The Trump administration has advanced the process of opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to lease sales. The Department of Interior released its "Record of Decision" on August 17, 2020 taking the most aggressive and destructive drilling alternative possible. It paves the way for lease sales as early as December. During an oil glut, increasing threats from climate change, and a world-wide pandemic, the administration will attempt to lease the entire Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge-- more than 1.5 million acres-- to the oil industry. Representing the last 5% of America’s Arctic Coastal Plain where the law has barred oil and gas activity, this would forever transform these wild lands into a toxic industrial drilling complex. The Gwich’in people who depend on these lands call it “the sacred place where life begins.”

This move threatens the food security, and spiritual and cultural foundation of the Indiginous Gwich'in Nation, in addition to threats to endangered polar bears, the Porcupine Caribou herd, and birds that migrate to these lands from six continents and all 50 states. This is one of the most high-profile battles in America today at the intersection of the environment and social justice. 

This video includes five members of the Gwich’in community-- raising their voices at the 2016 Gwich’in Gathering in Arctic Village, Alaska-- Neets’aii Gwich’in Tribal Land. Thanks to Arctic Village Council, Venetie Tribal Council and Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government for permission for National Geographic photographer Florian Schulz to record these testimonies.

#ProtectTheArctic #StandwiththeGwichin

Voices include:

Dr. Rev. Trimble Gilbert
Sarah James
Nani’eeth Peter
Gideon James
Anthony Garnett
Narrator: Princess Daazhraii Johnson

Financing the Energy Frontier for Anchorage | PGS Capstone Showcase Fall 2019

From the December 2019 Capstone Showcase, this team of Presidians assessed a green investment bank model as a means to address the Municipality of Anchorage’s climate goals and analyzed several possible legal structures, leveraging multi-sector partnerships. Presented by Melanie Lucas-Conwell (MBA), Sarah Nelson (MBA), and Monica Pandele (MBA, MPA). About Presidio Graduate School: PGS is an accredited, nonprofit graduate school founded in 2003, offering several unique degree programs — three MBAs, the only sustainable MPA, and one of the only Dual MBA/MPAs — as well as several certificates, all taught with our systems-thinking methodology at the core. The premise we adhere to is that real change happens at the intersection between private enterprise and the public sector, and across commerce, and the common good. Learn more about PGS, our mission, and our programs at presidio.edu or call us at 415-561-6555.

Gideon Rosenblatt explores how companies can be good for the soul -- for customers, employees, and for keeping the bottom line aligned with the greater good. Jan 2012.TEDx Rainier.

This short video explains the Land Ethic, which is an environmental philosophy developed by Aldo Leopold.  It explains the philosophical foundations of the Land Ethic and how it differs from Deep Ecology.  Thanks for the GCSC Commodore production team for helping produce this video.  Aldo Leopold is the author of A Sand County Almanac.  He is author of the first textbook on wildlife management. 

Future of Sustainability 2020: Has the disruption from COVID-19 accelerated the transition to a sustainable future, or made it more challenging?

This Forum for the Future webinar took place on 22 July 2020. We are in the midst of a historic moment that will shape society for decades to come. The COVID-19 crisis is having a devastating impact – both in terms of lives lost and economic disruption. The region’s informal, cash-based economies are particularly vulnerable. At Forum for the Future we believe this may also be a moment to re-imagine how we rebuild our economies.

We are therefore calling for business, governments, civil society and communities to seize this moment in helping to deliver a more just, sustainable and resilient world. Drawing on research and insights we gather annually to understand what is next for the fields of sustainability, impact investing and philanthropy, we will share a suite of futures trajectories we have been developing which help us understand possible ways forward as change-makers. We believe only one of these trajectories, which we are calling 'Transform', has the potential to create the just, resilient and sustainable systems we need. It is based on a mindset that recognizes the interdependent nature of the challenges we face today. The session included reflections from inspiring change-makers who are already driving towards this 'Transform' trajectory – aiming to shift our political, economic and social systems so that they work together in service of human and planetary health, justice and economic resilience. If there is ever a time to drive this transformative change, it is now.

Part of the Employment Law 101 series. A discussion of the employment at-will doctrine - what it is, how it works, and some of the exceptions. Series by Ross Runkel. 

At-will employment is a term used in U.S. labor law for contractual relationships in which an employee can be dismissed by an employer for any reason, and without warning, as long as the reason is not illegal. 

Prominent scientist, Sir David King – former chief scientific adviser to the UK government from 2013-2017 – talks to the Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative (C2G) about how research on climate-altering technologies in the Arctic might be governed. Sir David King joined two sessions hosted by C2G on October 10th at the 2019 Arctic Circle Assembly, where scientists, policy experts, indigenous activists, youth representatives, and other civil society representatives explored some of the toughest questions facing decision-makers today as they contemplate the future of the Arctic. 

Learn more here.

Prominent scientist, Sir David King – former chief scientific adviser to the UK government from 2013-2017 – talks to the Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative (C2G) about how research on climate-altering technologies in the Arctic might be governed. Sir David King joined two sessions hosted by C2G on October 10th at the 2019 Arctic Circle Assembly, where scientists, policy experts, indigenous activists, youth representatives, and other civil society representatives explored some of the toughest questions facing decision-makers today as they contemplate the future of the Arctic. Learn more here.

Prominent scientist, Sir David King – former chief scientific adviser to the UK government from 2013-2017 – talks to the Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative (C2G) about how research on climate-altering technologies in the Arctic might be governed. Sir David King joined two sessions hosted by C2G on October 10th at the 2019 Arctic Circle Assembly, where scientists, policy experts, indigenous activists, youth representatives, and other civil society representatives explored some of the toughest questions facing decision-makers today as they contemplate the future of the Arctic. Learn more here. t 

Trudell is a 2005 documentary film about American Indian activist and poet John Trudell. The film traces Trudell's life from his childhood in Omaha, Nebraska, through his role as a leader of the American Indian Movement. It also covers his rebirth as a musician and spoken word poet after his wife died in a house fire suspected as arson. Heather Rae produced and directed the film, which took her more than a decade to complete. Trudell aired nationally in the U.S. on April 11, 2006 as part of the Independent Lens series on PBS. Actor: Robert Redford, Kris Kristofferson, Sam Shepard Director: Heather Rae

Visit John Trudell's first CD, HeartTaker, Owl Dance Song, on YouTube here.