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MARCH 2013                                                                     VOLUME 7 NO. 3  

In This Issue
The Triumph of Fantasy Over Science
Join ISSP's Linked In Group
The Impact of Climate Change on Engineering
First ISSP Local Chapter Launches In Indonesia
Book Review: Our Common Wealth
March Webinar: Integrated Reporting
April Workshop: Organizational Assessments and Systems
Pre-Conference Workshops In Chicago
Self-Paced Workshop: Sustainability 101
2013 Workshops: Lots of Options in 2013
Sustainability Conferences and Events
 
 

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The Run-Up to ISSP Conference 2013 
The countdown continues to ISSP Conference 2013to be held May 8-10 at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel in Chicago. Here's the latest ...

  

Early Bird Special Ends April 1

Don't miss out. Registrations are flowing in for the conference. Early bird reservation discounts of $100 are available until midnight March 31 for members and on-members alike. Reserve your seat today by clicking here.

  

Top Flight Speakers

We have lined up some outstanding conference speakers. Karen Weigert, Chief Sustainability Officer of The City of Chicago, will welcome attendees to help kick off the event. Bob Massie, the President and CEO of the New Economics Institute, will also be on hand to keynote. Rob Dietz, co-author of Enough Is Enough, will lay out a visionary but realistic alternative to the perpetual pursuit of more - an economy where the goal is enough. Check out the full two-day line-up of speakers and presentations here.

  

ISSP Sustainability Hall of Fame (TM)

A new round of inductees into the ISSP Sustainability Hall of Fame(TM) will be honored at our event in Chicago. Attend and be inspired by the work of Alan AtKisson, president and CEO of AtKisson Group; John Elkington, founding partner and executive chairman of Volans; Hazel Henderson, founder of Ethical Markets Media, LLC, and Hunter Lovins, president and founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions.

  

Pre-Conference Workshops Offer Additional Learning Opportunities  

Conference attendees who arrive on May 8 can take advantage of some great pre-conference workshops being offered by ISSP at the Millennium Knickerbocker, the headquarters hotel for ISSP Conference 2013.

 

Leadership Skills for Change Agents

Full Day Workshop

Taught by ISSP Hall of Fame founding member Bob Willard. Take advantage of this opportunity to work with Bob face-to-face and fulfill a requirement for the ISSP Sustainability Professional Certificate program. For more info, click  here.

 
Consultants Cohort Program 2013 

Morning Workshop (Half Day) 

Embark on a six-month intensive program program designed to help sustainability consultants launch successful practices with Jennifer Woofter, President of Strategic Sustainability Consulting.  Learn more about the Consultants Cohort Program here.

 

Accounting for A Sustainable Future 

Afternoon Workshop (Half Day)

Marisa Mackey, Associate Director of Education for the Sustainability Standards Accounting Board (SASB), will lead a workshop about sustainability accounting standards that enable companies to describe material sustainability issues affecting performance and long term value creation. Learn more about the workshop here .

 

Sponsors and Vendors Make It Possible

A great group of organizations and individuals have signed up as sponsors of our conference, where they'll be a part of our vendor exposition. Broaden your presence in the sustainability community by becoming a sponsor or expo vendor today. 

Visit this page to download more details about conference sponsorships and vendor expo opportunities.

  

Thanks to our growing list of ISSP Conference 2013 Sponsors and Exposition Vendors, including:

  

Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals - Chicago Chapter

Bard College

Bainbridge Graduate Institute

eco-officiency, LLC

Emissions Information, Inc

Ernst & Young

ISOS Group, LLC

Presidio Graduate School

Sustainable Measures

Rick Woodward, ISSP Board Member

 

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Featured Article
ISSP E-JOURNAL ARTICLE: 
The Triumph of Fantasy Over Science  
  

Rob Dietz will be one of the keynote speakers at ISSP Conference 2013. Dietz and his co-author Dan O'Neill recently published Enough Is Enough: Building A Sustainable Economy In A World Of Finite Resources. In their provocative book, they describe why never-ending economic growth is not possible on a finite planet and why the pursuit of growth is no longer improving people's lives.

 

When he joins us in Chicago, Deitz will lay out a visionary but realistic alternative to the perpetual pursuit of more - an economy where the goal is enough.  As context for his presentation, he's written an article for the ISSP e-Journal archives that describes two competing camps that attract people from all over the world. One is Science Camp, and the other is Fantasy Camp.

 

At Science Camp, the counselors teach campers that we live on a single blue-green planet with finite resources. The curriculum at Science Camp focuses on figuring out how to conserve and share those resources. There's a strong undercurrent of appreciation (maybe even reverence) for nature and humanity's place in it-a desire to learn about and safeguard life on this planet.

 

At Fantasy Camp, the counselors educate campers to believe that humanity can circumvent natural limits. Campers are taught that our unstoppable ingenuity can overcome any resource shortages or manage any amount of waste generation. There's a strong undercurrent of consumption-a desire to accumulate ever more power and stuff in an attempt to gain complete control over life (and even death).

 

To make a positive economic transition, Deitz argues that we need to understand why so many people pitch their tents in Fantasy Camp, and, after decades of failing to attract people to Science Camp, what should we do differently? To read the full text of the article, click here.

 

 
Fully Engage in ISSP Activities
 
Opt In to ISSP's LinkedIn Group To Add Your Voice to Ongoing Discussions

Take the simple step to participate in Certification, Lexicon and other ISSP activities. If you have not visited ISSP's LinkedIn group then you have not been taking full advantage of ISSP's programs.

The good news is that, compared to six months ago, our LinkedIn group is a vibrant, lively place.  By the time you read this article, we will have passed 1200 members. 
  • If you are an ISSP member, you must take the additional step of opting in to the ISSP LinkedIn group.  It does not happen automatically with your ISSP membership.
  • If you are NOT an ISSP member, you can still join ISSP's LinkedIn group since our LinkedIn group is open to both members and non-members.
ISSP took the decision several months ago to restructure and re-purpose its LinkedIn group. The primary goal was to make members and non-members aware of the range of ISSP workstreams and signature activities.   

 

Our workstream leaders post regularly on LinkedIn, so you can track our progress under Membership (from Ray Berardinelli), Education (from Christy Nordstrom), Policy & Standards (from Ira Feldman), and Research (from Dorothy Atwood). 

  

Additionally, Executive Director Marsha Willard posts regularly on a variety of ISSP initiatives, including the Certification of Sustainability Professions and the formation of local and regional ISSP chapters.

In addition to workstream related posts, ISSP leaders identify and post materials of general interest to sustainability professionals. And, yes, all participants in the ISSP LinkedIn group may submit posts -- recent events, new reports, upcoming non-ISSP events, etc. -- that will be posted by the moderator.

Importantly, this is a key juncture for all to be sure they have access to the ISSP LinkedIn group. ISSP has already begun to utilize the LInkedIn group as the platform for discussion in two of our signature initiatives:
  • Marsha Willard has requested input relating to the Certification of Sustainability Professionals initiative via the ISSP LinkedIn group.  More info at webpage.
  • Ira Feldman is conducting the current phase of the ISSP Sustainability Lexicon Project (tm) via the ISSP LinkedIn group. More info at webpage.
So, to participate in these initiatives, you should take the opportunity now to opt in to the ISSP LinkedIn group.  We'll be looking for you!

Note that if you already have a LinkedIn account, you can simply find "ISSP" under "Groups" and join immediately.  If you do not have a LinkedIn account, be assured that the basic account is free, and, once you have registered, you can then join any groups that interest you (up to a maximum of 50).
 

 

News from the ISSP Board of Directors
Bill Wallace Speaks Out on Impact of Climate Change On Engineering Industry

 

ISSP board member Bill Wallace is a consultant, author and educator whose primary focus is on sustainable development engineering principles and practices. Bill has consulted for more

than 40 U.S. and international organizations and authored

Bill Wallace

Becoming Part of the Solution: The Engineer's Guide to Sustainable Development in 2005. He is currently the lead designer of the Envision sustainable infrastructure rating system.

 

Bill teaches a graduate sustainable engineering course for the University of Florida's distance learning program. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers' Committee on Sustainability and a member of the board of Seattle-based GeoEngineers.

 

Bill was recently interviewed by Climate Change Business Journal about how climate change and its consequences are affecting the engineering industry in terms of how infrastructure projects need to be designed in the future. In the interview, he points out that in terms of design, the historical assumptions about ambient temperatures, expected sea level rise, storm frequency and intensity, cost and availability of water, and heat extremes may no longer be valid, particularly for long-lived infrastructure projects. Read the full article by clicking here.

 

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Member News
ISSP's First Official Local Chapter Launched

In 2012 ISSP launched its effort to nurture the development of local chapters around the world.  Over 80 interested members met periodically over the course of the year to help us think through how best to do this.  The result is our new local chapter policy which provides members interested in forming local groups in their own areas two options for moving forward.

 

Option 1: Events - this "event" option allows locals to testthe waters for a chapter. It is a temporary agreement between ISSP and an organizing group that allows them to begin holding events under the name and with the support of ISSP

 

Option 2: Formal Chapter - when enough momentum has been built, groups may take the step of forming an official chapter with it's own local entity, local board, and local control of resources.

 

This last month we inked our first local chapter contract with a group in Indonesia - ISSP Indonesia Chapter under the vigorous leadership of ISSP members Timotheus Lesmana and Maria Dian Nurani. They have put together a board of local luminaries from government, academia and business and have already recruited 30 new members.  Congratulations Indonesia! 

 

There are similar efforts building in Toronto, Chicago, Portland and the Great Lakes Region. If you'd like to join this movement or find out more about what might be happening in your area, contact Marsha Willard, ISSP's Executive Director.

 

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Members, Send Us Your News !!! 

Have you or your company done something interesting lately? Did you recently publish an article, win an award or make a presentation to a large group?  Let us know what you've been up to so we may share it with your fellow members here in our newsletter.NewsLogo
Send your news items to [email protected] 
with the phrase Newsletter Item in the subject line. 

See you on-line! 
   

BOOK REVIEW:

Our Common Wealth: The Hidden Economy

that Makes Everything Work

 

Rowe, Jonathan. 2013. Our Common Wealth: The Hidden Economy that Makes Everything Work. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. San Francisco. ISBN: 978-60994-833-7.

 

 Review by ISSP Member Bob Kollm

 

Our Common Wealth is an absolute joy to read. Jonathan Rowe insightfully articulates feelings held deep within many of us that an essential part of our human experience is being co-opted and stolen. Rowe discusses why such feelings exist as well as actions that can regain these pieces of our humanity.

 

Rowe's writing focuses on the 'commons.' The commons refers to resources that are accessible to all members of society. Thus they are held in common and are not privately owned. Such resources include air, water, land, software, airwaves, and more.


This book is not a history lesson about the negative consequences of privatizing common resources nor does it urge returning private property to common ownership. Instead, Rowe advocates for this hidden economy that quietly supports society by detailing its function, providing current, relatable examples, and inspiring action. In a very concise and understandable way, Rowe shows the importance of the commons and the consequences of its dismantling. An example from the text highlights this point:

 

"Today the privatization of common wealth has reached historic heights, and it's not coincidental that, as these taking have accelerated, so has the gap between the rich and everyone else." (pg. 69)

 

The idea of the commons fits well within the philosophy of sustainable development. It relates to social, environmental, and economic sustainability as well as inherent intergenerational considerations. The commons creates social space and the opportunity for people to interact and respect one another. It promotes environmental stewardship, as protecting the integrity of air, water, and land ensures continuing benefits for its stewards. 

 

The commons also provides a setting where long term economic planning is paramount to managing for quarterly performance. Finally, anything held in common, such as grazing land or clean air, can be held and maintained in common from generation to generation.  

 

To read the full review, click here

 

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Upcoming Events
 
MARCH WEBINAR
    Integrated Reporting:
The Next Frontier of
Sustainability Transparency
with Aleen Bayard, Footprint Partners    
  • March 20, 2013 at 11am Pacific Time
  • 2pm Eastern Time-USA for 60 minutes
  • Not located in US/Pacific time zone?
  • See what time it is in your local time zone.

Sustainable companies have the ability to simultaneously create value for shareholders and society.  Integrated reporting is a platform that can help organizations learn to balance the imperative for long-term viability-of the company and the world it relies on to create economic value-with the demands for short-term competitiveness and profitability.

  

The core concept underlying the term "integrated reporting" is providing one report that fully integrates a company's material financial and non-financial (including environmental, social, governance, and intangibles) information.

 

In this timely webinar, you will learn how your company should initially prepare for integrated reporting by taking the following steps:
  • Developing a better understanding of material nonfinancial issues in your sector.
  • Leveraging sustainability initiatives to reduce costs through improvements to business processes and increase revenues through development of new products and services.
  • Monitoring the activities of the following key organizations: International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Global Initiative for Sustainability Ratings [GISR].
Aleen Bayard
PRESENTER: ALEEN BAYARD 

Aleen Bayard, LEED Green Associate, is the Managing Partner of Footprint Partners. Aleen brings 25+ years of experience in change management strategy, communication, leadership development and marketing to the practice. She has worked with clients across a wide variety of industries, from healthcare and real estate to manufacturing and consumer products.

 

Our Price: $10
Member Price: Free
Can't attend? Register anyway to be notified when the recording is available. 

 

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APRIL WORKSHOP 
Sustaining Sustainability Organizational Assessments
& Systems

with Dorothy Atwood 

 

This workshop meets on-line on Tuesdays April 9 & 23 @ 10:00am Pacific Time-USA and April 16 & 30 @ 4:00pm Pacific Time-USA. Webinars are for 60-90 minutes.,  Time Zone Converter 

 

Management systems are the key to ongoing progress. A SMS (sustainability management system) allows for systematic internal review, monitoring and corrective actions for continual improvement.

 

ISSP's workshop will walk you through the creation of such a system to fit your needs.  You don't need a third-party certified ISO 14001 management system to benefit from the Plan-Do-Check-Act framework. You will learn what level of sophistication works best for you and what elements to add as your system matures. You will complete the workshop having learned practical methods to solidify and advance sustainability efforts by applying proven management system tools, practices and competencies:

 

*               Build and maintain sustainability management systems

*               Develop sustainability metrics

*               Create/maintain sustainability reporting

*               Describe continuous improvement (CIP): - Kaizen, ISO 14000, Lean Six Sigma, TQM, etc.

 

INSTRUCTOR

Dorothy Atwood has over 25 years of environmental consulting experience with the last ten years focused management systems implementation for private and public organizations. She is the Management Systems program manager for Zero Waste Alliance (ZWA), a Portland-based non-profit.

Price: $450
Member Price: $325*
*Early Bird Discount available to ALL and ends 04/02/13 $50 off

 

 

              

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PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

  

@ ISSP CONFERENCE 

FACE-2-FACE WORKSHOPS IN CHICAGO

Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel

WEDNESDAY MAY 8, 2013  

 

Pre-Conference Workshop 1-day Leadership Skills 

Bob Willard

8:30AM CT - 5:30PM CT

 

Pre-Conference Consultants Cohort 

Jennifer Woofter

9:00AM CT - 12:00PM CT

 

Pre-Conference Workshop: Accounting for a Sustainable Future (SASB) 

Marisa Mackey

2:00PM CT - 5:00PM CT 

 

 

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SELF-STUDY WORKSHOP:  SUSTAINABILITY 101
Instructor:
  Darcy Hitchcock, co-founder of ISSP and
co-founder of Axis Performance Advisors

   

on-line learningAre you well-versed on all the essential sustainability concepts? To be a credible sustainability professional, there are certain key concepts you should know. Use this self-study workshop to test your knowledge and fill in any gaps. The course has four modules (read more HERE).  

 

The prerecorded webinars are taught by ISSP co-founder and sustainability consultant/author, Darcy Hitchcock.  

 

Dates: Open Enrollment. Register at any time.  

Take up to 8 weeks to complete.  

 REGISTER NOW>>                        

 

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2013 WORKSHOPS

 Sustainability 101 + 5 CORE + 3 ELECTIVE

+ 4 WEBINARS 

= 1 ISSP Sustainability Professionals Certificate  

 

Purchase the entire certificate program for $2600 and receive the prerequisite Sustainability 101 for free, a $250 value 

More info on the ISSP Certificate program HERE

  

 

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SeptEventsSUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

 

See details about these events on the Other Sustainability Events  page of the ISSP Website.      

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