Sustainability News by Date
listings 1-18 of 18
December 2020
12-15-2020
The Bard MBA offers a new kind of business education that combines sustainability vision and leadership training with a mastery of business fundamentals. The Princeton Review's rankings are based on surveys of administrators, students, and alumni/ae; more than 17,800 MBA students participated nationally in the survey. This is the first year the Bard MBA has been invited to participate.
Meta: Subject(s): Bard Graduate Programs,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard MBA in Sustainability |
November 2020
11-08-2020
Photo: Cheyenne Young MS ’21
Meta: Type(s): Student | Subject(s): Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard Center for Environmental Policy,Bard Undergraduate Programs |
Meta: Type(s): Student | Subject(s): Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard Center for Environmental Policy,Bard Undergraduate Programs |
11-04-2020
After a semester of working on the idea, the team pitched at the Bard MBA Disrupt to Sustain Competition and won. The panel of judges encouraged the three women to pilot the project, and the company took off. Cahoots now operates out of Kingston, New York.
Unlike other retail and rental models, Cahoots focuses on quality over new. Cahoots is the first ever closed-loop children’s clothing membership that artfully repairs and shares clothing to achieve a net positive impact. Through artful repair, they can extend the life of clothes and reduce the community’s need for new clothing production, where the worst environmental and social impact in the fashion supply chain occurs. Cahoots offers subscribing families access to their shared closet and the ability to borrow clothing as needed for up to a year.
Photo: L–R: Bard MBA alumnae Eliza Edge ’20, Lindsey Strange ’19, and Stephanie Erwin ’20. Photo by Kris Mae
Meta: Type(s): Alumni | Subject(s): Bard Graduate Programs,Bardians at Work,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard MBA in Sustainability |
Meta: Type(s): Alumni | Subject(s): Bard Graduate Programs,Bardians at Work,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard MBA in Sustainability |
October 2020
10-18-2020
Photo: Tapes from Pearson's Basement (2014), from the series Hard Copy, Julia Christensen. Photo: courtesy the artist
Meta: Type(s): Alumni | Subject(s): Bardians at Work,Division of the Arts,Environmental/Sustainability |
Meta: Type(s): Alumni | Subject(s): Bardians at Work,Division of the Arts,Environmental/Sustainability |
10-08-2020
Photo: Rick Ostfeld and Felicia Keesing. Photo by Stephen Reiss for NPR
Meta: Type(s): Faculty | Subject(s): Biology Program,Division of Science, Math, and Computing,Environmental/Sustainability,Global Public Health Concentration | Institutes(s): Bard Undergraduate Programs |
Meta: Type(s): Faculty | Subject(s): Biology Program,Division of Science, Math, and Computing,Environmental/Sustainability,Global Public Health Concentration | Institutes(s): Bard Undergraduate Programs |
August 2020
08-26-2020
Photo: Caribou migrate onto the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by US Fish and Wildlife Service via AP
Meta: Type(s): Faculty | Subject(s): Bard Graduate Programs,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard MBA in Sustainability |
Meta: Type(s): Faculty | Subject(s): Bard Graduate Programs,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard MBA in Sustainability |
08-05-2020
Large-Scale Study, Published in Nature, Supports Findings of Keesing and Colleague Richard S. Ostfeld’s Two Decades of Research on Lyme Disease Ecology and Other Linkages Between Ecology, Conservation, and Human Health
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered by a coronavirus of animal origin has awakened the world to the threat that zoonotic diseases pose to humans. While examples of land-use changes increasing the risk of zoonotic disease have been accumulating for decades, questions have remained about the scale of the pattern and its specific underlying mechanisms. In a new large-scale study, “Zoonotic host diversity increases in human-dominated ecosystems,” Rory Gibb, Kate Jones, and their coauthors find global evidence that human land use changes natural habitats in ways that favor animals more likely to cause human illness. The study, published today in the journal Nature, strongly supports the findings of Bard College Biology Professor Felicia Keesing and her husband and research partner Richard S. Ostfeld’s two decades of extensive research on Lyme disease ecology and other linkages between ecology, conservation, and human health.“The transformation of forests, grasslands, and deserts into cities, suburbs, and agricultural land has caused many species to decline or disappear and others to thrive,” write Ostfeld, a disease ecologist at the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies, and Keesing in a general overview of the primary study published concurrently by Nature. “The winners are often generalists that are small, abundant and have ‘fast’, short lives, such as rats and starlings. Gibb et al. show that, worldwide, these winners are much more likely to harbor disease-causing agents (pathogens) than are the losers. As a result, when we convert natural habitats to our own uses, we inadvertently increase the probability of transmission of what are known as zoonotic infectious diseases, which are caused by pathogens that can jump from animals to humans.”
Ostfeld, and Keesing write that the patterns that Gibb and his coauthors detected from their analyses—which explored 6,801 ecological communities and 376 host species worldwide—were striking and provide strong evidence to lingering questions about the global scale and mechanisms of zoonotic disease transmission. “Is it simply a coincidence that the species that thrive in human-dominated landscapes are often those that pose zoonotic threats, whereas species that decline or disappear tend to be harmless? Is the ability of animals to be resilient to human disturbances linked to their ability to host zoonotic pathogens?” write Ostfeld and Keesing. “Gibb et al. found that the animals that increase in number as a result of human land use are not only more likely to be pathogen hosts, but also more likely to harbor a greater number of pathogen species, including a greater number of pathogens that can infect humans.”
With awareness of and concern about zoonotic diseases surging in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ostfeld and Keesing write that—by showing that the greatest zoonotic threats arise where natural areas have been converted to croplands, pastures, and urban areas—Gibb et al correct the widespread misperception that wild nature is the greatest source of zoonotic disease. This study and others strongly suggest that restoring degraded habitat and protecting undisturbed natural areas would benefit both public health and the environment. “Going forward, surveillance for known and potential zoonotic pathogens will probably be most fruitful if it is focused on human-dominated landscapes,” they write.
To read the full study in Nature, click here. To read Ostfeld and Keesing’s overview, click here.
Felicia Keesing, David and Rosalie Rose Distinguished Professor of Science, Mathematics, and Computing, has been on the Bard faculty since 2000. She has a B.S. from Stanford University and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. Since 1995, she has studied how African savannas function when the large, charismatic animals like elephants, buffaloes, zebras, and giraffes disappear. She also studies how interactions among species influence the probability that humans will be exposed to infectious diseases. Keesing also studies Lyme disease, another tick-borne disease. She is particularly interested in how species diversity affects disease transmission. More recently, she has focused on science literacy for college students, and she led the re-design of Bard College’s Citizen Science program. Keesing has received research grants from the National Science Foundation, National Geographic Society, National Institutes of Health, Environmental Protection Agency, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, among others. She has been awarded the United States Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2000). She is the coeditor of Infectious Disease Ecology: Effects of Ecosystems on Disease and of Disease on Ecosystems (2008) and has contributed to such publications as Nature, Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Ecology Letters, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Proceedings of the Royal Society, Ecology, BioScience, Conservation Biology, and Trends in Ecology & Evolution, among others.
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(8.5.20)
Photo: Bard Biology Professor Felicia Keesing doing fieldwork on tick-borne diseases in the Laikipia District of Kenya
Meta: Type(s): Faculty | Subject(s): Biology Program,Division of Science, Math, and Computing,Environmental/Sustainability,Faculty | Institutes(s): Bard Undergraduate Programs |
Meta: Type(s): Faculty | Subject(s): Biology Program,Division of Science, Math, and Computing,Environmental/Sustainability,Faculty | Institutes(s): Bard Undergraduate Programs |
July 2020
07-22-2020
Parkhurst cites their “passion for creating and enjoying good food drives our approach to offering meals that are fresh, made from scratch and cooked in small batches.” They add that “the campus community will be able to select from a creative mix of nutritionally balanced entrées prepared with fresh-cut vegetables, lean proteins and healthy grains, as well as international foods and vegetarian and vegan entrees prepared fresh daily.”
Parkhurst has been a leader in supporting sustainability and in the farm-to-table movement since 2002, when it developed its FarmSourceTM program. The program finds and partners with local growers and family-owned farms for produce and artisanal products, resulting in more than 20 percent of food served by Parkhurst being sourced locally. Parkhurst’s sustainability philosophy will be coupled with the BardEATS program, elevating the local sourcing and sustainability practices at Bard.
Parkhurst has committed to:
- Increasing sustainability practices to ensure more local and sustainable ingredients
- Utilizing the Bard Farm and maximizing the harvest used for meal offerings in dining venues across campus
- Using great care in accommodating those with food allergies and specific dietary needs
- Engaging students and campus organizations in celebrations and explorations centering on people and culture within traditions of community and food
In preparation for the fall 2020 semester, Parkhurst is working closely with the College and our partners at Nuvance Health to implement safety protocols throughout the dining experience, including social distancing, proper use of PPE, and take-away services.
If you have any questions for the Parkhurst Dining team at Bard, please reach out to Tony Williams at [email protected].
About Parkhurst Dining
Parkhurst Dining provides exceptional culinary experiences and dining services to guests at the finest educational institutions and corporations. Founded in 1996, Parkhurst Dining has become an industry leader in local sourcing and sustainable dining experiences. For more information, visit www.parkhurstdining.com.
Photo: Kline Commons at Bard College.
Meta: Subject(s): Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard Undergraduate Programs |
Meta: Subject(s): Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard Undergraduate Programs |
07-13-2020
Photo: Hanson Rowe tightens a valve on an abandoned gas well on his property in Salyersville, Ky.
Photo: Bryan Woolston/Reuters
Meta: Type(s): Faculty | Subject(s): Bard Graduate Programs,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard MBA in Sustainability |
Photo: Bryan Woolston/Reuters
Meta: Type(s): Faculty | Subject(s): Bard Graduate Programs,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard MBA in Sustainability |
June 2020
06-20-2020
In addition, Mateo will be serving as a mentor for Climate Reality Project’s first ever Virtual Global Training from July 18 to July 26, 2020. The training is facilitated by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, and participants learn the science of climate change, how to inspire others to take action, and also grassroots organizing. Training in August 2019, Mateo has written and presented on climate change and how it affects vulnerable populations, people with disabilities, and education. The deadline to apply to be trained as a Climate Reality Leader is June 25, 2020. Click here to apply and learn more.
(6/23/20)
Photo: Bard Associate Dean of Civic Engagement Brian Mateo
Meta: Type(s): Staff | Subject(s): Community Engagement,Environmental/Sustainability,Politics and International Affairs | Institutes(s): Bard Globalization and International Affairs Program,Center for Civic Engagement |
Meta: Type(s): Staff | Subject(s): Community Engagement,Environmental/Sustainability,Politics and International Affairs | Institutes(s): Bard Globalization and International Affairs Program,Center for Civic Engagement |
06-04-2020
Meta: Subject(s): Community Engagement,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard Undergraduate Programs,Center for Civic Engagement |
April 2020
04-22-2020
Photo: Photo courtesy FERN
Meta: Type(s): Alumni | Subject(s): Bard Farm,Division of Science, Math, and Computing,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard Undergraduate Programs |
Meta: Type(s): Alumni | Subject(s): Bard Farm,Division of Science, Math, and Computing,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard Undergraduate Programs |
04-01-2020
Photo: BardE3 (equity, economy, environment) strategize for sustainability on campus.
Meta: Subject(s): Bard Farm,Community Engagement,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Center for Civic Engagement |
Meta: Subject(s): Bard Farm,Community Engagement,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Center for Civic Engagement |
March 2020
03-27-2020
The state-level teach-ins are free and open to the public. For more information, including start times, and to register for your local teach-in, visit solveclimateby2030.org. Solve Climate By 2030 is made possible by support from Clif Bar & Company.
As university and high school teachers scramble to move classes online due to the new coronavirus pandemic, Goodstein says the April 7 event provides a ready-made lesson plan for college and high school classrooms. Solve Climate has teaching guides here for follow-up discussion, including entry points from every discipline: philosophy, political science, engineering, natural science, art, and economics. Community-level viewing events will be hosted at colleges and universities, high schools, community groups and faith organizations. International universities are welcome to participate. All of the webinars will all be recorded and will be available for future discussions.
Photo: Bard College solar array.
Meta: Type(s): Event | Subject(s): Bard Graduate Programs,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard Center for Environmental Policy |
Meta: Type(s): Event | Subject(s): Bard Graduate Programs,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard Center for Environmental Policy |
February 2020
02-05-2020
Photo: Photo courtesy Framlab
Meta: Type(s): Alumni | Subject(s): Bard Farm,Division of Science, Math, and Computing,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard Undergraduate Programs |
Meta: Type(s): Alumni | Subject(s): Bard Farm,Division of Science, Math, and Computing,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard Undergraduate Programs |
January 2020
01-29-2020
Meta: Type(s): Alumni | Subject(s): Bard Farm,Bard Graduate Programs,Bardians at Work,Community Engagement,Environmental and Urban Studies Program,Environmental/Sustainability | Institutes(s): Bard Center for Environmental Policy,Center for Civic Engagement,Center for Environmental Sciences and Humanities |
01-22-2020
As part of the College’s 10th Annual MLK Day of Engagement, more than 300 Bard students participated in volunteer projects, workshops, and a conference on campus.
Bard College students, staff, and faculty celebrated the 10th Annual Martin Luther King Day of Engagement last weekend with a host of events on and off campus. Beginning on Saturday, January 18 and continuing on Monday, January 20, Bard students participated in a series of volunteer projects, civic engagement workshops, and a miniconference on campus. Most participants were first-years on campus for Citizen Science; they were joined by 42 Upper College student leaders.The weekend's events—organized by the Bard Center for Civic Engagement, the Office of Sustainability, and the Citizen Science Program, in cooperation with local nonprofits—take place as part of the nationwide Day of Service that marks the King holiday. Volunteers around the country respond to Dr. King's call, "Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'"
Bard students (center) participate in Woodstock Women's March on Saturday, January 18, as part of Bard's MLK Day of Engagement.
Bard students and staff played a significant role in the popular Red Hook Repair Cafe for the second year. Sixteen students joined other local volunteers at the Red Hook Community Center. The Center bustled with community members sharing their expertise, fixing everything from computers to sweaters. Participants made Valentines for senior citizens who receive Meals on Wheels, learned sewing and woodworking, and connected with local nonprofit organizations.
MLK Day student team checks in Bard volunteers on Saturday morning, January 18, in Kline Commons.
Participants chose from 16 workshops, trainings, and panels on campus that connected Martin Luther King's legacy as a leader in civil rights and social and economic justice with today's local and global challenges. Facilitators focused on helping students build skills to effect change. Students joined workshops on public speaking, identifying fake news, and how to have difficult conversations about bias with friends and relatives, among others. Panel topics included Reconfiguring Radical Black Politics, Biomimicry: How Learning From Our Biological Elders Could Change Our World, and The Legitimacy and Legacy of Historically Black Fraternities and Sororities.
Bard junior Daniella Mingo, MLK Day of Engagement Fellow and Posse Scholar, was thrilled with how eager and excited the students were to venture out into the community. "These groups of students were able to build up structures, volunteer at food pantries and travel even to Woodstock to participate in the Women’s March, raising their voices to demand equality for all living beings. It has been such a rewarding and inspiring experience. I strongly believe that this first-year class has embodied what it means to show up and show out!"
MLK Day Fellows Daniella Mingo and Mikalah Jenifer (L–R).
The organizers included a civic engagement miniconference in Olin Auditorium for the second year, after last year's success, featuring a panel of local leaders who discussed inclusive practices for youth and the community as a whole. The College welcomed to the Olin stage Shaniqua Bowden, outreach coordinator for the Kingston Land Trust; Cammie Jones, associate dean for experiential learning and civic engagement at Bard; Jody Miller, Dutchess County human rights/EEO officer; and L'Quette Taylor, Poughkeepsie community organizer and founder of Community Matters 2, Inc.
"My favorite part of MLK Day of Engagement this year was seeing how much everyone cared about the day as a whole," commented Bard sophomore Mikalah Jenifer, MLK Day of Engagement Fellow and also a Posse Scholar. "From students to professors to workshop leaders, everyone was so invested in perpetuating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy."
Woodworking at the Red Hook Repair Cafe at the Community Center.
Bard Junior Karianne Talks about the UN Sustainable Development Goals on MLK Day
Bard College junior Karianne talks about Bard's commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Accord, and how they're organizing students to write to faculty about incorporating the goals into their curricula.
Photo: MLK Day of Engagement 2020 conference panelists with fellows. L–R: MLK Day Fellow Mikalah Jenifer, Jody Miller, Shaniqua Bowden, Cammie Jones, L'Quette Taylor, and MLK Day Fellow Daniella Mingo.
Meta: Type(s): Event,Student | Subject(s): Community Engagement,Environmental/Sustainability,Inclusive Excellence | Institutes(s): Bard Undergraduate Programs,Center for Civic Engagement |
Meta: Type(s): Event,Student | Subject(s): Community Engagement,Environmental/Sustainability,Inclusive Excellence | Institutes(s): Bard Undergraduate Programs,Center for Civic Engagement |
01-17-2020
Photo: Bard Farm. Photo by Pete Mauney '93 MFA '00
Meta: Type(s): Student | Subject(s): Bard Farm,Community Engagement,Environmental/Sustainability |
Meta: Type(s): Student | Subject(s): Bard Farm,Community Engagement,Environmental/Sustainability |
listings 1-18 of 18