Post Carbon Institute helps society prepare for the growing energy and climate uncertainties of the 21st century. Schools are microcosms of society, whether elementary schools run by local government entities or huge universities that swell their cities' populations. They can have major impacts, both through their physical existence as institutions, and though their educational missions.

This month, we look at the roles of some of these institutions.

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Moving beyond theory
2. Energy in the academy
3. APA's top 100 books
4. Green schools as laboratories
5. Recent news

Moving beyond theory

By Daniel Lerch, Post Carbon Cities Program Manager

"Sustainability" has been a mainstream buzzword since at least the late 1980s, when the Brundtland Commission issued its famous definition of sustainable development: "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

Academic thinking about sustainability has progressed quite a bit since then, with countless scholars now working on concepts like the "sustainability triad" (ecology-society-economy), "ecological economics" and even "strong and weak" sustainability.

Our practice of sustainability, however, has lagged. [Read more]

Back to top

Energy in the academy

By Laurel Hoyt, Post Carbon Cities Program Coordinator

College and university presidents head up "mini-cities," which may be larger in population than many towns. When classes are in session, they often significantly swell the surrounding community's headcount, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. So it only makes sense that many school presidents have come together in the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, the collegiate equivalent of the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. This type of visible leadership is just one of many ways that seats of higher learning can contribute to climate and energy efforts. [Read more]

Back to top

APA's top 100 books

Have you read Post Carbon Cities: Planning for Climate and Energy Uncertainty yet? If not, you should check out the free abridged version available for download on our website.

The American Planning Association is seeking recommendations for their "100 essential books of planning." It might seem an act of hubris to put our book up for consideration alongside such classics as Jacobs' The Death and Life of Great American Cities and Bacon's Design of Cities, but one of their criteria stands out: "Books that offered new opportunities, presented new ideas, challenged existing practice, or provided insight into issues and problems." As the first major guidebook on peak oil and global warming written specifically for local government officials and staff, Post Carbon Cities fills that niche.

If you think so too, and you're an APA member, please consider recommending the book for the list.

Back to top

Green schools as laboratories

Public schools all over the United States are in perpetual balancing acts to provide the services students need, especially as rising energy costs cause some to shorten school weeks and cut field trips. This great letter from The Washington Post argues that there's no contradiction between investing in teachers and investing in green facility improvements. According to the author, Sean Miller of the Earth Day Network, "A green school requires 33 percent less energy, emits 35 percent less carbon and uses 32 percent less water, saving a district as much as $100,000 a year -- enough to add two new faculty members in many areas."

Palm Beach County seems to have taken that lesson to heart, as it's declared the new Pine Jog Elementary to be the model for any future buildings. For more on "green" schools, check out the Collaborative for High Performance Schools.

Needless to say, other large facilities—public and private—can learn a lot from what these high-performance schools are implementing.

Back to top

Recent news

Each business day, Post Carbon Cities staff hunt through the wilds of the internet to find news relevant to local and state governments planning for energy and climate uncertainty. We share one story each day in our news section (), and many more in our del.icio.us feed (). If you run across articles that we should share, please email us at info@postcarboncities.net - or if you use del.icio.us, tag it with postcarboncities.

	Communities plan for a low-energy future Published 11 Sep by The Christian Science Monitor A movement that started in the U.K. spreads to U.S. shores as communities pull together to create resilience. A community approach to peak oil preparation can take many different forms, depending on the community and the people who become involved.
	Future sunny for solar power in B.C. Published 10 Sep by The Vancouver Sun Anmore, a village in B.C., will soon be producing enough energy through alternative sources to cover its needs. The project is run by a foundation created and owned by the village, in collaboration with several levels of government and the utility BC Hydro.
	Small 'urban poultry' movement has residents raising chickens from scratch Published 9 Sep by Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Backyard chickens are gaining popularity in Rochester, N.Y. as residents explore home food production beyond the veggie plot. Town regulations regarding animals like chickens are often little-known, and vary from town to town.
	Peak oil expert warns dependence leaves economies vulnerable Published by North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority A panel of experts focused on the role of transportation in a future marked by steeply rising energy costs, global warming and economic uncertainties at symposium sponsored by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA). Daniel Lerch was among the panel speakers.
	The age of the train returns to French provinces Published 23 Aug by The Guardian Small train stations are experiencing a rebirth in France, where the fast intercity trains have ruled of late. Renewed service in small towns is a response to higher demand.

To stay maximally up-to-date on Post Carbon Cities' doings, point your RSS reader to our feeds -- choose to see news, or blog posts, or everything.

Back to top

Photo credits:
Images in news section are credited on the destination page.
Class on the quad by Steve McFarland