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Do you want to learn more about sustainability and environmentalism from a holistic perspective? If so, you are lucky to live in the Bay Area! In San Francisco, we are at epicenter of the sustainbility revolution, which means that there is an ocean of learning resources right at your front door.
This article is the first in a series detailing Bay Area educational resources for sustainability. Read on to learn about in-person course offerings:
UC Berkeley Extension “Go Green” Sustainability Courses, San Francisco/Berkeley: For basic overall knowledge on sustainability and how it intersects with environmentalism, this program is a great resource. I recommend taking the introductory course, "Principles of Sustainable Design." The program also offers five separate certificate programs in various sub-fields of sustainable design, including corporate responsibility, energy, and transportation.
Dominican College (Multiple Programs), San Rafael: Dominican's Green MBA was the first program of its kind in the country. With a strong foundation of critical and systems thinking, the program not only teaches you the "what" of sustainability, but also the "how." The teachers are very dedicated and inspiring, and the serene campus is like a little slice of heaven. Dominican's Green MBA is offered as both a full-time (2-year) and certificate (8-month) program.
In addition, Dominican offers a Sustainable Practices Certificate, which is composed of core courses, electives, and a capstone project or internship. The beauty of this program is that the electives can be fulfilled at other institutions (such as the ones mentioned in this article). This means that you can tailor the program to your specific interests.
Presidio Graduate School, San Francisco: Presidio offers two graduate-level programs in sustainable management: a master of business administration, and a master of public administration. (They also have a dual degree and an executive version of their MBA.) The school has some world-class faculty and has turned out some world-class graduates in its short history.
California College of the Arts MBA in Design Strategy, San Francisco: This program is fairly new but it fills a crucial niche on the education spectrum: it marries design solutions with economic and business ones. Bridging this gap has been one of the biggest challenges in the sustainability revolution to-date. Attend the information night on November 2.
Environmental Forum of Marin, San Rafael: Though Marin County-centric, this is an invaluable resource for anyone who wants a general overview of environmental issues. They offer two keystone programs: their Fall program is a series of full-day, field-based classes. Their Spring program takes place over the course of several Saturday mornings. Both are invaluable--one is just more in-depth than the other.
PG&E Pacific Energy Center, multiple locations: If you are specifically interested in energy management and renewable energy, you can't go wrong with the Pacific Energy Center, which is run by PG&E. In addition to their exhaustive list of courses, the center also has a tool-lending library and a full-time resource specialist.
Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy, Santa Rosa: This organization offers courses for both end-users and policy makers. Their 9-day leadership training course offers a comprehensive overview of macro-topics such as land use, water, and transportation.
Daily Acts, Petaluma: Daily Acts helps you put into practice the mantra of "small choices make a big difference." The organization's sustainability series offers modules about beekeeping, drought-tolerant lawns, backyard chicken tending, and everything in between.
Occidental Arts & Ecology Center, Occidental (west of Sebastopol and Santa Rosa): The center's idyllic setting is worth the price of admission alone. OAEC offers a wide array of courses--from permaculture to storm-water harvesting to school-garden design--that all help you live more in harmony with nature.
Regenerative Design Institute, Bolinas: This institute elegantly reacquaints you with the concept of living off the land. One of their more intriguing courses, called "Native Eyes," helps you see the Earth through the eyes of your ancestors. We all need a healthy dose of this to remedy our present-day woes.
Common Circle (multiple locations): This institution offers immersion programs (retreats) that specialize in permaculture and creating rich communities. The multi-day programs--which take place in Hawaii, Oregon, and other locations--provide intensive learning experiences. They are almost like camp for grownups! Since humans learn best by doing, your learning experience through this program will be unparalleled.
Center for Ecoliteracy, Berkeley: CEL helps educators communicate the concepts of sustainability to their students. The center produces invaluable teaching resources (such as DVDs, books, and lesson plans), but they also offer on-site seminars with fabulous speakers and facilitators. You do not need to be an educator to benefit from these seminars.
So there you have it: my list of top in-person course offerings in the area. But I've just scratched the surface. There are so many great programs in and around San Francisco, and more are popping up every day. If you have a particular niche or area of specialization, just do a little bit of research, and you will likely stumble upon several more opportunities. Chances are your local community college offers a great course or two, so just do some investigating.
My next article will list companies and organizations that provide ongoing lecture series related to sustainability and the environment.
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