About SAGE

SAGE answers are researched and written by upper division and graduate students enrolled in ENVRES 200 Sustaining Action: Research, Analysis and Writing for the Public. The course, sponsored by the School of Earth Sciences, the Woods Institute for the Environment and the Office of the President, combines in-depth investigation of the scientific, engineering and social aspects of environmental sustainability with an exploration of the theory and practice of communicating complex, sometimes controversial material to the broad public.

The course is based in Stanford's School of Earth Sciences, and SAGE is hosted by Stanford magazine and the Stanford Alumni Association. SAGE students come from diverse backgrounds, including the Earth Systems program, the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources (E-IPER), the School of Engineering, and the Graduate Program in Journalism. Instructor Thomas Hayden, a longtime science journalist, is based in E-IPER.

Throughout the quarter, each student selects three questions submitted by our readers. The best are published here and with our other publishing partners including the Peninsula Press. They range from the existential ("Are we doomed"?) to the theoretical ("How can we encourage people to live in more environmentally conscious ways?") to the specific and pragmatic ("Dishwasher or hand washing?"). We strive to provide the most accurate, readable and useful answers around. Sustaining Action is offered twice a year, in the spring and fall quarters, so send in your questions now!