Volume 17 Winter 2005 Issue No. 2

In This Issue:
Sustainability

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RESOURCE GUIDE

Making Tribal Campuses Sustainable

by Andrew Mills

Campus sustainability, in terms of resource use and impacts on surroundings, enjoys growing national attention. Improving campus sustainability means eliminating wasteful practices and conserving resources through improved design, careful landscaping, and technologies such as renewable energy devices. In general, the goal is to provide for the social, economic, and environmental well-being of people today without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same.

The challenge is to make changes in the institutional culture by integrating a philosophy of sustainability into everything, from day-to-day operations to long-term campus plans. Using the resources in this guide, those who want to improve campus sustainability can build on previous efforts without having to start from scratch.

ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOURCE DATABASES

Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy:

Guide to Tribal Energy Development

www.eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy/ Follow the link to the “Guide.”

The DOE’s Tribal Energy Program funds the development of renewable and efficient energy with tribes. The aim is to install demonstration projects and develop curricula at tribal colleges, such as the renewable energy program at the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute. The guide’s “Publication Index” link features an extensive set of case studies and publications that are directly relevant to tribes. Publications include assessments of renewable energy resources on tribal lands, funding sources, and detailed descriptions of various renewable technologies. Contact: Lizana Pierce lizana.pierce@go.doe.gov, (303) 275-4727.

Tribal Pollution Prevention Program
www.tribalp2.org

This site is a portal to resources on tribal pollution prevention programs and projects. The site was created to showcase tribal projects that conserve resources, reduce waste, and eliminate contamination of air and water. The “Project Resources” link includes green buildings and construction, distributed energy, and resource conservation. The site also links to training programs directed at tribal professionals, such as the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals at Northern Arizona University. Contact: Michael P. Vogel, mvogel@montana.edu, (406) 994-3451.

University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (ULSF)
www.ulsf.org

The ULSF is an international organization whose mission is integrating sustainability into the classrooms and operations of colleges and universities. Some resources require membership, but the site incorporates a free resource database. The database consists of resources for developing campus programs and sustainability curriculum and includes an annotated bibliography of 204 references on campus assessments. Contact: info@ulsf.org, (202) 778-6138.

National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Campus Ecology Program
www.nwf.org/campusEcology

Originally conceived to “reduce the need to ‘reinvent the wheel’ of environmental action from campus to campus,” the campus ecology site is useful for brainstorming project ideas. The site maintains a descriptive collection of projects at campuses around the country, from biodiesel and composting to energy efficiency and water conservation. The NWF also has a program on Tribal Lands Conservation in the Rocky Mountain region. Contact: campus@nwf.org, (800) 822-9919.

Education for Sustainability Western Network (EFS West)
www.efswest.org

EFS West strives to integrate sustainability into teaching, research, campus operations, and community outreach. EFS West provides specialized training and workshops, information, and funding for special projects. Under the resources section, EFS West maintains a database of profiles for sustainability projects on campuses across the West. The organization provides lower membership fees for tribal colleges. Contact: Julian Dautremont-Smith, julian@efswest.org, (971) 544-1755.

DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: Energy Education and Training
www.eere.energy.gov/education/higher_education.html

This DOE site lists resources on undergraduate and graduate degrees and courses in energy, along with energy-related programs at universities and colleges. The site includes internship and scholarship opportunities. Sites linked from the DOE page include resources for developing curriculum for all ages, including higher education. Contact: EERE Information Center, (877) 337-3463.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
www.nrel.gov

NREL is a federal government lab for the research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. NREL holds training sessions devoted to tribal colleges and communities and sponsors an annual Wind Energy Applications and Training Symposium. Native American students may apply for internships at NREL. Contact: Roger Taylor, roger_taylor@nrel.gov, (303) 384-7389.

Sandia National Laboratories: Photovoltaic Research and Development
www.sandia.gov/pv/docs/Native.htm

Sandia’s Native America and Solar Energy program promotes sustainable photovoltaic projects on Indian lands throughout the country. The lab publishes a guide, “Solar way – photovoltaics on Indian lands.” Internship funding is targeted toward Native American interns in this program. Contact: Sandra Begay-Campbell, skbegay@sandia.gov, (505) 844-3698.

Partnerships for Environmental Technology Education (PETE)
www.ateec.org/pete

The mission of PETE, a non-profit organization, is to provide leadership in environmental education and training through community and technical college partnerships. PETE developed a model curriculum entitled: “Bring energy to your campus – start an energy services and technology program at your college.” PETE assisted with developing curriculum at eight pilot school programs, including Turtle Mountain Community College in Belcourt, ND. Contact: Kirk Laflin, natlpete@maine.rr.com, (207) 771-9020.

Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)
www.eere.energy.gov/femp/technologies/technologies.cfm

FEMP resources include case studies and fact sheets for renewable energy, water conservation techniques, green buildings, and technician training programs. The fact sheets are generally short but provide a good starting point before going to other resources for more specific details. Contact: FEMP Helpdesk, (877) 337-3463.

Oikos – The Green Building Source, Green Building Library
http://oikos.com/library/index.html

The Green Building Library is a collection of excerpts from books and articles, along with descriptions of specific green building projects. The library can be used to begin an investigation into topics such as insulation, day lighting, and efficient appliances. Many of the short articles include drawings and pictures of each technology. Contact: help@oikos.com, (541) 317-1626.

Mazria Odems Dzurec, Inc
http://mazria.com

Mazria Odems Dzurec, Inc. is an architecture firm specializing in building and site ecology. Among myriad sustainable building projects, the firm won the design competition for the new Achein Lifelong Learning Center at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, NM. The site includes a list of publications predominantly authored by the lead architect, Edward Mazria. One book by Mazria, The Passive Solar Energy Book, is a thorough and quantitative handbook to passive solar building design. Contact: Edward Mazria, mazria@mazria.com, (505) 988-5309.

Natural Systems International (NSI)
www.natsys-inc.com

NSI is an environmental engineering and science company that uses constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment as well as encouraging water reuse, wildlife habitat, minimal energy use, and attractive landscapes. NSI designed the constructed wetlands wastewater treatment facility for the Achein Center at IAIA. Contact: nsi@natsys-inc.com, (505) 988-7453.

Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC)
www.irecusa.org

IREC is a non-profit organization aimed at expanding renewable energy use by organizing and disseminating renewable energy information. IREC maintains two important databases: DSIRE and Schools going Solar. DSIRE details state-level incentives and policies for small-scale renewable energy. Schools going Solar is a collection of project profiles and contact information for schools that incorporate solar energy into buildings or curriculum. Contact: info@irecusa.org, (518) 458-6059.

Renewable Energy Policy Project & the Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (REPP)
www.repp.org

REPP is a clearinghouse for policy research and background information for renewable energy. The resources cover a broad spectrum, but the bio-energy reference sites are the most comprehensive. REPP periodically publishes issue briefs on important topics, such as “Renewable energy in Indian Country: Options for tribal governments.” The brief includes a decent bibliography and is available at the website. Contact info2@repp.org, (202) 293-2898.

DOE: Wind Powering America – Wind Power for Native Americans
www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweringamerica/native_americans.asp

The Wind Powering America program provides equipment, workshops, and technical assistance to tribes on wind development process and options. It also supports pilot projects that demonstrate innovative reservation applications. Resources include descriptions of organizations that provide funding and technical support to tribal wind energy projects. Contact: EERE Information Center, (877) 337-3463.

Honor the Earth – Renewable Energy Initiative
www.honorearth.org/initiatives/energy/renewable.html

Honor the Earth strives to “create awareness and support for Native environmental issues and to develop needed financial and political resources for the survival of sustainable Native communities.” In 2004 the organization published Indigenous peoples, power & politics: A renewable future for the seventh generation by Winona LaDuke. The book includes contact information for relevant organizations that support or install renewable energy. Contact: honorearth@earthlink.net, (612) 879-7529.

Sacred Power Corporation
www.sacredpowercorp.com

Sacred Power is a Native American-owned and -operated small business specializing in small-scale photovoltaic and distributed energy system integration. Sacred Power installed numerous systems at education facilities, including the Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute. Contact: Dave Melton, dmelton@sacredpowercorp.com, (505) 235-7022.

Tribal College Journal: Resource Guide
www.tribalcollegejournal.org/themag/backissues/spring2002/spring2002resource.html

In Vol. 13, N.3 of Tribal College Journal, Dr. Diana Morris provided a resource guide with a different sampling of the ever-growing body of scholarly books, articles, handbooks, guidebooks, videos, and web sites on sustainability issues, especially those that include indigenous approaches. Contact: dmorris@menominee.edu, or call the Tribal College Journal at (970) 533-9170.

PUBLICATIONS

Home Power Magazine: The Hands-On Journal of Home-Made Power, P.O. Box 520, Ashland, OR 97520

This magazine includes articles on building-scale renewable energy and sustainable living solutions with detailed system descriptions, how-to guides, and buyer guides. Topics span a broad array of technologies ranging from solar water heating to small wind power and alternative vehicle fuels. The website, www.homepower.com, includes a searchable business database.

Wilson, A. (Ed.). (2001). Greening federal facilities: An energy, environmental, and economic resource guide for federal facility managers and designers (2 nd ed.). Brattleboro, VT: BuildingGreen, Inc. Available at: www.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/29267.pdf

This guide is an overview of opportunities and methods for reducing the environmental impact of federal facilities and other institutional settings. It covers the decision-making process, financing considerations, and includes contacts and references at the end of each section.

Busch, J., Elliott, J., Frank, T., Gratton, V., Starrs, T., & Williams, J. (1998). Native power: A handbook on renewable energy and energy efficiency for Native American communities. Berkeley, CA: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Report LBNL-41004. Available at: http://eetd.lbl.gov/nareep/NativePower/NativePower.pdf

This 63-page handbook details energy efficiency techniques for homes, small-scale renewable power generation, and commercial scale technologies. Each section includes sample calculations of cost and energy savings or production. The appendices include an annotated bibliography for further resources.

Corum, N., (2004). Building one house: A handbook for straw bale construction. Bozeman, MT: Red Feather Development Group. Available at www.redfeather.org The author of this handbook is the community design director for Red Feather Development Group, the organization working with Native American communities to build sustainable housing through straw bale construction. The handbook describes field-tested techniques for straw bale construction, case studies, and general challenges of housing in Indian Country.

BOOKS

Bartlett, P., & Chase, G. (Eds.). (2004). Sustainability on campus: Stories and strategies for change. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Bartlett and Chase collected stories from 18 colleges and universities that are moving toward sustainability. Sections of the book cover efforts to redefine campus curricula; techniques for measuring sustainability; and ways to motivate students, faculty, staff, and administrators to make significant changes.

Creighton, S. (1998). Greening the ivory tower: Improving the environmental track record of universities, colleges, and other institutions. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

As the project manager for Tufts University’s CLEAN! program, Creighton has first-hand knowledge on the impacts and challenges of universities moving toward sustainability. This book provides a “how-to” guide for assessing the environmental impact and making changes in the day-to-day operation of a large institution. Creighton’s experience at Tufts provides much of the basis for this book, but she incorporates successful practices from other institutions as well.

ARTICLES

Simpson, W. (2003). Energy sustainability and the green campus. Planning for Higher Education, 31(3), 150–158.

In this article Simpson highlights approaches to increasing campus sustainability by focusing on energy conservation and management. The entire March-May 2003 issue is devoted to campus sustainability and includes numerous book reviews. Table of Contents and Abstracts at: www.scup.org/redirect/phe.html, (734) 998-7027.

Eilperin, J. (2005, June 26). Colleges compete to shrink their mark on the environment. The Washington Post, p. A01.

This front-page article reports on the efforts of universities to reduce their impact and share successful strategies.

Andrew Mills is a master’s student in energy and resources at UC-Berkeley, funded by the National Science Foundation Fellowship program. He would like to acknowledge and thank all of his colleagues who contributed to this guide.