As part of the Green Plus North American Sustainable Enterprise Awards, the Institute for Sustainable Development and Partners for Livable Communities are collaborating in recognizing a Green Plus Chamber of Commerce. “Over the past year, Partners for Livable Communities has explored how business leaders, faced with the challenge of ensuring the future strength of regional economies and local quality of life, have employed creative new agendas that not only help reverse the effects of environmental degradation but leverage the occasion for valuable economic and social gain,” said Carly Grimm, Program Officer of Partners for Livable Communities. Read more about Partners' Economics of Sustainability program. The award will recognize chambers of commerce that have an exemplary track record in four categories
- Regional Leadership: Creating a more sustainable region
- Assisting their members in improving their triple bottom line
- Making the Economic case for Sustainability
- Leading by Example: Chambers that have made their own operations more sustainable
“Chambers of Commerce throughout the country are implementing green business programs, attracting clean industries, and creating green jobs; they are paving the way to the more sustainable and robust communities of the 21st century,” Grimm said. “Partners has now joined forces with the Institute for Sustainable Development to recognize the chamber employing the most innovative and effective green strategies through the Green Plus Chamber of the Year Award,” Grimm concluded.
See more info here.
The age 65+ population is expected to double by 2030. How are local communities preparing for this change? This fall, a new n4a-led, MetLife Foundation-funded survey will look closely at the progress underway in every aspect of community life--including land use and zoning, housing, transportation, social services and civic engagement.
With its partners, the International City/County Management Association, Partners for Livable Communities, the National Association of Counties, the National League of Cities, and the American Planning Association, n4a will poll 10,000 cities and counties across the nation, and look at advances made since the last “Maturing of America” survey was conducted in 2005. The earlier study found that while initial steps were being taken, much more needs to be done. n4a will issue a report on this year’s follow-up survey in May, 2011. Stay tuned!
Partners’ long-term board member Neal Peirce has recently announced the expansion of Citistates Group coverage from national to global. Along with this new focus comes a new website- Citiscope.org.
Last Friday, for an audience of several thousand at the concluding session of the Fifth World Urban Forum in Rio de Janeiro, Partners' Board Member Neal Peirce was able to make the official announcement.
The text of the announcement is below. For a full taste of what the service will be like, several lead stories included, please take look at the beta web site—Citiscope.org. It includes the "who, what, when and how" of the new service, which will be launched full-bore in the near future.
Remarks to the World Urban Forum—by Neal Peirce
Across the continents, today's cities are coming up with new and intriguing solutions to the massive problems cities face in this century. From city halls to neighborhood councils, the wave of originality is amazing.
But the mainstream media too often fails to "get it." News of cities' disasters or crises or scandals get coverage. But there are rarely reports of original, noteworthy innovations—stories that could lead to inventive adaptation in other cities, whether they're next door or across oceans.
We think the gap imperils cities' learning and progress. In close cooperation with the World Urban Campaign, assisted by Cities Alliance and UN-Habitat, we've developed a new global news service—we're calling it Citiscope.org.
Our goal: to report regularly on cities' notable new approaches and solutions on every issue from climate adaptation to local food self-sufficiency to slum upgrading. Professional journalists in the breakthrough cities will be invited to write the stories —objectively, clearly, for worldwide dissemination. We'll aim for a constantly growing global reader base. And media worldwide will be invited to pick up the reports.
The website, again, is Citiscope.org. Please check out our first group of stories. Submit story ideas yourself. Help us tap the world's top expert commentary, seek out inventive links, help inventive NGOs spread word of their star experiments, track the vital urban trends—and make a real difference for this Century of the City.
Partners' Staff member Lyz Crane participated in the “At the Crossroads: A Community Arts and Development Convening” in St Louis from March 25-27. The event brought together community artists, arts organizations, social service workers, and national organizations from around the country to talk about some of the cutting edge challenges and opportunities facing the field. Crane’s presentation focused on lessons from the Shifting Sands Initiative and encouraged a lot of discussion among participants about how arts organizations partner with other neighborhood groups, organizations, and businesses. More information on the event can be found here: http://crossroadsconvening.com
by administrator
on December 08, 2009
Partners for Livable Communities honored eight individuals, organizations and communities for stewardship and innovation in the improvement of communities worldwide. These prestigious awards were presented by Washington, D.C.-based Partners for Livable Communities at its “Celebration of Vision and Community Spirit” formal dinner and awards program on Monday evening, December 7th, 2009 at The Fairfax Hotel in Washington, D.C.
The awards were presented by William K. Reilly, Senior Advisor, TPG Capital, LP & Former Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency. Richard C.D. Fleming, Chairman of Partners' Board and President of the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Assoiation served as Host. Congressman Tom Periello of the 5th District of Virginia gave the keynote speech.
The “Celebration of Vision and Community Spirit” awards honor both innovative projects in communities and lifetimes of achievement for individuals that have made a true difference in their respective fields of activity. The honorees represent lifetimes of cultivating the arts, historic preservation, regionalism, smart planning practices and neighborhood development that bring life to struggling communities. All of the honorees have sought to improve the communities around them, an effort which Partners believes deserves to be lauded.
Read more about this event and view the honorees.
by administrator
on October 06, 2009
In the fall of 2009, Partners for Livable Communities (Partners) received a grant from the Energy Foundation to challenge the common misconception that economic growth and environmental sustainability are fundamentally at odds with one another and to showcase innovative programs at the nexus of these agendas.
Read more about the report Partners produced that showcased chambers of commerce from around the country that have crafted green initiatives as part of local economic development efforts.
Read more about the event Partners hosted on Capitol Hill on October 6th, 2009 to explose Congressional offices to the great economic opportunity presented by embracing and promoting green business practices. Business leaders from chambers of commerce in eight small to mid-size cities around the U.S. made the case that green is good for business, that it is a common-sense economic strategy applicable to all industries.
by administrator
on May 28, 2009
In May of 2009, up-and-coming urban affairs magazine Next American City awarded their first annual “Next American Vanguard” awards to young urban leaders. The 35 individuals chosen came from 18 different states and a variety of interests that ranged from community organizing to design to environmental justice.
Partners’ Director of Program Development, Lyz Crane, was one of the selected Vanguards and participated in a two-day forum in which the chosen leaders shared their innovative work and identified a joint manifesto with 15 goals in three critical areas: transportation, civic engagement and land use planning. The 2009 Vanguards are expected to participate in the passing of the torch to next year’s class and remain involved in the magazine’s efforts to identify cutting edge urban issues.
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