G3 Conservation Corps installs solar panels on JFK to help with renewable energy
SOAK IT IN: The Guam Green Growth Conservation Corps helped to install solar panels along roofs at John F. Kennedy High School in Tamuning in hopes of promoting renewable energy.
The lesson of Renewable energy was taught in the sun, as the Guam Green Growth Conservation Corps took to the rooftop of John F. Kennedy High School in Tamuning to learn about solar power.
Alongside the maintenance contractors for the school, the Corps installed over four hundred twenty solar panels on the school’s gym, cafeteria, annex and classrooms.
“It gives me hope that there are alternatives for energy saving and renewable energy sources,” explained Corps member Drake Kemp. “It gives us a way to get away from using our ancient practices and do some good for the environment.”
The Corps spent two weeks assisting with the project which falls in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7, Affordable and Clean Energy, which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
“Renewable energy is very important for Guam in that it will help with reducing costs that goes towards energy,” said Kemp. “That money can be used in other areas to help with other problems.”
The project led Conservation Corps members through the basics of solar power generation, panel installation and system maintenance.
“We learned that it is possible to power up a whole school with solar energy,” said Kemp. “It’s something they say, but you don’t really understand it until you see it in action.”
Along with the installation of solar panels, the group also learned about energy efficiency and helped replace outdated and less efficient lighting fixtures throughout the campus.
New energy plan, other gains highlighted at G3 biannual meeting
Dr. Austin Shelton, Guam Green Growth Steering Committee Co-Chair gave updates on G3 projects and programs.
At the Guam Green Growth (G3) 2nd biannual meeting in September, committee co-chairs reported several program milestones and successes, including a new project that will create a renewal energy road map for Guam.
The G3 working group leads presented their updates and reports to Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and UOG President Dr. Thomas Krise at the virtual event. The two serve as chairs of the G3 biannual meetings.
Austin Shelton, UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant director and G3 steering committee co-chair, said the Department of Interior Office of Insular Affairs’ Energizing Insular Communities (EIC) program selected G3 to develop an updated Guam Strategy Energy & Action 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,” he said.
Aside from the OIA-funded project, working group leads also highlighted the following G3 initiatives:
Community garden in Hagåtña: G3 kicked off a new partnership with Guåhan Sustainable Culture, Guam Legislature, and the Serve Guam Commission’ AmeriCorps to launch the community garden in August. The garden is now fully active and serves as a beacon of education and production to inspire local food security.
Village aquaculture program: G3 held an aquaculture showcase and fish fry in Adelup to share the first harvest of tilapia from the UOG Sea Grant aquaponics system. The event kicks off a new community-based aquaculture and aquaponics program in partnership with the UOG and University of Hawaii Sea Grant programs. Training started with mayors’ offices and community groups in September.
New recycling and waste bins: Guam’s mayors’ offices and public parks will soon receive 23 new recycling bins and 50 waste bins to support island beautification efforts. G3 partnered with the Micronesia Islands Nature Alliance (MINA) to coordinate the fabrication of the containers and Matson for shipping to Guam. i*Recycle will manage the bins to ensure local schools benefit from the aluminum and metal redemptions.
G3 Coordinator Lauren Swaddell presented working group updates during the meeting after collaborating with the teams virtually through the pandemic.
Reusable bag campaign: All plastic bags will be banned in January 2022. And by July 2022, local retailers will phase out paper bags in compliance with government directives. G3 is preparing to launch an educational in-store and public service campaign to get the word out in partnership with the Guam EPA.
Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub: The program offers local entrepreneurs, artists, and creators the tools to transform discarded lumber, plastics, metals into new marketable products. G3 partners with the National Science Foundation EPSCoR, Guam Economic Development Authority, the UOG School of Business and Public Administration, and the Guam Unique Merchandise and Art for the program.
G3 Conservation Corps program: In June, G3 launched the conservation corps program in partnership with UOG Global Learning and Engagement. The workforce development program prepares the community for the emerging green economy. The corps members are training full time on various sustainability topics — agriculture, aquaculture, invasive species removal, reforestation, renewable energy, and energy efficiency.
Lt. Gov Joshua Tenorio, the steering committee co-chair, said that G3 has transformed from an initiative into a movement through the community’s support.
“Sustainable development has been garnering more support than ever before. We are working together here on our island. We are working together with the federal government. And we are working with islands throughout the globe and with the United Nations to truly make commitments and actions,” Tenorio said.
WHAT IS G3?
Guam Green Growth or G3 is the island’s most comprehensive public-private partnership created to achieve a sustainable future. Aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, G3 cultivates an ecosystem for transformative action to achieve our island’s sustainable, prosperous, and equitable future. UOG facilitates the island-wide initiative in cooperation with the Office of the Governor of Guam and the 99 members of the G3 Working Group representing all sectors of our society.
RECAP: Guam Green Growth Conservation Corps week fourteen and fifteen
PLUG IT IN: Guam Green Growth Conservation Corps member Jackie Jones works to re-wire a lighting fixture at John F Kennedy High School. The Group spent the past two weeks replacing fixtures and installing solar panels after lessons on renewable energy.
WEEK IN REVIEW: WEEK 14-15
For the last two weeks, our G3 Conservation Corps has been hard at work at JFK High School!
They installed 420 solar panels on the gym rooftop and upgraded the fluorescent lighting in some of the classrooms to efficient LED lighting with the JFK maintenance team.
In Week 14, the Corps did an island beautification cleanup in Hagåt with the Mayor’s employees and then cleaned and bush cut areas in Humåtak alongside the Mayor’s team at the end of Week 15.
Conservation Corps assists with energy audit to help cut costs at GAIN animal shelter
Guam Green Growth Conservation Corps members Joseph Certeza and Alana Chargulauf inspect lighting fixtures while conducting an energy audit at the Guam Animals In Need facility in Yigo.
The University of Guam’s Guam Green Growth Conservation Corps participated in a hands-on energy survey of the Guam Animals in Need facility in Yigo under the guidance of Guam Power Authority staff.
After completing a basic orientation in September, the G3 Conservation Corps members conducted the energy assessment alongside GPA energy auditors at the Northern facility.
The energy survey involved an evaluation of the energy needs and efficiency of the facility, with the end goal of being able to recommend measures to improve energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and promote energy savings for the nonprofit organization.
Alison Hadley, GAIN executive director, emphasized the need for nonprofits to invest in sustainability, and one way to do that is to manage their overall energy consumption.
The UOG Green Growth Conservation Corps participated in a hands-on energy survey under the guidance of Guam Power Authority staff at the GAIN facility in Yigo.
“For the shelter, our form of sustainability is dealing with spaying and neutering of animals. But we still operate a facility and we still utilize utilities, so we have a responsibility to the community to demonstrate that type of responsibility as a nonprofit, especially since we are the ones that tend to struggle quite a bit financially,” she said.
As part of the energy survey, G3 Conservation Corps members participated in a walkthrough of the facility and conducted interviews with the GAIN team. The interview questions ranged from energy consumption patterns to the operations and functions of each room at the facility. Corps members also looked at interior and exterior lighting for wattage size and checked windows and doors for possible air leaks. The team also looked at the air conditioning units and located areas that may cause energy wastage.
According to Phil Cruz, sustainability coordinator at the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant, the survey data will be compiled into a report and forwarded to GPA for review. Then, the corps will send a final version of the report to GAIN, outlining the final list of recommendations.
“We also hope to reach out to GAIN a few months down the line and see if there are reductions to their power consumption based on the changes,” Cruz said.
Cruz stated that working with the nonprofit group was a win-win situation.
“We are so glad that we got the chance to learn about energy efficiency with GPA this week and had the chance to apply what we learned to help a group like GAIN that does so much for Guam. We are so glad to help them out in any way that we can,” he said.
Check out GPA’s website for more information on do-it-yourself and professional energy audits.
About the G3 Conservation Corps
The G3 Conservation Corps program prepares the community for the emerging green economy. The program is aligned with the island-wide efforts to achieve sustainability and other United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It is a joint program of the UOG Center for Island Sustainability, the Office of the Governor, and Guam NSF EPSCoR’s Education & Workforce Development objective.
Taijeron’s G3 internship will have lasting impact on her future
While studying off island in Hawaii, Lauren Taijeron was ready to come home for the summer and put in some internship hours. Little did she know, that two months later, she would be returning to school to start her junior year with more insight, confidence, and a renewed spirit for her people.
Taijeron was a Guam Green Growth Summer intern and was assigned to the Commission on Decolonization (COD) in Adelup. The team worked closely with the Department of CHamoru Affairs (DCA) under Director Melvin Won Pat-Borja.
Taijeron is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Pacific Island Studies and Political Science at the University of Hawaii (UH), where she says she learns about the Pacific and Oceania in a broader sense which grew her interest in learning more about Guam.
“Coming home and working with Melvin and DCA I learned a lot more about Guam’s history and it was really great,” said Lauren. “I felt like I didn’t really get that growing up, so getting to work with them directly, I got to learn everything I needed and wanted to learn about our island.”
During her internship with the COD Lauren spent some time working at the Guam Museum, and had the chance to assist on major projects including one that involved heads of state from all around the region.
“I learned ways to keep in contact with regional organizations and to continuously connect with them no matter the political status,” added Lauren. “Continuing those connections is very important.”
According to Taijeron, she did not find herself committed to any career path before she began her G3 summer internship, but found working with the COD left an immensely powerful impression on her.
“I want to work with decolonization,” explained Taijeron. “I’ve never seen a group that put that much work, that much heart, into their work.”
During her time with the group, she learned several things about important community subjects including healthcare, language preservation, and education, but said one of the biggest lessons she learned will influence her life moving forward.
“It has inspired me to believe in myself more,” explained Taijeron. “It just inspired me to not be afraid and know how capable I could be and it also taught me that I have so much to learn, and that’s okay.”
Taijeron will return to UH to finish her final semesters and plans to return to Guam and pursue work in support of decolonization following her graduation.
Guam Green Growth is a public-private partnership that develops tangible solutions to sustainability challenges and contributes to a green economy. For more information visit guamgreengrowth.org.
Climate action network expands island partnerships, affirms commitments
THE GATHERING: Climate Strong Islands Network Steering Committee member Jason Donofrio from The Ocean Foundation welcomed members to the meeting of the whole. The event was held virtually and produced out of Guam by the UOG Center for Island Sustainability.
The Climate Strong Islands Network (CSIN) is growing. As the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and other convenors reported during the 5th biannual gathering on Sept. 23, the network now has over 70 signatories representing a diverse coalition of partners and supporters all over the world.
In comparison, when Guam and other U.S. islands and entities signed the Climate Strong Islands Declaration in Puerto Rico on Feb. 26, 2020, the document had 60 signatories. The declaration sets forth principles, challenges, and opportunities faced by island communities in the U.S. In addition, it serves as a call to arms to help these communities respond to the climate change crisis effectively.
At the gathering, CSIN steering committee member Jason Donofrio of the Ocean Foundation, confirmed that the Climate Strong Islands network is expanding its reach, both in participation numbers and concrete action.
“We know it is important to continue to expand our geographical representation actively — to be as inclusive as possible,” he said. During the past year, Donofrio added that the steering committee had launched three sub-committees on policy, community outreach, and development to execute the action items of the network.
Donofrio also provided updates on CSIN’s policy and legislative advocacy. “The Climate Strong Islands Network has testified twice in Congress related to the ocean-based climate solutions bill and submitted a formal recommendation on ways to improve the legislation to be more effective for islands,” he said.
Director of UOG CIS and Sea Grant Austin Shelton also serves as the CSIN Steering Committee Co-Chair
UOG Center for Island Sustainability director and CSIN steering committee co-chair Austin Shelton also reported on the increase in island representation. At the local front, he said the network will help Guam advance local climate action in alignment with the Guam Green Growth Initiative (G3) and Climate Change Resiliency Commission.
“I am pleased to report that we have been growing stronger since the last time we gathered. In addition to our network cohost, the Ocean Foundation and Global Island Partnership, we now have an incredible network coordinator, and a policy team moves our collective efforts forward. We’ve grown our steering committee to be more representative of more island voices,” Shelton said.
More than 100 participants participated in 6 breakout groups at the gathering representing the following key action items: disaster preparedness, food security, watershed planning, renewable energies, economic resilience, and sustainable marine economy.
The gathering also featured two bright spot presentations highlighting successful efforts by partners in implementing climate change solutions. First, Lirio Marquez of the Vieques Conservation Conservation and Historica Trust of Vieques, Puerto Rico, presented the successes of the Proyecto Mangle. The volunteer-based mangrove restoration project in the Puerto Mosquito Bioluminescent Bay highlighted the need to mobilize the community for ecological conservation.
The Gathering featured Brightspot Presentations from partners and featured speakers from throughout the world including Puerto Rico and St. Paul Island.
Next, Lauren Divine and Marissa Merculieff presented on the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island. They described the PRibilof islands marine ecosystem (PRIME) management strategy. PRIME is a community and ecosystem-based system rooted in the recovery of keystone species, maintenance of indigenous cultural traditions, and implementation of indigenous-led research and management.
The 5th CSIN biannual gathering aims to get input from stakeholders to support CSIN’s national policy framework and drum up interest and participation in the network. UOG CIS and the G3 team facilitated the biannual gathering.
Governor Lou Leon Guerrero, one of the original signatories of the CSIN declaration, lauded the network for its efforts, “It is encouraging that this essential work of islands continues to connect vast oceans to tackle climate change — the biggest challenge of our lifetime and our very existence. Although we are islands far away from each other, the oceans connect us, and together, we are strong, and we are resilient,” she said.
RESOURCE: NEW NATIONAL NETWORK HIGHLIGHTS CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FACED BY U.S. ISLANDS IN BUILDING CLIMATE RESILIENCE
SUZANNE MACDONALD
POSTED 2021-09-20
www.islandinstitute.org
“Under the weight of climate change impacts—biodiversity loss, debilitating storms, and swallowing seas—islands are not sinking. Strong and resilient, islands are rising.”
In solidarity, islands are uniting in common purpose….islands are distant, but they are not alone. Together, Islands Are Rising.”
DR. AUSTIN J. SHELTON Director of the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant and Co-Chair of the Climate Strong Islands Network Steering Committee
These excerpts from Dr. Austin Shelton, director of the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant, in his March 2021 testimony to Congress help get to the heart of why the Island Institute is helping to launch a new, national network focused on increasing the climate resilience of islands across the U.S. The Climate Strong Islands Network is building momentum for local and federal action on climate for islands that are U.S. territories, states, and parts of states, and Shelton serves as a co-chair. As we help to prepare for the network’s September 23rd virtual fall gathering, I want to share why the Island Institute is leaning into this important work.
Throughout our nearly 40-year history, the Island Institute has often played a role to help connect Maine’s island communities to other, similarly situated communities in the U.S. and beyond. By participating in networks, learning exchanges, and even research publications, we’ve seen the value in helping Mainers expand their networks and even build their confidence as leaders by providing an avenue for them to share the stories of their hard work. Over the past five years, this approach has become an intentional part of our program design: creating opportunities that make it easier for local leaders to access what has worked in other places and partnering beyond Maine to create opportunity for our coast and others.
During her internship with the COD Lauren spent some time working at the Guam Museum, and had the chance to assist on major projects including one that involved heads of state from all around the region. 
