Weekly Brief February 25!

You have less than one week to submit your nomination(s) for the 2016 Sustain Charlotte awards! 

Honor your favorite small business, large company or nonprofit who has demonstrated commitment to our city's sustainability in any of the areas listed below! 

Award categories:

Land Use
Sustainable Economy 
Energy
Food
Waste Reduction
Social Equity
Transportation
Water

In addition, one award will be presented to the 2016 Outstanding Sustainability Leader.

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Does your organization value sustainability? Self nominations are welcome! Recognize your organization as one that is committed to our community's health and well-being by nominating them for a 2016 Sustain Charlotte Award!

*Nominees must live or operate in the Greater Charlotte metro area. Any organization including government agencies, businesses and nonprofits can be nominated. Deadline for nominations is February 29!

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Tonight, Pint Central is hosting The Thursday Night Sustainable Pint benefiting Sustain Charlotte!

If you live in Plaza Midwood/East Charlotte we hope you will stop by Pint Central (1226 Central Ave) between 5-7pm tonight to say hello, learn more about our work, and take advantage of great food and drink specials!

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Pint Central will be offering half off tapas and drink specials alongside the opportunity to come and chat with staff and friends of Sustain Charlotte. They'll be donating $1 from every Lenny Boy beer or kombucha and $2 from every Tito's Handmade Vodka Moscow Mule! In addition, Tito's and One305 Central will be matching their donation!


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Have you ever walked around Charlotte's South End and wondered why some places stand out as neighborhood gathering spots while other places are just dull and uninviting? 

It turns out that most great places have one thing in common: They're built on a human scale to maximize interaction between the public and private space. 

Click here to read our article about what works and what doesn't in South End.

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An apartment building with a good public-private interface.


How often do you consider your personal sustainability when making choices in your everyday life? We recently visited BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life at Discovery Place! 

Click here to see why we were especially inspired to get our blood pumping after our visit!

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Special offer from our friends at Discovery Place: Visit BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life with this exclusive discounted ticket offer for Sustain Charlotte e-subscribers! Use offer code BWSUS03 and receive $3 OFF. 


In one week, we'll be talking transportation innovation with TransitCenter, Mayor Roberts, and local residents like you! 

On March 3rd, join us, New York City-based research and policy nonprofit TransitCenter, and local city leaders for an informal and engaging discussion about what it will take to create a world-class transportation system in Charlotte!

PLUS, attendees will hear our BIG ANNOUNCEMENT at this event!

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Complimentary heavy appetizers will be provided. Additional eats and a cash bar will be available onsite for purchase. 

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Many thanks to our COMMUNITY PARTNERS for this event:

AARP North Carolina / Charlotte - Green Mobility Planning Studio USA - Alta Planning + Design - 
Bike Routes 4 Fitness Inc. - NC Central Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club - American Heart Association / American Stroke Association

We're proud to welcome MassMutual Carolinas as a Platinum Awards Sponsor and Moore & Van Allen as a Silver Sponsor! We are thankful for their commitment to our community's long-term health and vitality. 

Many thanks to all our sponsors so far: Charlotte Magazine (Gold), S&D Coffee and Tea (Silver), O2 Energies (Silver), the Duke Energy (Silver), Blumenthal Foundation (Silver), Whole Foods Market stores of Sharon Road and Lake Norman (Silver), NC Sustainable Energy Association (Bronze). Click here to learn more about our sponsorship opportunities, starting at just $600! 

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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! Help us do more by becoming a Sustain Charlotte member today for as little as $3/month -- that's one cup of coffee! Click below to learn how easily you can support our mission and your community via membership. *Membership at the $5/month level includes a free Sustain Charlotte T-shirt (made of 100% recycled material by our Gold Partner Recover)!*

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This School District Could Save Millions by Switching to 100% Solar [EcoWatch]

"Schools all across the country have been switching to solar to save money and reduce their environmental impact, and North Carolina may be the next state to benefit. Two reports, released today by the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center and commissioned by the Repower Our Schools coalition, found that two North Carolina school districts can go 100 percent renewable." We hope CMS looks closely at this report and considers moving forward!


The Light Rail Train is About to Add an Extra Car and Get Less Crowded During Big Events [Charlotte Agenda]

"The Blue Line light rail is often overcrowded... On peak days, the light rail hits 35,000+. This is a whole lot more than originally projected when the line opened in 2007... Charlotte has begun a project to expand train station platforms and upgrade the electrical system to accommodate three-car trains, instead of the two car trains on the tracks right now. The electric system means the city will also be able to run extra trains during special events." This is great news and evidence that transit is a valuable asset to Charlotte!


Cross Charlotte Trail Could Stretch from Pineville to NoDa by 2019 [CharlotteFive]

"Last week, the city and county approved the latest addition to the Cross Charlotte Trail — a short chunk of trail that will connect the end of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway at Parkwood Avenue to 24th Street...Frey and Sustain Charlotte Bicycle Program Director Jordan Moore both think this [trail] has the potential to be a visual centerpiece in the city and a symbol of the city’s commitment to pedestrians and alternate modes of transportation." Click here to read more about this trail and our Bicycle Program Director's vision of how it can become an iconic, swooping pedestrian/cyclist bridge over the highways!


Five Things that Make Walkable Neighborhoods Walkable [Mode Shift]

"As much as walking is great most of the time, I think we can all agree that some neighborhoods are better to walk in than others. Depending on where you live—whether it’s a busy downtown, off a rural highway, or somewhere in between, there are things that simply make certain places more walkable than others." It's so important that Cities develop according to these 5 key design principles, especially in fast-growing cities like Charlotte!


One Random Idea to Bring More Retail to Uptown Charlotte [CharlotteFive]

"Imagine spending your lunch break strolling through shops owned by local businesses. You could find a pashmina for your favorite aunt, jewelry made by a local artist and even sample North Carolina-made wine. When there are spaces for small businesses to flourish, the possibilities are endless. Sadly, in uptown, this kind of experience is limited to a select few shops in and around uptown." What if Charlotte parking garage owners experimented with converting some of their ground-level parking spaces to retail space?


Commuters Don't Stop Driving to Work Unless You Take Away Free Parking [CityLab]

"Congress recently reestablished parity for commuter tax benefits, granting people who take transit into work as well as those who drive in and park at the office the same $255 a month in 2016. With that basic fairness intact, the question becomes whether or not the rule will change rush-hour travel choices in any substantive way. Given the bump in transit benefits, you might reasonably expect fewer employees to drive in alone, but the evidence suggests you’d be wrong." As this article reports, in order to incentivize Charlotteans to commute by transit instead of by car, we must stop providing free parking.


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The Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) is accepting applications to fill four vacant seats! The BAC is an advisory body to City Council. The committee reviews bicycle plans and makes recommendations on implementing the policies and policy strategies. Click here to apply now! Read more about the BAC.


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* February 25 -  Thursday Night Sustainable Pint Benefiting Sustain Charlotte*

5:30 - 7:30pm @ Pint Central, 1226 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC. Celebrate the end of the month with a cheers to sustainability! Pint Central is hosting this event on our behalf. We'll receive a donation of $1 from each Lenny Boy Brewing Co. beer and kombucha sold and $2 from each Tito's Handmade Vodka Moscow Mule sold! In addition, Tito's and One305 Central will be matching their donation! Stop by anytime to learn more about our work, or simply come to enjoy great food and drink specials! Click here for more information. 
* March 3 -  The Future of Transportation is YOU! *

5:30 - 8:00pm @ Sugar Creek Brewing Co, 215 Southside Dr, Charlotte, NC. What are the three key ingredients needed to accelerate transportation innovation in cities? Which of them are needed in Charlotte and what role do YOU play? Join Sustain Charlotte, New York City-based research and policy nonprofit TransitCenter, and local city leaders including Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts to find the answers to these questions and more in a fun, engaging, and informal atmosphere! Complimentary appetizers will be provided. Additional eats and a cash bar will be available onsite for purchase. Click here to learn more and RSVP
March 5 to April 23 - Particle Falls 

7:00 - 10:00pm @ West wall of the UNC-Charlotte Center City Building, 320 East 9th Street, Charlotte, NC. Particle Falls is an animated light projection on the side of the UNC – Charlotte Center City building that reveals in real time, the invisible dangers in the air we are breathing. This is a dramatic public art and science project that raises awareness of the presence and impact of particulate pollution. Click here for more information.
* March 12 - Learn to Ride Event *

11:00am - 1:00 pm @ Marion Diehl Rec Center, 2219 Tyvola Road. This is a free opportunity to learn to ride a two-wheeler! This event is geared to kids, adults who want to learn to ride, and parents of kids who haven't yet learned to ride a bicycle without training wheels. Sustain Charlotte is working with Bicycle Sport, Mecklenburg County Park & Rec and Health Departments, Trips for Kids Charlotte and AARP put on this great event! For more information, click here

March 18, 19, 20 - Best Minds #CityJamCLT

Event kicks off Friday, March 18, 5:30pm @ Advent Coworking, 933 Louise Ave., Charlotte 28204. City Jam is partnering with Digital Charlotte to brainstorm ways to bridge the digital divide. This year's Best Minds Conference is centered around finding real solutions for real Charlotte issues. Wethinknext #CityJamCLT is an event where you can create the future! Learn more and register for free here
* April 21 - 2016 Sustain Charlotte Awards *

5:30pm - 8:30pm @ LaCa Projects Gallery, 1429 Bryant Street, Charlotte 28208. Please join us for an inspiring, informative, and exciting evening on Earth Day eve to celebrate our region's most outstanding sustainability leaders! Click here to learn more.

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We are happy to announce that Alta Planning + Design has renewed their annual partnership with us at the Bronze levelWe are proud to have their support of our mission and your community!

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MANY THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS

Is your company interested in becoming a Sustain Charlotte partner? 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!

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PLATINUM

Wooden Robot Brewery - TreeCycle America

GOLD

#thesavageway - Alfred Williams & Company - Belk - Boingo Graphics - Charlotte Magazine - DPS Construction - Environmental Window Solutions - National Gypsum - NC GreenPower - New Belgium Brewing - Packard Place - Pinckney Marketing - Recover - S&D Coffee & Tea - Triple C Brewing


BRONZE

 

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