Second Nature’s Beginnings

Second Nature was founded in Boston in 1993 by a small group of forward-thinking leaders that included Dr. Anthony D. Cortese, Senator John F. Kerry (D-MA), Teresa Heinz Kerry, Bruce Droste, and others. This group sought to establish an organization dedicated to bringing about the change in society that is vital to the success and livelihood of every current and future living being: a change for a just and sustainable future.

We began with a multimillion dollar, ten year outreach and advocacy effort to catalyze such transformative change, change that would have universities produce students prepared for character and citizenship as well as commerce and career in the 21st century.

Our work over the past twelve years has helped bring to life the elegant concept of Education for Sustainability (EFS), and we have succeeded in helping expand EFS into a national movement. Among many other things, this work brought forth vital networks of energized individuals and institutions to capitalize on the knowledge and projects already taking place around Education for Sustainability. These networks would not have begun without the catalyst provided by the people of Second Nature and the collaborations and work of like-minded organizations and individuals. We also provided some of the first methods for thinking of the university as a fully integrated community.

Today, we see the EFS movement growing exponentially throughout this country and the world. More and more institutions are bringing sustainability into curriculum and research, and incorporating its principles into operations and work with local communities. Students are voting with their feet and attending colleges and universities with strong environmental/sustainability programs providing a competitive incentive for institutions to do more in this area. Once enrolled in higher education institutions, students have been leading efforts for more education on and practice of sustainability. Other institutions have realized huge cost savings and public respect through programs on energy and resource management, campus and building design, transportation management and by changing purchasing and investment practices.

In short, the word is out and, increasingly, institutions are looking for guidance now from Second Nature to implement this integrative approach to the campus as a community, within the larger social community and the biosphere. And we are excited to now be Helping Campuses Move from Good Intentions to Strategic Action!