The track is designed to provide advanced knowledge in environmental policy, regulatory economics, sustainable development, energy policy, green technology, and international environmental agreements.  Student take 12 courses, which can be completed by full-time students over a nine-month academic year or 18 months with part-time enrollment.

Learn more at the UCSD School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, irps.ucsd.edu/programs/master-of-advanced-studies-in-international-affairs-masia/.

The new version of Envision™ includes significant alterations as the result of public comments submitted since July 2011 and the merging of the ISI rating tool with a similar tool developed by the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at Harvard University.

Details associated with the individual credentialing process, including training schedules, fees, application procedures, and guidelines for individual infrastructure project submissions for ISI accreditation, are also available.

For questions or additional information, please contact Bill Bertera, ISI Executive Director, at 202-218-6725.

More on the topic here.

In Dr. Edith Widder's laboratory, sediment samples are mixed with a bioluminescent bacterium called Vibrio fischeri. Using a photometer to measure the light given off by the bacteria, Dr. Widder can quickly determine the concentration of toxic chemicals in the sediment by seeing how much and how quickly the light dims as the contaminants kill the bacteria.  She is using this technique to detect heavy metals and nutrients, like phosphorus and nitrogen, in the Indian River Lagoon, a 156-mile estuary that scientists say is one of Florida’s most precious and threatened ecosystems.

Other organizations monitor the waters there, but Dr. Widder’s use of bioluminescent bacteria as a pollution marker and her system’s ability to do real-time monitoring are singular.  Another homegrown project of Dr. Widder’s design is opening a new perspective on deep-sea life.

She draws animals to a special camera that is armed with a spinning dial of LED lights resembling the distress call of a species of bioluminescent jellyfish, Atolla wyvillei, that appears to use light as a kind of burglar alarm, luring predators to go after whatever is attacking it. In December 2009, her Eye-in-the-Sea camera was placed in 3,000 feet of water in the Monterey Canyon, a submarine canyon off the coast of California, where it remained for a year. The resulting videos, spanning about 5,300 hours, are being studied by researchers and graduate students at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, who have discovered numerous new behaviors of deep-sea animals.

Read the complete story, with photos and links to more information, in the NY Times.

Visit the EPA website for more information.

Further information is available on the ITRC web page devoted to green and sustainable remediation.

By Abbey Reller

Earlier this fall I attended the book launch for an effort to incorporate sustainability into every aspect EPA takes to protect the environment: Sustainability and the U.S. EPA, or as it is called around here, The Green Book. I had just begun my internship with EPA in the Office of Research and Development, and this was an opportunity for me to learn about the motivation behind all science research within the agency.

As I looked toward the speaker on stage, I noticed three words mounted on the wall: Wonders of Science. To me it seemed those three words fostered the concept of The Green Book. While sustainability is defined in multiple different ways, I like the language the authors used to describe it, which comes from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA):

“…to create and maintain conditions, under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations.”

The most important thing I learned that day was how limitless science is because of sustainability. With a growing population and developing technology, there constantly seems to be ways to improve human health and protect the environment.

The one piece of advice I received from various people during my internship: Whatever you want to do, become an expert at it. Wow, way to put the pressure on!

As I looked around at all the people in the Koshland Science Museum during The Green Book launch, I realized exactly whom I was sitting amongst — the science and sustainability experts of the world. I was quite inspired and pleased to attend the event with such remarkable scientists.

One in particular, Paul Anastas, Ph.D., the Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Research and Development, describes sustainability as the True North of EPA research. I am thrilled to have gotten to observe his work during my internship. He is a true expert in sustainability and I am quite inspired by his work.

So, when my internship ends I will continue on my journey to becoming an expert in my field of study. With a little bit of passion and a lot of determination, the challenge no longer seems impossible.

The Federal government controls or owns more than 41 million acres of land and 429,000 building assets, comprising 3.34 billion square feet of space in the US. Consequently, landscaping practices by Federal agencies can have significant impacts on the environment. Decisions regarding the development and maintenance of Federal landscaped property provide an opportunity to promote the sustainable use of water and land, conserve soils and vegetation, support natural ecosystem functions, conserve materials, promote human health and well-being, and ensure accessibility for all users, including those with disabilities.

The guidance is available here.

The workshop takes place March 26 through March 29, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla, in La Jolla, California.

More information is available on the workshop website.