G3 Conservation Corps starts work on an ocean conservation-themed Hagåtña mural

G3 Conservation Corps begins work on mural in East Hagatña

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A vandalized wall across the East Hagåtña beachfront received a much-needed redo thanks to the efforts of the Guam Green Growth (G3) Conservation Corps.

Armed with buckets of paint and paint materials, the G3 Conservation Corps on Friday, June 25, started a project to create a mural with the theme, “Life Below Water.” The theme is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 14 — which is to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.

The G3 Conservation Corps members just finished a beach cleanup between the Alupang Beach Tower and Paseo area before starting on the mural project.

Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio visited the site to see the G3 Conservation Corps in action. He said it is gratifying to see the team engaged in these activities. He described the program as a good recruitment tool to identify change agents in the community.

“They are addressing a lot of areas that have long been forgotten — in some cases, the government has been able to keep up with what’s happening out there, and I think there is also that research element here because we are identifying all these different areas. It causes us to understand why things have developed this way. When we see illegal dumpsites — what kind of policy and what kind of enforcement can we do to try and change that habit but more importantly, having people to take action and be visible while taking action, I think is truly inspiring,” Tenorio said.

Tenorio said he looks forward to the different projects that would be coming along in the next few months.

From June to November 2021, the G3 Conservation Corps members will participate in workforce development training and activities focused on island beautification, circular economy and recycling, invasive species removal, energy efficiency, and agriculture and aquaculture.

Dr. Austin Shelton, Director of the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability, said the two program activities for Day 3 — the beach cleanup and mural painting — culminated the islandwide celebration of World Ocean Month.

“We are excited about the outreach and engagement that we will have with these two activities highlighting World Ocean’s Month with the Guam Green Growth Conservation Corps to promote healthy coastal ecosystems here for our island, so that our people can continue using, recreating, and enjoining our beaches, and harvesting an important food fish that we have here in East Hagåtña, which is the mañahak. You’ll see a little bit of that in the mural over here along the beach side,” Shelton said.

Alana Chargualaf, a Conservation Corps member, participated in both the beach cleanup and mural painting. Chargualaf shared her thoughts about the G3 initiative. “So far the experience has been really great. It’s really positive. We all know that we are contributing to something positive for the island of Guam, for the community, for the environment. And even though we are just starting out with a lot of cleaning and beautification, that is something that really benefits our island. We get to clean up spaces. Our communities will feel a lot better where they are and have a greater sense of pride.”

The G3 Conservation Corps program is made possible through the Recycling Revolving Fund following approval from the Guam Environmental Protection Agency Board of Directors. The program is aligned with the current islandwide efforts to achieve sustainability and other UN Sustainable Development Goals.

WHAT IS G3?

Aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Guam Green Growth Initiative or G3 cultivates an ecosystem for transformative action to achieve a sustainable, prosperous, and equitable future for our island. 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.

July 14, 2021October 14, 2021

Step-up and help cleanup your village!

By Isaiah Aguon, KUAM News

Are you looking for ways to stay productive and giveback to the community? If so, the Guam Green Growth Conservation Corps invites you to pariticpate in their weekly village cleanups. As part of their efforts to prepare the island for the emerging green economy, the Guam Green Growth Conservation Corps will be hosting Island Beautification Events within the villages weekly until November.

According to Dr.Austin Shelton, Director of the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant, the twelve members of the G3 Conservation Corps have been doing projects daily across the island like agriculture, aquaculture, energy efficiency, forestry, and the removal of invasive species, for the past four weeks.

Read the full story

May 25, 2021October 14, 2021

Villages commit to advancing sustainable action

**BADGE PROGRAM:** Village mayors worked closely with the 13-member cohort of the Fañomnåkan 2021 Masters of Public Administration candidates.

Seven island village mayors were recognized through the Guam Green Growth Commitment (G3C) Badge Program for their efforts to address hunger and poverty within their communities.

During a stakeholder meeting held on May 14 at the conference hall of the University of Guam’s School of Business & Public Administration building, the 13-member cohort of the Fañomnåkan 2021 Masters of Public Administration candidates talked about their experience serving as ambassadors of the program and connecting with the island’s village mayors.

The purpose of the G3C program is to recognize and reward participation from businesses, organizations, educational institutions, and community groups in developing and creating sustainable practices that align with the Guam Green Growth Action Framework and the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

The program is currently awarding badges to businesses and community organizations advancing the first and second SDG badges of “No Poverty” and “Zero Hunger.”

Actions that could make an organization or mayor’s office achieve a badge include assisting with food commodity distribution or supporting backyard farming.

At the stakeholder meeting, the candidates announced that the villages of Mongmong-Toto-Maite, Mangilao, Agat, Yona, Umatac, Inalåhan, and Chalan Pago, have committed to obtain the No Poverty and Zero Hunger SDG badges.

The villages of Piti, Dededo, Hagåtña, and Sinajana were awarded the first two badges during the 2021 Conference on Island Sustainability in April.

During the meeting, the cohort presented a G3C booklet full of resources for the mayors to use as a guide for future sustainability projects and partnerships.

**MAYORS SPEAK UP:** Mayor Jesse Alig expressed his thanks for the support given to the villages.

Piti Mayor Jesse Alig commended the efforts of the cohort to provide local support for sustainable action.

“This is good because we have to start somewhere so we know where to end,” said Alig.

According to G3 Project Coordinator Annania Nauta, the cohort helped bridge the gap between the program and the island’s mayors.

“This cohort was a determined and hardworking group,” said Nauta. “From after-hours Zoom calls to meeting with and presenting to most of the mayors offices, it was a real pleasure working with them. They helped to make the launch of the G3 Commitment a great success.”

During the 2021 Conference on Island Sustainability in April, G3C was opened up to businesses, organizations, non-profits, community organizations, and educational institutions.

May 21, 2021October 14, 2021

Guam Green Growth extends social media reach

G3 has added to its growing profile of social media platforms with the introduction of the new G3 Twitter account.

Stay updated with all the latest news and happenings with the group and the working groups by following @guamgreengrowth on Twitter.

We look forward to interacting with you on Twitter.

May 18, 2021October 14, 2021

G3 Conservation Corps program launched

G3 Conservation Corps looking for recruits

The University of Guam (UOG) is launching a workforce development program to help prepare Guam for the emerging green economy. Through its facilitation of the Guam Green Growth (G3) Initiative, UOG is seeking team-oriented applicants interested in sustainability for the new G3 Conservation Corps.

The program aims to recruit and train 12 members of the local community to lead volunteers in the following activities: island beautification, circular economy and recycling, invasive species removal, energy efficiency, as well as agriculture and aquaculture.

“Guam Green Growth is an engine of innovation developing tangible solutions to sustainability challenges in our island region,” said UOG President Thomas W. Krise. “Growing our skilled workforce is a solution to support the diversification of our island’s economy.”

Applicants selected to participate in the G3 Conservation Corps will work 40 hours per week for five months from June to November 2021 and receive a bi-weekly stipend of $1,300. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have reliable transportation, and be a U.S. citizen, national, or legal resident. The conservation corps program is made possible through the Recycling Revolving Fund following approval from the Guam Environmental Protection Agency Board of Directors.

The deadline to apply in the G3 Conservation Corps is May 28, 2021. Prospective applicants may access the application form at https://guamgreengrowth.org/jobs/

April 10, 2021October 14, 2021

#InTheNews – Our View: G3 working groups doing amazing, gratifying work on sustainability

#InTheNews - Our View: G3 working groups doing amazing, gratifying work on sustainability

The organization of steering groups, task forces, working groups, committee is nothing new for a government.

If anything, it is par for the course that the government loves to plan to plan.

The community often doesn’t get to reap the benefits at the end of these processes, for different reasons.

Occasionally, an effort is mobilized that has the potential for real change.

April 6, 2021October 14, 2021

#InTheNews: Guam Green Growth Initiative officially launches 2 programs during UOG sustainability conference

On the first day of the UOG Conference for Island Sustainability, the Guam Green Growth Initiative launched two programs.

One is the G3 dashboard, which is an online open data platform to track the island’s progress toward achieving the UN sustainability goals.

The other is the G3 commitment program, which allows businesses and organizations to participate and be recognized for their efforts in promoting the UN sustainability goals, which include quality education, water and sanitation, decent work, ending hunger and poverty, and climate action, among others.

February 4, 2021October 14, 2021

#InTheNews: Mayors can earn Guam Green Growth Initiative badges

Mayors can soon earn badges to designate sustainable programs as part of the Guam Green Growth Initiative to achieve island sustainability by 2030.

In a Mayors’ Council of Guam meeting Wednesday, program coordinators of the G3 Initiative discussed ways mayors can apply for badges to fulfill any of the 17 sustainable development goals developed by the United Nations.

The badges identify existing and future program opportunities for mayors to create sustainable environments. In April, the G3 Initiative will roll out two badges focused on “no poverty” and “zero hunger.”

September 24, 2020October 14, 2021

Guam launches 10-year UOG-led sustainability plan

A strategic 10-year sustainability action plan for Guam facilitated by the University of Guam’s Center for Island Sustainability has been signed and adopted by the governor of Guam. Titled the Guam Green Growth (G3) Action Framework, it’s the most comprehensive action plan ever created to achieve a sustainable future for Guam.

The framework, which will align sustainability efforts on Guam with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, was signed during an internationally attended event held on Sept. 24.

“To preserve Guam for tomorrow, we need to start today,” Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said. “As we sign the G3 Action Framework, Guam is ready to take our place at the global forefront of island sustainability. This year marks the start of the decade of action, a critical 10-year window to act on the most significant global sustainability challenges before 2030. We are proud to be taking local action to achieve global impact.”

Five focus areas

The framework was developed by a G3 Working Group, a group established by Executive Order 2019-23 last September and assigned to the UOG Center for Island Sustainability to facilitate. The working group was comprised of 97 members representing government agencies, academia, nonprofits, businesses, and youth.

Their work resulted in hundreds of goals and objectives focused on five categories:

Healthy and Prosperous Communities
Educated, Capable, and Compassionate Island
Sustainable Homes, Utilities, and Transportation
Thriving Natural Resources
Sustainable Alliances

Cross-cutting elements are incorporated into all categories, including climate action, resilience, public engagement, policy, and the core CHamoru values of respect, cooperation, and treating others with kindness, generosity, and dignity.

“We have the crisis of climate … but we also have a crisis of public health, an economic crisis, a crisis of democracy, and a crisis of the international order,” said UOG President Thomas W. Krise. “[With G3], we, in this organization and across the Pacific, are able to demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively together and to positively and optimistically imagine a future better than the one we left behind.”

G3 will advance tangible solutions to sustainability challenges and contribute to a green economy for the island.

“G3 is creating a circular economy makerspace and innovation hub at the Chamorro Village, where entrepreneurs will be able to gather … with tools and equipment to transform waste products into marketable products. In a time of business closures and rising unemployment, G3 will give our people an ownership role in the new green economy and the transition toward a cleaner, more sustainable Guam,” the lieutenant governor said.

What’s next?

The G3 Action Framework will now serve as a living and adaptable document. A G3 Working Group Steering Committee, comprised of the leads of the six action teams and co-chaired by the Office of the Lt. Governor and UOG’s Center for Island Sustainability, will identify priority and high-impact action opportunities and coordinate implementation. The governor will chair biannual meetings. A public G3 Dashboard will also be created to record and track progress over time using the internationally recognized Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard as a model, which Hawaii Gov. David Ige pledged to share with Guam and other islands.

“Through the alignment of local, state, national, and international action, we can align our canoes in the same direction to help each other arrive at a more sustainable, equitable world for all of us,” Ige said.

A network of partners

In commemoration of the one-year anniversary launching the Local2030 Islands Network and the G3 Working Group, the signing coincided with the 75^th United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week NYC 2020. To celebrate Guam’s historic action, regional and global partners joined the framework signing event. In addition to the governor and lieutenant governor, Speaker Tina Muña Barnes, Marshall Islands President David Kabua, GLISPA Executive Director Kate Brown, and Hawaii Green Growth Local2030 Hub Executive Director Celeste Connors provided remarks.

“As a fellow champion of climate change efforts, the Republic of the Marshall Islands supports the Guam Green Growth Initiative and is ready to provide assistance,” Kabua said.

Speaker Tina Muña Barnes said the framework represents brothers and sisters across the blue continent taking a stand. “We stand in solidarity with a clear message: Our people, our natural resources, our environment– they matter to us,” she said.

February 2, 2020October 14, 2021

UOG guides Guam toward action on the UN’s sustainability goals

The University of Guam’s Center for Island Sustainability brought 84 local leaders together on Jan. 30 to kick off the Guam Green Growth (G3) Working Group, a group inspired by CIS and launched by the governor of Guam that will be creating a 10-year action plan for Guam to become more sustainable. CIS Director Austin Shelton is co-chairing the working group, and 15 faculty and administrators from UOG are participating as members as well as one UOG student.

Based on their areas of expertise and influence, the leaders were divided into eight teams that will focus on creating local objectives aligned with the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals – a universal call to action to protect the planet and improve lives of people everywhere by 2030.

“Sustainable development is not only about the environment – it’s about economic welfare, social empowerment, cultural creativity, and ecological health. This is what the 17 SDGs address,” Shelton told the participants.

UOG President with his working group of education leaders

The goals range from reducing plastics in the oceans, preserving and restoring trees and forests, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions to providing quality education for all, reducing inequalities, and growing jobs and the economy.

UOG President Thomas W. Krise said the University of Guam has a role in addressing each of these, and he said the Micronesian region has thousands of years of indigenous knowledge on sustainable living that it can use to contribute to global solutions.

“We need to be a model, we need to be a laboratory for helping to solve these kinds of issues,” Krise said.

The G3 Working Group is expected to finalize and sign off on its G3 Action Strategy Framework on the last day of the 11th UOG Conference on Island Sustainability, which will take place March 31 to April 3 at the Hyatt Regency Guam.

Guam Gov. Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero and Lt. Gov. Joshua F. Tenorio partnered with the University of Guam and the UOG Center for Island Sustainability to establish the group to meet the Local2030 Islands Network‘s goal to advance locally driven models that target global challenges.