Hi Delyse -
This sounds like an intriguing project. As a disclaimer, due to my current
vantage point as a local government employee, I emphatically endorse the role
of local government! We are focused more on the 'solution' side than the
'problem' side of things, so the resources below address some innovative
approaches to global environmental problems at the local level.
ICLEI's commercial energy policy toolkit -- and especially the factsheets --
contain some excellent policy approaches being implemented across the country.
www.icleiusa.org/climate_and_energy/energy-efficiency-resources-1/commercial-energy-policy-toolkit/commercial-energy-policy-toolkit
www.icleiusa.org/climate_and_energy/energy-efficiency-resources-1/commercial-energy-policy-toolkit/commercial-energy-policy-fact-sheets
The ICLEI blog contains links to numerous local activities also:
www.icleiusa.org/blog
ICLEI is also under fire by the Tea Party, so not everyone is enamored of their
programs, as discussed in this recent NYT article:
www.nytimes.com/2012/02/04/us/activists-fight-green-projects-seeing-un-plot.html?_r=3&emc=eta1
Farther afield, the EU regional policy case studies have provided inspiriation
for me for many years. Here are two links, one for current case studies, and
one for the archive.
I still find the 1990's case reports pertinent as they identify innovative
program approaches to local problems that might be found in urban areas across
the globe. See, for example, the case studies of Athens Queen Park or
Copenhagen's Oksnehallen project:
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/archive/urban2/urban/upp/src/frame1.htm
The new EU case studies are arranged by 'policy' areas; Denmark's Samso Energy
Academy and Finland's environmental mini-clusters are quite inspiring:
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/projects/practices/index_en.cfm
Good luck with this project, I look forward to seeing your syllabi once you
have them crafted!
Nancy
Nancy Quirk, LEED AP
Climate Protection Program Coordinator
City of Charlottesville, VA
> From: [email protected]
> To: [email protected]
> Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2012 12:31:08 +1300
> Subject: [gep-ed] Course on Rural and Urban Environmental Issues
>
> Dear Gep-Eders,
>
> I'm involved in developing a third-year undergraduate course on Rural and
> Urban Environmental Issues and would appreciate any advice you can share
> about existing course outlines and useful resources.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Delyse Springett
>
> Dr Delyse Springett
> Honorary Research Associate
> Massey University
> New Zealand
>
