We developed a program centered on a social marketing-enhanced home energy education visit to encourage homeowner adoption of specific energy conservation measures. We randomly assigned 170 homeowners to an experimental condition that included energy education before an energy audit or a control condition that included only an energy audit.…

This article describes a strategic intervention to empower interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research groups to develop strategies for overcoming barriers to the collaborative process. We report on an application of the intervention with a team of researchers working on the development of "green materials" to reduce energy…

With its park-like campus location overlooking the Hudson River and Catskills Mountains in New York's Hudson Valley, it's no wonder that Bard College is committed to being green. At the liberal arts college in Annandale-on-Hudson, students learn and live in 25 geothermal buildings on campus that don't burn fossil fuels on site. Instead of driving…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effectiveness of sustainability information and strategies to change pro-environmental (pro-e) behavior with introductory environmental science laboratory students. Design/methodology/approach: A one-group pretest posttest study was used to evaluate a two-hour workshop in which 30 participants…

By now the slogan of the National Trust for Historic Preservation that "the greenest building is the one already built" is widely known. In an era of increased environmental awareness and rising fuel prices, however, the question is how can historic building stock be made more energy efficient in a manner respectful of its historic…

Energy literacy is a broad term encompassing content knowledge as well as a citizenship understanding of energy that includes affective and behavioral aspects. This article presents explicit criteria that will serve as a foundation for developing measurable objectives for energy literacy in three dimensions: cognitive (knowledge, cognitive…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the major factors necessary for engaging university campus community in sustainability. While general awareness in sustainability issues has improved in recent years through mass media coverage, this knowledge is not always translated into actual sustainable practice. Studies have indicated that…

The built environment accounts for a substantial portion of energy consumption in the United States and in many parts of the world. Due to concerns over rising energy costs and climate change, researchers and practitioners have started exploring the area of eco-informatics to link information from the human, natural and built environments.…

Green Bay Packer coach Vince Lombardi is quoted as saying, "Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is." Whether it's a major university or an urban school district, pulling together and developing a plan and being confident in the financing through performance contracting is the best way to meet student, taxpayer and community…

The Green Jobs Green New York (GJGNY) Act of 2009 was designed to reduce energy consumption by creating green collar workforce and providing energy efficiency audits to the public. The problem addressed in this study is the discrepancy between the expectations of Green Jobs Green New York Act of 2009 and the implementation of this policy. This…

Technologies like solar, wind, and geothermal are exciting, but relatively new and untested in the context of universities, many of which are large enough to be cities unto themselves. And, like cities, universities count on a reliable, uninterruptible source of power. It is imperative, too, that precious dollars are wisely invested in the right…

With "greening" projects dotting the landscape of higher education across the nation, it is encouraging to witness the commitment of many colleges and universities to helping secure the future environmental viability of the nation. The challenges that come with this commitment, however, are not insignificant. A comprehensive…

Sustainable planning is a powerful tool in creating campus facilities that are environmentally, economically, and academically beneficial. As interconnected communities, college campuses provide an excellent model for sustainable intervention strategies. The University of British Columbia and the City University of New York's Lehman College have…

The Afterschool Alliance and MetLife Foundation are proud to celebrate a fifth round of the MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Awards. For the past five years, we have collaborated to highlight the work of quality afterschool programs that support children, families and communities across the nation. This compendium is a compilation of four…

Many colleges and universities are doing their part to react to environmental challenges without breaking the bank. For most, intelligent response involves technology. Schools such as Pennsylvania State University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Adelphi University (New York), Hamilton College (New York), and Fairfield University…