Posts by Vanessa
City of Little Rock Launches Green Restaurant Certificate Program
Last month, the City of Little Rock launched a new program to add sustainability practices to their local hospitality! Restaurants in the city will now be able to take part in a three tier program to help them learn how to implement changes like composting food waste, installing energy-saving equipment to lower energy consumption and…
Read MoreSSDN Celebrates New Growth in 2021
As we steadily navigate through the challenges brought our way in 2020, we want to share our deep gratitude for our members’ passion, expertise, and leadership in recovering our Southeast communities after COVID-19. Thank you to our 2020 Steering Committee for the invaluable guidance they have provided over the last year. In 2021, we continue…
Read MoreSSDN Launches the Southeast Sustainable Recovery Center
In August 2021, SSDN launched the Southeast Sustainable Recovery Center (SSRC) program. This collaborative effort between SSDN and its many valued partners strives to provide more education and direct guidance to SSDN’s local government members related to federal funding opportunities that support climate action. SSDN believes that local governments in the Southeast, who have been…
Read MoreNashville’s Partnership with Goodwill Industries Leads to Green Jobs for the City
Resilience is the result of sustainability being the driving force of a community’s growth. With this in mind, SSDN’s Southeast Sustainable Communities Fund (SSCF) provides governments in the Southeast with the financial capacity to foster tangible, resilient growth in their communities. Equipped with a $300,000 grant from SSDN, Tennessee homeowners are now able to rely…
Read MoreLocal governments take active role in reducing North Carolina carbon emissions, setting own goals, weighing in on Duke Energy’s long range power plans
North Carolina is on the front lines of climate change, managing through hurricane seasons with increasingly frequent and intense storms and battling health and economic impacts from other extreme weather events – intense heat, drought and heavy rainfall. In the last few years, local governments across the state have taken on the task of reducing…
Read MoreVolusia County, FL: An All Ages Approach to Community Resiliency
If you hear the words “flooding” and “Florida” in the same sentence, you would not be alone in thinking of a beachfront community. However, inland areas in Florida can be just as, if not more, susceptible to flooding than their coastal neighbors Spring Hill, a neighborhood in DeLand, Florida, has experienced repeated flooding for years.…
Read MoreDuke Energy Solar Expansion Approved by Florida Regulators
As was announced in recent news, utility regulators at the Florida Public Service Commission voted 4-to-1 to approve Duke Energy Florida’s Clean Energy Connections program. Under the program, Duke will build ~750 MW of new solar projects. Thanks to the input and direct engagement from SSDN and dozens of Florida local government sustainability directors, approximately…
Read MoreResiliency Through Solar: How Cape Canaveral, FL is Protecting Residents with Independent Energy
As a barrier island with only one bridge and central power line connecting it to the rest of Florida, the City of Cape Canaveral is particularly vulnerable to power outages caused by hurricanes. After enduring several years of powerful storms, the city saw an urgent need for a more sustainable and resilient energy source to…
Read MoreSSCF Grant Feature: Athens- Clarke County, Saving Homes for a Sustainable Future
The Southeast Sustainable Communities Fund project in Athens- Clarke County, GA was recently featured in US News highlighting the projects success in building a more resilient community in the West Broad neighborhood of Athens, GA. Read the full article below. In Georgia, Saving Homes for a Sustainable Future Sustainability isn’t only about conserving resources for…
Read MoreSSDN Welcomes New 2020 Steering Committee Members
SSDN would like to welcome our new 2020 Steering Committee members. We greatly appreciate their commitment to growing sustainability in our region and their dedication in helping lead the Southeast Sustainability Directors Network. Camille Pollan, Sustainability and Resilience Officer- City of New Orleans, LA Kenneth Darisaw, Energy and Sustainability Manager- Fulton County, GA Erika Ruane,…
Read More
