All organizations, whether they are multinational corporations or local nonprofits, face a growing number of environmental challenges, from limiting carbon emissions to managing water resources. The M.S. in Sustainability Management is a highly specialized professional program that will formally train and educate sustainability practitioners for a broad range of fields.

The program is designed to meet the growing demand for sustainability managers and will train leaders to bridge the gap between the principle of sustainable development and its practice. Students in the program will learn sophisticated environmental measurement tools and cutting-edge environmental science to fully understand the systematic and organizational role of sustainability in any organization, as businesses in fields including law, financial management, media, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and energy seek out capable managers to guide their environmental stewardship. This program is ideal for practitioners and aspiring professionals working in organizational management, regulatory compliance, facilities operations, and environmental stewardship among many other areas.

The program, co-sponsored by Columbia University’s School of Continuing Education and the Earth Institute, is offered full-time or part-time to accommodate the schedules of working professionals.

Date: Thursday, March 24
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Faculty House, Columbia University’s Morningside Campus

To register for the information session, please go to:

https://register.applyyourself.com/?id=col-scems&pid=1953&eID=33681&rid=1.

Representatives from the program will be available to answer questions. The final deadline for applications to the Sustainability Management program for Fall 2011 is May 1. We look forward to seeing you at the information session.

Columbia now offers a Master of Science in Sustainability Management. The Master of Science in Sustainability Management, co-sponsored by the Earth Institute and the School of Continuing Education at Columbia University is ideal for professionals in the New York metropolitan area currently working on issues of facilities management, regulatory compliance, operations, and environmental stewardship. Join us for an information session on February 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Faculty House at Columbia University to learn more.

For information about the program AND to register to attend: http://ce.columbia.edu/Sustainability-Management

I am a graduate of Antioch University McGregor’s Community Change & Civic Leadership program, focusing on environmental justice and urban agriculture/community gardens. My capstone project concentrated on employing the visual medium of collage to facilitate a discussion about environmental justice. In addition, I wrote a paper on the topic of collage as social commentary in art and history. My previous degrees are in film and video, and history. I am certified as a permaculture designer; as well as hold certification as a LeadershipPlenty trainer through the Pew Partnership for Civic Change.

I would like to first work for the management of a community\’s local currency, then oversee the management. I would then take the experience to other neighborhoods interested in establishing local currencies. As my expertise develops, I would work for a networked organization of local currencies before representing the interest on a national level. The pinnacle of my career will involve me at the international level of monetary reform.

I have decided that monetary economics holds the most potential to strengthen cooperation, public engagement, and financial distribution. If the creation of money is publicized, and maintained as a centralized, debt based system, citizens would be able to influence interest rates, and the revenue from the interest could be used for public works. When Julius Ceasar did this in Rome, many public facilities were constructed.

If the creation of money is localized, community organizations could decide how much local currency to distribute, and banks could be run as non profits, allowing wealth to remain distributed. Local currencies also encourage local purchases, increasing social affiliation with supply and consumption, and diminishing social alienation.

The social transformation that public monetary system could have would be inspiring. It would have the potential to diminish a culture of self-focused competitiveness into greater cooperation and concern for one another\’s well being and goal achievement.