PennSustains Competition Gives Over $7,000 in Prizes in its Inaugural Year

*By PennSustains

PennSustains participants

Philadelphia, PA – PennSustains, the University of Pennsylvania’s first sustainability solution competition, hosted its inaugural event on October 19, 2013. The contest came together in just six months through the efforts of members from the Society of Women Engineers, Engineers without Borders, SEAS Green, and Penn International Sustainability Association. Benefactor Andy Rachleff, an alumnus and chairman of the SEAS Board of Overseers, challenged Penn students to devise something that celebrated “the joy of building things” and the fun of engineering. Wharton’s Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership (Wharton IGEL) and Conestoga Bank also generously sponsored the competition.

Professional Sports Teams Win Big on Sustainability

By Sara Drexler*

Panelists and Moderators from Friday’s Leadership in Greening the Sports Industry Conference. Courtesy of NRDC.

Last Friday, the Wharton Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership (Wharton IGEL) partnered with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Wharton Sports Business Initiative to host representatives from the professional sports industry to share ideas around “Leadership in Greening the Sports Industry: Raising the Bar for Sustainability.” Allen Hershkowitz from NRDC, a senior scientist who is a thought leader in sustainability efforts in the sports industry, opened the panel with a remarkable statistic: 13% of people follow science, over 63% follow sports. The sports industry has a unique opportunity to influence trends in sustainability through its significant fan base across all types of sports. Additionally, the sports industry’s unique facilities and operations present significant opportunity for long-term cost savings through investments in environmental sustainability. This combination of financial incentives and a large base of loyal fans positions the sports industry for maximum impact on sustainability.

PennSustains Competition

The Penn sections of the Society of Women Engineers, Engineers Without Borders, and SEAS Green proposes a competition centered around sustainability. Sustainability is supported by three pillars: people, profit, and the planet. By maintaining these factors and practices that contribute to the quality of environment on a long-term basis, we can support the growth of our community and society as a whole.

Leadership in Greening the Sports Industry Conference – Wharton IGEL, NRDC, WSBI

Want to know more about greening sports?

Join the Wharton Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership (Wharton IGEL), the Wharton Sports Business Initiative (WSBI), and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) at the Leadership in Greening the Sports Industry Conference on Friday, September 20, 2013.

The conference will feature speakers from the Yankees, the Miami HEAT, the Seattle Mariners, NASCAR, and more, in addition to a closing keynote from Frances Beinecke, President of the NRDC. The event’s objective is to examine the best business practices for sports organizations to improve environmental performance and become leaders in sustainable development. Discussions will highlight leadership, corporate partnerships, communications, fan engagement, resource management and merchandise, as well as potential future business opportunities.

This event is open to the public and free of charge: click here to register.

Peeking into Sustainable Paper and Packaging

by Silvia Schmid*

To some, the idea of a sustainable paper and packaging company can produce an uncomfortable cognitive dissonance, perhaps conjuring up imagery of clear cutting and Styrofoam. Yet as much as we would like to think, do not print emails and traveling mugs are hardly going to replace the paper and packaging products that consumers want, firms demand, and on which the economy relies every day. Although this doesn’t mean that there is nothing being done. There are plenty of efforts to nudge consumer behavior toward the more sustainable, and, as attendees at a recent lecture at Wharton found out, the paper and packaging industry itself certainly considers issues of sustainability.

The Wharton Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership (Wharton IGEL) invited David Kiser, Ph.D., Vice President, Environment, Health, Safety, and Sustainability at International Paper (IP) and a member of the IGEL Corporate Advisory Board, to speak about the company’s sustainability initiatives. The lecture was cosponsored by the Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

Community Engagement through Penn’s Sprouting Athletics Eco-Reps Program

by Marissa Rosen

Collegiate athletics programs can provide experiential learning and engage a broad audience, thus serving as a particularly attractive educational vehicle. Athletic teams and their events can build a school’s community, appeal to donors, strengthen alumni connections, attract prospective students, and generate school pride. They can also send a message of environmental sustainability.

Wharton’s Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership (Wharton IGEL) sponsored last Tuesday’s official kick-off dinner for the University of Pennsylvania’s Athletics Eco-Reps program. Thirteen founding Varsity athletes, along with coaches and supporting staff, have been strategizing since last fall to reduce their teams’ environmental impact, addressing water and energy conservation issues, recycling rates, fan engagement, and responsible sourcing. Penn’s unique program is part of the Ivy League Conference’s collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council Green Sports group and the Green Sports Alliance.

Noam Lior presents on Sustainable Energy Development

IES/IGEL Seminar: Noam Lior
Wednesday, October 17th, 2012
12:00pm-1:30pm
The Carolyn Lynch Room, Chemistry Building
University of Pennsylvania
(Corner of 34th & Spruce Streets)

Noam Lior, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics at the University of Pennsylvania, will present on sustainable energy development at the upcoming IES/IGEL seminar on October 17th, 2012. This event  is free and  open to the public, no registration required. See the abstract for the presentation and mark your calendar. This is an event not to be missed.

Student Opportunities in Global Water and Sanitation

Student Opportunities Global Water and Sanitation 2012-2013

New Seminar this Fall: Environmental Management, Law and Policy LGST 215/301

Looking for one more course?

A new seminar version of the course Environmental Management: Law and Policy, LGST 215-301 will be offered this fall semester on Wednesdays from 3:00 to 6:00 pm in Huntsman Hall F92, taught by Professor Eric Orts (Director of IGEL). The course provides an introduction to environmental management with a focus on law and policy as a basic framework and orientation.  The primary aim of the course is to give students a deep, informed, and practical sense of the important relationship between business and the natural environment and to encourage them to think critically about how best to manage this relationship. 

New Format: This is an experimental version of the course to be run as an honors seminar.  Permits for qualified upper-class students will be granted only as space allows.  As indicated, the course will entail an intensive semester-long research paper as the primary formal requirement. The course is open only to honors students for automatic registration, but permits will be issued to junior and seniors who are willing to do honors-level work and to a limit of room remains available in the course. For more information, contact  Prof. Eric Orts (ortse@wharton.upenn.edu)