(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)February 27, 2013

(MAHWAH, NJ) – Ramapo College is set to host six upcoming presentations as part of its “Creating a Sustainable World: Voices of Key Practitioners #2” series. The series of events is sponsored by MASS: Masters of Arts in Sustainability Studies. They will occur throughout the Spring 2013 semester.

On Thursday, March 7, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Studies Harris Gleckman will present “Putting Climate and Sustainability on the Global Agenda” from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Alumni Lounge. Gleckman was subsequently a staff member of the UN Centre on Transnational Corporations, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and Financing for Development Office of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. These posts have placed him at the center of some of sustainability’s most important milestones, including helping to draft the Bruntland (United Nations Commission on Environment and Development) report and crucial climate negotiations. His latest work on proposals for new institutions of global governance is available at www.umb.edu/gri. Gleckman’s presentation is of particular interest to those concerned with the global sustainability movement and the prospects for its advancement by the international community.

On Thursday, March 14, former Chief Procurement Officer for Rutgers Kevin Lyons will present “Green Purchasing: The New Eco-Industrial Revolution Has Begun!” in the Alumni Lounge from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Lyons has revolutionized the field of purchasing, reshaping it as the practice of sustainable institutional product consumption. After earning a Ph.D., Dr. Lyons joined the Rutgers Business School faculty to address supply chain management and supply chain archeology. There, he studies the management of global supply chains, procurement systems and product-end-of-life so as to meet environmental, social, economic and ethical sustainable development criteria, reduce environmental impact and address climate change impacts to reduce risk and cost. He also serves as Associate Director at the EcoComplex and the Rutgers Energy Institute. His 2002 book from Pluto Press, “Buying for the Future,” was described by David Orr as combining “a vision of what our proudest institutions ought to stand for with practical details of how to join ideals and behavior…. I know of no better or more profound message to transmit to a generation of young people that often sees little reason for hope.” Lyons presentation is of particular interest to those concerned with the sustainable transformation of public and private institutions.

On Thursday, March 28, co-founder and executive director of EcoVillage at Ithaca (EVI) Liz Walker will present “It Takes an EcoVillage: Modeling the Sustainable and Resilient Cities of Tomorrow” from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Pavilion. She has helped to introduce the concepts of ecovillages and sustainable communities to a broad audience in the U.S. and abroad. She was a founding board member of Gaia Education, which teaches sustainability around the world. Walker is also the author of “EcoVillage at Ithaca: Pioneering a Sustainable Culture,” (2005, New Society Publishers). Her most recent book, “Choosing a Sustainable Future: Ideas and Inspiration from Ithaca, New York,” (October, 2010, New Society) demonstrates the power of sustainable communities. The book received a 2011 Living Now Book Award from the Independent Publishers. The volume is based on the blooming sustainability movement in the region around the EcoVillage to which Liz has contributed significantly. She is a founding member of the Partnership for Sustainability Education between Ithaca College and EcoVillage Ithaca, which in turn helped to catalyze Sustainable Tompkins and Ithaca Carshare. Walker’s presentation is of particular interest to those seeking to develop ecovillages, to transform existing communities into ecovillages or to understand the social as well as environmental components of community sustainability.
On Thursday, April 4, Shabazz Jackson, founder and president of Greenway Environmental Services, and Josephine Papagni, vice president of this minority and women owned business, will present “Zero Waste: A Permaculture Perspective on Waste Management” from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Friends Hall. They have worked to unite the concepts of permaculture and zero waste. In their work, materials are recovered and cycled back into use to home and community and to restore and enhance public environments. They also attend to the social change and behavior changes required for communities to achieve “zero waste.” Beyond articulating the principles behind their approach, they will showcase several cases studies that apply these principles. These include applications to homesteads, college and community practices, along with instituting municipal zero waste programs. Jackson and Papagni’s lecture is of particular importance to community decision-makers and citizens concerned with addressing waste in a sustainable manner.

On Thursday, April 11, conversation biologist and community advocate Michael W. Klemens, returning by popular demand, will present “Ecological Stewardship: Empowering Communities to Protect the Commons” from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Alumni Lounge. Klemens has been a pioneer in developing models of mutual learning between communities and scientists. He earned a doctorate in conservation biology and ecology at the University of Kent UK, has worked as senior conservationist with the Wildlife Conservation Society and is on the scientific staff of the American Museum of Natural History. Thirty years of research have taken Dr. Klemens from the theoretical study of the distribution of amphibians and reptiles to the realization that the only hope for sustaining these species and other forms of biological diversity is to bridge the chasm between conservation science theory and land use planning practice. Klemens also has had work published in the field, including his co-edited volume “Nature in Fragments: The Legacy of Sprawl” (Columbia University Press). Klemen’s lecture is of particular interest to community decision-makers and citizens who want to understand how development impacts local ecosystems.

On Thursday, April 18, Jaimie Cloud, founder and president of the Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education in New York City, will present “Educating for Sustainability: With the Brain in Mind” from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Alumni Lounge. Among its many important projects, the Cloud Institute has played an essential role introducing sustainability into New Jersey school curricula. A current initiative, the NJ Learns Program, is supported by the Geraldine Dodge Foundation; it aims to link school and community efforts to promote sustainability. Cloud writes and publishes extensively. She also consults, coaches and teaches in schools and school districts around the country and globe. Cloud’s presentation is of particular interest to educators and to those concerned with the applications of systems theory.

The series opened on February 5 with Helen Ross’ lecture “Exploring Community Resilience: Case Studies from Down Under.” This is the second year of the series, which is part of the capstone experience for students in the Masters in Sustainability Studies Program. The idea is to invite successful practitioners in diverse areas of sustainability to give a public lecture and then offer a seminar for Masters students in their methods of practice. The series is organized by Professor Michael R. Edelstein. All events are free and open to the public. Community members coming to campus are reminded to get a parking pass from the security booth at the north entrance. For further information on any upcoming program, contact Professor Edelstein at medelste@ramapo.edu or (201) 684-7745.

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About Ramapo College

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

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