Interns for Change
The Interns for Change at CSDS have some of the best jobs on campus at Pratt. Leading the way into the future of sustainability, they work together to educate themselves on sustainable materials and businesses by adding to and updating the ever-expanding material and case study libraries at CSDS. By doing extensive research for thoroughly detailed reports, they get the scoop on some truly sustainable businesses (as well as discovering which are just green-washing). By sharing and trading information on assigned material types, the Interns for Change become experts to assist faculty and students to find the right sustainable materials for their projects when they come in to CSDS.
The Interns for Change go further than writing reports to enhance sustainability’s place at Pratt. Side projects initiated by the interns themselves are always encouraged to explore new areas of sustainability at Pratt and beyond. The interns also partake in several sustainable learning opportunities. Life Cycle Analysis software is encouraged as well as participation in design jams.
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Sustainable Pratt
Sustainable Pratt is a group of faculty, administrators, students and staff of Pratt Institute from a variety of disciplines including art, design, architecture, planning, and science, who have been meeting monthly since October 2005. Sustainable Pratt is dedicated to identifying, interpreting, inspiring, incorporating and instituting ecologically responsible practices into curricula, operations and programs at Pratt Institute. The group meets monthly in various locations on campus. Location and time are emailed through listserv. The 2010 – 2011 chairperson is Tetsu Ohara, a faculty member of the Interior Design department. Sustainable Pratt has been supported through the Faculty Development Fund and the Academic Senate, and is an affiliate of the Center of Sustainable Design Studies and Environmental Systems Management.
Mission and Vision
Students from Pratt Institute will work in professions that shape the built environment, influence material culture, and affect everyday life for millions of people far into the future. In response to our growing awareness of issues related to air quality and pollution, health risks from chemicals, fossil fuel depletion and climate change, there is a burgeoning revolution in design innovations. These innovations include carbon-neutral buildings, landscapes that promote water conservation and stormwater management, design for recycling, products with recycled content, fabrication and construction processes that minimize waste and energy consumption and new technologies that are creating ecologically safe materials and products that will transform our collective future. Graduates of art, design and architecture programs should be exposed to the practices associated with this transformation.
Objectives
- To nurture and maintain an informal social network for the sharing of ideas and the development of collaborative projects related to sustainability, both on and off campus
- Through a website, listserv and accessible databases, to provide the Pratt community with information about sustainable initiatives and events on the Pratt campus and in the world at large.
- To produce and coordinate the annual Green Week on campus.
For more information, please visit the Sustainable Pratt Website.
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Envirolutions
About
Pratt Envirolutions is dedicated to environmental activism. The club aims to spread awareness of sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices to the Pratt campus, and to promote green design. We collaborate with many student groups, faculty and facilities on projects ranging from a recycling campaign to a new system of serving-ware for the Pratt cafeteria.
Envirolutions is a student-run group in association with the Center for Sustainable Design Studies (CSDS) on the Pratt Brooklyn campus. The group is continuing to accept students as members who are willing to learn about current global issues on sustainability and to share them with the rest of the Pratt community.
contact twitter:@pratt_enviro
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Pratt Programs for Sustainable Planning & Development graduate students furthering the cause of sustainability in NYC and beyond!
Mission
Leaders in Environmental Advocacy at Pratt (LEAP) is an organization of graduate students focused on furthering the cause of sustainable solutions to social issues in NYC and beyond.
Description
LEAP’s goal is to encourage a deeper level of engagement and knowledge about current environmental issues happening in our community, city, and globe.
General Information
LEAP sponsors a variety of events and activities including: networking, discussion panels, volunteer opportunities, and hands-on workshops. For more information please visit the LEAP Facebook page or the Programs for Sustainable Planning & Development site.
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NYPIRG
The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) is New York State’s largest student-directed research and advocacy organization. NYPIRG’s principal areas of concern are environmental protection, consumer rights, higher education, government reform, voter registration, mass transit and public health. NYPIRG is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit group established to effect policy reforms while training students and other New Yorkers to be advocates. Since 1973, NYPIRG has played the key role in fighting for more than 150 public interest laws and executive orders.
NYPIRG’s 20 college campus chapters provide much of our energy, resources, and activism. Students at NYPIRG chapters work on projects that both support NYPIRG’s statewide agenda and focus on local issues.
NYPIRG’s full-time staff works closely with students, coordinates grassroots statewide campaigns, produces studies on a wide array of topics and lobbies public officials.
In addition, NYPIRG’s outreach program travels to communities across the state to educate and activate local residents on vital issues. NYPIRG’s community-based membership exceeds 85,000 people from all parts of the state. These members give NYPIRG political clout and make our advocacy efforts successful.
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CATALYST Strategic Design Review
In 2009, the Pratt Design Management program launched CATALYST Strategic Design Review, a publication addressing the strategic value of design.
The mission of CATALYST Strategic Design Review is to stimulate thinking and encourage conversation about the role of strategic design in defining and developing an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future. CATALYST encourages conversation among leaders in design, business and social innovation who are interested in the role of strategic design in creating economic value, advancing equity and assuring environmental stewardship. CATALYST articles and posts emphasizes the value of applying the creative design process to the solution of complex challenges which are often considered outside the realm of traditional design disciplines. For more information please visit the CATALYST website.
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Pratt | CSDS 
