Secretary of Ag Vilsack is guest of ASU Wrigley Institute

In the fight to guard American agriculture against the impacts of increasing climate volatility, the evidence-based solutions universities produce will be vital, said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack at a fall forum hosted by the ASU Wrigley Institute.

Even researchers in pursuit of sustainability solutions can behave in ways contrary to their cause, says leading environmental humanities scholar Stacy Alaimo, who explores the dangers of an externalized environment in this Thought Leader Series piece.

Moving up five spots from 2015, Arizona State University was named sixth in Sierra Club's annual "Cool Schools" ranking of roughly 200 colleges and universities – a testament to the strength of its sustainability undergraduate programs, among other features.

One day after discussing the importance of women in conservation with an East-West Sustainability Summit audience in Hawai'i, Julie Wrigley was recognized at the Sustainability Leaders Luncheon as a "Pioneer for the Planet" for her visionary work.

Finding direct application for ASU's wealth of sustainability knowledge, the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes recently formed powerful partnerships with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the IUCN's Red List and Conservation International.

After observing urban planning focused solely on improved physical health, School of Sustainability Professor Scott Cloutier and a colleague identified three factors that can promote mental and emotional health – or "happiness" – in the places we live.

As the National Park Service celebrated its centennial in August 2016, it welcomed research from ASU's sustainability scientists and scholars on how parks can accommodate growing numbers of visitors in a sustainable way over its next 100 years.

Among the exhibits traveling to small towns throughout the United States with the Smithsonian Institution's "Museum on Main Street" is WaterSim – an interactive water management tool developed by researchers at ASU's Decision Center for a Desert City.

As biodiversity is depleted, oceanographer Leah Gerber – director of ASU's Center for Biodiversity Outcomes – guides a United Nations panel that helps policy makers navigate scientific literature so that more informed decisions about wildlife are made.

Green roofs and strengthened infrastructure are just two solutions that may play a role in ensuring the habitability of cities like Phoenix in the future, say researchers with the Urban Resilience to Extremes Sustainability Research Network headquartered at ASU.

With programming support from the School of Sustainability, two ASU professors presented a two-week seminar on the renewable energy potential of Kosovo – currently powered by coal – to university faculty members in that country.

According to Senior Sustainability Scientist José Lobo, the negative effects of urbanization in the developing world may be reversed through a different approach to urban planning – namely, through data collection and community engagement.