National Network for Sustainable Living Education (NNSLE)
Natural resource and Cooperative Extension professionals created NNSLE in 2004 to investigate, educate, and model sustainable living practices to individuals, families, institutions, businesses, camps, and schools.
The sustainable living concept can be incorporated into every Extension program area. Currently, sustainable living concepts are being addressed in programs such as housing development design, regional planning processes, and choices in consumption. Through a unified national network, participants develop tools to apply sustainable living concepts to more traditional extension topics such as energy and water conservation in the home, green design residential housing, money management, gardening and landscaping, small woodlot management, environmental education, youth leadership, outdoor recreation, and community capacity building.
NNSLE's vision:
- share conceptual information about sustainable living education;
- develop core curricula for different audiences;
- cohesively integrate existing natural resource programming with a national and professionally-recognized sustainable living education program;
- ensure top quality research-based education; and
- encourage regular and consistent program evaluation.
The network uses a holistic systems approach to education and problem solving, and extends throughout the multiple disciplines of Extension programming and university departments. It acknowledges that individuals, families, businesses, organizations, and schools share responsibility as stakeholders, and that ultimately, they will be the driving force in implementing solutions in their communities. The network focuses on flexible and practical solutions for its multiple audiences, and recognizes that incremental steps in the right directions will create momentum for positive change.
The Cooperative Extension System has a long tradition of educating people to manage natural resources. Sustainable living education brings a focus on managing people's lives and seeking to create an essential ethical core to support sustainable management of natural resources.A Vision for Relevance white paper
Sustainability Tools for Extension
To join NNSLE, contact Viviane Simon-Brown
Current NNSLE members are:
- Michelle Adamski, University of Florida
- Sharon Anderson, Cornell University
- Mark Apel, University of Arizona
- Robert Bardon, North Carolina State University
- Michael Bowers, USDA-CSREES
- Almeshia Brown, West Virginia State University
- Barbara Buffaloe, University of Missouri
- Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, University of Illinois
- Kyle Cecil, University of Illinois
- Allison Chatrchyan, Cornell University
- Michael Crimmins, University of Arizona
- Mary Crooks, Iowa State University
- Greg Crosby, USDA-CSREES
- Bryan Dailey, Cornell University
- Chris Demers, University of Florida
- Michael Dietz, Utah State University
- Chris Dionigi , U.S. Department of Interior, National Policy and Programs
- Susan Donaldson, University of Nevada
- Catherine Elliott, University of Maine
- Gretchen Ferenz, Cornell University
- Jim Finley, The Pennsylvania State University
- Eleanor Foerste, University of Florida
- Duane Friend, University of Illinois
- Mindy Habecker, University of Wisconsin
- Jerry Hembd, University of Wisconsin
- Dan Hitchcock, Clemson University
- Mark Hostetler, Landcare New Zealand
- Mathew Howell, University of Georgia
- Leslie Hyde, University of Maine
- John Jemison, University of Maine
- Chris Jones, University of Arizona
- Dwane Jones, North Carolina State University
- Robert Kluson, University of Florida
- Sharon Lezberg, University of Wisconsin
- Lynn Markham, University of Wisconsin
- Lauren McDonell, University of Florida
- Bruce Mertz, USDA-CSREES
- Nate Meyer, University of Minnesota
- Martha Monroe, University of Florida
- Jay Moynihan, University of Wisconsin
- Cara Muscio, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey
- Devesh Nirmul, University of Florida
- Eric Norland, USDA-CSREES
- Patt Opdyke, Oregon State University
- Pat Buller Pearson, Washington State University
- Nancy Peterson, University of Florida
- Maria Pop, Rodale Institute
- Diana Rashash, North Carolina State University
- Mike Reichenbach, University of Minnesota
- Laura Sebastianelli, University of Maine
- Will Sheftall, University of Florida
- Viviane Simon-Brown, Oregon State University
- Adam Smargon, University of New Hampshire
- Hank Stelzer, University of Missouri
- Bob Sturtevant, Colorado State University
- Linda Tannehill, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
- Mary Tebo, University of New Hampshire
- Louie Tupas, USDA-CSREES
- Wendy West, University of California, Davis
- Tom Worthley, University of Connecticut
- Judy Yates, University of Florida