Sustainability

NOLS Leaders on Sustainability and Conservation

Outdoor Ed — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 17:09:22 GMT

NOLS students and graduates are NOLS' greatest contribution to the environment. They experience our planet's power and beauty, and they understand its fragility. NOLS grads are skilled positive leaders with an environmental awareness and a strong ethical foundation. Through our students, NOLS is creating a climate for change.

7 Ethical Principles of Leave No Trace

Outdoor Ed — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 15:29:48 GMT

This video from the National Park Service is an excellent summary of the Seven Ethical Principles of Leave No Trace.

Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave What You Find
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate of Others

Downloadable versions of the video with additional features are available at

http://www.nps.gov/features/wilderness/leavenotrace/popup.html

The Plastic Plague in the World's Oceans

Outdoor Ed — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:00:36 GMT

Plastic debris have been collecting in open ocean habitats for decades. Like other ways in which human actions are altering the environment, drifting plastic is impact food webs and ecosystems.

TED Conference: Majora Carter's tale of urban renewal

Outdoor Ed — Tue, 26 May 2009 02:30:09 GMT

In an emotionally charged talk, MacArthur-winning activist Majora Carter details her fight for environmental justice in the South Bronx -- and shows how minority neighborhood suffer most from flawed urban policy. Additional material about her talk is available at TED.

Majora Carter is a visionary voice in city planning who views urban renewal through an environmental lens. The South Bronx native draws a direct connection between ecological, economic and social degradation. Hence her motto: "Green the ghetto!"

With her inspired ideas and fierce persistence, Carter managed to bring the South Bronx its first open-waterfront park in 60 years, Hunts Point Riverside Park. Then she scored $1.25 million in federal funds for a greenway along the South Bronx waterfront, bringing the neighborhood open space, pedestrian and bike paths, and space for mixed-use economic development.

Her success is no surprise to anyone who’s seen her speak; Carter's confidence, energy and intensely emotional delivery make her talks themselves a force of nature. (The release of her TEDTalk in 2006 prompted Guy Kawasaki to wonder on his blog whether she wasn't "every bit as good as [Apple CEO] Steve Jobs," a legendary presenter.)

Carter, who was awarded a 2005 MacArthur "genius" grant, now serves as executive director of Sustainable South Bronx, where she pushes both for eco-friendly practices (such as green and cool roofs) and, equally important, job training and green-related economic development for her vibrant neighborhood on the rise.

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. Since then its scope has become ever broader.

The annual conference now brings together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes).

This site makes the best talks and performances from TED and partners available to the world, for free. More than 400 TEDTalks are now available, with more added each week. All of the talks feature closed captions in English, and many feature subtitles in various languages. These videos are released under a Creative Commons license, so they can be freely shared and reposted.

Patagonia - Corporate Social Responsibility and the Supply Chain

Outdoor Ed — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 03:16:05 GMT

Patagonia customers tell us their desire for fair working conditions for the people who build their product; experts at universities and NGOs outline the challenges inherent in global production; and Patagonias social-responsibility and production staff talk about the tightrope walk of doing the right thing yet working in a competitive world.