Jan 19 2009
At a time when President-Elect Barack Obama is examining ways to launch a Green New Deal to reenergize the slumping economy and fight the threat of global warming, UC San Diego Extension has created a specialized certificate in Sustainable Business Practices.
The president-elect has already outlined a plan to generate 2.5 million jobs through green-based initiatives, such as building solar panels and wind farms. Long-term success greatly depends on educating skilled workers and managers for new technical fields.
Like all certificate programs at UC San Diego Extension, the certificate in Sustainable Business Practices offers a practical, concentrated study in a specific professional area. Students must complete four required sustainability courses and one elective to earn this timely credential. The certificate can be earned in under a year at a cost of around $1,875.
UC San Diego strives to be one of the nation’s most sustainability-minded universities – most notably a local, national and global leader in climate change solutions. Modern climate change science began at the university with the Keeling Curve, the first measurement of the greenhouse gas build-up by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Scripps remains one of the world’s leading climate change research centers.
No matter what your industry or area of expertise, there are various steps you can take to reduce the negative impact of your business on the environment.
“In effect, every job is going green,” says Vicki Krantz, director of business, science and technology programs at UC San Diego Extension. “Smart companies are encouraging a bottom-up emphasis on sustainability, letting the people who really know how things work figure out how to incorporate green practices in the daily workplace lives.”
Sustainability certificate students at UC San Diego Extension obtain an introduction to the basics of environmental sustainability and the application and measurement of sustainable practices in business. Students learn core principles and background of environmental sustainability, explore a framework for understanding the “business case” for sustainability, and build practical skills in measuring sustainable practices. They also practice performing an assessment of an existing organization or company, providing recommendations for improving programs and operations.
Required courses are: Introduction to Environmental Sustainability; Incorporating Sustainability into Business Strategies; Environmental Economics; and Environmental Sustainability Assessment. Elective courses include: Carbon Trading Accounting, Corporate Social Responsibility; Green Marketing and Positioning; Recycling, Water and Waste Management; Renewable Energy Resources; Sustainable Energy Management Solutions; and The Green Supply Chain. New courses are being added each quarter.
“San Diego companies are becoming more aware of potential compliance challenges and pending regulations in sustainability, as well as the opportunities afforded by the pervasive public interest in climate change, environmental issues, and green practices,” adds Krantz. “As a result, they are looking for leaders that can help them change their business models and implement sustainable strategies to make them more competitive.”
UC San Diego offers more than 200 undergraduate courses (available to continuing education students through concurrent enrollment) and has 83 student organizations focused on environmental sustainability. The university also has one of the largest green energy programs on a university campus, and it’s a leader in advancing energy efficiency in information technology. Across the campus, researchers, faculty, staff and students collaborate to create a campuswide commitment to climate solutions, from composting at dining halls and creating biofuels from algae to developing alternative transportation for university commuters and building green housing for students.