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Professional Societies and Climate Change
January 2017
This report provides an analysis of how urban-focused professional societies are integrating climate change into their member engagement activities. The results indicate that most urban-focused professional societies in the United States are working to educate their members on climate change issues, but few have adopted a holistic approach that includes adaptation, mitigation and the explicit consideration of social justice.
Authors or Affiliated Users: Missy Stults, Sara Meerow
Resource Category: Education and Outreach
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Greening Your Community through Cost-Effective LID
This series of five fact sheets explain Low Impact Development (LID), Green Infrastructure (GI), and sustainable design in order to help communities understand and adopt smart land use. This information describes how LID and GI not only help to manage stormwater and improve groundwater supplies, but also can reduce flooding, improve water quality, lower maintenance costs, and increase property values. MassAudubon suggests that preserving existing GI is a first line of defense against climate impacts such as increased storm intensities, while achieving long-term cost savings.
Resource Category: Education and Outreach
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EPA Climate and Health Assessment Kits
December 2016
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed climate communication materials that summarize key points from the USGCRP U.S. Climate and Health Assessment for the different populations that are disproportionately affected by climate-change impacts. The assessment provides a comprehensive analysis of observed and projected health impacts from climate change, and specifies the impacts on a range of vulnerable populations. The eight assessment kits distill this information and focus on the climate impact attributes respective to each population of concern, while offering educational materials and communication strategies.
Resource Category: Education and Outreach
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Fostering and Communicating Sustainable Lifestyles: Principles and Emerging Practices
December 2016
This report provided by the UN Environment Program outlines operating principles to guide the design, adaptation, and evaluation of “sustainable lifestyle” campaigns and initiatives. The report identifies strategies for developing community level sustainability projects, and provides guidance for effective communication, framing and engagement approaches. It includes 16 unique global case studies that represent various aspects of sustainable living - from compact communities, an agro-ecological marketplace, to a non-profit saving sharks from shark fin soup.
Resource Category: Education and Outreach
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Rural Climate Dialogues: Minnesota State Convening
September 2016
This brief report summarizes “Dialogues” or discussions between Minnesota state agencies and local community members to begin planning for climate change and resilience in rural Minnesota. The Jefferson Center and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy convened three Rural Climate Dialogues - in Stevens, Itasca, and Winona Counties - generating “deliberative public engagement” and a shared community response to address climate change. A common priority expressed by all three communities was the need to support local initiatives through state agencies and programs.
Resource Category: Education and Outreach
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Case Study: Community Engagement in Austin, Minnesota
2016
In the summer of 2016, the City of Austin, MN surveyed minority, immigrant and refugee people to determine their knowledge of climate change and how it impacted them personally. Surveys were completed over a two-week period at a local non-profit called the Welcome Center, which helps new residents and immigrants transition into the city, find economic opportunities, and become part of Austin's multicultural community. Following the survey, the City compiled the results and convened a focus group with Karen women, primarily from southern and southeastern Myanmar.
Resource Category: Education and Outreach
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Neighborhoods First Engagement Model
April 2016
This training tool, while not focused on climate change adaptation specifically, offers useful insights into community engagement at the neighborhood level. It describes what is called the “Neighborhoods First Engagement Model” (NFEM), a resident-led method of creating positive community change. This model encourages widespread participation in advocating for a better quality of life in all neighborhoods and improving communications among neighborhood groups, community development organizations, city officials, institutions and businesses.
Resource Category: Education and Outreach
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Elements of Effective Engagement
2016
This brief guide makes recommendations on how to improve community engagement during the planning process for implementing resilient infrastructure. Based on examples from the first seven projects sponsored by Rebuild by Design, this document highlights the best practices of community engagement among the projects as they were implemented. The guide asserts that the success of any project “depends largely on the degree, quality and continuation of community collaboration,” making its recommendations valuable for improving climate resilience in local communities.
Resource Category: Education and Outreach
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Equity Foundations: USDN Capacity Building Program
2016
In September 2015, the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), in partnership with the Government Alliance on Race and Equity and the Center for Social Inclusion, launched a professional development program for sustainability directors and their staff for advancing racial equity into sustainability planning and development. The program became available online and includes a holistic curriculum of five webinars, videos and worksheets to support local government staff in applying an equity lens to sustainability projects.
Resource Category: Education and Outreach
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Washington DC Green Zone Environmental Program
January 2016
The Green Zone Environmental Program (GZEP) is a program run by the District of Columbia’s Department of Energy and Environment that provides young adults aged 14 to 24 with summer careers in clean energy. Every year, over 300 youth and young adults throughout the District -- with a focus on recruitment from vulnerable, under-represented communities -- enroll in a six-week training and educational Program. The DOEE and GZEP partner with local businesses to expose participants of the Program to both classroom and hands-on training in the areas of stormwater management, solar energy installments, green infrastructure construction, landscaping, and more.
Resource Category: Education and Outreach


