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We also want to thank the many people and organizations that have contributed their time and expertise in committees, task forces, forums, and conferences to make SCCED a success.

Resources for Sustainable Energy and Technology

The Alliance to Save Energy gathers advanced thinkers in the business world to ensure that energy efficiency is fully utilized as a policy tool in national and international forums and to strengthen the growing global consensus on energy, the environment and the world economy. It also provides links to many energy-related companies..

The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is a national organization dedicated to advancing the use of solar energy for the benefit of U.S. citizens and the global environment.

E Source is a membership-based information service company providing timely, practical, and unbiased information on energy end-use technologies and related application issues.

The Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDE) provides a comprehensive bibliographic database that announces energy-related research and development information.

The Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas (EVAA) is an international non-profit organization working to advance the commercialization of electric vehicles. The site provides news releases, publications, market data and upcoming events.

The Environmental Technology Initiative (ETI) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by funding more than 250 partnerships and projects throughout the United States to promote improved public health and environmental protection by advancing the development and use of innovative environmental technologies.

The Global Environment and Technology Foundation has experience in developing and executing programs affecting environmental and technology policy at all levels of government in the United States and internationally. GETF works with world leaders and other policy makers to promote the best sustainable policy and environmental technology solutions to minimize or avoid environmental problems while enhancing industrial competitiveness. The TechKnow Database lists U.S. Department of Energy information on contaminated site cleanup and remediation.

Global Network of Environment and Technology (GNET) is an information archive that was created to assist government scientists and researchers in commercializing innovative environmental technologies. Here you’ll find a wealth of information related to technology, the environment, and research that the U.S. federal government sponsors in this area. The GNET News Center offers a searchable database of worldwide environmental news and a calendar of upcoming events. The TechKnow Database lists U.S. Department of Energy information on contaminated site cleanup and remediation.

Gridwise Power Guide provides a list of thousands of energy sources and related technologies.

The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) works to find solutions that use local resources to address problems that face all Americans, especially society’s most disadvantaged citizens, and includes a wide array of sustainable technologies and technology transfer including resource-efficient housing and sustainable agriculture.

The National Technology Transfer Center (NTTC) is the hub of a national network linking U.S. companies with federal laboratories to turn government research into practical, commercially-relevant technology. Specialists in biology, physics, chemistry, computer sciences, and various branches of engineering, provide private sector callers with person-to-person contacts in the federal laboratory system. The NTTC Environmental Links provides a large list of government, corporate, military university and nonprofit sites concerned with sustainable technology.

Public Technology, Inc. (PTI) is the non-profit technology organization of the most progressive and entrepreneurial local governments in the USA, working to advance communications capabilities, support local government leaders in their decision-making, and maintain sustainability — the critical balance between urban development and a healthy environment.

Solstice, an internet information service of the Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies, is the site for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable technology information and connections.

The Rocky Mountain Institute fosters the efficient and sustainable use of resources as a path to global security. The Institute helps to harness the problem-solving power of market economics and of advanced techniques for resource efficiency.

The Sustainable Development Resources Database contains information on local, national and international organizations and government agencies currently active in the development of sustainable technologies and methods.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has responsibility for a wide range of programs from radioactive waste clean up to fusion research. Many of its programs most relevant to sustainability are accessible through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and its Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Network (EREN) which provides links to many important sites including:

Office of Building Technology, State, and Community Programs
Federal Energy Management Program
Office of Industrial Technologies
Office of Transportation Technologies
Office of Utility Technologies
Golden Field Office (energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies)
Regional Support Offices
Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development (many resources including indicators of sustainability)

Multi-faceted Resources for Sustainable Development

The Citizens Network for Sustainable Development facilitates the engagement of grassroots organizations across the U.S. in review and input into the deliberations of the U.S government and United Nations agencies concerned with sustainability. To be kept informed of the issues and schedule of government and non-government meetings, sign up by sending an email message to [email protected] saying in the text of the body (not the subject line): subscribe <citnet-list>

The Earth Pledge Foundation (EPF) recognizes appropriate intersections between business interests and environmental, social, and cultural concerns. The Foundation builds partnerships by encouraging economic growth through the development of sustainable practices. EPF projects span the fields of art, architecture, community development, agriculture, cuisine, tourism, education, technology, and media.

EE-Link spreads information and ideas that will help educators explore the environment and investigate current issues with students. This is an especially useful resource for students, teachers and professionals that support K-12 environmental education, such as media specialists, in-service providers, nature center staff and curriculum developers.

Global Environmental Options (GEO) for Sustainable Buildings, Communities, and National Parks seeks to restore a balance between the natural and human environment through a whole systems approach to design, planning, and education. Coalition building and partnerships are essential to our success. Site includes over 2,300 Internet links to sustainability, as well as resource directories and newsletters.

The Global Action and Information Network (GAIN) supports and encourages actions for a sustainable society. This Web site gives easy access to information on: environmental legislation and policy, environmental and sustainability issues, and what you can do.

The Millennium Institute, an alliance of international organizations, governments, religious organizations, corporations, educational institutions, media, and people of all ages, works to create the conditions for the peoples of the world to achieve a sustainable future for Earth. Site includes Tools for Sustainability and Year 2000 millennium celebrations.

The Millennium Whole Earth Catalog recognizes that a realm of intimate, personal power is developing — the power of individuals to conduct their own education, find their own inspiration, shape their own environment, and share the adventure with whoever is interested. Tools that aid this process are sought and promoted by the Whole Earth Catalog.

Sustainable Communities Network is a comprehensive resource for citizens working to create healthy and vital communities through efforts which are integrative, inclusive and participatory. People are demonstrating how interconnective strategies can produce communities that are more environmentally sound, economically prosperous, and socially equitable. Links to specific community Web sites are included as well as sections on creating community, living sustainably, smart growth, protecting natural resources, governance, and economy.

The Video Project is a source for over 250 top-rated, affordable videos and multimedia programs for all age levels on the environment, hands-on science, nuclear issues, global human rights, and related concerns, including Oscar and Emmy award-winners. Programs focusing on causes and solutions to violence in America have recently been added.

Sustainable Community Programs

Coming Soon!: A report will soon be posted here describing the sustainable comunity programs of a couple of dozen communities across the U.S.

Best Practices Database is a searchable database that contains proven solutions to common urban problems facing the world’s cities today. First presented at the United Nations Habitat II City Summit, this “knowledge base” plays an important role in identifying ways in which shared solutions can address urban issues such as poverty, access to land, clean water, population, shelter, and transportation.

Center for Neighborhood Technology promotes public policies, new resources and accountable authority which support sustainable, just, and vital urban communities. Three program areas are: Transportation/Air Quality, Sustainable Manufacturing and Recycling, and Community Energy.

The Center for Regenerative Studies is a university-based setting for education, demonstration and research in regenerative technologies, including using solar energy, reusing water, maintaining the fertility of the soils, growing a variety of foods without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, recycling wastes, and providing shelter compatible with existing environments.

Chattanooga Committed to Sustainable Development — Economy, Ecology, Equity — is the City of Chattanooga’s site focused on business, government and civic leaders examining opportunities and implications of sustainable development through environmental stewardship.

The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) is the international environmental agency for local governments. Global consumption and waste production is increasingly concentrated in urban areas and provides opportunities to meet human needs while reducing and managing wastes. Strengthening rural communities reduces the pattern of ecological destruction and population migration which is often a result of rural poverty and desperation.

Integrated Transport Planning in Curitiba, Brazil provides information on integrated sustainable transport considerations which were key to all of this city’s plans for business, road infrastructure, and community development.

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) is a nonprofit research and educational organization that provides technical assistance and information on environmentally sound economic development strategies. ILSR works with citizen groups, governments and private businesses in developing policies that extract the maximum value from local resources.

Los Angeles Eco-Village strives for an urban community in which the ecological, economic and social systems in the neighborhood are integrated for long term health and sustainability. It is working in the areas of housing, transportation, energy, food, education, economics,and social interaction.

The Joint Center for Sustainable Communities has been established by the National Association of Counties and the US Conference of Mayors to help local elected officials develop creative city/county partnerships as a mechanism for addressing economic, environmental and social equity challenges. The Center’s agenda will include serving as an information clearinghouse for examples of self-reliant community initiatives.

Renew America coordinates a network of community and environmental groups, businesses, government leaders and civic activists to exchange ideas and expertise for improving the environment.

Santa Monica’s Sustainable City Program website presents this city’s innovative and comprehensive approach to sustainability, including guiding principles, indicators and policies. It has developed practical municipal policies for everything from purchasing to construction to ensuring a healthy Santa Monica Bay.

Sustainable Building Sourcebook from the City of Austin, Texas, is chock full of information, references, and sources for those interested in pursuing attractive, resource efficient, low environmental impact homes. Includes information such as alternative building techniques, sustainable construction materials, and rainwater collection systems.

Databases and Lists of Sustainable Development Organizations

The Amazing Environmental Organization WebDirectory is the largest exclusively environmental organization directory on the Web and includes thousands of sites from over 100 countries arranged in 30 categories.

The Directory of Environmental Resources on the Internet provides listings and links to useful on-line resources pertaining to environmental issues. The Directory provides information on public agencies, private companies, other organizations, environmental software, legislation, and activities.

The Directory of Sustainable Development Information Providers contains a list of links kept updated by the Earth Council’s Information Systems Programme. Environmental Organizations Web Directory is Earth’s biggest and easiest environmental search engine. Includes links on an Environment Bulletin Board, Survey Results, and an Alternatives journal.

The Galaxy Environment site lists dozens of Academic Organizations, Announcements, Articles, Data Collections, Directories, Discussion Groups, Guides and Government and Nonprofit Organizations. Galaxy is the oldest browsable/searchable web directory, and includes a Gopher and Telnet directory in addition to web information.

GEO’s Resource Directory for Southern California provides an interactive list of organizations, businesses and professionals caring and working in the field of sustainable design, building and development. It provides links to hundreds of web sites and includes buildings, education, planning, calendars, research, guides to parks and much more.

The Institute for Global Communications (IGC) Internet Resources Collection lists nearly 100 international sustainable development organizations. For a complete list of over 300 IGC members: click here.

The National Technology Transfer Center (NTTC) Environmental Links provides a large list of government, corporate, military university and nonprofit sites.

Using the CREST search on sustainability yields an excellent list of a hundred organizations.

Sustainable Communities Information lists over 60 sites of nonprofit and governmental organizations concerned with sustainability. They are particularly strong in Canadian organizations.

Action Without Borders provides links to many organizations, plus some directories. Nonprofit or community organizations may fill out an application in order to be listed. The complete network list includes links to over 9,000 nonprofit websites.

The World Wide Web Virtual Library – Environment includes Lists of Environmental Services, an Environmental Organization WebDirectory, and Best Environmental Directories. Information in the virtual library is divided by subject (atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, etc.) or by letter of the alphabet. [The overview World Wide Web Virtual Library lists hundreds of subjects on general topics.]

In addition, there are many general search engines, such as Altavista, Lycos, etc.

Resources for Business and Sustainable Development

Global Futures helps business stay on the leading edge of corporate change by solving problems, creating opportunities, and turning public affairs into a profit center. Global Futures helps increase sales, build market share, strengthen alliances, and transform conflict and crisis into opportunity. They attempt to reduce or eliminate conflict between economic, environmental, and social goals.
The Sustainable Business Network Web site contains The SBN Journal which includes News Briefs, Social Investing, and Events; The Library with publications and resources; a Public Forum; a Database; and more.
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) provides business leadership as a catalyst for change towards sustainable development and promotes the attainment of eco-efficiency through high standards of environmental and resource management in business.

United Nations Agencies and Associated Organizations Concerned with Sustainable Development

United Nations Home Page

UN Gopher (Guide to UN Resources)

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)

UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) Documents

UN Division for Sustainable Development

UN Development Programme (UNDP)

UN Economic & Social Development Council links related to the Environment

UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Geneva Executive Center

UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

UN Population Fund (UNFPA)

World Health Organization (WHO)

United States Government Agencies

A list of U.S. Federal Government Agencies on the Internet is provided by Louisiana State University.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has several sites of special relevance to the environment, including the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) which works with landowners on private lands to conserve natural resources. Its Data Clearinghouse leads you to the Natural Resource Inventory (the nation is losing 2.1 billion tons of soil per year). Also important is the U.S. Forest Service which is dedicated to multiple-use management for sustained yields of renewable resources such as wood, water, forage, wildlife, and recreation.

U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC)
U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) promotes American businesses and trade, including expanding U.S. exports, developing innovative technologies, gathering and disseminating statistical data, measuring economic growth, granting patents, promoting minority entrepreneurship, predicting the weather and monitoring stewardship. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) describes and predicts changes in the Earth’s environment, and conserves and manages the nation’s coastal and marine resources. Its site provides considerable environmental data. The National Weather Service has data on current and past weather, including global climate change.

U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence for all Americans. Its website lists over 200 education programs and grants.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
The Department of Energy provides the technical information and scientific and educational foundation for technology, policy, and institutional leadership necessary to achieve efficiency in energy use, diversity in energy sources, improved environmental quality, and a secure national defense. The Energy Department’s Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development helps communities design and implement innovative strategies that enhance the local economy as well as the local environment and quality of life. See their top 20 web sites for examples of sustainable community design. Also check out the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) which is developing new energy technologies to benefit both the environment and the economy.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is the United States government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. Its 300 programs include Social Security, Medicare, Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and more.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Department of Housing and Urban Development helps people find homes and helps the Nation’s communities develop. The site has many good links to environmental sites, especially those related to cities and urban technologies. HUD’s What Works page provides links to a number of sites that describe current examples of effective approaches, including a link to the Best Practices Database from the 1996 Habitat II International Conference.

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a bureau within the Department of the Interior, is to conserve, protect, and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Its major responsibilities are: migratory birds, endangered species, certain marine mammals, freshwater and anadromous fish, the National Wildlife Refuge System, wetlands, conserving habitat, and environmental contaminants.

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
The mission of the Bureau of Land Management is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for transportation safety improvements and enforcement, international transportation agreements and the continuity of transportation services in the public interest. The website provides data on highways, aviation, railroads, Coast Guard, and the Transit Administration. Check out the National Transit Library and its information on Intelligent Transportation Systems.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The Environmental Protection Agency works to improve public health and the quality of the environment. Its areas of concern include: air quality; water quality of drinking water, rivers, lakes, estuaries, and wetlands; and waste, toxics and pesticides management.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
The mission of the USGS is to provide geologic, topographic, and hydrologic information that contributes to the wise management of the Nation’s natural resources and that promotes the health, safety, and well-being of the people. This information consists of maps, databases, and descriptions and analyses of the water, energy, and mineral resources, land surface, underlying geologic structure, natural hazards, and dynamic processes of the earth.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is an independent agency established by the U.S. Congress under the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 to ensure adequate protection of the public health and safety, the common defense and security, and the environment in the use of nuclear materials in the United States. The NRC’s scope of responsibility includes regulation of:

Commercial nuclear power reactors; nonpower research, test, and training reactors
Fuel cycle facilities; medical, academic, and industrial uses of nuclear materials
Transport, storage, and disposal of nuclear materials and waste

President’s Council on Sustainable Development (PCSD)
The President’s Council on Sustainable Development is a groundbreaking partnership drawing leaders from industry, government, and environmental, labor and civil rights organizations, and is charged with developing new approaches to integrate economic and environmental policies.

The White House
The Welcome to the White House web site provides information and email for President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore, White House history, a virtual library of White House documents, a citizen’s guide to information about the Federal government and services, and more.
The Greening of the White House is a series of environmental upgrades occurring at the White House complex. Measures are being implemented to reduce pollution, save energy, protect water quality, improve comfort, and save money at the White House.