G3 unveils Art Corps, lineup features emerging and seasoned artists

Uncategorized

The Guam Green Growth (G3) initiative and the University of Guam launched their inaugural Art Corps program at the G3 Makerspace and Innovation Hub. The G3 Art Corps aims to provide a platform for artistic expression while promoting island sustainability.

For the program’s first cohort, G3 selected eight talented artists to collectively design, plan, and execute public murals on Guam. These murals will highlight the island’s journey towards achieving sustainability by 2030, as outlined by the G3 Action Framework and the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The chosen artists include Ariel Dimalanta, Kamaka Aquino, Frank “Kie” Susuico, Corina Benavente, Baptist Bell, Ha’ani Bettis, Geraldine Datuin, and Lucille Ronquillo.

Dimalanta has decades of experience as an artist, sculptor, and publisher. While semi-retired, he decided to join the Art Corps to make a difference. “It is time to give back to the community,” he said.

Each artist will receive a stipend in exchange for participating in capacity-building activities and collaborating with the team to create the murals. For two years, two cohorts will paint 17 murals to disseminate the message of sustainability and sustainable development to a broader audience.

UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant Director Austin Shelton stated that art is crucial for community engagement. “Today, we are bringing something new to the table; we have previously talked about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, Technology, Engineering, and Math before. That is about figuring out the science of our natural resources. But now we add an A in between. Art is important because this is the way that we can connect with our community.”

Meanwhile, UOG President Thomas Krise emphasized that the murals would encourage people to consider their environmental and sustainability impact. “This is another great G3 initiative,” he added.

Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio said that the project engages people and draws attention to the natural resources and beauty of the island, especially for younger generations.

The G3 Art Corps aligns with several UN SDGs, including Goal 4, which seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, and Goal 11, which focuses on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

The Governor’s Educational Assistance and Youth Empowerment Grant [Project Award S425H210004] provides support for the G3 Art Corps program.

The UOG Center for Island Sustainability was awarded $840,311.00 for the Guam Green Growth Education and G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub program as part of the Governor’s Education Assistance and Youth Empowerment Grant Program.

About G3

The UOG Center for Island Sustainability facilitates Guam Green Growth, or G3, in cooperation with the Office of the Governor of Guam and the G3 Working Group, whose members represent all sectors of society. With the UN SDGs and G3 Action Framework as a guide, G3 develops tangible solutions to sustainability challenges and contributes to a green economy for the island region.

March 5, 2023December 31, 2024

UOG to build solar carport EV charging facility on Guam

Uncategorized

The University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant will soon embark on a renewable energy project that would support the construction of the first public solar carport charging facility for electric vehicles on Guam.

The Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) has appropriated $1,539,436 under the Energizing Insular Communities (EIC) program for the initiative. The EIC program (formerly called the Empowering Insular Communities program) provides grant funding for energy strategies that reduce the cost of electricity and reduce the dependence on foreign fuels.

With the grant funding, the University will install a solar photovoltaic (PV) carport structure to offset operations of the G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub at CHamoru Village. Several electric vehicle charging stations will be installed at CHamoru Village on on the UOG Campus.

Once completed, the charging stations will offer the community a convenient and publicly accessible location to power their electric vehicles, according to Austin Shelton, PhD, the director of UOG Sea Grant and Center for Island Sustainability. Strategically, he says, it could also cause a positive ripple effect in the community.

Shelton added that the new grant funding complements current program efforts to update the Guam strategic energy action plan. Last year, the EIC selected the UOG Guam Green Growth (G3) initiative to update the plan in partnership with the Guam Energy Office. 

“Now we will be able to lead the development of a plan to create our island’s road map to one hundred percent renewal energy by 2045 to meet the ambitious mandate of Public Law 35-46 that Governor Lou Leon Guerrero signed into law in 2019,” Shelton said at a G3 meeting.

Public Law 35-46 boosts the island’s renewable energy portfolio standard by calling for increased energy production from solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources to power public and private infrastructure.

For fiscal year 2022, the OIA has appropriated a total of $9,998,823 in EIC grants for Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI).

According to OIA, the agency has also signed an interagency agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to provide technical assistance in support of the territories’ continued efforts to deploy clean energy systems, improve energy security and resilience, reduce energy costs, and diversify away from dependence on petroleum-based fuels.

March 5, 2023December 31, 2024

UOG CIS and Sea Grant team work for waste free Charter Day celebration

Uncategorized

On March 2nd, 2023, the University of Guam held its 55th Charter Day celebration and the Center for Island Sustainability (CIS) and Sea Grant were there to initiate and implement a zero-waste festivity.

Phil Cruz, outreach coordinator with CIS and Sea Grant, was the mastermind behind the plan with execution by CIS and Sea Grant staff and volunteers from AmeriCorps UOG, EPSCoR/INCLUDES students, environmental biology students and other UOG classes.

Green and blue bins were distributed around campus labeled as to what they would hold: paper and compostable items, aluminum cans, steel cans, and landfill items. Buckets were provided for food waste and volunteers were on hand to assist people in knowing what goes where. A total of 33 volunteers from UOG classes, student organizations, and Guam EPSCoR GRAs monitored the bins.

The zero-waste fun really began in the afternoon, when AmeriCorps UOG volunteers sorted and consolidated the various types of waste. The next step was to transfer it to the appropriate locations. Bio-waste will be shredded with a wood chipper and given to the UOG CNAS Sustainable Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources program to use as compost for their campus demonstration gardens. Local pig farmers got the food waste, with metal cans to be recycled through the Guam Solid Waste Authority. Aluminum cans were placed in the i*recycle bin located at the School of Education parking lot where we can all add our aluminum to recycle and make money for Guam schools. Trash destined for the landfill was gathered and left for UOG maintenance employees to remove.

“Although I couldn’t participate physically during the event due to a recent tonsillectomy, I’m so grateful to my awesome team at CIS, Sea Grant, and EPSCoR for stepping up and executing the zero waste initiative. I’m also very grateful for the support of AmeriCorps UOG Volunteer Center. Although we didn’t reach the zero waste goal (divert at least 80% of waste from the landfill), we made an impact on our fellow Tritons, visitors, and vendors through our waste diversion efforts,” said Cruz, who directed the event remotely.

AmeriCorps UOG volunteers sorted and bagged the collected waste in 55-gal bags. The total count was as follows:

· 8 bags of biodegradables

· 3 bags of aluminum cans

· 8 bags of landfill waste

· 6 5-gallon buckets of food waste.

The winners of this successful operation are many. First, the people who attended the 55th Charter Day and witnessed the attention to detail of solid waste disposal and how it can be processed so that only the bare minimum makes it to our landfill. Second, everyone onGuam benefits from having less waste traveling to our landfill so that it will be in service for many years to come and limit the need to clear additional acres of savanna.

March 5, 2023December 31, 2024

Guam Green Growth Shares Success with Region

Uncategorized

The Guam Green Growth (G3) Steering Committee Co-Chairs, Lt. Governor Joshua F. Tenorio and UOG Center for Island Sustainability & Sea Grant Director Dr. Austin Shelton, conducted a series of presentations and discussions with President of Palau Surangel Whipps Jr. and his Cabinet earlier this month. Following the success of G3 implementation projects, new funding from the Local2030 Islands Network and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will enable Guam to help neighboring islands establish their own green growth initiatives. The regional coalition will create new green industries and jobs to support a sustainable and prosperous future.

Governor of Guam Lourdes Leon Guerrero committed Guam as a founding member of the Local2030 Islands Network during the 2019 U.N. General Assembly. She then promulgated Executive Order 2019-23 to establish the G3 Working Group. G3 is now the most comprehensive public-private partnership ever created to achieve a sustainable and prosperous future for the island of Guam. The executive order appointed over 100 members from all sectors society to the working group and assigned UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant to facilitate the island-wide initiative.

“Our administration is committed to creating a sustainable future for Guam and our region. We are working to reduce vulnerabilities to external forces and improve our food security and economic prosperity through a green growth approach,” stated Lt. Governor Joshua Tenorio.

“Guam Green Growth is becoming a bright spot that we are pleased to share with our island neighbors. In just a few years, we’ve launched three G3 Community Gardens, a G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub at the CHamoru Village, graduated two cohorts of G3 Conservation Corps, and more,” shared Dr. Austin Shelton.

About Guam Green Growth

Aligned with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Guam Green Growth cultivates an ecosystem for transformative action to achieve a sustainable, prosperous, and equitable future for Guam. UOG facilitates the island-wide initiative in cooperation with the Office of the Governor of Guam and the 100 members of the G3 Working Group representing all sectors of our society. To track Guam’s progress on the G3 Dashboard and to find out how you can take action on sustainability, visit www.guamgreengrowth.org.

January 10, 2023December 31, 2024

UOG Guam Green Growth Conservation Corps recruiting 12

Uncategorized

The University of Guam is recruiting for the third cohort of the Guam Green Growth Conservation Corps (G3CC).

The five-month workforce development program is looking for 12 new members.

The group will be involved in weekly modules that will help prepare them for a career in the emerging green economy.

Focus areas will include renewable energy, zero waste, watershed restoration, endangered species preservation, agriculture, aquaculture, circular economy, invasive species removal, and more.

“We are excited to begin the third season of the G3 Conservation Corps,” said Director Austin J. Shelton of the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant. “This program is preparing our people to enter the growing field of green jobs and help create a sustainable future for our island at the same time.”

According to program coordinator Phillip Cruz, G3 Conservation Corps gives members in-depth and in-person exposure to sustainable disciplines and work areas.

“G3CC members will literally get their hands dirty, and their feet wet, with the various activities in conservation and sustainability across the island,” said Cruz. “Experts will mentor the cohort each week, giving them hands-on experience in the various fields.”

Along with professional development opportunities, the corps can also earn 10 continuing education units (CEU) from the University of Guam’s Global Learning and Engagement program for every 10 hours worked, up to 80 for the entire five-month program.

According to Cruz, of the 12 positions available, 10 are for Conservation Corps leaders who will receive a bi-weekly stipend of $1,300 and two are for Conservation Corps supervisors who will receive a bi-weekly stipend of $1,500.

Interested individuals can apply here with applications being accepted from Jan. 11 to Feb. 1, 2023.

January 3, 2023December 31, 2024

**G3 Conservation Corps alum helps grow native ifit trees at CIS**

Uncategorized

One of the plant nurseries at the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability (CIS) is filling up with native ifit seedlings thanks to the addition of Jacob Concepcion to the team.

“Our Natural Resources division hired a recent graduate of the G3 Conservation Corps, and he is doing excellent work,” said Else Demeulenaere, associate director of CIS.

Concepcion was born and raised in Guam and remembers hearing people talking about ifit trees (the territorial tree of Guam), but he had never really seen them and did not understand the deeper cultural meaning of the tree.

It wasn’t until he worked on the Guam Restoration of Watersheds (GROW) initiative planting seedlings that he came to know ifit trees.

Through his work at GROW, he learned about the G3 Conservation Corps and was accepted into the second cohort last March. Under the G3 program, he worked in the native plant nursery at Guam DoAg Forestry division where Pat Quenga taught him nursery skills, how to propagate seeds, and nurture native plants with fertilizer and love.

“I love planting ifit and am always on the lookout for seeds. Ifit trees are firm and strong like the people of Guam,” enthused Concepcion.

He collects seeds ifit from trees he knows around the island and germinates them in the CIS nursery. He now takes care of over 70 seedlings, preparing them for outplanting in the native reforestation projects in Guam.

Concepcion is truly grateful for all he learned while working with GROW, the G3 Conservation Corps, and for the opportunity to work outside with plants to help restore native plants in the island. CIS is grateful to have him and the enthusiasm and expertise he brings.

January 3, 2023December 31, 2024

Guam Green Growth raises ground on third community garden

Uncategorized

The Dededo Sports Complex is the site of the Guam Green Growth (G3) and Guahan Sustainable Culture’s (GSC) third community garden. The ground raising was held on November 1st with members of the community, dignitaries, and volunteers out to celebrate the occasion.

“Our organization is four-years old and to have this ground raising for our third garden shows how much support we have from the community, which is really encouraging,” said Michelle Crisostomo, co-founder and president of GSC.

The University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability (CIS) and Sea Grant was there in force to support and showcase the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of Zero Hunger, Good Health & Well-being, Sustainable Cities & Communities.

UOG CIS and Sea Grant Director Austin Shelton commented on the meaning of the occasion, “Having the third community garden means we are making progress toward our sustainable future. The more gardens we have the more opportunities for education and examples of food security for the island to get people involved and taking action toward reducing our reliance on imported food. These gardens benefit all of us.”

Marlon Oberiano, co-founder of GSC, was inspired to give the garden a circular design after visiting the botanical gardens in Chicago. “The concentric circle design allows for expansion with the spaces between the beds wide enough for wheelbarrows and wheelchairs to pass.” She explained that a key feature of this garden is the use of repurposed materials such as concrete blocks obtained from Pacific Soils & Engineering from their PSI testing on concrete for airport tarmacs and roads. “We use the blocks to define the garden beds. The raised beds were made by our partners at Farm to Table and give access for all people to get their hands in the soil.” said Oberiano.

Guam Clearinghouse director Stephanie Flores, summarized the event perfectly, “When we consider the community first it guides us through everything we do and all that comes from that can only be good. The pandemic has taught us if the ships stop coming, we’re in big trouble. Taking care of ourselves, taking care of the land, and taking care of each other leads to a more prosperous society.”

December 12, 2022December 31, 2024

G3 and GSC launch first-ever Guam Grower’s Calendar to kick-off 2023

Uncategorized

The University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability (CIS), Sea Grant, Guam Green Growth (G3) initiative, and the National Science Foundation EPSCoR program officially launched two community calendars for 2023 at the G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub.

More than just a tool for organizing and tracking important dates, Austin Shelton, Ph.D., director of Sea Grant and Center for Island Sustainability, said the new calendars highlight information that promotes a land and sea approach to food sustainability.

“We import over 90 percent of all the food and goods we consume, and we want to reduce that number. The tide chart calendar shows how to catch more local fish and use our abundant local resources in our pelagic areas and the deep ocean. And with the grower’s calendar, we are showing how we can cultivate our land — starting with our own backyard — help community gardens, and bring more local food to families,” Shelton said.

The Guam Grower’s Calendar (Fanha’aniyan Manåmon Guåhan) features photos of fresh local produce. It also includes the CHamoru lunar seasons, growing tips, and pest and disease management guides. The UOG team partnered with Guåhan Sustainable Culture (GSC) for the publication.

The Tide Chart Calendar features photos of some of Guam’s best rod and reel catches, which were selected from locally submitted entries from a photo call-out in August. In addition, the calendar includes information about moon phases and sustainable fishing tips. It also features local tide charts provided by the UOG Marine Laboratory.

“Our publications team and our partners have worked hard to bring amazing information to our children and our community. This is something that we have talked about — a lot of folks are looking at ways to help people grow and catch their own food. So, both calendars are definitely going to help in those areas,” said Kyle Mandapat, assistant director for communications at Sea Grant and Center for Island Sustainability.

The two calendars are the first two deliverables from a UOG Sea Grant and Center for Island Sustainability project that focuses on developing and delivering place-based educational resources in marine, environmental, and sustainability sciences. The project received funding from the Governor’s Education Assistance and Youth Empowerment Grant program.

“We are excited and appreciative about all the work that has been put into this project to be able to give locally produced materials to our students,” Sylvia Calvo, GDOE school program consultant, said at the launching.

The community can get copies of the calendars at the UOG Sea Grant office or the G3 Makerspace and Innovation Hub at the CHamoru Village. A digital version of the calendars can also be downloaded at uog.edu/seagrant.

November 5, 2022December 31, 2024

UOG students make waves, broaden connections at SACNAS

Uncategorized

More than the experience of attending a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) event outside the island, the University of Guam delegation also earned accolades, learned more about diversity and expanded their network at the National Diversity in STEM (NDiSTEM) conference in Puerto Rico.

The Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) organized the event from October 27 through October 29. The conference drew thousands of college-levels through professional attendees from historically excluded communities throughout the states and territories.

The conference seeks to equip, empower, and energize participants for their academic and professional paths in STEM.

Austin Shelton, Ph.D. UOG Sea Grant and Center for Island Sustainability director, Education Workforce and Development coordinator for Guam NSF EPSCoR and SACNAS board member said the conference is the perfect place to expose students to opportunities in STEM. “This is really an important event for our students at the University of Guam. It is the largest multicultural and multidisciplinary STEM diversity conference in the nation. This year, it is the biggest that the conference has ever been. Over half of that are students and over half of them are professionals, and as important, exhibitors who are bringing in opportunities to students in the areas of graduate school or employment in agencies, in nonprofits, in nongovernmental organizations.”

According to Shelton, 51 students and faculty from UOG took advantage of these tremendous opportunities at the conference. Aside from immersing participants in STEM research and professional development sessions, the conference also encouraged engagement in and the sharing of multicultural celebrations and traditions.

Cheryl R. Sangueza, Ph.D. assistant professor of secondary education said attending the conference was a success not only for academic and research opportunities, but also because the Guam delegation left a positive footprint for the island and the university. She believes that the experience “possibly changed life trajectories for the UOG students.

“Our students were engaged in professional networking and found exciting academic and research opportunities, they met new friends and explored new places and cultures, and they were successfully immersed in a culture of scientific research. “Seeing and feeling like they belong at a STEM conference combined with connecting with graduate school and research opportunities illuminated new options and choices for many,” she said.

Sangueza is also the co-principal investigator for the National Science Foundation’s INCLUDES SEAS Islands Alliance Guam Hub and oversees student experience for NSF Guam EPSCoR.

More than 10 UOG students took part in the poster presentations at the conference. One of the students, Michael Fernandez, received recognition for his undergraduate poster presentation on “Host Tree and Mycorrhizal Diversity of Epiphytic Orchids Native to Guam.”

Alyssa Calalo, an NSF INCLUDES student researcher, also presented a poster on “Assessing the Use of Pre-germinated and Soaked Seed of Native Plant Species for Badland Restoration: Lab and Field Trials.”

The UOG undergraduate in biology described her SACNAS experience as inspirational. “It was eye opening meeting scientists with the same culture and values, and it made me feel seen and motivated to keep going! My presentation revolved all around using native plants important to the CHamoru culture to restore badlands that have been affected by erosion. I conducted my research project at Ugum Watersheds. My presentation was a great experience for me, and I was able to connect with people from different labs and cultures – network and share ideas on how to keep the project going!”

SACNAS fosters the success of underrepresented Americans – from college students to professionals – in attaining advanced degrees, careers, and leadership positions in science, technology engineering, and mathematics, otherwise known as STEM. It is the largest multicultural and multidisciplinary STEM diversity organization in the United States, serving more than 20,000 students and professionals.

October 27, 2022December 31, 2024

Sustainable Spotlight: Professors share their sustainable home

Uncategorized

A house that sits atop an elevated land in Talo’fo’fo’ attracts passers-by with its unique glass exterior. But beyond its curb appeal, the home has more to offer — it is also a model of sustainable design and function, according to its homeowners, social work professors Gerhard Schwab and Vivian Dames.

Dames said, “People sometimes refer to the house as ‘the boat house or the chapel or the church.’ It has been called many different things because of its modern design.”

Over the years, the house has been retrofitted with energy-efficient features that optimize the use of available resources in the environment. For instance, the house design uses passive ventilation to naturally cool living and workspaces.

“We have ceiling fans in every room. When we built this extension, we designed it so that in the hot afternoon sun, it doesn’t come in in any windows. So, it keeps that side of the house very cool,” Dames said.

Dames and Schwab also invested in a solar energy system that produces enough power for the home and an electric car.

“We have 40 panels out there and that is just enough to cover the household, the fridge, washer and the air conditioner plus our electric car. We have our solar panels covering our entire energy needs,” Schwab said.

The house also has a rainwater catchment system to support the non-potable requirements of the household. According to Dames, the system was designed into the house. In fact, the house has a pitched roof that catches and filters rainwater which feeds into a 2000-gallon fiberglass tank.

“We collect rainwater, and we have two tanks at the back. So, we collect the rainwater and then we pump it back in the house. When we take a shower and wash the dishes, it is all rainwater,” Schwab said.

According to Dames, building a fully sustainable home on island takes a while. “It is important to emphasize that it is difficult on Guam to establish a fully sustainable home environment quickly because it takes time and it takes resources and very importantly, you have to have the external support of people who are experts in the field and the infrastructure. to support sustainable living.” Dames added, “What we have today is something that is the result of years of envisioning and trying things and experimenting.”

Apart from having an energy efficient home, Dames and Schwab also practice sustainable living.

Schwab said, “Guam is very difficult in terms of removing or reducing our ecological footprint. One of my goals is to work on eating more locally produced food and cutting down airline traffic and not flying as much anymore.”

He added, “For us, although the economic savings is nice, trying to live an environmentally conscious life comes out of our fundamental beliefs in a social ecology. It is a framework that comes out of our being social workers and also our faith, our Catholic social teaching about the importance of stewardship. And our responsibility to be good stewards of the gifts of creation.”