On September 25, 2007, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore) and Congressman Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) introduced the Higher Education Sustainability Act of 2007, H.R. 3637, which would authorize a $50 million competitive grant program to universities and institutions of higher education to develop, implement and evaluate sustainability curriculums, practices and academic programs. This is great news for the campus sustainability community!

Blumenauer, sounding much like an AASHE member, explained in introducing the bill: “The impact of the world's growing population on the environment makes it vital to invest now in sustainable practices, and this starts with training the next generation of scientists, engineers, planners and business professionals to lead the way.” He added, “By providing grants to universities and institutions to develop sustainability programs, we not only protect the planet, but we also help maintain America's economic competitiveness. 90 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs want sustainable development to become part of their mission, and the Higher Education Sustainability Act is an opportunity to meet this need, protect our planet, and ensure that the American economy is well-equipped for the 21

st century.” The Higher Education Sustainability Act (HESA) promotes multidisciplinary education, research, and outreach programs that address all the dimensions of sustainability - environmental, economic, and social. It ensures that programs and practices developed under the name of sustainability are high caliber and directly address national needs. This will certainly enhance AASHE's efforts to advance sustainability on campuses, whether through the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, the AASHE Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS), or any of our other programs. Congressman Ehlers (also sounding very AASHE-like) said in introducing the bill: “Teaching students about sustainable practices will help ensure that sustainable concepts will be applied in the lives of future generations. What better way to promote sustainability than to encourage our institutions of higher learning to create academic programs to teach its concepts, and to implement sustainable practices themselves. Society will reap the benefits of the excellent return on investment gained by educating students in sustainable practices.” The legislation, which would amend Title VII of the Higher Education Act, encourages partnerships with external stakeholders, such as non-profits, business alliances, and associations for developing best practices, engaging students in real-world experiences, and ensuring that sustainability programs remain current. The legislation also establishes a national Higher Education Summit on Sustainability to highlight programs and practices of national distinction and identify partnership opportunities for the Federal Government. While versions of HESA have been introduced before, this year its chances of passing are the best yet. Nevertheless, the bill will still need lots of support. In my next posting I'll suggest ways you can help. For now, time to celebrate this initial success!