In light of recent events in our community, our Director Shannon Binns recently penned his thoughts on equity, personal responsibility + Charlotte's future:
"When I think about my precious, bright-eyed daughter, Edie Moon, I wonder what kind of world she will live in. I wonder if it will still be treated as invincible. I wonder if today’s injustices will be better – or worse.
As an optimist, I can’t help but imagine her inheriting a better world. But as I near mid-life, my optimism is tempered by an understanding that this will not happen without the commitment and work of many. And that work must happen today.
Recent events in our community have laid bare before us the inequity that we have allowed to take hold. The inequity we have created..."
Click here to read more on our blog!
Learn how your vote on the bond referendum will help shape the future of Charlotte!
When you go to the polls, we urge you to pay close attention to the bottom of your ballot! There you'll find a bond referendum that, with voter approval, would mean funding for transportation projects, neighborhood connectivity and affordable housing.
Click here to read our blog for more details!
Local residents like you play a critical role in ensuring we have the resources to carry out our work in the community to inspire choices that lead to a healthier and more vibrant community for generations to come! Click below to be the change and become a sustaining member today!
*Membership at the $5/month level includes a free Sustain Charlotte T-shirt (made of 100% recycled material by our Gold Partner Recover)!*
Connect with our local leaders in person as part of the CrownTownHall project!
CrownTownHall takes public engagement opportunities out of the constraints of “regular business hours,” and night time meetings, and delivers them right to Charlotte’s neighborhoods. Through a series of pop-up events, neighbors will have the opportunity to meet their elected officials, sign up for city services, review area planning efforts, find out about job opportunities, receive translation services, and more!
Click here to view upcoming CrownTownHall events and discussion topics!
Jason Lawrence, with the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) created this project that has been funded by a Knight Cities Challenge grant.
Participate in a research study on the civic engagement of Charlotteans!
The Urban Institute is partnering with Knight Foundation, Google, and Johnson C. Smith University on a project to learn more about how Charlotte engages online and off.
If you live in Mecklenburg County please share your thoughts about civic behaviors. You'll also have the opportunity to sign-up to participate in more extensive research over the next 8 months!
Click here to take the quick survey now!
Provide input at the Charlotte Gateway Station Public Workshop!
The City of Charlotte and the North Carolina Department of Transportation will host a public workshop where staff will present a refined Charlotte Gateway Station (CGS) area concept.
Attendees will have the opportunity to give their feedback on land use, development opportunities, transportation connections, and desired amenities for the future station area!
When: Wednesday, November 9th, 5:30-7:00pm
Where: Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Main Branch, Francis Auditorium (310 North Tryon St, Charlotte 28202)
Happy to Be in NC? Data Show Upswing in Several Measures [The Charlotte Observer]
"Think about the quality of the air you breathe, the idle hours in your commute, the safety of your family or business, the convenience of internet access to find a job and browse Facebook. Statistics suggest most in North Carolina fare well on those fronts...Yet a dive behind the data reveals a divergent state – a story of progress for some and difficulty for others. To see the differences, look no further than Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh." Several quality of life indicators in NC are improving, but our average commute time isn't. It's risen from 1990 to 2015. Find out how investment in transit could change that!
What Makes a Good Bike Rack? [Strong Towns]
"Imagine having roads, but nowhere to park cars. As cities increasingly develop bike paths, cycle tracks, and green lanes, bike parking is essential. Otherwise, as any urban planner will tell you, we are welcoming chaos to our public spaces. Good ordinances and good planning help municipalities and organizations determine where bikes get parked." Location can make or break a bike rack's usefulness. But it's not all that matters! Smart businesses realize that high quality bike parking is an excellent investment.
Frequency, Walkability Keys to Great Transit [The Tennessean]
"The Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority’s nMotion proposal offers an inspiring vision of a city and region reconnected by public transportation...Nashville should start by ramping up frequent bus service in busy neighborhoods, and creating welcoming, safe streets for pedestrians...[Why? Because] research that spans the country tells us that the way to increase transit ridership isn’t necessarily through big-dollar projects. It comes down to providing fast, frequent transit service, concentrated in walkable areas." Co-author of this article, Jon Orcutt of TransitCenter, makes great suggestions for improving Nashville's transit plan that the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is also considering! We agree with TransitCenter that more frequent bus service and a more walkable experience will increase CATS ridership!
* NOVEMBER 9: Sustain Charlotte + Green Drinks Charlotte Monthly Mixer *
6:00pm - 7:30pm @ Free Range Brewing, 2320 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205. Join us for an informal and fun evening of conversation and networking! Our Monthly Mixers provide an opportunity to learn more about us, our partners, and meet others interested in local sustainability issues. At 6:30, our program will begin and you'll hear from our Gold Partner, The Center for Intentional Leadership (CFIL)! There are no membership requirements and everyone is warmly welcomed.
November 5: Free Learn to Ride Event
11:00am to 1:00pm @ the Marion Diehl Rec. Center, 2219 Tyvola Road, Charlotte, 28210.
This event is geared to kids (of all ages!) and parents of kids, who want to learn to ride a bicycle without training wheels. Learn to Ride events draw more than 150 participants, friends, and family, and require LOTS of volunteers! It’s fun, easy to do, incredibly rewarding - and zero bike experience is required. Click here to learn more!
We're happy to announce that Free Range Brewing has joined the Sustain Charlotte Partner Network at the Platinum level! We're proud to have their support of our mission and your community!
MANY THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS
Is your company interested in joining the Sustain Charlotte Partner Network? Our generous partners play a critical role in supporting our work. Through our corporate membership program, we provide year-round brand exposure, positive publicity, and business development opportunities to those businesses and nonprofits that are helping make our community more sustainable through their products, services, or commitment to move their organization towards greater sustainability. Become a partner today!
Free Range Brewing - TreeCycle America - Wooden Robot Brewery
GOLD
#thesavageway - Alfred Williams & Company - Alta Planning + Design - Belk - Boingo Graphics - The Center for Intentional Leadership - Charlotte Magazine - DPS Construction - Environmental Window Solutions - Epic Capital Wealth Management - Logan Community Music School - National Gypsum - New Belgium Brewing - Optima Engineering - Packard Place - Pinckney Marketing - Recover - S&D Coffee & Tea - Triple C Brewing
SILVER
Choices Do Matter - The Home Collection - NC Sustainable Energy Association - Pasta & Provisions - Radiator Specialty Company - RED Group - Stantec - UNC Charlotte IDEAS Center
BRONZE
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