This article is authored by Sarah Wald, an Assistant Professor of English and Environmental Studies & Sustainability at Drew University. Photo courtesy of Lynne DeLade.

In spring 2011, I taught Drew University’s first senior capstone course in our new Environmental Studies and Sustainability (ESS) major. Six graduating seniors with majors or minors in ESS ran Drew through STARS. At the end of the semester, the students organized a Sustainability Forum where they presented the results of the STARS survey, including Drew’s strengths and weaknesses, and provided their recommendations for making Drew University a more sustainable institution.

Having students complete STARS advanced its effectiveness as an outreach and advocacy tool. The report received more attention than it would have otherwise. Both the student newspaper and the Drew University website covered the forum. Drew University President Robert Weisbuch introduced the forum and the University Sustainability Committee, which promoted the event, considered the students’ recommendations during their next meeting. The event itself was well-attended by students, faculty, and staff.

Pedagogically, STARS was also invaluable. The students learned to work (and to write) collaboratively. Professionalization occurred as students contacted and then worked directly with staff to find the information they needed. This was a project that required students to take initiative. Moreover, students applied the knowledge they gained in previous courses as they decided whether or not Drew met the criteria for each credit and debated how important that credit was to Drew’s overall sustainability goals. Students consistently distinguished between institutional changes that would increase Drew’s STARS rating and the changes students felt were most essential to the University’s sustainability.

In terms of the class structure, the first several weeks we read widely about sustainability and students worked collaboratively to develop their own definition of sustainability. During the bulk of the semester, students set up meetings with staff, read available university documents, and utilized resources on the AASHE website to complete STARS. Following the Sustainability Forum, the students wrote to AASHE assessing STARS as a sustainability ratings system.

We wrote the report section by section (Education & Research, Operations, Planning, Assessment & Engagement). Based on AASHE’s recommendation, we started the curriculum assessment early. Gathering the appropriate faculty together to agree on a definition of sustainability-focused and sustainability-related courses was time-consuming as was soliciting faculty responses to the on-line survey the students composed. In the Operations Section, students divided credits based on which faculty or staff member needed to be contacted (to avoid six students contacting the same staff person). In the Planning, Assessment, and Engagement section we decided it made the most sense to divide the work by sections such as Investment or Public Engagement. Ideally, we will use STARS as a capstone project again in three years, when the students who attended the Sustainability Forum as first year students can assess the progress we’ve made during their tenure at the University.

I learned several lessons from incorporating STARS into our ESS capstone classes.
1) Beginning with articles and book chapters about sustainability and then reading about different sustainability ratings systems provided an intellectual framework for the class to which we consistently returned. Discussing an environmental justice approach to sustainability helped students understand why sections like Diversity and Human Resources were important to STARS.
2) Start with the Education and Research section. While it was not more work than the other sections, we needed a longer period of time to complete the tasks.
3) Work with your sustainability coordinator. Our sustainability coordinator was invaluable in helping us identify who at the University would have the data we needed.
4) Value staff time and discuss with students the need to be respectful of staff’s busy schedules and gracious for their assistance.
5) Make the pedagogical goals of the project clear. We started the class with the learning objectives for the capstone and returned to them throughout the class.
6) Engage students in a discussion as to how to best publicize their results and recommendations. The most exciting and effective ideas for our forum, including a raffle tied to a sustainability quiz, came from students.
7) Empower students. The class would not have been successful without the ownership students felt over the project. Because students believed they could use STARS to create institutional change and promote a cultural of sustainability at the University, they took the work they did seriously and were creative in leveraging STARS to advance campus sustainability.

This article is authored by Sarah Wald, an Assistant Professor of English and Environmental Studies & Sustainability at Drew University. Photo courtesy of Lynne DeLade.

In spring 2011, I taught Drew University’s first senior capstone course in our new Environmental Studies and Sustainability (ESS) major. Six graduating seniors with majors or minors in ESS ran Drew through STARS. At the end of the semester, the students organized a Sustainability Forum where they presented the results of the STARS survey, including Drew’s strengths and weaknesses, and provided their recommendations for making Drew University a more sustainable institution.

Having students complete STARS advanced its effectiveness as an outreach and advocacy tool. The report received more attention than it would have otherwise. Both the student newspaper and the Drew University website covered the forum. Drew University President Robert Weisbuch introduced the forum and the University Sustainability Committee, which promoted the event, considered the students’ recommendations during their next meeting. The event itself was well-attended by students, faculty, and staff.

Pedagogically, STARS was also invaluable. The students learned to work (and to write) collaboratively. Professionalization occurred as students contacted and then worked directly with staff to find the information they needed. This was a project that required students to take initiative. Moreover, students applied the knowledge they gained in previous courses as they decided whether or not Drew met the criteria for each credit and debated how important that credit was to Drew’s overall sustainability goals. Students consistently distinguished between institutional changes that would increase Drew’s STARS rating and the changes students felt were most essential to the University’s sustainability.

In terms of the class structure, the first several weeks we read widely about sustainability and students worked collaboratively to develop their own definition of sustainability. During the bulk of the semester, students set up meetings with staff, read available university documents, and utilized resources on the AASHE website to complete STARS. Following the Sustainability Forum, the students wrote to AASHE assessing STARS as a sustainability ratings system.

We wrote the report section by section (Education & Research, Operations, Planning, Assessment & Engagement). Based on AASHE’s recommendation, we started the curriculum assessment early. Gathering the appropriate faculty together to agree on a definition of sustainability-focused and sustainability-related courses was time-consuming as was soliciting faculty responses to the on-line survey the students composed. In the Operations Section, students divided credits based on which faculty or staff member needed to be contacted (to avoid six students contacting the same staff person). In the Planning, Assessment, and Engagement section we decided it made the most sense to divide the work by sections such as Investment or Public Engagement. Ideally, we will use STARS as a capstone project again in three years, when the students who attended the Sustainability Forum as first year students can assess the progress we’ve made during their tenure at the University.

I learned several lessons from incorporating STARS into our ESS capstone classes.
1) Beginning with articles and book chapters about sustainability and then reading about different sustainability ratings systems provided an intellectual framework for the class to which we consistently returned. Discussing an environmental justice approach to sustainability helped students understand why sections like Diversity and Human Resources were important to STARS.
2) Start with the Education and Research section. While it was not more work than the other sections, we needed a longer period of time to complete the tasks.
3) Work with your sustainability coordinator. Our sustainability coordinator was invaluable in helping us identify who at the University would have the data we needed.
4) Value staff time and discuss with students the need to be respectful of staff’s busy schedules and gracious for their assistance.
5) Make the pedagogical goals of the project clear. We started the class with the learning objectives for the capstone and returned to them throughout the class.
6) Engage students in a discussion as to how to best publicize their results and recommendations. The most exciting and effective ideas for our forum, including a raffle tied to a sustainability quiz, came from students.
7) Empower students. The class would not have been successful without the ownership students felt over the project. Because students believed they could use STARS to create institutional change and promote a cultural of sustainability at the University, they took the work they did seriously and were creative in leveraging STARS to advance campus sustainability.

Exodus 19:1-6 (NIV)

¹ On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. ² After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.

³ Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ⁴ ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. ⁵ Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, ⁶ you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV)

⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Reflection:

When the nation of Israel received God’s laws at Mount Sinai, Moses proclaimed these famous words that they are called to be a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” For all who believe in Jesus Christ, this has been God’s plan all along. We are now God’s own people, His special possession, called to take part in an intimate relationship with the almighty God.  This calling has changed who we are, what we are, and what we do not just individually, but corporately together.  Yes, because of our calling, everything has changed!

Responding to the Transmission:

Many times in life we forget that we are indeed God’s chosen people.  Let’s spend time in prayer asking the Holy Spirit to make this more of a reality in our own lives starting today.  We are called to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation!

Sometimes, life can be a little boring. Until, of course, something unexpected happens to put a smile on your face. And then? Life becomes a lot more fun.

So who’s going around making life more fun for everyone else? That would be OakoAk, from France. But other countries have their own street artists too.

Banksy, an artist from London, is probably the most well known guerilla artist. He has been at the center of a number of controversies and everyone wants to know his real identity.

Katie Sokoler is another street artist from New York. Her art doesn’t use spray paint, but a bunch of different materials, like paper, stickers, and tape to make the streets of New York a little bit more exciting.

What do you think about street art? Is it vandalism, or just plain awesome? Are there other street artists we need to know about? Let us know in the comments!

via StumbeUpon

Curious about how foreign governments do things? Here’s a peek at government offices from around the world.

Warning: Finish your meal before you read this unappetizing article.

If you’re thinking about opening a lemonade stand this summer, you might want to reconsider.

Comedians play a large role in Cambodian politics, but through propaganda, not satire.

Lately, there has been a lot of talk about “fracking,” but what the frack is it?

To start, the term refers to an oil drilling process that uses hydraulic fracturing. It consists of  breaking through rock by using high pressured fluids.

Fracking requires up to 13 million gallons of water each time it’s used, and that’s putting a strain on places like Texas, where water is already in limited supply.

The water crisis in Texas, the biggest oil- and gas-producing state in the United States, highlights a continuing debate in North America and Europe over fracking’s impact on water supplies.

Fracking’s need for water isn’t the only aspect causing concern.

Environmentalists argue the process is putting water supplies in danger of serious pollution.

Now, reports of contaminated water and alleged disposal of carcinogens in rivers have caught state and federal regulators, and even environmental watchdogs, off guard. Sometimes the fracking mix includes diesel fuel. Between 2005 and 2009, drillers injected 32 million gallons of fluids containing diesel into wells in 19 states, an investigation by Representative Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) concludes.

As the process becomes more and more popular, there is sure to be a lot of fracking talk to come!

Thanks to MSNBC!

The Big Man moves on: Saxophonist Clarence Clemons dies at 69.

What’s the score? Obama and Boehner hit the golf course.

Burning up! Things get dry in the south, risk of fires increases.

STUCK: United Airlines passengers stranded all over the country.

And, how old is graffiti?!

Image courtesy of Salon.com

“Please sir, can I have some more?”  Greece finds $160 billion just wasn’t enough.

Taking the wheel and taking a stand: Saudi women protest driving ban.

“What to do when the President’s just not into you.”  Liberal bloggers regard President Obama as “the boyfriend who brought you flowers even though he cheated on you.”

Didn’t you hear?  Glitter’s all the rage!  Tim Pawlenty becomes the second GOP presidential hopeful to get glittered.

Potter what?  More Harry?  No, Pottermore!  JK Rowling announces mysterious new website.

And a Canadian couple bring a whole new meaning to the expression “Make Out Not War.”