News and Events

"Sustainable Communities" Class Will Audit SSU Campus

Aimed at studying the principles of sustainable development – environmental equality, economic health and social equity- the ENSP 418 Sustainable Communities course focuses on learning about sustainability through personal experience and practical application. Rocky Rohwedder, Professor, Department of Environmental Studies and Planning, leads this course.

Students work to create presentations to provide themselves and other students a “sustainability snapshot of SSU.” They will focus on various aspects including land use and urban design, energy conservation, transportation, economic development and green architecture and building.

Working in groups of three or four, pods will present a 15-20 minute presentation about their findings of sustainability at SSU as well as recommendations for improvement or continuity. They will also create summaries, images and graphics for use in a “Sustainable Sonoma” website currently under construction.

The course also features guest lecturers including Mike Maniates, Professor of Political Science at Allegheny College who will discuss global warming, and Alex Hines, the Community Development Director for the County of Marin. On March 6, students received hands on experience when they took a field trip to Sonoma Mountain Village.

The course will continue on next semester. Rohwedder also offers other sustainable courses as “Education And The Environment”, “Energy, Technology and Society”, “Computer-Aided Communications”, as well as a few others.

New Ridesharing Program is Free to Faculty, Staff

SSU has partnered with AlterNet rides to provide a carpooling program available free of charge to all faculty, staff and students. AlterNet Rides allows members of the SSU community to set up regular or one-time carpools to and from campus or to other locations. It takes just a few minutes to sign up and start setting up rides.

Users can set personal preferences including times and days of travel, smoker or non-smoker, radio preferences and more. Police Services would like to hear about employee AlterNet Rides experiences. E-mail them at parking@sonoma.edu or call Police & Parking Services at 4-2143 to pass on feedback.

AlterNet Rides is also working hard to reduce the stress that vehicles put on the environment. Check out the Carbon Emissions Savings Calculator to see how using various forms of alternate transportation can affect one's carbon footprint. For more information on carbon footprints, visit Firm Green.

To sign up for SSU AlterNet Rides, visit http://www.sonoma.edu/ps/rideshare.shtml and become a member. Although joining is necessary to post a ride, it is not required to view available rides or contact members about carpooling.

Sustainable Landscape Certificate Program Led by Horticultural Expert Kate Frey

Kate Frey, an internationally recognized horticultural expert, will head a new certificate program at Sonoma State this winter. The Sustainable Landscape Professional Certificate Program will be offered for the first time in January 2008.

Frey has a great deal of experience in this field, helping to design and develop the award-winning gardens at Fetzer Vineyards in Hopland, Calif. She also received a gold medal at the "Chelsea Flower and Garden Show" in London, England for her sustainability-themed entry. Sustainable Landscape Certificate Program.