American Chemical Society 1 Sustainability at the local level PARTNERING CHEMISTS WITH NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SEE Action Team 1 report to Committee on.

American Chemical Society 1

Sustainability at the local level

PARTNERING CHEMISTS WITH NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

SEE Action Team 1 report to

Committee on Community ActivitiesAugust, 2010

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Sustainablity introductions

• “Sustainability Leadership Challenge 2007 from The Natural Step”  

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zees18JwZ3k&feature=related

• Cartoon introduction to sustainability

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5NiTN0chj0&feature=related

• Here is a great video for use with school children.  It makes sustainability meaningful and understandable. Partnering with 4H and scouts with meaningful activities like Chemistry Ambassadors would be a great place to use this video.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w1qlm7ZOao&feature=related

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From Green to Sustainablitythe natural step

• States, Communities and Companies are moving forward

– http://www.state.nj.us/nj/green

– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIzQRKV3BPQ&feature=related

– http://www.faqs.org/sec-filings/100504/ALCOA-INC_8-K/dex99.htm

• Individuals are benefiting

– Alco workers saved over $1400 in their personal expense

• Related Sustainablity programs draw crowds & Support

• Academic programs are multiplying

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LS & CCA Sustainablity Challenge1. Designate a “volunteer service month”

2. Survey members for potential project ideas and interest

3. Recruit local section sustainability officer to promote cooperative action and serve as communications conduit.

4. Program a public sustainability event sharing success stories illustrating the actual impact our service and problem solving made with our partner organizations (mix talks, posters & roving feast)

5. Develop one service project with partner(s) to allow members to put their skills in action

6. Designate a “volunteer service month”

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Reasons for Sustainablity Partners

• Additional Financial Programming Support

• Potential New Members

• Events are very news worthy

• We bring some unique skill sets

• Participating Chemists benefit

– Skill development

– Employment opportunities

– Feeling good about doing good!

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Potential Domestic Sustainablity and Service Partners

• Boys and Girls Clubs

• 4H

• AWIS

• Net Impact

• Earthshare

• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

• AIChE

• NOBEChE

• NSTA

• The Natural Step

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NGO Partners for Global Awareness

• Heifer International

• Millennium Promise

• AIDSfreeAFRICA

• Scientist without Borders

• Chemists without Borders

• Bloodwatermission.com 1000 Wells Project

• The Natural Step

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Sites to find opportunities

• Creategood.org

• Volunteermatch.org

• Nationallabday.org

• Idealist.org

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Volunteer month sample projects

– Disaster relief

– Tutoring especially with certain underserved communities

– Boy Scout sites – environmental impact

– Agriculture-chemical advice (gardens, etc.)

– Water clean up efforts

– Park design

– Reclaim brownfields

– Recyclemania

– Better building materials and design

– LEED ideas

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Partnerships Around the Nation

• www.students2science.org

• www.treepeople.org

• Oregon Sustainability Center

• Institute for Sustainable Enterprise

• Search Google, Youtube & TED for great ideas and partners

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Share Your Success Stories

• Places to publish

– ACS Network

– Section News Letter

– LinkedIn.com

– Facebook

– Library Talks

• Annual Report

– CEI ChemLuminary Award Coming

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Identify Timely Needs

• Oil spill

– At session on Tuesday, discuss opportunities

– Contacted state/local leaders and ask about need

– Create or share educational materials for teachers to use:

• Benefits and risks of drilling

• Reasons for energy efficiency

• Pollution, clean up, etc.

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SEE TEAM I NGO Partnerships & Service Team Members

• Bill Suits [email protected]

• Martha Hollomon

• Sushila Kanodia

• Ben Rupert

• Bradley Miller

• Leah Rubin

• Leo kenny

• Lesle (Hellmann) Goodhart

• Michelle Scott

• Ponnadurai Ramasami

• Ray Garant

• Carolyn Ribes SEE Liaison

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Tips for local section leaders• Make it voluntary. Forcing people to care about something is a short-cut to resentment and inaction.

• Localize it. What matters to the team, to the community, to your partners that members can connect to? Sometimes it’s as narrow as distinct member interests (eating organic or reducing office waste, for example). The more localized you can take sustainability, the more personal it becomes.

• Start with what you care about. To make it personal, start by being personal. Share what issues you’re passionate about and how you first became involved.

• Don’t pretend to know it all.  Leadership and communication style is a primary influencer engagement. Inspire and listen rather than preach, scare or guilt. Your first job is to inspire possibility.

• Demonstrate the effect of action. One organization piled up a day’s worth of trash to show the potential of what can be eliminated through recycling, composting and product choices.

• Make it a cross-functional effort. Involve people from different disciplines and seniority levels from the start.

• Publicly solicit, display and respond to ideas. After brainstorming sessions or member surveys, list the ideas in a public place, respond to suggestions and questions and let members know why some ideas can’t be implemented.

• Solicit input from outside stakeholders. How have others launched successful sustainability initiatives? Are there vendors, organizations or community groups that you could partner with locally?

• Give members a place to start now. Even if it’s a small step. The grossest criticism of Michael Moore is that his movies fire you up and then leave you with nothing to do with the indignation he’s inspired. Don’t leave them feeling manipulated and hopeless. What can members do right away to capitalize on their interest and the momentum of the initiative?

• Start small for early success. Hitting your target early on builds momentum and confidence.

• Make it regular. Repeated activities or long-term goals are more inspiring and allow people to connect more personally than a morning of cleaning a park every quarter.

• Reward the most effective individuals or teams.

• Build a culture around sustainability goals. Whether it’s parties or charity drives, look for ways to align them with the sustainability initiatives.

ACS Members and NGO Partners can and will improve the future for our Children and Grandchildren through Sustainable Service and Sustainability programs.