Workshop to offer multi-generational perspectives fostering stronger sustainable communities

Sustainable Communities Workshop LogoUnder the “Growing Greener Generations” theme, the 14th Annual Sustainable Communities Workshop is set for Nov. 14, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The workshop will draw together residents of all ages, business owners and employees, non-profit leaders, and government officials to learn about environmental, economic and social aspects of sustainability. Multi-generational panelists will discuss the latest sustainability strategies, resources and best practices, and opportunities for involvement locally.

“While every generation has a unique perspective on what we should focus on, all of us are facing the same growing concerns,” said Sara Kane, sustainability program coordinator with the county’s UF/IFAS Extension and Sustainability Department. “This year’s workshop will feature multi-generational panels speaking to what they are doing, and what we as a community can do to develop a more sustainable future.”

A photo of 2018 Sustainable Communities Workshop audienceEarly-bird registration of $35 is available through Oct. 14, and $45 after, at www.scgov.net/SustainableCommunities. Students pay just $25. All registrations include continental breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack by a Sarasota County Green Business Partner. Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities also are available.

The 2019 workshop, at the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida Event and Conference Center, at 4740 Cattlemen Road in Sarasota, will tackle resiliency, food production, social equity, biodiversity, green economy, and other topics through our multi-generational panels and three keynote speakers:

Photo of Josh Tickell 1st keynote for 14th annual Sustainable Communities Workshop
Josh Tickell

• Josh Tickell, is an internationally recognized author, film director, speaker, and expert on sustainability and the climate. Josh’s second book, “Kiss the Ground: How the Food You Eat Can Reverse Climate Change, Heal Your Body & Ultimately Save Our World,” details his decade-long journey around the world to learn how climate change effects can be reversed through regenerating the world’s soils. His most recent work, “The Revolution Generation: How Millennials Can Save America and the World (Before It’s Too Late),” gives new tools to young people so they can reshape political power, change the climate conversation, and save Earth’s ecosystems. Learn more at joshtickell.com.

Photo of Chris Castro 2nd keynote for 14th annual Sustainable Communities Workshop
Chris Castro

• Chris Castro, director of Orlando’s Office of Sustainability & Resilience, advances the city’s sustainability, clean energy, and climate action goals. Chris helped develop and found IDEAS For Us, a United Nations-accredited nonprofit working to incubate and fund innovative projects that advance the U.N. sustainable development goals. He also founded Fleet Farming, an urban farming social enterprise that builds organic farms on residential lawns. In December 2018, Chris starred in “Paris to Pittsburgh,” a National Geographic documentary.

Syd Kitson 3rd keynote for 14th annual Sustainable Communities Workshop
Syd Kitson

• Syd Kitson, Chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners, specializes in the creation and development of master-planned communities and commercial properties. In 2006, Kitson completed the historic purchase of Babcock Ranch in Southwest Florida, encompassing more than 91,000 acres – an area five times the size of the island of Manhattan. Over 80% of the original land purchase, some 73,000 acres within Charlotte and Lee counties, has been preserved by the State of Florida and Lee County, in the largest single land preservation agreement in the state’s history.

25 anniversary logo for Gulf Coast Community FoundationFinally, thank you Gulf Coast Community Foundation for being a Green Sponsor of the 14th Annual Sustainable Communities Workshop.

For more information and to register, visit www.scgov.net/SustainableCommunities or call the Sarasota County Contact Center at 941-861-5000.

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Posted: September 4, 2019


Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, Work & Life
Tags: Pgm_Sustain, Sarasota County Extension, SCW19, Sustainability, Sustainable Communities Workshop


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