A regionally-focused sustainability conference is coming up on April 5th, and you’re invited! The 2017 Sustainability Summit is connecting organizations, community leaders, governments, and experts to come together, learn from each other, and make a plan for our city and region. The theme for this year’s summit is Setting Targets for Our Shared Future – setting metrics (measurable targets) for achieving our shared goals will be the focus for the event.
Attendees will learn from experts in seven fields: Buildings, Land Use & Community Development, Water & Green Infrastructure, Materials & Recycling, Energy & Emissions, Transportation, Biodiversity, and, of course, Food!
The keynote speaker is Dr. Antwi Akom, Co-Founder of the Institute for Sustainable Economic, Educational, and Environmental Design – an organization that focuses on building sustainable cities and schools. As the OneStL’s website states: “professor Akom has collaborated with schools, community groups, policy makers and researchers to improve the lives and living conditions of poor people of color around the world. He is also associate professor of Africana studies and urban sociology at San Francisco State University where he specializes in climate justice, participatory technology, community-generated data and social innovation.”
The organizers of the 2017 Sustainability Summit used the framework of the OneStL regional plan for Sustainable Development as their framework for developing the conference. Representatives from a wide range of nonprofits, businesses, and institutions that represent Saint Louis and the surrounding area helped develop the conference: St. Louis Earth Day, Washington University in St. Louis, US Green Building Council – Missouri Gateway Chapter, the East-West Gateway Council of Governments, the Center for Sustainability at St. Louis University, the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, Maryville University, Straight Up Solar, Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville, the Office of Environmental Health and Safety at University of Missouri, and Webster University.
The OneStL website has information about research and projects of local organizations that work to make this region more sustainable, spotlights on partner organizations, a plan for moving Saint Louis towards a more sustainable future, and a toolkit that can help you, as an individual, make your neighborhood and city more sustainable.
The GDA could not be more excited to attend this event, and we hope to see you there!
Register here to attend the event and get involved in St. Louis’s future!
