Sustainability
UVM Online Course Explores Food and Social Justice in Oaxaca
The food of Oaxaca is as diverse as the region’s geography, ecosystems, languages, and people. The choices people make about food in this region—or anywhere—can also shed light on what’s happening politically, socially, and economically. UVM instructor Oliver Froehling, who has lived in Oaxaca since 1996, says what people eat represents a confluence of power, […]
Shaileen Swan Discovers the Joy and Healing of Farming
Shaileen Swan understands the healing power of farming. While she worked as a senior recreation therapist at a psychiatric facility in Syracuse, New York, Swan helped patients grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers in a small courtyard. The sense of community and pride that the garden instilled for patients was enough for Swan to realize she […]
Higher Ed Professionals Learn Best Practices in Sustainable Certification Program
Clean energy, waste reduction, and developing innovative practices for sustainability are more important than ever on college campuses. That’s why Lindsey Abernathy enrolled in the Campus Sustainability Leadership Professional Certificate, a five-day residential program at UVM where participants can find strategies for achieving sustainability goals on campus. Abernathy is the associate director of the Office […]
Seeing the Big Picture for Sustainable Food Systems Leadership
Molly Clark came to UVM to get a broader perspective on sustainable agriculture. The environmental studies graduate student from the University of Pennsylvania enrolled in UVM’s Breakthrough Leaders for Sustainable Food Systems Professional Certificate Program last summer for a high-level understanding of food, farms, and sustainability. Clark is an assistant field manager of Rushton Farm—owned […]
UVM Alumna MJ Pickett Realizes Her Power in the Food System
MJ Pickett knows she can make a change. The UVM alumna, who graduated in 2010 with a degree in Natural Resources Management, grows vegetables and raises hogs with her husband at their farm in Gunnison, Colorado. Their farm, Calder Farm Ltd., produces pork, root crops, and cut flowers. The couple started their farm in 2016 […]
UVM Is: Martha Caswell Advocates for Agroecology
Countries around the world, from Senegal to Brazil and the Netherlands, are embracing agroecology to achieve a more sustainable food system and adapt to climate change. But one place where agroecology has yet to go mainstream is the United States. Martha Caswell, research and outreach coordinator for the UVM Agroecology and Livelihoods Collaborative (ALC), understands […]
Why Innovation Matters for Leaders in Today’s Economy
If you’re looking for a company that’s a model of innovation and social responsibility, look no further than Green Mountain Power. Green Mountain Power (GMP) is recognized as a national leader in renewable energy, demonstrating how electricity can be generated, stored, and distributed in ways that are clean, cost-effective, and more resilient to climate change […]
How to Develop Strategies to Create College Campus Sustainability
Renewable electricity. Fair trade. Racism. Gender discrimination. Composting. As more colleges and universities are increasing their commitment to sustainability, higher industry professionals are looking to develop and implement innovative practices on campus. In June, UVM will offer the Campus Sustainability Leadership Professional Certificate, a five-day program where participants can find strategies for achieving sustainability goals on campus. Campus […]
Ben & Jerry’s Social Mission Leader Teaches UVM Students of the Breakthrough Leaders Program About Creating Consensus
How do stakeholders find common ground when they share the same goals but hold vastly different opinions? Simone Washington, the social mission strategy and policy manager at Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, shared a pragmatic and productive approach to building consensus in her 2018 workshop, “How to Become Allies Fighting the Same System, Role Play, Power […]
UVM’s Food Hub Program Takes its Curriculum on the Road to Michigan
Food system experts in Michigan wanted to offer a comprehensive food hub management program without reinventing the wheel. So they turned to UVM. UVM’s Food Hub Management Professional Certificate Program is heading to Michigan in 2019 as part of a new partnership between the University, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, and the Michigan State University Center for Regional […]
