Malawian Permaculture Center Seeks Managing Director, Volunteers

KUSUMALA INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE & ECOLOGY:

The Kusamala Institute of Agriculture & Ecology (KIAE) is an organisation focusing on environment, food and nutrition security, based in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. With experience in agro-ecology and permaculture, we aim to enhance the uptake of ecologically sound, efficient and productive agriculture techniques.

KIAE was formalised in June 2011 and operates as a CONGOMA (Council for NGOs in Malawi) registered, not-for-profit organisation. The institute runs Nature’s Gift Permaculture Centre (in operation since December 2009) in Lilongwe, Malawi, where we have developed an extensive demonstration site, conduct the majority of our trainings and run our commercial, organic garden.

For more information, please see the website for our demonstration centre- www.naturesgift.org.

MANAGING DIRECTOR:

KIAE is seeking a creative and impassioned Managing Director (MD) who shall lead our young organisation as we strive to achieve our goals, including the continued success of our demonstration plots, trainings and our organic, commercial garden.

The MD is responsible for the organisation's continued progression and will lead and manage the organisation in accordance with the strategic plan, budget and founding principles, in collaboration with fellow staff members and the Board of Directors. The MD will have significant scope to determine the future direction of the organisation according to his/her aspirations and available opportunities.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

•       Ultimate responsibility for and co-ordination of all organisational matters, including institute finances, marketing, recruitment, human resources, legal, tax and administration.

•       Provide continuous and coherent programmatic, financial, and organisational leadership.

•       Assure the organisation has a long term strategy for its continued growth and development and is consistently working in accordance with the annual goals.

•       Identify and develop proposals to obtain appropriate sources of funding for projects that are complimentary to KIAE’s work experience and goals.

•       Oversee all financial management including financial analysis, payroll, reporting, budgeting, and projections.

•       Ensure financial viability of the institute, maximising revenue from current projects (including vegetable box schemes and general sales, demonstration plots and training courses) and introduce new funding streams.

•       Management of up to 30 current staff members, and international volunteers and interns.

•       Determine staffing requirements for organisational management and program or project delivery. Recruit, interview and select staff, including international interns and volunteers, with appropriate technical knowledge and skills and personal abilities.

•       Act as a spokesperson for the organisation. Establish and maintain sound working relationships with relevant stakeholders including Government of Malawi, NGO's, development agencies, research agencies, and private businesses.

•       Continue the hard-earned reputation of the institute as a prompt and effective communicator to all stakeholders.

•       Establish a positive, healthy and safe work environment through the encouragement of staff and volunteer development. Assist staff in relating their specialised work to the needs of the organisation.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

•       Essential:

o   Theoretical and practical background in Sustainable Business, Environmental Studies, Sustainable Agriculture, Agro-ecology, Organic Agriculture, or similar field.

o   Undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies, Sustainable Development, Business or related field.

o   3+ years professional experience, ideally in an area related to agriculture, international development or business management.

o   Experience in project/ programme management.

o   Professional level English

o   Technical proficiency with Excel and Word, and general computing skills

•       Preferred:

o   Master’s Degree in Non-profit Management, Environmental Studies, Sustainable Development, Agriculture, Business or related field.

o   2+ years in a managerial role.

o   Experience in grant and proposal writing, preferably in agricultural and/or international development.

o   Budgeting and finance experience.

o   Understanding of carbon markets, particularly their relevance to developing countries and increasing focus within development funding.

o   Language abilities, including Chichewa.

The successful candidate shall be able to demonstrate compatibility with the above responsibilities and requirements, and a clear commitment to continuing the ethos of the Kusamala Institute of Agriculture & Ecology. While the ideal candidate will be able to combine commercial acumen with agricultural knowledge, the primary responsibilities of the MD will be of a business nature, with in-house expertise in agriculture and the environment already present.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Start Date: as soon as possible, latest 30^th April 2012.

Duration: Minimum one year, two years preferred.

Location: The position is based at Nature’s Gift Permaculture centre, approximately a 15 minute drive to Lilongwe City Centre. Lilongwe has a variety of supermarkets, bars and restaurants. Lake Malawi and other good weekend spots can be reached in a 2 hour drive from the capital.

Salary and benefits: Please note that the Managing Director must be prepared to work within a young organisation with low funding levels and understand that as the organisation grows and gains more success, salaries and benefits will directly increase.  The salary and benefits currently provided are as follows:

·       Monthly stipend;

·       Employment permit (if international);

·       Free low cost basic housing at the centre, if desired. MD housing consists of a thatched cottage, with separate kitchen and toilet/bathroom. Borehole water and electricity provided;

·       Free access to organic vegetable garden;

·       Free lunch on weekdays, usually consisting of fresh farm produce;

Please note that international applicants would be expected to fund their own travel costs to Malawi.

If you would like further information about the role, please email info@naturesgift.org

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply for this role, please send an email with “MD – KIAE Application” as the subject, attaching a cover letter outlining your suitability (1 page maximum), a copy of your resume/CV (3 pages maximum, no photos) and the names and contact details of 3 referees to: info@naturesgift.org

Email is preferred, but as an alternative, please send applications to:

Kusamala Institute of Agriculture & Ecology, Managing Director, P.O. Box 30420, Lilongwe.

Closing date for applications is Friday, February 24th 2012 and short listed candidates will be contacted within a month of the closing date. Due to limited resources, we are unable to reply to all applications, if you have not heard back by the end of March 2012, please note that your application has been unsuccessful.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES:

Please note that the centre also offers 6-month long internships and short-term voluntary opportunities for candidates with experience in sustainable agriculture or business, with a particular interest in candidates with experience in marketing, proposal writing and project management. Further information can be found at http://www.naturesgift.org/opportunities/

Thank you for your interest in our organisation.

Sustainable Food Challenge @ AU

Want to compete in a 30 min, Sustainable Iron Chef like challenge? Contact Carolina below:

Carolina Fojo
East Coast Fellow, Bon Appétit Management Company Foundation
carolina.fojo@bamco.com
Cell: 650-906-4304

Great opportunities at Peak Oil conference.

Hi all! I said I would return with more details about the ASPO conference on Peak Oil. They are looking for volunteers, and just two hours worth of volunteering will get you free admittance to an event where you'll meet some of the major players around DC. See the invitation below for full event details to just attend, or contact me and Liz Longenecker directly (liz@terrachord.com) if you're interested in volunteering.

Who: Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas-USA (ASPO-USA)
What: 6th Annual International Conference on Peak Oil
When: October 7-9 (Thurs. - Sat.), 2010
Where: Capitol Hill Hyatt Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Why: To Alert Policy Makers & Public of Pending Energy Crisis
Contact: Jim Baldauf, 512-517-2663; Kim Comart, 617-548-6442

What Do These People Have in Common:

Bianca Jagger, Ralph Nader, the US Navy,
Dr. James Schlessinger, Jeff Rubin?

They all Say the Peak Oil Debate is Over! (and are keynote speakers at the event)

Washington, D.C. - The ASPO-USA Peak Oil Conference, October 7-9, will be the sixth annual gathering of international energy experts from industry, academia, government, NGOs and the environmental community. The previous conferences have been highly acclaimed by attendees, media, participants and the energy community.

Speakers this year will include Bianca Jagger (International Climate Change and Human Rights Advocate), Ralph Nader (Energy Reform Sdvocate), Dr. James Schlesinger (Former Sec. State, Sec. Energy, and CIA Dir.), Jeff Rubin (Former Chief Economist CIBC), Rear Admiral Lawrence Rice (USN), Dr. Charles Schlumberger (World Bank), Charlie Maxwell, (Chief Energy Analyst, Weeden & Co), Dr. Robert Hirsch (the Hirsch Report to DOE), Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, (R-MD), (Founder of the Congressional Peak Oil Caucus), and other prominent energy analysts.

The conference will cover subjects ranging from national security to personal and institutional investing.

The Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas (ASPO-USA) is concerned about the peak and decline of all hydrocarbon energy sources. Crude oil, natural gas and coal are the top three energy sources for our nation; they are all finite resources that will, sooner rather than later, peak and decline in supply; and they are also at the heart of two major tragedies and one possible future problem during the last year: the BP deepwater disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, the West Virginia coal mine explosion, and the fracking of shale formations and possible pollution of ground water.

According to ASPO-USA president and co-founder, Jim Baldauf, “We are drilling miles below the Gulf of Mexico and trying to squeeze oil and gas from shale rock because the conventional land-based oil and gas reservoirs are becoming depleted. The low-hanging fruit has been picked and we are scraping the bottom of the barrel.”

ASPO-USA is a non-profit, non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt group that is dedicated to research, study and education, rather than advocacy of specific policy goals. That said, the organization does advocate general policies that will help to ensure our country's ongoing security and prosperity. Peak and decline of hydrocarbon production without intelligent responses and effective mitigation planning will impact U.S. business, jobs, and our entire economy.

“There are no silver bullet techno-fixes at this time: a combination of increased conservation, improved efficiency, faster alternative energy development, and greater oversight in prudent exploration and production are needed immediately,” Baldauf says.

The conference is supported by more than 40 sponsors, publications, websites and partnering associations. Call Greg Geyer for sponsorship opportunities at 413-684-2403, or visit www.aspousa.org/worldoil2010/ .



Headline Sponsors:
M. Gottlieb Associates, Inc.

Ravenna Capital Management


ASPO-USA


Call 877-363-ASPO (2776) or email webmaster@aspousa.org

New Approaches to Sustainable Fisheries: May 14, 2009

World Wildlife Fund’s Kathryn Fuller Science for Nature Seminar Series

Dr. Douglas N. Rader
Chief Ocean Scientist
Environmental Defense Fund

Date: May 14th, 2009

Time: 4:30-5:30pm (lecture); 5:30-6:30pm (reception)

Admission: FREE!!

Registration: http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/fellowships/fuller/item1816.html

Location: World Wildlife Fund Headquarters
1250 24th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
_____________________________________________________________________________
Abundant Oceans: New Approaches to Sustainable Fisheries

The history of marine conservation is littered with "silver bullets" that lost their "bang" -- ecosystem-based management is perhaps the most recent casualty. The newest star in the lineup is catch shares, a system of fisheries management tools that meet science-based conservation targets by allocating proportional management responsibility to fishermen (or groups of fishermen) and creating incentives to enhance that proportion, like money in the bank. Recent studies in top-level science publications have documented the success of individual transferable quotas and other types of catch shares in fisheries around the world. With the change of administration, an important opportunity exists to assure that catch share systems fulfill their potential in the United States and elsewhere to emplace sustainable commercial fisheries, as a necessary but not sufficient piece of the oceans puzzle. Further challenges loom, including the development of new deepwater fisheries, the meteoric rise of recreational fishing, the awakening of new uses beyond fishing in oceanic waters around the world, and , of course, new threats associated with warming and rising seas, intensifying storms and acidification associated with global warming. However, finally getting fishing right will be a significant down payment on a more robust and resilient future ocean.

Abbreviated Biography
Dr. Douglas Rader advises the leadership of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) on the scientific aspects of policies and programs affecting oceans. He works with EDF’s national and regional teams to leverage cutting-edge science in current oceans program projects and emerging ocean issues. Previously, Doug led efforts to protect and restore the marine and estuarine ecosystems of the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast and Caribbean. His efforts included stronger fisheries management policies and programs that align conservation with the business of fishing, improved coastal habitat protection programs, and science-based networks of marine protected areas.

Since 1984, Doug has worked to protect wetlands, water quality, and coastal and marine resources in the Southeast. His efforts contributed to the 1997 N.C. Marine Fishery Reform Act. He is currently chair of the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council’s Habitat and Environmental Protection Advisory Panel. In addition, Doug is a, co-chair of the Offshore Energy exploration Study Committee of the North Carolina General Assembly and the North Carolina River Herring Advisory Committee. Doug is a member of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Marine Protected Area Advisory Panel. He formerly served as the chair of the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission Habitat and Water Quality Standing Advisory Committee Planning and Permits Subcommittee and was a former member of the Warren Wilson Environmental Leadership Center Advisory Council. He worked previously as director of the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine Study, and in the N.C. Division of Environmental Management and the N.C. Division of Coastal Management.

Doug has a Ph.D. in biology from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, an M.S. in zoology from the University of Washington, and a B.S. in biology from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Building a Whole Earth Economy: April 15, 2009

The Global Environmental Politics Program in SIS invites you to its last talk of the semester. Please join us as Peter Brown launches his new book at SIS.

"Building A Whole Earth Economy: Economics Without Ecocide "

Wednesday, April 15, 6-8pm, SIS Lounge

Featuring:
Dr. Peter Brown

Dr. Peter Brown is a professor in the School of Environment at McGill University in Montreal. Previously, at the University of Maryland, he founded the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy, the School of Public Policy, and the School's Environmental Policy Programs. He is the author of two books, "Restoring the Public Trust: A Fresh Vision for Progressive Government in America" (Beacon Press, 1994), and "The Commonwealth of Life: Economics for a Flourishing Earth, Second Edition" (Black Rose Books, 2008). He is actively involved in conservation efforts in the James Bay and Southern regions of Quebec, and in Maryland.

The event is sponsored by the Global Environmental Politics Field, SIS. Pizza and drinks will be served.

For more information please contact: Paul Wapner (pwapner@american.edu)

The Network for Emerging Leaders in Sustainability: March 30, 2009

The Network for Emerging Leaders in Sustainability (NELS)

March Event
Monday, March 30, 2009
5:30 - 7:30 pm

Program
Keynote Speaker: Brian Czech, President, Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy (CASSE)

Facilitated Discussion: NELS members will have the opportunity to discuss how sustainability is being addressed in their organizations.

Reception

Location
Marian Koshland Science Museum
600 E Street, NW, in Washington DC.
Metro: Judiciary Square (Red Line) or Gallery Place (Yellow/Green Line)

To attend this free event, register at: http://sustainability.nationalacademies.org/NELS.shtml .

The Network for Emerging Leaders in Sustainability (NELS) is a new organization for early-career professionals (and professionals who are new to the topic of sustainability) who are interested in building bridges with peers in DC-area agencies and organizations. The Network includes leaders with diverse backgrounds and expertise, from natural resource management to energy policy to public health. NELS members share a common interest in taking a multidisciplinary approach to sustainability challenges -considering the economic, environmental, social, and cultural dimensions of these problems. Through NELS, these emerging leaders will foster relationships that enable them to more effectively bring about a sustainable future.

To become a NELS member and be added to our mailing list, please email sustainability@nas.edu or call 202-334-2694.

NELS is supported by the National Academies' George and Cynthia Mitchell Endowment for Sustainability Science.

Conference on Sustainable Urban Planning and Green Building: May 5, 2009

Cordial Invitation
RSVP Today
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
1pm – 6pm
House of Sweden, Washington D.C.

Living Green – A Conference on Sustainable Urban Planning and Green Building
The Swedish Trade Council and the Embassy of Sweden, in cooperation with the U.S. Green Building Council and the City of Stockholm, invite you to a conference where we will explore the concept of sustainability in urban design and building and provide an opportunity to network with fellow green building industry participants.
Swedish and U.S. experts will share their experiences and views from both countries on developing greener living spaces. The conference will also put on display emerging technologies that are moving us toward sustainability. Speakers include Sten Nordin, Mayor of Stockholm, Michelle Moore from U.S. Green Building Council and Elizabeth Heider from Skanska.

Registration is free of charge. For full program details, speaker profiles and practical information visit: www.tradewithsweden.com/greenbuilding
For more information, and to RSVP, please contact us at greenbuild@swedishtrade.se or call Pernilla Blomgren at 212-507-9002.
Welcome!

This conference has two adjacent events: On May 4 Invest in Sweden Agency will hold a workshop for U.S. investors, and on May 6 there will be a seminar on how to do business with the World Bank arranged by the Embassy of Sweden.

For more info, visit www.swedenabroad.com/washington or contact Lisette Lindahl at(202) 467-2621

Alternative Break Trip to the Pine Ridge Reservation

There is an open spot for the Alternative Break trip to the Pine Ridge Reservation in May. The theme of this trip is the role of development and environmental justice within indigenous communities. Along with learning about the history of the Lakotas, visiting different sites on the reservation, participating in service and cultural immersion activities, the trip will offer participants a look at different kinds of nonprofits working on the reservation. We will be looking at whether these nonprofits are creating a dependency problem or empowering the community. We will also be analyzing the difference between non native and native nonprofits. The second component of this trip is to examine how alternative energies on the reservation can lead to sustainable development. Pine Ridge is the windiest reservation in the United States and some nonprofits have been started to create wind turbine projects. The hope is alternative energies will bring jobs to the reservation (Pine Ridge has an unemployment rate of 85%). The trip dates are May 16-28. The estimated cost is $1,600. Faculty advisor Judith Shapiro is joining the trip. If you are interested email Katebirs@gmail.com

For more information visit www.american.edu/altbreak
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=42541770874&ref=ts
You can watch a video on youtube about the trip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb4-Jl_ENCY

Summer Sustainability Institute

UC-Santa Cruz is pleased to announce the first Summer Sustainability Institute, designed for undergraduates interested in learning more and bringing that knowledge back to their campuses.

You can find more information at: http://summer.ucsc.edu/sustainability

Sustainable Development in Cuba: April 1-9, 2009

GLOBAL EXCHANGE REALITY TOURS

“Sustainable Development in Cuba"
Health, Education, Religion, Science and Culture

Study Tour

April 1 – 9, 2009

“One day we will have to build a monument to the “special period” because it forced us to find
truly sustainable ways to meet our food, energy and medical needs.”
-- Rosa Elena Simeon, Former Minister,
CITMA, Cuban Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

We are writing to invite you to accompany us on a Sustainable Development Study Tour of Cuba. This trip will study both the environmental and the human aspects of Sustainable Development. For twenty years, Global Exchange has organized these tours to study Cuba's internationally lauded progress in all field of sustainable development as it is reflected in all aspects of Cuban life.

In its 2006 Sustainability Index Report, the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) determined that there was only one nation in the world that could truly be designated as living “sustainably,” and that nation was Cuba. In making this determination, the WWF utilized a combination of the UN Development Program’s Human Development Index (educational achievement; adequate food; clean, available water; access to health care, etc.) and the Ecological Footprint (or natural resource use per capita) of nations. The ideal, of course is a high HDI and a low Ecological Footprint. How did Cuba, a small island nation of 11,000,000 people, struggling with issues of poverty, the U.S. embargo, and devastating annual hurricanes, achieve this extraordinary distinction? And what can environmentalists in the U.S. learn from Cuba’s struggles and successes?

Throughout the 1960's, 70's and 80's, the Cuban people enjoyed the highest quality-of-life indices in Latin America, rivaling the United States and other countries of the developed world. Cuba was internationally praised as the one developing country that had eradicated hunger and the World Health Organization touted the Cuban health care system as a "model for the world." As early as 1989, Cuba ranked 11th in the world in the Overseas Development Council’s Physical Quality of Life Index, (which includes infant mortality, life expectancy and literacy) while the U.S. ranked 15th.

Despite the setbacks of the 1990's, caused by the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the tightening of the U.S. Embargo, Cuba's quality of life indices did decline slightly for a few years, but then steadily improved. Denied their former imports of petroleum products and pharmaceuticals, Cuba’s 35,000 scientists, operating in 200 research institutes across the island, began to explore indigenous and more sustainable ways to meet their food, medicine and energy needs; extraordinary innovations in organic agriculture and urban gardens earned Cuban agriculturists the Alternative Nobel Prize/Right Livelihood Award; advances in renewable energy including solar, wind, micro-hydro, biogas, and biomass, and island-wide energy efficiency campaigns earned the Cuban NGO Cuba Solar, the UN Global 500 award; and the development of alternative and traditional health care practices earned Cuba recognition by the UN Development Council, as one of the five most important projects in health care internationally.

Cuba was the first nation to complete its biodiversity census after the Rio Earth Summit in 1992; 22% of its land is officially designated "Protected Areas"; it’s coral reefs are healthy (Jacques Cousteau used to say that whenever he was in despair about the state of the world's ocean ecosystems, he thought of Cuba and his hope was rejuvenated; and it is one of the few nations in the world to have increased its percentage of forested land in the past several decades.

Cuba models, for the rest of the world, the possibility of obtaining a high quality of life, on a relatively small national budget, while utilizing low levels of the planet's limited resources. This tiny island nation is showing us a possible way to live simply, healthfully, and sustainably on the Earth.

We invite you to travel with us and to see Cuba for yourself!

The price of this 8 day study tour is $2375 Cancun/Havana/Cancun,
double occupancy accommodations (when available); for single occupancy, add $300.

Price includes: the RT flight, Cancun/Havana/Cancun, accommodations, two meals per day, translation, transportation, and program fees.
Price does NOT include: airfare to/from Cancun, beverages, gratuities, travel insurance, personal expenditures etc.

A sample itinerary is available, along with an application form, and additional information about Cuba travel, by contacting Leslie Balog at Global Exchange, leslie@globalexchange.org

Some additional websites and articles on Sustainable Development in Cuba you might enjoy:

BIODIVERSITY AND PROTECTED REGIONS

“Deep Cuba” by Chris Clarke and Bill Belleville, Earth Island Journal
http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/eij/article/deep_cuba/

CUBA NATURALLY, National Geographic, November 2003, Slide Show
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0311/sights_n_sounds/media2.html

CUBA NATURALLY, National Geographic, November 2003, by Steve Winter
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0311/feature4/index.html


RENEWABLE ENERGY

Four Articles by Laurie Stone, Solar Energy International on Renewable Energy in Cuba
http://www.solarenergy.org/resources/articles.html


SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

"Cuba's New Agricultural Revolution: The Transformation of Food Crop Production in Contemporary Cuba," by Laura Enriquez, May 2000 http://www.foodfirst.org/en/node/271

"Cultivating Havana: Urban Agriculture and Food Security in the Years of Crisis,"
by Catherine Murphy, Feb 18, 1999 http://www.foodfirst.org/en/node/273

"The Greening of Cuba," by Peter Rosset. ACLA Report on the Americas, 1994
http://www.interconnection.org/resources/cuba.htm

HEALTH CARE AND TRADITIONAL MEDICINE
http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=1733

URBAN SUSTAINABILITY


We look forward to hearing from you,

Leslie Balog
Cuba Reality Tours Coordinator
leslie@globalexchange.org
800-497-1994 x 242

www.realitytours.org
415 575-5530 for this and other research tours in Education, Art and Culture, Architecture and Urban Planning, Sustainable Agriculture, Renewable Energy, and customized groups.


Global Exchange Reality Tours is a licensed Travel Service Provider by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Treasury Department. Study Tour participants must qualify under the general license as full-time working professionals in a relevant field or as journalists.

EPA Webcast: March 5, 2009

This is probably going to be limited to local government offices, but it will be recorded and posted on EPA's website after for everyone to peruse (as it says in the text below).

EPA Webcast: Using EPA Resources to Maximize Clean Energy in Economic Recovery Spending
On March 5, 2009, EPA's Climate and Energy Local Program is sponsoring a special topic webcast for local governments on federal resources that can help them maximize the clean energy benefits of projects funded through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The webcast will provide an overview of federal resources that can help local governments assess opportunities to include efficiency and renewables into planned projects and achieve the greatest amount of environmental benefit from recovery funding. The call will not emphasize application procedures, eligibility issues, or other questions related to the logistics of the funds available.

Topics to be covered on the call include:
- Crosswalk of available funds and EPA resources to support incorporating clean energy into projects (USEPA Office of Air and Radiation Staff)
- Overview of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (US DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Staff)
- Overview of Energy Opportunities in State Water Revolving Funds (USEPA Office of Water and Office of Air and Radiation Staff)
- Q&A Session (participants will submit questions in writing during the webcast and these questions will be answered by the panel of federal representatives)

The webcast will be held on March 5, 2009, from 3:00 – 5:00 PM (Eastern). Because of the expected high level of demand for this webcast, priority for registration will be given to local and regional government staff and officials. If multiple staff from your agency wish to participate, we ask that you share a computer and phone line. EPA will record and post the webcast on its Clean Energy website for interested parties who are not able to participate during the live training.

To register for the webcast, send an e-mail with your name and your organization to: CleanEnergyWebcast@icfi.com. You will receive an email notification within 24 hours stating that your registration request was received. The deadline for registration is March 2, 2009. Final registration confirmation, with priority for local governments, will be distributed two days before the webcast.

In April, the Climate & Energy local program will resume regular monthly training webcasts on specific clean energy topics. Upcoming webcast topics include energy efficiency in affordable housing, combined heat and power, transportation control measures, smart growth, and urban heat islands. For additional information, or to view past webcasts, visit:
http://epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-programs/state-and-local/webcast.html.

OAS Policy Roundtable: Feb. 17, 2009

The Organization of American States (OAS)
Secretariat for External Relations - Summits of the Americas Secretariat
Department of Sustainable Development

In preparation for the Fifth Summit of the Americas, we cordially invite you to the Twelfth OAS Policy Roundtable:

“PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN THE AMERICAS”

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

3:00 – 5:00 pm

Hall of the Americas - OAS Main Building
17th and Constitution Ave. NW - Washington, DC 20006

**********************************************************************************************

PROGRAM**:

3:00 pm Welcome by Mr. David Morris, Director, Summits of the Americas Secretariat, OAS

3:05pm Opening remarks, Ambassador Albert Ramdin, Assistant Secretary General, OAS

3:15pm Panel Discussion moderated by Mr. Cletus Springer, Director, Department of Sustainable Development, OAS.


Panelists:

-Senator Liz Thompson, Former Minister of Environment and Member of the Barbados Senate;

-Bruno Pagnoccheshi, Director of the Brazil National Water Agency (ANA);

-Cassandra Rogers, Natural Disaster Specialist for the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB);

-David Hunter, Law Professor, Director of the International Environmental and Comparative Law Program, Washington College of Law, American University.

-Jake Werksman, Director of Institutions and Governance, World Resources Institute *

4:15pm Question and answer session

4:55pm Closing remarks by Ambassador Glenda Morean-Phillip, Permanent Representative of Trinidad y Tobago

Admission is free. To register, please e-mail the OAS at summit-info@oas.org or fax (202- 458-3665).

* to be confirmed. **English and Spanish interpretation will be available.

CarbonfreeDC: Feb. 26, 2009

Announcing a new Meetup for CarbonfreeDC: Climate Change, Clean Energy & Sustainability!
What: Starting a Green Team at Work
When: February 26, 2009, 7:00 PM

Where: The World Wildlife Fund, Conference Room 2004 (1250 24th St. NW #6, Washington, DC)

Click HERE to RSVP! (http://www.meetup.com/carbonfreedc/calendar/9627151/)
You've been greening your home, now bring those efforts to the office by starting a Green Team!
A Green Team is an informal or formal group of co-workers that finds ways to green their workplace. By proactively implementing energy efficiency measures, recycling and responsible purchasing, Green Teams can make real strides in reducing the carbon foot print of their workplaces.
On February 26, CarbonfreeDC presents three experienced panelists who will tell you how to get your Green Team off the ground and convince your CEO to go along! You'll learn what works and what doesn't from those who have done it all before, whether you work at a non-profit, corporation or government agency.
Presenters include:

* Hermione Phillips, LEED-Accredited Property Manager, World Wildlife Fund

* Mary Lynn Wilhere from the District Department of the Environment

* Kristen Klick White from Arnold & Porter, LLP

Click the below link for more information and to RSVP so you Join us on February 26th at 7:00pm at the World Wildlife Fund headquarters... and bring a colleague!

(http://www.meetup.com/carbonfreedc/calendar/9627151/)

Policy Internship at the Bonobo Conservation Initiative

Policy Internship
Hiring Organization:
Bonobo Conservation Inititative

Position Description:
The Bonobo Conservation Initiative (BCI) and African Community Enterprise (ACE) Policy Interns will research issues related to: great apes and endangered species; biodiversity; rain forest conservation; global climate change; sustainable development; food security; poverty alleviation; and indigenous rights. Interns will utilize this research to write for BCI publications and to prepare background information for use in testimony, press releases and comments. Interns are asked to monitor government activity by researching recent actions and decisions and by attending federal hearings on relevant issues. Interns will also assist in the routine activities of BCI, with specific projects and tasks tailored – when possible – to their individual skills.

Qualifications/Experience:
Applicants should be able to demonstrate their ability to conduct research and carry out projects independently. They should also possess excellent writing skills and have a track record of work displaying initiative and professionalism. Knowledge of how the federal government functions is helpful, but not essential. Bilingual individuals, particularly those with a working knowledge of French, are especially encouraged to apply.

Salary/funding:
There is no stipend available for interns.

Term of Appointment:
Minimum of three months, no maximum

Application Deadline:
Ongoing

Comments:
Please send a cover letter, one-page résumé, and your dates of availability. Finalists will be interviewed in person or by telephone. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all available positions are filled.

BCI will cooperate with universities/colleges that offer credit for intern programs; however, students must make all arrangements for receiving academic credit.

Contact Information:
Amy Clanin
2701 Connecticut Ave. NW #702
Washington, DC 20008
USA
Telephone Number:
(202) 332-1014
Fax Number:
(202) 234-3066
Website:
http://www.bonobo.org

Carbon, Community, and Livelihoods: Forest Commons in the 21st Century: Dec. 4, 2008

School of International Service Global Environmental Politics Field Presents

Arun Agrawal
University of Michigan

"Carbon, Community, and Livelihoods: Forest Commons in the 21st Century"

Thursday, December 4th, 2008
11:20 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Hughes Formal Lounge

Arun Agrawal teaches environmental politics at the University of Michigan in the School of Natural Resources and Environment. His research is broadly in the areas of political economy of conservation and sustainable development. His recent interests cover forest commons and adaptation to climate change. His most recent book is titled, “Environmentality.”

For more information, please contact Sam Shepson at 202-885-1843 or ipfp@american.edu

Agriculture and Sustainability seminars: Dec. 4 & 5, 2008

The Brazil Institute invites you to two high-level seminars on

Agribusiness and Sustainability in Brazil –Farming in Mato Grosso, the Border of the Amazon

Thursday, December 4, 2008
8:45 AM – 1:00 PM
6th Floor Flom Auditorium
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

&

Prospects for Brazil-US Relations in the New American Administration

Friday, December 5, 2008
8:45 AM – 6:00 PM
6th Floor Flom Auditorium
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
(www.wilsoncenter.org/directions)
RSVP to Alan.Wright@Wilsoncenter.org


Agribusiness and Sustainability in Brazil –
Farming in Mato Grosso, the Border of the Amazon
Thursday, December 4, 2008
8:45 AM – 1:00 PM


8:45 AM - Opening Session

Welcome Remarks: Paulo Sotero, Director, Brazil Institute, Woodrow Wilson Center
Speaker: Blairo Maggi, Governor, State of Mato Grosso

9:30 AM - Farmers from Brazil’s Agriculture Frontier: Addressing the Challenges of Economic Development and Sustainability

Speakers: Ricardo Arioli, President, Mato Grosso Association of Soybean Producers (Aprosoja); Rui Prado, President, Mato Grosso Farm Bureau (FAMATO); John Carter, Director, Aliança da Terra; Annie Petsonk, International Counsel, Environment Defense Fund’s Climate & Air Program

11:00 AM - Break

11:15 AM - Debate

Discussants: Thomas Lovejoy, Biodiversity Chair, Heinz Center; Mark London, Lawyer at London & Mead and author of The Last Forest, joined by Governor Maggi and the first panel
Moderator: Geoffrey Dabelko, Director, Environmental Change and Security Program, Woodrow Wilson Center

###

Prospects for Brazil-US Relations in the New American Administration
Friday, December 5, 2008
8:45 AM – 6:00 PM


8:45 AM - Opening Session

Welcome Remarks: Lee H. Hamilton, President and Director, Woodrow Wilson Center

Speakers: Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Brazil’s Ambassador to the US and
Clifford Sobel, US Ambassador to Brazil

9:30 AM - Is There Room for a Strategic Relationship Between Brazil and the US? Part I

Speakers: Nelson Jobim, Brazil’s Minister of Defense; Thomas Pickering, Vice Chairman, Hills & Company – Chair: Kellie Meiman, Managing Director, McLarty Associates

11:00 AM - Break

11:15 AM - Is There Room for a Strategic Relationship Between Brazil and the US? Part II

Speakers: Blairo Maggi, Governor, State of Mato Grosso; Donna Hrinak, Senior Director for Latin America Government Affairs, Pepsico (invited); Rubens Barbosa, President, Superior Council of Foreign Trade, FIESP; Anthony Harrington, President and CEO, Stonebridge International – Chair: Jon Huenemann, Principal for the International Department, Miller & Chevalier

12:45 PM - Lunch Keynote Speaker: Charles Hagel, US Senator, Nebraska (invited)

Chair: Anthony Harrington, President and CEO, Stonebridge International

2:30 PM - Can Brazil and the US Become Partners in the Field of Energy?

Speakers: Eliot L. Engel, U.S. Representative for New York and Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere (invited); Marcio Zimmermann, Brazil’s Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy; Antonio Barros de Castro, Counselor to the President, National Bank of Economic and Social Development – Chair: Paulo Sotero, Director, Brazil Institute, Woodrow Wilson Center

4:00 PM - Break

4:15 PM - Challenges to Brazil and US Regional Leadership

Speakers: Thomas A. Shannon, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere; Marcel Biato, Deputy International Affairs Adviser to President Lula; Riordan Roett, Fulbright Scholar, Director of Western Hemisphere Studies, SAIS at John Hopkins University; Matias Spektor, Professor of International Relations, Fundação Getúlio Vargas (invited); Carlos Pio, Fulbright Scholar, Professor of Political Economy, University of Brasilia – Chair: Leslie Bethell, Public Policy Scholar, Woodrow Wilson Center

6:00 PM - Reception – Art Opening of “Visual Impressions” in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Fulbright Commission in Brazil

Job/Fellowship with the Inter-American Development Bank

Research Fellow Description

Background:
The Bank is implementing the “Sustainability Initiative” which seeks to establish the foundations for implementing the new Environment and Safeguards Compliance Policy and Management’s commitment to the Blue Ribbon Panel Recommendations. This includes improving the Bank’s in-house sustainability efforts. To that end in 2007 the Bank launched the Greening of the Bank initiative which includes a series of activities to make the IDB a more environmentally responsible steward and to encourage staff to play an active role in greening both at work and at home. More specifically the initiative includes actions to calculate, reduce and offset the IDB’s carbon footprint and looking at more sustainable commuting options for IDB staff, as well as encouraging reducing Bank-wide mission travel.

Education:

o Master’s Degree or equivalent with emphasis on development issues, ideally with a focus on environmental sustainability, or practical experience implementing greening programs in a facilities management environment.

Experience:

o A minimum of two years work experience working in an environmental/sustainability field;
o Understanding of sustainability and corporate social responsibility issues facing large organizations;
o Understanding/ experience of implementing greening programs;
o Understanding/ experience of implementing carbon neutral strategies;
o Knowledge of Greenhouse Gas Protocol or comparable GHG management methodologies, calculations and emission factors;
o Excellent organizational skills;
o Experience collecting data and collating in Excel format;
o Ability to work independently and resourcefully to meet multiple work demands, while adjusting to shifting priorities;
o Communication skills - comfortable talking to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders;
o Ability to work under pressure in a multitasking environment, acting with a sense of urgency to meet the objectives;
o Enthusiasm, energy, creativity and initiative.

Languages:

o Full proficiency in Spanish and English.

Activities:

Carbon Neutral /Footprint Activities

o Technical development, coordination of and improvements to the Bank wide Greenhouse Gas Inventory and GHG Inventory Management Plan, based on the technical support and guidance of the EPA’s Climate Leaders program.
o Liaison with relevant divisions and departments at HQ to institutionalize the process of collecting, calculating, and maintaining a high-quality inventory; developing a strategy to and coordinating the adoption of an aggressive corporate-wide GHG emission reduction goal to be achieved by the Bank over the next 5 to 10 years.
o Liaison with country offices piloting greening initiatives to identify opportunities to implement new measures to reduce their “footprint”;

Coordination of Greening the Bank program:

· Implementation of the Banks Greening the Bank action plan which includes development of activities related (but not limited) to:

· Energy and resource efficiency (green build);
1 Recycling programs;
2 Greening printing and publications;
3 Greening cafeteria and food services;
4 Responsible travel (business travel and commuting);
5 Sustainable corporate procurement;
6 Green educational materials, events and expos.
Other facilities management, research or organizational tasks as needed.

Reporting Structure:
This position will be located within the IDB Facilities Management Unit

Internship with Green Group

Great Internship Opportunity with Green Group

Location: Washington, District of Columbia, 20009, United States
Organization: Live Green

Area of Focus: Green Living, Environment and Ecology, Social
Enterprise and Economic Development
Start date: January 2, 2009

Language(s): English
End date: December 24, 2009
Paid or unpaid: Unpaid

Description:

We are looking for energetic, reliable, and green-minded interns that
are open to taking on a variety of tasks focused on expanding Live
Green's reach and impact.

Our mission is to make green living easier and more affordable. We
launched in June of '08 and therefore there are ample opportunities to
learn how to make a start up succeed. We are working to grow our
membership base, expand our business network, improve our web
presence, and more. Interns will learn from a highly successful
organizer with 18 years of public interest experience.

Our office is located in Adams Morgan (DC) on 18th Street. Knowledge
of green issues helps but is not required. Willingness to learn,
creativity, and a positive attitude are essential.

We are looking for interns that can work for at least 12 hours per
week for at least one semester -- we are open to more.



Application instructions:

To apply, send your resume and cover letter to contactlivegreen@gmail.com.

Please describe how many hours you can work per week in your cover letter.

Learn more about Live Green at www.livegreen.net.

Biofuel Presentation: Nov. 19-20, 2008

Kathryn Fuller Science for Nature Fund
2008 Science for Nature Symposium

BIOFUELS: WHICH ARE MORE SUSTAINABLE?

Please join World Wildlife Fund for the 2008 Kathryn Fuller Science for Nature Symposium on November 19-20, 2008 in Washington, DC. This year’s symposium will present the “state of the science” with regard to biofuels and their impacts on biodiversity, the environment, greenhouse gas emissions, and food supply and will build consensus among scientists, conservation practitioners, investors, and policy makers regarding key impacts and acceptable performance.

ATTEND IN PERSON OR VIA LIVE WEBCAST!

Date: November 19-20, 2008
Time: 8:00am-5:00pm
Location: World Wildlife Fund Headquarters
1250 24th Street NW Washington, DC 20037

The symposium will be held both at WWF Headquarters in Washington, DC, and via Webcast for those who would like to attend remotely. Registration is required, and space for both is limited, so please reserve your space according to the directions below as soon as possible.

Click here to see agenda: http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/fellowships/fuller/WWFBinaryitem10473.pdf
If you would like to attend this Fuller Symposium in Washington, DC, please register online: http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/fellowships/fuller/item9302.html
If you would like to attend this Fuller Symposium via Webcast, please register online:
http://w.on24.com/r.htm?e=124111&s=1&k=002EC7EA1B1F7FCFBF1BBE2F7A4CD71D

Sustaining Natural Resources and Environmental Integrity During Response to Crisis and Conflict: Nov. 12, 2008

Please join the Environmental Change and Security Program for a discussion of

Sustaining Natural Resources and Environmental Integrity During Response to Crisis and Conflict

featuring

Anita Van Breda, Director, Humanitarian Partnerships, World Wildlife Fund

Charles Kelly, Affiliate, Benfield Hazard Research Centre, University College
London

Marion Pratt, Social Science Advisor, U.S. Agency for International Development

Wednesday, November 12, 2008
12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m.
5th Floor Conference Room
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Webcast live at www.wilsoncenter.org.

Please RSVP to ecsp@wilsoncenter.org with your name and affiliation.

Post-conflict and post-disaster response programs are often designed and implemented quickly, with the highest priority given to basic health services; water and sanitation; and infrastructure. Environmental issues typically receive much less systematic attention, and crisis-response programs can sometimes cause additional environmental degradation. This session will examine strategies to mitigate the negative social and environmental impacts of responding to conflict and crisis. Presenters will discuss how long-term considerations such as natural resource management (NRM) can best be integrated into crisis response, and will also highlight areas in need of future attention, innovation, and investment.

Anita Van Breda, director of humanitarian partnerships at the World Wildlife Fund, will provide an overview of pre-response planning and incorporating NRM into post-conflict response. Marion Pratt, a social science advisor in USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, and Charles Kelly, an affiliate of University College London’s Benfield Hazard Research Centre, will present case studies, discussing best practices for integrating long-term environmental concerns into post-conflict work.

This is the sixth and final event in ECSP’s “New Horizons at the Nexus of Conflict, Natural Resources, and Health” series, which examines new thinking and research at the intersection of these areas. This series is funded jointly by USAID’s Office of Natural Resources Management, its Office of Population and Reproductive Health, and its Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation, with technical support from USAID’s Asia, Middle East, and Africa bureaus. For more information on this series, please visit www.wilsoncenter.org/newhorizons.

If you are interested, but unable to attend the event, please tune into the live or archived webcast at www.wilsoncenter.org. The webcast will begin approximately 10 minutes after the posted meeting time. You will need Windows Media Player to watch the webcast. To download the free player, visit: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download.

Location: Woodrow Wilson Center at the Ronald Reagan Building: 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW ("Federal Triangle" stop on Blue/Orange Line), 5th Floor Conference Room. A map to the Center is available at www.wilsoncenter.org/directions. Note: Due to heightened security, entrance to the building will be restricted and photo identification is required. Please allow additional time to pass through security.