Switzer Network News

Webinar: Lessons for Homeowners from Green Affordable Housing

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 16:06:44 +0000

Are you a homeowner, interested in finding ways to make your home or investment property more sustainable? Then hear Switzer Fellow Beverly Craig discuss lessons learned from six years working on improving the water and energy performance of multifamily affordable housing with Homeowner's Rehab, a nonprofit that owns over 1,000 units of affordable housing in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They "green" their portfolio by installing energy efficient devices in their properties, which helps them meet both financial and social goals. She answers question including: - Why do buildings matter when it comes to CO2 production? - How do you find out how your home measures up to others in your neighborhood? - What are the most cost effective energy measures you can take? - What devices can you use to reduce phantom electric loads? Please also take a moment to visit our website at http://www.switzernetwork.org to learn about our Fellows and find more videos.

Climate Change Hits Disadvantaged Hardest with Switzer Fellow Rachel Morello-Frosch

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 23:07:28 +0000

Low-income neighborhoods are more often exposed to poor environmental quality when compared to wealthier communities, and scientists are saying this gap will increase as climate change is more widely felt.

Ditching Dirty Diesel with Switzer Fellow Catalina Garzon

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 01:22:07 +0000

Diesel-powered vehicles are a significant source of pollution, impacting health and contributing to climate change. The Ditching Dirty Diesel Collaborative, a coalition of community, environmental advocacy and public health departments, is working together with the Pacific Institute to reduce the impact of this pollution on low-income communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. 2005 Switzer Fellow Catalina Garzon is Program Co-Director with the Pacific Institute's Community Strategies for Sustainability and Justice program.

Webinar: From Lab to Law with Switzer Fellow Amy Clipp

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 18:24:14 +0000

Amy Clipp (2009 Switzer Fellow) gave this webinar for us that offered ideas for bridging the gap between science and policy, with a particular focus on helping scientists apply their work in complex, political environments. As a starting point, the webinar examined the following questions: - What do scientists need to know before they collaborate on high profile policy projects? - How can scientists most productively work with diverse stakeholders? - How and when should scientists share interim results? Her stories are based on lessons learned advising the State of Louisiana on its 2012 Coastal Master Plan. For two years, she worked with Rand Corporation, some of the nation's top coastal scientists, and hundreds of citizens. Together, this diverse group created a plan to ease Louisiana’s high rate of wetland loss and improve flood protection for two million citizens. The plan received unanimous legislative support despite controversial provisions, including projects that would change the course of the Mississippi River. You can read more about Ms. Clipp and the Switzer Foundation at http://www.switzernetwork.org.

Webinar: Building a Network for Cross-Disciplinary Engagement in Conservation (Switzer Foundation Webinar Series)

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 19:48:58 +0000

Leadership grantee Sarah Reed (Associate Conservation Scientist, Wildlife Conservation Society) and her colleague Lindsay Ex (Environmental Planner, City of Fort Collins) discussed their effort to build a collaborative learning network for practitioners engaged in conservation development. Conservation development (CD) is an approach to the design, construction, and stewardship of a development that achieves functional protection for natural resources while also generating social and economic benefits for human communities. Successfully implementing and managing CD projects requires connecting diverse groups of professionals, including land use planners, developers, real estate agents, homeowners, and conservation experts. Specifically, they: - Discussed results of semi-structured interviews with 30 leading planning, development and conservation practitioners regarding their needs for further resources and opportunities to collaborate on conservation-oriented development projects; and - Explored ideas for how to increase knowledge transfer and collaborations among traditionally disparate professional disciplines and envision alternative models of residential development.

Small Steps to Sustainability in Central America with Switzer Fellow Dave Kramer

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:41:01 +0000

What if you had to decide between feeding your family today and saving the environment for future generations? That's exactly the choice families along the stretch of river between Guatemala and Belize have to make. Switzer Fellow Dave Kramer of EcoLogic Development Fund is helping them find common ground to create a sustainable fishery that will serve everyone.

Keeping Solar Clean

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:36:25 +0000

Producing electricity from the sun with solar panels seems like the perfect solution to our energy needs. But solar panels can also create problems for the environment. Switzer Fellow Dustin Mulvaney believes there are win-win solutions out there.

Protecting Ourselves from Diesel Fumes with Switzer Fellow Scott Fruin

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:32:49 +0000

Los Angeles, California, is one of the biggest transportation in the world, but that has major health implications for residents. Exposure to diesel fumes has an impact on everyone, and Switzer Fellow Scott Fruin documents those effects, especially on children. (Photos provided by Scott Fruin and Andrea Hricko)

When Whales and Ships Collide with Switzer Fellow Leslie Abramson

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:31:20 +0000

Ships travel around the world using shipping lanes. Whales can be in the same areas, raising the potential for collisions between the two, or shipstrikes. Fellow Leslie Abramson works with the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary in San Francisco to coordinate a stakeholder process focused on reducing the risk of shipstrike on endangered whales off the coast of California. You can see more video reports on Switzer Fellows' work at http://www.youtube.com/switzernetworknews or on our website at http://www.switzernetwork.org.

Conservation Development

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:22:52 +0000

As an associate conservation scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society, Sarah Reed studies conservation development as a way to develop property by clustering homes and protecting or restoring ecological resources.

Plug-in Cargo Ships on West Coast of California

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:20:07 +0000

It is estimated that shipping produces 4 to 5% of global carbon dioxide emissions. In most cases, these ships are powered by diesel fuel. On today's report we learn about an innovative California technology aimed at reducing this pollution. 2007 Switzer Fellow Francisco Donez is an environmental engineer with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9.

Webinar: Innovation in Pre-listing Species Conservation: Conservation Banking for Candidate Species (Switzer Foundation Webinar Series)

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 19:01:49 +0000

The World Resources Institute (WRI) and Advanced Conservation Strategies (ACS) have been working to develop a pilot conservation marketplace for the gopher tortoise in its non-federally-listed range of the Southeast United States. The pilot is intended to serve as a model for “advance mitigation” markets for candidate species—a concept that has gained considerable attention nationwide as a potential conservation and conflict resolution strategy for species like the sage grouse and lesser prairie chicken, and that is the subject of proposed rulemaking by the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS). In this webinar, Todd Gartner of WRI and Josh Donlan of ACS, introduce their work to-date in this area, including the structure, promise, and challenges of conservation banking in an advance mitigation context and their experience applying these concepts in the Southeast for the gopher tortoise.

Webinar: Working and Collaborating Remotely (Switzer Digital Webinar Series)

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 18:49:20 +0000

Learn about tools that can help you work and collaborate effectively in the cloud, and explore some workflows that have worked for others.

Webinar: Blogging About Your Work (Switzer Digital Webinar Series)

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 02:23:28 +0000

This webinar presents a roundtable of Switzer Fellows discussing all of the ways you can use blogs and blogging to spread the word about your science, activism, and more.

Webinar: Using Google Tools in Your Organization (Switzer Digital Webinar Series)

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Wed, 30 May 2012 01:08:51 +0000

Google offers a dizzying array of free and low-cost tools to use in your organization. Cloud email, shared calendars and simple websites are just the beginning. This webinar looks at how you can shift your organization to cloud computing with Google, including tips on how to get buy-in at all levels.

Webinar: Sustainable Agriculture and Food System Reform with Hugh Hogan (Switzer Foundation Webinar Series)

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:50:14 +0000

How might your work fit into a larger picture in sustainable agriculture and food system reform? How can you link to ongoing efforts whether they are in the country or globally? And how can we foster more networking among Switzer Fellows who are interested in these issues? These are all questions we addressed in this webinar delivered by: - Virginia Clarke, Exec. Dir., Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders (www.safsf.org) - Kolu Zigbi, Program Officer for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation (www.noyes.org) - Hugh Hogan, Executive Director, North Star Fund (www.northstarfund.org) and Switzer Fellow 1998

Niche Meat Processing with Switzer Fellow Lauren Gwin

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:39:18 +0000

Lauren Gwin (2005) is on the faculty at Oregon State University in the Ag & Resource Economics department. She co-founded and co-leads the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network, a network of university extension faculty, NGOs, government officials, livestock producers, processors, and others involved with supporting small-scale processing for local/regional, niche markets, the impact of which she explains in this video.

Fighting for Resource Rights with Switzer Fellow Sara Mersha

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:33:39 +0000

Sara Mersha (2010) is the Director of Grantmaking and Advocacy for Grassroots International. Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Sara worked for 12 years as Lead Organizer and then Executive Director of Direct Action for Rights and Equality (DARE), a grassroots group serving low-income communities of color in Providence, RI. After serving as Visiting Faculty in the Ethnic Studies Department of Brown University, she began a master's degree at Brown's Center for Environmental Studies. She now focuses her work on climate justice and food sovereignty, including with the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, work that she describes in the video below.

Webinar: Go Botany!

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:39:32 +0000

How do you develop consumer-oriented websites that both inform and inspire sustainable action? Find out from Switzer Fellow Elizabeth Farnsworth as she takes us inside Go Botany!, a new website designed to help you identify over 1,200 of the most common native and naturalized New England plants. It includes interactive features that allow users to find friends, collaborate on field surveys for plants, and make maps; teaching tools to encourage education in botany; and advanced ID tools to assist experienced botanists with complete identification.

Making Affordable Housing Green

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:24:43 +0000

Housing developers are always looking to improve their bottom line. Homeowner's Rehab, a small nonprofit that owns over 1,000 units of affordable housing in Cambridge, Massachusetts, goes about this in a unique and sustainable way. They "green" their portfolio by installing energy efficient devices in their properties, which helps them meet both financial and social goals.

Go Botany! Engaging Budding Botanists Using Technology

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:53:21 +0000

Botanists and other scientists are using technology to reach wider audiences. One example is the website Go Botany! developed by 1990 Switzer Fellow Elizabeth Farnsworth. Learn about how the site was designed to engage people in identifying plants and foster social networking.

Webinar: Greening Stonyfield Farm

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:34:35 +0000

As a consultant with Stonyfield Farm for the past 12 years, Switzer Fellow Tim Greiner discusses efforts to broaden and deepen sustainability within the company. He describes the company's efforts to track its environmental impacts, barriers the company had to overcome, and the environmental and financial savings the company has seen as a result of these efforts. He answers questions including: - What are the key steps to establishing a sustainability vision for a company? - How do you integrate responsibility for sustainability initiatives into core business processes such as manufacturing, sourcing, packaging, and logistics? - What mistakes were made in the process of greening the company that anyone seeking to do similar work should avoid? Originally broadcast February 17, 2012.

Webinar: Accelerating the Green Energy Transition: 33% RPS and Beyond with Laura Wisland (Switzer Foundation Webinar Series)

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:29:33 +0000

As Senior Energy Analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, Switzer Fellow Laura Wisland played an important role in the passage of California's Renewable Portfolio Standard. In this webinar, hear about her newest research into how California's utilities are faring under the new rules. She answers questions including: Where has California's renewable energy policy been, and where it is going? What role have California's utilities played in promoting the development of clean electricity? What must utilities and state policy makers do to ensure California continues to lead on clean energy policies? She also talks about the Renewable Portfolio Standard with a specific focus on the top 5 largest utilities in California, and other policies on the table, including the Governor's goal to install 12 gigawatts of clean distributed generation by 2020. Originally broadcast January 19, 2012

Webinar: Sounding Smart in an Interview

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:40:21 +0000

Learn about communicating with journalists, making your science understandable to a lay audience, and acing the interview once you've hooked the media's attention.

Switzer and Social Media

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:26:41 +0000

This webinar teaches users of the Switzer website how to connect with us on social media. It also covers why it is important for Fellows to log in and update their profiles periodically.

Using the Switzer Website

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:37:10 +0000

Explore our website and learn about features available to Fellows when you are logged in.

TRANSFORM

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:54:23 +0000

How does urban sprawl and highway expansion impact the environment and the quality of life? That question is being addressed by TRANSFORM a coalition of environmental, social justice and public health groups in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Webinar: GreenTRIP

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 05:22:01 +0000

Walkable, transit-oriented communities are seen as an antidote to unfettered sprawl. But outdated city codes vastly overestimate how much people drive and require excessive parking in these transit areas, especially for low-income families and seniors. This leads to oversize parking lots, fewer and more expensive homes, bad design and community opposition. GreenTRIP (http://www.greentrip.org) is an innovative certification program that is overcoming these barriers and ensuring it goes one step further; getting developers to include free transit passes, car share and other strategies to make truly low-carbon, affordable developments that are embraced by the community. Learn about GreenTRIP’s success and TransForm’s plans to bring it to scale to improve development in California and eventually the country. Join Switzer Fellow Stuart Cohen, Executive Director of TransForm, and Ann Cheng, GreenTRIP Program Director for this informative and inspiring webinar. Originally aired: January 11, 2012

Converting waste to fuel for families in Africa

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:39:26 +0000

For 2011 Switzer Fellow Jeannette Laramee, it all started with designing a school in Zambia, Africa. That led to building systems that make biogas, which can save up to 10,000 pounds of firewood a year for a family in Africa.

Healthy Food in Health Care

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:18:15 +0000

How can hospitals improve the food everyone eats? Kendra Klein is a 2011 Switzer Fellow working at the intersection of public health and sustainable agri-food systems. In this video she explains what hospitals can do to advance the agenda of healthy food and sustainable food production systems for everyone.

Exploring the Ecological Role of Pumas

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:07:11 +0000

2011 Switzer Fellow Mark Elbroch's research focuses on a major carnivore and asks the question: Are they beneficial to their environment?

Electrifying Villages in India

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:53:51 +0000

The reality for some 80% of India's population - there is no running water or electricity. But for 2008 Switzer Fellow Dipti Vaghela this presents a significant opportunity.

At the Water's Edge

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:17:25 +0000

Scientists around the world are studying global climate change and developing various scenarios regarding its potential impact. But the real action and impact will occur at the local level. This is what Switzer Fellows Lisa Micheli and Healy Hamilton are working on in a project they call At the Water's Edge.

Getting Real About Climate Change and Agriculture

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:11:52 +0000

On this Switzer Network News report, we learn about the intersection between global climate change and agriculture.

Infusing Organizations with Sustainability

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:46:19 +0000

How do you take a sustainability mandate at the corporate level and infuse the entire organization with it? 1992 Switzer Fellow Tim Greiner is Managing Director of Pure Strategies, a sustainability consulting firm helping companies improve the sustainability performance of their businesses, products, supply chain, and internal operations.

Landmark Renewable Energy Legislation

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 18:53:08 +0000

As an energy analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists, 2007 Switzer Fellow Laura Wisland focuses on developing state policies that will effectively increase the amount of renewable energy used in California. Laura played an important role in California's landmark renewable energy standard legislation - the Renewables Portfolio Standard. Learn more at http://www.ucsusa.org

Chile's Salmon Aquaculture Industry

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 18:19:53 +0000

2011 Switzer Fellow Kelsey Jacobsen is currently a masters student at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management in Santa Barbara, California. Her masters research focuses on Chile's Salmon Aquaculture Industry.

Safeguarding Against the Harmful Effects of Toxic Chemicals

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 18:07:39 +0000

2011 Switzer Fellow Sarah Uhl works to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of toxic chemicals.

The Application of Historical Ecology

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:23:58 +0000

Switzer Fellow Chuck Striplen talks about the important role played by historical ecologists. http://www.switzernetwork.org/news/reports/chuck-striplen-historical-ecology-san-francisco-bay-area

Fixing Transit Access for Baby Boomers

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 19:34:03 +0000

By 2015, more than 15.5 million Americans 65 and older will live in communities where public transportation service is poor or non-existent.

Restoring the San Joaquin River - March 2011 Retreat

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Tue, 03 May 2011 18:16:52 +0000

After 60 years, the San Joaquin River again flows to the sea and salmon runs are being restored. But many challenges remain in the river's revival. Featuring Switzer Fellows Peter Vorster and Mark Tompkins. Produced by 2003 Switzer Fellow Jim Downing.

Contaminated Drinking Water in California's Central Valley - March 2011 Retreat

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:26:36 +0000

Polluted aquifers in the San Joaquin Valley deprive dozens of communities of safe tap water. Switzer Fellow Carolina Balazs is working with local residents to help understand and address the problem. Produced by 2003 Switzer Fellow Jim Downing.

Whale Trust

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:25:11 +0000

Whale Trust, co-founded by Switzer Fellow Meagan Jones, supports research on whales and their marine environment. The organization is committed to bridging that research with public outreach, education and conservation.

Setting an Ocean Agenda in the Halls of Power

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 06:15:07 +0000

Switzer Fellow Dennny Takahashi-Kelso, Executive Vice President of Ocean Conservancy, the oldest U.S. based ocean conservation organization focusing on the long-range sustainability, productivity and biodiversity of the ocean, explains why this is a pivotal moment for the ocean and the human communities that depend on the ocean.

Brownfields: Revitalizing Communities

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 06:35:06 +0000

Switzer Fellow Carol Tucker, who managers a brownfields program for the US Environmental Protection Agency, explains how brownfields offer major opportunities for commuiity development and revitalization.

Voting With Your Dollars

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 07:15:10 +0000

GoodGuide provides the world’s largest and most reliable source of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of consumer products. Dara O'Rourke, Switzer Fellow and Co-Founder of GoodGuide, believes that GoodGuide is responsible for changing the balance of power from manufacturing to the consumers.

Children and Nature Network

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 05:15:05 +0000

The Children & Nature Network was created to encourage and support the people and organizations working nationally and internationally to reconnect children with nature. The network provides a critical link between researchers and individuals, educators and organizations dedicated to children's health and well-being. Our guest is Sara St. Antoine, Switzer Fellow and C&NN Senior Writer.

Building Energy Efficiency

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 05:10:05 +0000

About one-third of the homes in California are multi-family units and saving energy in these units has significant potential. Beckie Menten, Switzer Fellow and Research Fellow with the California Public Utilities Commission, offers a perspective on this issue.

CLF Ventures

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:10:06 +0000

From rebuilding fisheries in New England to redeveloping former industrial sites, CLF Ventures builds monetary funds around three criteria: positive social, environmental and economic results. Learn more from Switzer Fellow Jo Anne Shatkin, Managing Director of CLF.

On the Water at the BP Oil Leak

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 05:00:06 +0000

Switzer Fellow Amanda Martinez is a journalist, an intern at NPR and a science writing masters student at MIT. When she was offered the chance to join a team of scientists in the Gulf of Mexico, she used some of her Switzer funding to test and expand her new skills. Amanda shares steps that scientists can take to help journalists successfully tell the story of their research.On the Water at the BP Oil Leak

The Environmental Investigation Agency

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 05:00:11 +0000

The EIA takes big risks because illegal logging decimates the world’s forests, releases massive carbon monoxide reserves, and destroys the lives of animals and communities. Switzer Fellow Andrea Johnson takes us inside EIA’s successful work with forests and international legislation and shares the powerful role consumers play in global forest conservation.

Green Chemistry

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:50:07 +0000

Seventy-four billion pounds of industrial chemicals enter the U.S. daily. Many are toxic, and all will impact life on earth. Switzer Fellow Michael Wilson rides the cutting edge of this essential, emerging field.

Lead Poisoning of Albatross Chicks

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 23:26:37 +0000

Lead-based paint enjoyed widespread use up until 1978. In her effort to save a species, Switzer fellow Myra Finkelstein uses the latest scientific tools to pinpoint crumbling paint as the source of painful diseases, crippling wing mutations, and early death in albatross chicks.

Creating Sustainable Communities

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 05:00:06 +0000

In 1997, this California city began to face the challenge of sustainability on a community level. Today, Oakland enjoys cleaner air, improved recycling, more bike lanes – and a consistent ranking in the Top Ten U.S. Green Cities. Garrett Fitzgerald, Oakland’s Sustainability Coordinator and a Switzer Fellow, shares key steps.

California Invasive Plant Council

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 05:25:06 +0000

When is a pretty plant a problem? When it displaces native vegetation and disrupts the food chain. Doug Johnson is a Switzer Fellow working with private and government agencies to identify invading plants, arrest their spread and educate the public to healthy alternatives.

Educating Green Chemists

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 22:11:08 +0000

Ready for the challenge of a lifetime? Switzer Fellow Michael Wilson rides the cutting edge of this essential, emerging field.

PetWatch

switzernetworknews@gmail.com (Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:58:16 +0000

Each year the U.S. pet industry imports millions of animals, often with avoidable, negative consequences for owners, pets and natural habitats. Switzer Fellow Myra Finkelstein discusses PetWatch, a new consumer resource for informed ownership.