campuses can serve as living laboratories for students to address place-based environmental challenges, green the campus, and educate and involve the broader campus and surrounding community.

Mari Rice | Clinical Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies Program, Boise State University

Workshop | Between Two Worlds: Swinomish Indigenous Science Program for Tribal Students to Learn Environmental Stewardship ▾

Join Between Two Worlds staff to learn about what it’s like to learn about science in the space in and outside of Swinomish culture. Staff will speak on the history of the program and the importance Indigenous education for Swinomish youth. In addition to a brief lecture, the audience will have an opportunity to experience two hands-on, experiential lessons that BTW students get to participate in class. These lessons will center around cultural resource management, relationships, and seeing the science in cultural activities, along with interactive discussions on traditional values, Indigenous frameworks, and honorable engagement.

Todd Mitchell, swəlítub | Environmental Director, Swinomish Tribe - Dept of Environmental Protection

Jen Willup | Indigenous Science Specialist, Swinomish Tribe - Dept of Environmental Protection

Melissa Ciesielski| Outreach Specialist, Swinomish Tribe - Dept of Environmental Protection

Examining Practices Abroad Lightning Round

Fostering Cross-Cultural Reflection on Sustainability through a UW Study Abroad Program to Taiwan ▾

In this presentation, the program director of a UW study abroad program to Taiwan will share the themes and topics of this study abroad program and strategies for engaging with local communities and high education institutions to explore sustainability in a cross-cultural comparative context. View the program website.

Yen-Chu Weng, PhD | Lecturer, Program on the Environment, University of Washington

“How Do They Do It?”- Learning From The Success of Sustainability in the Nordic Countries ▾

Many Americans are familiar with the term “sustainability” nowadays, but very few aim to incorporate it into their everyday lives. So what separates the United States from some of the countries that are paving the way in the world of sustainability? Join along on an exploration of how citizens of the Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland) take on everyday sustainability in the home, the office, the government, and more.

Sierra Garrett | Student, Southern Oregon University; Institute for Applied Sustainability; Zero Waste Coordinato

After the Ban: Experiences with Phasing out Single-Use Plastics on Campus ▾

From styrofoam to plastic bags to straws, local and state jurisdictions - as well as college and university systems and campuses - have taken on single-use plastics and put policies in place to ban them. How well are these measures working? Plastic waste continues to increase, as one product material type is replaced by another, e.g. bioplastics, that is an insufficient alternative. Colleges and universities must address this unintended consequence through the effective implementation of policies and strategies that reduce both the supplies of - and demand for - single-use plastics. This session will examine the successes and challenges that have come with phasing out single-use plastics, particularly at the campus level and with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a case study. UCLA’s Single-Use Plastics (SUP) Policy has recently come into full effect, and implementation is ongoing. Speakers from UCLA - representing both student and staff perspectives - will illustrate the obstacles and opportunities encountered in the implementation of the SUP Policy and related measures.

Christophe LaBelle | Sustainability Analyst, University of California, Los Angeles

Clara Castronovo | State Board Chair, California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) Students

Bonny Bentzin | Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer, UCLA

Curriculum Lightning Round

Engaging Students With Climate Justice and Working Toward Institutional Change ▾

This presentation will provide an overview of Climate Justice Across the Curriculum program and NSF-IUSE research (DUE 2043535) in Washington State. This program supports faculty incorporating climate justice and civic engagement into their first- and second-year college curriculum. Since 2018, over 500 faculty, including over 200 in STEM, from more than twenty colleges and universities in Washington State have participated in our quarter long curriculum development workshops and institutes. This presentation will give an overview of this program, present results of surveys and case study analyses, and facilitate a conversation about opportunities and barriers to this type of education at our colleges.

Sonya Doucette | Professor, Bellevue College

Heather Price, PhD | Professor, North Seattle College

Using Equitable Teaching Modalities for Sustainable IT Education ▾

In this session, CWU’s IT-Management Department will offer a model for incorporating Sustainable IT into course content across 5 distinct teaching modalities. Sustainable IT applies environmental, social and governance goals to enterprise IT practices, thereby lowering resource and material needs while also improving resiliency. This presentation will give an overview on the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating the new field of sustainable IT into current and newly designed curriculum, with a focus on inclusive and equitable teaching modalities that center stakeholder relationships.

Susan Rivera, PhD | IT Management Faculty, Central Washington University

Luke Williams | IT Management Faculty, Central Washington University

Learning Our Place: The Risks and Opportunities of Non-Indigenous Sustainability Educators Teaching Indigenous Relationships with the Land ▾

Do the examples of local Indigenous peoples’ relationships to the land have a role in non-Indigenous efforts to foster sustainable behavior? If so, what is that role, and how should non-Indigenous sustainability educators reference those examples? As a non-Indigenous educator, I present some of my own attempts to do this, while inviting participants to critically engage by offering their own perspectives and examples.

Rob Efird | Professor of Anthropology and Asian Studies, Seattle University

How Higher Education is Transforming the Climate Conversation in Communities ▾

In this session, the University of Washington Livable City Year (LCY) and University of Oregon Sustainability City Year Program (SCYP) will partner to share the immediate and long-term benefits of connecting university resources to local communities. Faculty and staff from each program will share case study examples from representative cities across Oregon and Washington that apply cross-disciplinary thinking to address pressing social and environmental challenges. The goal of the session is for attendees to leave with sparked curiosity, creativity, conversation, collaboration, and a plan for action of how their institution could further partner with communities to address the urgent sustainability-centered challenges of today while pursuing a livable, equitable, and resilient future.

Lindsey Hayward | Assistant Program Manager, Sustainable City Year Program, University of Oregon

Megan Banks | Director, Sustainable City Year Program, University of Oregon

Branden Born | LCY Program Manager, University of Washington

Neha Chinwalla | LCY Program Assistant, University of Washington

Student Led Initiatives Lightning Round

UW Huskies' Precious Plastics: Access and Education to Plastic Recycling Tools ▾

Huskies' Precious Plastics is a student-led organization at the University of Washington with a clear and focused mission: to educate and empower the community about plastic recycling. To achieve this, Huskies' Precious Plastics offers educational workshops and access to tools. Huskies' Precious Plastics has a portable setup that we bring to events to show people how to use plastic shredders and injection molders. By equipping educators with knowledge, we hope they can start similar plastic recycling units in their communities. Precious Plastics can positively impact the community by reducing plastic waste, fostering STEM education through a hands-on application, and creating economic opportunities through upcycling.

Amy Jean Swanson | Student President, UW Huskies' Precious Plastics

Cody Birkland | VP of Operations, Husky Precious Plastics, University of Washington

Sports, Students, and Sustainability: A Winning Combination ▾

In this session, we delve into the vital intersection of sports, sustainability, and community engagement. We explore how the world of collegiate athletics is becoming a powerful catalyst for positive environmental and social impact. Join us for this illuminating session as we dive into the multifaceted world of sustainability in collegiate athletics. From engaging fans and empowering athletes to hosting events that leave a positive imprint, this session is a call to action for universities, sports enthusiasts, and sustainability advocates to come together and champion a more conscious and vibrant future.

Jordan Spradlin | MPH, Oregon State University

PCC Student Life Spotlight: Basic Needs & Sustainability Leadership ▾

In this session, the student perspective will be provided on a few initiatives within the new student leadership program that brings together basic needs and sustainability efforts. This new program recognizes the interconnectedness of these issues and provides meaningful ways for students to engage and be a part of the solution at a local level. To be covered included brief highlights on our new panther packs program, clothing drives, free food markets, pantries, bike rentals, and sustainable events

Jasmine Shaheen | Student Ambassador of Basic Needs and Sustainability, Portland Community College