GREEN LIST: Annual Meeting Recap, BIG Chattanooga, Florida Fundamentals Academy

May 1, 2019
A closeup of a blue ocean wave for SSDN contact
  • 2019 Annual Meeting: We would like to give a big thank you to all 58 of our SSDN members (23 of which are new members!) who attended the 2019 Annual Meeting in Sarasota, FL! We would also like to say thank you to our wonderful sponsors for helping us make it happen: Turner Foundation, Kendeda Fund, Gotcha Rides, Aloft Sarasota, Selby Gardens, Carlson Studios, Environmental Defense Fund, Florida Power and Light, and Cumberland Advisors. Last but not least, a special thank you to our Sarasota members for hosting us in their beautiful city. Stevie Freeman-Montes, Sara Kane, Jeff Vredenburg and Lee Hayes Byron, the meeting wouldn’t have been what it was without all your hard work. Thank you!
  • Chattanooga, TN: Build It Green
    Build It Green is one of several programs offered through Green | Spaces, a Chattanooga-based nonprofit dedicated to advancing the sustainability of living, working, and construction in and around the city. For 12 weeks, Chattanoogans learn the basics of sustainable construction, discover techniques to improve communication and avoid career-sabotaging pitfalls, and connect with community organizations and local businesses.

    In January 2018, with grant funding through the Southeast Sustainability Directors Network, Empower Chattanooga and Build Me a World introduced Build It Green’s curriculum to its first class of 10 trainees, an approximate limit that’s held steady for the two classes that have followed.

    To learn more about this program, please read the feature article by the US Green Building Council here.
  • The Florida Fundamentals Academy: August 1-2 and September 5-6, 2019: The City of Orlando and East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFRPC) are partnering up to bring the Florida Climate Fundamentals Academy to Orlando this Summer 2019!

    The Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO) will offer a series of 2-day training academies that will provide participants an opportunity to learn from experts and community leaders about the implications of climate change, and related opportunities, with a regional focus added for East Central Florida and the Sunshine State. Participants will also get all the necessary training needed to sit for the Certified Climate Change Professional (CC-P) exam, aimed at local leaders from government, business, nonprofit, and academia.

    SSDN member, Chris Castro has a 20% discount for SSDN members interested in attending the academy. Use the code: Orlando-2019. Learn more about the classes being offered here, or register using the above code here.
  • Energy Freedom and Solar’s Strategy in the South: 
    This month the solar industry won a major victory with the passage of the Energy Freedom Act in South Carolina. Read more about the Energy Freedom Act and how it can affect the Southeast region here.
  • Supporting Women in Environmental Justice Grant- Deadline: June 19th at 5:00pm EST.
    Eileen Fisher will award $200,000 annually in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $30,000 through a new 2019 grant opportunity. Applicants must align with one or more of these key points:
    • Increasing women’s participation in decision-making.
    • Training women and girls in climate change adaptation, mitigation and advocacy.
    • Engaging women in the sustainable economy. To learn more about this grant opportunity, please visit the website here.
  • US Water Alliance One Water Summit, Austin, TX- September 18-20, 2019
    Join hundreds of top water leaders in Austin for One Water Summit 2019. It is the premier national conference focused on sustainable, integrated, and inclusive approaches to managing water, our most precious natural resource. Click here to learn more.
  • The American Library Association (ALA) is adding sustainability as a core value of librarianship:
    Libraries play an important and unique role in promoting community awareness about resilience, climate change and a sustainable future. They are also leading by example by taking steps to reduce their environmental footprint. Learn more about it here.
  • Job Opportunities
    City of Fort Lauderdale- Sustainability Administrator-
    The City of Fort Lauderdale Public Works Sustainability Division is currently recruiting for a senior sustainability position, leading plan and ordinance development, overseeing energy programs, and supervising two staff. To learn more about the position or to apply, please visit this website.
  • Peer Learning Workgroup Calls:
    If you haven’t done so already, please email Vanessa King to sign up for the SSDN Member Workgroup Calls.  Below are the topics for 2019.
    • Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Strategies
    • Climate Action Planning
    • Greening Government Operations
    • Green Building Codes
    • Sustainability Start-ups (For new members and those that are new to the field)
    • Organic Waste Reduction Strategies
    • Water and Energy in Affordable Housing