The Tangled Bank | The New York Academy of Sciences

 Link to a New York Academy of Sciences podcast discussion with the author, Carl Zimmer of his highly reviewed book, The Tangled Bank | The New York Academy of Sciences.

Bob Kates’ Reader in Sustainability Science and Technology

Kates, Robert W., ed. 2010. Bob Kates’ Reader in Sustainability Science and Technology. CID Working Paper No. 213. Center for International Development, Harvard University. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, December 2010.

Harvard Prof. William Clark writes, " The Reader is several things.  First, Bob offers an intellectual structure for the field of sustainability science, including the basic science of human-environment systems, the challenges of sustainable development that motivate that science, and the applications to specific problems that show its utility.   This is not the only structure possible, but it is a deep and powerful one that many of us who “test piloted” the Reader have found to be enormously useful in ordering our own thinking.  Second, Kates has populated his map of sustainability science with a carefully selected set of individual readings, most published during the last decade but also including some of the classics that constitute the foundations of the field.  Finally, he has provided invaluable context and connections through his narrative introductions to his structuring of the field and his commentaries on the individual papers he has selected.  The result is an original creation of great value and wisdom from which all interested in the field of sustainability science will benefit for years to come."

Prof. R.W. Kates - Independent Scholar, Trenton, ME

Robert W. Kates (born Jan 31, 1929) is an American geographer and independent scholar in Trenton, Maine, and University Professor (Emeritus) at Brown University.  His personal, reflective website chronicles his lengthy, productive academic career working on integrative issues of human-ecological interdependence and resilience, an overview of which is contained in Kates, Robert W. “Queries on the Human Use of the Earth.” Annual Review of Energy and Environment, 2001. 26:1-26. He notes "[T]he central question of my scientific work has been: what is and ought to be the human use of the earth? It has been pursued collectively, with mentor, colleagues, students, and friends, As with most grand queries, ours is studied not grandly but in reduced ways, as a set of more specific research questions related to hazards, environment, hunger, and sustainable development. Regarding hazard, I tried to understand why people persist in occupying areas subject to natural and technological hazards and how adaptation made this possible. An extended stay in Africa to research both environment and development led to new queries. Why does the Malthusian dilemma persist with concerns evolving from food sufficiency for the population to resource scarcity to the basic life-support systems and the chemical cycles of the biosphere? How has humankind transformed the earth, indeed can life be sustained? Why does hunger persist amid a world of plenty, and what can be done to end it? Can there be a transition to sustainability that over the next two generations would meet human needs and reduce hunger and poverty while maintaining the essential life support systems of the planet? All these themes and the research methods used to pursue them come together in an emerging sustainability science."

Community and Regional Resilience Institute (US)

The Community and Regional Resilience Institute (CARRI) believes that resilient communities are the foundation of a strong and resilient nation.  Community resilience encompasses an entire community (physical infrastructure, economic and social capital, natural environment,  and systems/essential services) and its ability to resist and/or rapidly recover from extreme events.  Over the last three years, CARRI has worked to understand how these aspects of resilience combine and interact to effect the reslience of communities.  By combining the results from a cadre of distinguished researchers and insights from communities, CARRI has brought to life a uniqe viewpoint on what it means to be a resilient community. Collectively, these participants have articulated four critical needs to improve community resilience. 

An understanding of community resilience has now advanced to a place where a national conversation is imperative.  In 2010 CARRI convened a distinct group of representatives (academia, private sector, faith-based, non-governmental, and all levels of government) to embark on the Community Resilience System Initiative (CRSI), a comprehensive undertaking to articulate the common understanding of community resilience and ultimately build a national System aimed at helping  communities.  CARRI strives to be the catalyst of a practical community resilience system that will contribute to a national culture of resilience by working with stakeholders  to create the structure, processes, and tools to encourage, support, and reward community resilience. CARRI is organized into five divisions (as depicted above) and is available to assist communities, leaders and policy makers at all levels.

The Pimm Group - A Future for Species Preservation and Conservation

A Future for Species Preservation and Conservation -http://thepimmgroup.org/

The Pimm Group is led by Dr. Stuart Pimm, Doris Duke Professor of Conservation Ecology at Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University. His students and others have contributed since 2003 to this website, including dozens of blog posts on topics related to biodiversity, conservation, ornithology, economics, GIS science, natural disaster impacts and much more.

"We have a moral responsibility to protect the world’s ‘special places’–those richest in biodiversity and most threatened by human advances." – Dr. Stuart Pimm

Nic Marks: The Happy Planet Index on TED

Nic Marks: The Happy Planet Index - Statistician Nic Marks asks why we measure a nation's success by its productivity -- instead of by the happiness and well-being of its people. He introduces the Happy Planet Index, which tracks national well-being against resource use (because a happy life doesn't have to cost the earth). Which countries rank highest in the HPI? You might be surprised.

PROBLEMA - the Film

PROBLEMA - Who are we in the 21st Century?

A cinematic interpretation of the world's largest round table gathering, PROBLEMA is a visually imaginative, thought-provoking invitation to a world of global dilemmas. Spanning seventeen questions confronting who we are and where we're going, the film follows the insights, perceptions, reflections and views of over 100 people from more than 50 nations sat together in one circle. 

A not-for-profit production, PROBLEMA is freely available to watch and to download via this website. If you'd like to support the film, we encourage you to host a screening, to sign our guestbook or to consider making a micro-donation to help further its human connection.

'problema' from Latin problema (genitive problematis) 'problem', 'puzzle', 'enigma', 'question proposed for solution', from Ancient Greek πρόβλημα (problema, 'obstacle'), from προβάλλω (proballo, 'to throw or lay something in front of someone', 'to put forward'), from prefix προ- (pro-, 'in front of') + βάλλω (ballo, 'to throw', 'to cast', 'to hurl').

Native Spirit Foundation

Native Spirit Foundation is a non-profit, charitable organisation, which promotes the knowledge and preservation of Indigenous Cultures and supports education in indigenous communities.

Native Spirit Foundation was founded and is directed by the Mapuche artist and filmmaker Freddy Treuquil. He is a longstanding and prominent member of the indigenous Mapuche community in Patagonia.

Native Spirit holds an annual Festival of Films, talks and performances celebrating indigenous culture, which takes place in London and Spain. During the year Native Spirit also organises events such as fundraisers, musical, art exhibition and film screenings, providing a platform to indigenous artists to showcase their work.

Native Spirit supports educational projects throughout Latin America, providing funding, technical and human resources for school in indigenous communities. We work within the concept of La Nueva Escuela (The New School), a proposal for autonomous education within indigenous communities based on an indigenous understanding of life

Global Threats to Human Water Security and River Biodiversity - Nature (2009)

Global Threats to Human Water Security and River Biodiversity. Rivers maintain unique biotic resources and provide critical water supplies to people. The Earth's limited supplies of fresh water and irreplaceable biodiversity are vulnerable to human mismanagement of watersheds and waterways. Multiple environmental stressors, such as agricultural runoff, pollution and invasive species, threaten rivers that serve 80 percent of the world’s population. These same stressors endanger the biodiversity of 65 percent of the world’s river habitats putting thousands of aquatic wildlife species at risk. Efforts to abate fresh water degradation through highly engineered solutions are effective at reducing the impact of threats but at a cost that can be an economic burden and often out of reach for developing nations.

Bioquest

BioQUEST - Community Resources for Problem Solving in Biology actively supports undergraduate biology education through collaborative development of open curricula in which students pose problems, solve problems, and engage in peer review.