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Sustainability Organizations

Note: The organizations listed below work in areas related to sustainability. Ecology does not necessarily endorse or agree with content on these sites.

Sustainable Economies|Sustainable Communities|Sustainable Environment|Sustainable Schools

Sustainable Economies

Agriculture

Sustainable Agriculture Network - communication and outreach arm of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program.

Making the Transition to Sustainable Farming - fundamentals of sustainable agriculture

Alternative Agriculture - info and links to other internet sites and documents on sustainable agriculture

The Food Alliance – support for sustainable agriculture

Businesses

Business and Industry Resource Venture - provides free information, assistance and referrals to help Seattle businesses improve their environmental performance

Business for Social Responsibility - a business membership organization

Center for a Sustainable Economy -non-partisan research and policy organization that promotes innovative tax and other market-based approaches to achieving a sustainable economy

Cool Companies - a cool site from the Center for Energy & Climate Solutions

Earth Economics - a non-profit located in Tacoma, Washington, dedicated to researching and applying the economic solutions of tomorrow, today.

GEMI - the Global Environmental Management Initiative

Global Futures Foundation- the resource on Industrial Ecology and more

Global Reporting Initiative - standard reporting for environmental, economic and social activity

GreenBiz.com - A resource center on business, the environment, and the bottom line

National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy - an independent advisory body that provides decision makers, opinion leaders and the Canadian public with advice and recommendations for promoting sustainable development

Network for Business Innovation and Sustainability - helps businesses and organizations implement sustainable practices that increase revenue, enhance reputation, and reduce risk and uncertainty

Sightline Institute - formerly Northwest Environment Watch, a non-profit organization that aims to foster a sustainable economy and way of life in the Pacific Northwest, a bioregion defined by the watersheds of rivers flowing through North America's temperate rainforest zone

Sustainable Northwest – a Portland, Oregon-based organization dedicated to forging a new economy in the Pacific Northwest

Envirolink - sustainable business network news and information

Building

Austin Green Building Program - the Austin Energy Green Building Program is nationally known for expertise in "green" residential and commercial construction

Building Green - authoritative information on environmentally responsible building design and construction from the publishers of Environmental Building News

Green Building News - detailed information on sustainable design and construction

Healthy Building Network - promotes healthy building materials as a means of improving public health and preserving the global environment

Northwest Ecobuilding Guild - association of building professionals and homeowners interested in ecologically sustainable building

Operation Fresh Start - designed to empower communities as they recover from floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters by providing tools and resources to rebuild homes and business using sustainable principles and technologies

US Green Building Council - the council is the nation's foremost coalition of leaders from across the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy places to live and work

World Green Building Council - a U.S. non-profit corporation striving to help countries form national green building councils of their own by providing valuable information and resources to its affiliates and members

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Sustainable Communities

A World Institute for a Sustainable Humanity (AWISH) - an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide models and support for life sustaining activities that integrate solutions to poverty and the environment while fostering self-reliance

Fostering Sustainable Behavior – Doug McKenzie Moore on community-based social marketing

Oregon Natural Step Network - sponsors trainings and workshops to help support The Natural Step framework for businesses and organizations

SCALLOPS - a network to advance regional sustainability by providing opportunities for area sustainability groups to build relationships, share resources, and educate each other on the successes and challenges of pioneering grassroots change at the community level

Sustainable Communities Network - linking citizens to resources and one another

Smart Communities Network - energy efficiency and renewable energy - news and events

Sustainable Communities - for everyone interested in making smart choices about communities -- choices that are both economically and ecologically intelligent

Sustainable Connections - working with business and community leaders working to transform and model an economy built on sustainable practices

Sustainable Seattle - an award winning, volunteer-based civic network and forum located in Seattle with a focus on the metropolitan city/county area

Sustainable South Sound – sustainable communities throughout South Puget Sound through local purchasing, urban agriculture, and indicators of sustainability

Global Ecovillage Network - 1500+ pages on ecovillages and sustainability

Sustainable Architecture Building and Culture - ideas for sustainable communities

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Sustainable Environment

Bioneers - working to preserve biological and cultural diversity

Center for a New American Dream – their motto is “More fun, less stuff!”

Climate Solutions – promotes a regional approach to global warming solutions

Five E's Sustainable Development Solutions - recognize the many connected issues in our world and how the kinds of choices we make based upon this awareness affect the consequences of our actions

Free Geek – connecting our community one computer at a time

Friends of the Earth - FOE is a national environmental organization dedicated to preserving the health and diversity of the planet for future generations

Friends of the San Juans - a non-profit working to protect and promote the health and future of the San Juan Islands

International Institute for Sustainable Development - champions sustainable development around the world through innovation, partnerships, research and communications

Northwest Earth Institute - a pioneer in taking earth-centered education programs to people where they spend their time-in their neighborhoods, workplaces, homes, schools, and centers of faith

Northwest EcoBuilding Guild - an educational forum whose mission is to encourage building practices that protect human health, encourage sustainable resource usage, and foster long-term economic vitality

Northwest Product Stewardship Council - a group of government agencies and non-profit organizations working together with businesses to integrate product stewardship into the policy and economic structures of the Pacific NW

Office of Sustainability & Environment - OSE guides Seattle's City governmental operations toward sustainability by coordinating implementation of Seattle’s environmental management program and the Mayor’s Environmental Strategy. Their mission: to foster Seattle’s compliance with environmental laws, to assist departments to reduce environmental impacts from operations, and to improve environmental performance

1000 Friends of Washington - promotes sound planning under the state's Growth Management Act, educates citizens interested in local planning, and works with coalitions of business, citizen, and government leaders to achieve sustainable growth management. Site contains legislative updates, links for educators and children and online publications

Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC) - the Northwest's leading resource for promoting a cleaner environment through pollution prevention. PPRC provides high quality, unbiased information, facilitates information exchange, and catalyzes pollution prevention projects

Redefining Progress - a public policy organization

Rocky Mountain Institute - the folks who bring us "Natural Capitalism"

Sightline Institute - research and communication center to bring about sustainability, a healthy, lasting prosperity grounded in place

Renewable Energy Policy Project - supports the advancement of renewable energy technology through policy research

Sustainable Institute - a "think-do tank" out of Vermont

Sustainable Measures - develops indicators that measure progress toward a sustainable economy, society and environment

Union of Concerned Scientists - citizens and scientists for environmental solutions

Washington Toxics Coalition – a member-based organization dedicated to protecting public health and the environment by identifying and promoting alternatives to toxic chemicals

World Resources Institute - a rich resource of current environmental news and data

ZERI - the Zero Emissions Research Initiative

Zero Waste Alliance - working for the elimination of wastes and toxics

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Sustainable Schools

Antioch University/Seattle has Masters and PhD level programs approaching environmental policy and sustainability issues from both a social science and natural science perspective.

Bainbridge Graduate Institute offers an MBA in changing business for good by integrating sustainability throughout the curriculum.

Evergreen State College offers a highly interdisciplinary model that sets the stage for successful curricular work in sustainability. Learning communities use whole systems thinking to approach the social and environmental aspects of sustainability. Evergreen offers programs in sustainability and a Masters in Environmental Studies.

Gund Institute, University of Vermont - develops economic theory that is appropriately nested in biophysical, social and behavioral sciences. We work to create policies and management instruments that balance what is biophysically possible, ecologically sustainable, socially equitable, and efficient.

Islandwood on Bainbridge Island has an educational mission to inspire environmental and community stewardship.

Portland State University's Institute for Sustainable Solutions is PSU's hub for cross-disciplinary research, teaching, and partnerships in sustainability.

University of Washington has a Program on the Environment, an interdisciplinary, hands-on education at the human-environment nexus.

Washington State University has a Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources. Within its College of Engineering and Architecture is the Institute for Sustainable Design.

Western Washington University offers a Minor Degree in Sustainable Design that is shared between the Engineering Technology Program and Huxley College of the Environment.

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