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THE LOWELL CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION

Natural Resources Are Finite. Ideas Are Not.

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The Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, fosters innovative solutions to fuel progress toward a more sustainable world by developing, studying, and promoting environmentally sound systems of production, healthy work environments, and economically viable work organizations.

We work in partnership with workers, businesses, communities, organizations, and governments to:

  • Increase knowledge and understanding of sustainable production through collaborative and interdisciplinary research, applied field projects, and information exchanges.
  • Educate and build support for actions and policies that encourage sustainable production and consumption.
  • Create cooperative solutions to complex problems by providing technical support, guidance, and vision.

Toward Tomorrow is a project of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production’s Chemicals Policy and Science Initiative and the Environmental Health Initiative, two programs at the Lowell Center.

The Chemicals Policy and Science Initiative

Over the past several years, the Chemicals Policy and Science Initiative (CPSI) at the Lowell Center has grown into one of the most prominent academic chemicals policy efforts in the US. Through conferences, trainings, and engaging diverse constituencies, CPI has brought local, state and national actors into the discussion of chemicals management issues.

Led by Dr. Joel Tickner, the overarching goal of these efforts is to encourage more sustainable chemicals policies. To do this, CPSI provides tools and resources to those organizations and individuals who can be agents of change, brings new actors into the chemicals policy dialogue, and helps to provide direction to reform consistent with the Lowell Center vision.

The Environmental Health Initiative

The Lowell Center established the Environmental Health Initiative in 2004 to help people better understand links between environmental conditions and human health, and to find sustainable solutions in policy and practice that improve health. Led by Dr. Polly Hoppin, the EHI is grounded in the evidence that environmental and social conditions – driven by political choices – are primary determinants of health. EHI provides tools to government and non-governmental organizations seeking effective action on these conditions, conducts research and analysis, and provides leadership and vision. Its projects are characterized by (a) intent to address a systemic problem, rather than simply deliver a specific service, (b) potential to serve as a model of innovation and effectiveness for other efforts, and (c) capacity to sustain change over time. EHI has particular expertise in asthma and cancer.