SustainUS

[http://www.sustainus.org/ SustainUS, Inc.] ("The United States Youth Network for Sustainable Development") is a national, United States registered 501(c)(3) [http://sustainus.org/content/view/59/158/ tax-deductible nonprofit charity] whose mission is to improve youth participation in sustainable development. SustainUS works particularly with youth aged 13-26 and on United Nations' conferences related to youth and/or sustainable development.

History

Founded in 2001, [http://www.sustainus.org/ SustainUS] is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan youth-led organization advancing sustainable development and youth empowerment in the United States. Through proactive education and advocacy at the policy-making and grassroots levels, SustainUS members are attempting to build a future in which all people recognize the inherent equality, value, and interdependence of social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

What is Sustainable Development, anyway?The Brundtland Commission defined sustainable development as “a form of development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." In the SustainUS view, sustainable development requires economic, social, and environmental issues to progress together. See the [http://sustainus.org/docs/factsheet_a21.pdf SustainUS fact sheet on Agenda 21] or the complete [http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/agenda21/index.htm Agenda 21 document] for more information on sustainable development.

Programs

[http://sustainus.org/content/view/74/179/ Agents of Change]

Since 2003, [http://sustainus.org/content/view/74/179/ Agents of Change (AoC)] has brought delegations of U.S.-based youth to conferences and summits related to international sustainability policy, primarily at the United Nations. The young people serving on the delegations work with government delegates, fellow civil society members, and other youth to promote cooperation, focusing on youth-friendly and future-oriented policies.

Thus far in 2007, AoC has been active at the International Forum on the Eradication of Poverty, the Commission for Social Development, and the Commission on Sustainable Development. For more general information, please see the [http://sustainus.org/images/stories/aoc/AgentsOfChange.pdf Agents of Change flyer] or the [http://sustainus.org/images/stories/aoc/AoC-Frequently-Asked-Questions.pdf Agents of Change FAQ] .

= [http://sustainus.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=128 Citizen Science] =

Citizen Science of SustainUS is a nationwide youth-led initiative committed to providing a platform for young scientists and engineers to engage in policy discourse and share scientific knowledge as it relates to sustainable development. The primary goal is to raise the awareness of United States' citizens regarding existing and emerging technologies designed to improve economic, social, and environmental conditions for not only current, but future generations as well. Citizen Science attempts to bring together the many fields of science into a holistic scientific forum to support and dissemate the principles of sustainable development.

Citizen Science holds an annual paper competition based upon the discussion topics of the upcoming [http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd/policy.htm UN Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD)] . The purpose of the competition is to make technical aspects of those topics relevant and understandable to the general public and influence sound public policy. Competition winners have their work published in the journal "Citizen Science", and present to activists and policy-makers at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, held at Headquarters in New York City, as a member of the [http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/links.htm UN youth delegation] .

This year’s UNCSD discussion and Citizen Science paper topics are: Africa, Agriculture, Desertification, Drought, Land, and Rural Development. This is the first year the UNCSD will discuss these topics; therefore, background research will be a priority, giving young scientists a premier opportunity to apply their knowledge to the policy arena. Papers are accepted till 01 January in three categories: middle/high school, undergraduate, and graduate. The rules can be found in the official [http://docs.google.com/View?docid=ddzjrfcf_13d6hk27 call for papers] .

[http://sustainus.org/content/view/42/127/ Geoclusters]

Organizational Structure

teering Committee

Chair

Kyle Gracey

ecretary

Yochanan Zakai

Treasurer

Mark Moroge

Communications Coordinator

Amanda Fencl

National Programs Coordinator

Juan Pa Hoffmeister

Geocluster Coordinator

Kavita Kripalani

External Relations Coordinator

Whit Jones

Membership Coordinator

High School Outreach Coordinator

Julia Wong

Board of Directors

Justin Babie
Kristen Hite
Julie Larsen
Monika Kerdeman
Catherine Manzo
Lockey White
Michael Gale
Kyle Gracey*
Mark Moroge*
Yochanan Zakai*
*"Ex-oficio"

External links

* [http://sustainus.org SustainUS.org]
* [http://docs.google.com/View?docid=ddzjrfcf_13d6hk27 Citizen Science Paper Contest]