Sustainable Alachua County (SAC) is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 to promote discussion and action on issues of sustainability. The mission of Sustainable Alachua County is to provide education and civic participation opportunities that enhance the sustainability and healthy functioning of our environmental, social/cultural, and economic systems. 

Sustainable Alachua County is currently reassessing and realigning their mission and goals to best meet the needs of the community. SAC will host a stakeholder meeting on February 12, 2009, 7-9pm in the Fellowship Hall at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 100 N.E. 1st Street, Gainesville, FL  32601.

President of the SAC Board, Susan Marynowski, notes “With a tighter economy and the effects of global climate change, we are seeing a surging interest in sustainable living. We are eager for the community — in the broadest sense — to tell us how SAC can best serve as a hub or clearinghouse for sustainability education.” Sustainable Alachua County is inviting the public to participate and share ideas of how SAC can help the community work and live more efficiently.

The meeting will feature a short presentation on SAC’s history, by Susan Marynowski as well as a short presentation by Sean McClendon, Alachua County Sustainability Manager, on the recent report of the Alachua County Energy Conservation Strategies Committee. Professional facilitators, Bruce Delaney and Wendy-Lin Bartels will lead the meeting to assess sustainability resources in the community, and identify the role SAC can play in identifying and providing resources.

Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP to sustainableac@gmail.com

For more information about the stakeholder meeting, please contact members of the SAC Board:

• Susan Marynowski, 352-481-9922, sustainableac@gmail.com
• Anna Prizzia, 352-392-7578, annaprizzia@gmail.com

The Community Redevelopment Agency has offered space in a building being constructed over the next year, in Historic Pleasant Street Neighborhood. In order to accept this opportunity, we need to show that there is a real desire for this space to be born - that people are willing to invest in ourselves and each other to see this through.  Join us in building this movement. Help us to improve the local food system and create a space we can all build and benefit from together. To move forward with the CRA, community support is required. Fill out the application that follows and send it back to with your fully-refundable, lifetime membership share.

• Membership Information Sheet
  
• Application

The grant will be awarded (or not) at the sole discretion of the SAC Board of Directors. The project must meet the following requirements: * The project must be carried out in Alachua County, Florida; * Sustainable Alachua County, Inc.’s name and logo must be credited on all project activities, publicity, and materials; and, * The project must be one year or less in length, reaching completion on or before November 1, 2009.

SAC will provide 50% of the grant amount at the start of the project, and 50% of the grant amount at the midpoint of the project, upon receipt of a one-page midpoint report. If midpoint accomplishments are inadequate, SAC reserves the right to withhold project funds. At the end of the project, SAC’s requires a final written report and oral presentation of accomplishments to the SAC Board of Directors, along with a discussion of prospects for project self perpetuation and the potential for ongoing SAC involvement.

The grant application is one page of normal (12-point) text and/or illustration(s). The one-page application must be submitted either in writing or electronically to the address below by 4pm August 31, 2008. The grant will be awarded by September 15, 2008. The grant may be made to an individual, an organization, or a business. No questions about the grant will be accepted. Good luck!

Sustainable Alachua County, Inc. ATTN: Innovation Grant Proposal P.O. Box 2772 Gainesville, FL 32602-2772

-OR-

sustainableac@gmail.com Subject Line: Innovation Grant Proposal

About Sustainable Alachua County, Inc. The mission of Sustainable Alachua County is to provide education and civic participation opportunities that enhance the sustainability and healthy functioning of our environmental, social/cultural, and economic systems. Founded in 1996, SAC is an incorporated 501(c)(3) non-profit, public-interest organization that welcomes all residents of Alachua County as members. SAC defines sustainability as the state of equilibrium achieved by taking responsibility for balancing long term economic, environmental, and social/cultural health – for ourselves, our community, and our world. See http://sustainac.org/ for more information about SAC.

[Please share this grant offering with any interested parties.]

We invite you to join the Healthy Children, Healthy Planet summer discussion circle sponsored by Sustainable Alachua County. The course will allow participants an opportunity to discover ways to create meaningful family times and healthful environments for children. Identifying cultural pressures and finding antidotes to strengthen our relationships with children are key themes addressed in the discussion course. The course is not just for parents but anyone who is involved in the life of a child.

Participants will meet weekly for an hour to an hour and a half to discuss readings from Northwest Earth Institute’s “Healthy Children, Healthy Planet” study guide. The guide, roughly 100 pages in length, contains a diverse collection of short essays, articles, and book excerpts organized around weekly themes to create lively discussion. The circle will be held eight (8) Saturdays in a row at 1:00 pm at the Gainesville Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 4225 NW 34th St, beginning with a kick-off meeting on Saturday, July 12th. A fee of $18 per family is required to cover the cost of materials.

Session themes include:

Cultural Pressures: A powerful fusion of pop culture and peer influence creates a social smog that has a strong influence on today’s children, says author and doctor Ron Taffel. How should adults respond to these pressures?

Family Rituals and Celebrations: Meaningful family time can provide an antidote to cultural pressures of consumption. Explore how ritual can enrich a child’s family experience and examine alternatives to elaborate celebrations and gifts.

Advertising: The average child sees an estimated 20,000 commercials every year. What are the effects on our children, and what steps can adults take to lessen the impact?

Food and Health: Many schools serve high-fat lunches, soda, and candy are readily available on school grounds. What is the link between diet and learning? How can adults encourage children to include healthy foods in their meals?

Time and Creativity: Today’s children may have schedules that rival the busiest adults. How can adults help children find balance between activities and unstructured time, which is often the source of creativity?

Technology and the Media: Opinions differ on whether computers hinder or help the natural process of child development. Watching television can displace more valuable experiences. What steps can adults take to create a healthy media environment at home?

Exploring Nature: Children have an affinity for the natural world and as Rachel Carson says, “an inborn sense of wonder.” As children spend more time indoors, they connect less to the wild places in their neighborhood. How can we give children the opportunity to connect with the natural world?

To register for this discussion circle, please contact Heather Sielicki at sielicki@gmail.com or 352-373-7314. For more information about the discussion circle series, visit http://www.nwei.org/discussion_courses/course-offerings/heathty-children-healthy-planet.

 There is an Eastside Community Garden that is now forming… The garden is located at NE 31st Avenue park between NE 15th Street and Waldo Road. The community garden area is fenced. Free water is provided by the City of Gainesville. Standard plots are available for free on a first come, first served basis. Gardening advice is available from other community gardeners and the Alachua County Extension Office. To reserve a plot, please contact Pavel or Heather for more information at (352) 373-7314 or by email at garden@meaningfulpursuit.com. Visit www.highlandcourtmanor.org to read about the garden.

Just imagine a breakfast of fresh berries, yogurt from the Kurtz family, a drizzle of Charlie’s honey, and a scone from a local bakery. How about a lunch of local foods—soup and salad— brown bagged from home or eaten at a local restaurant? Dinner could be local seafood on the grill with veggies and potatoes followed by a dessert of fresh cantaloupe. It is really easy and delicious to eat seasonally and buy locally!

How to participate in the 2008 Eat Local Challenge

Register April 1, 2008 - April 30, 2008 online at www.hogtownhomegrown.com or in person at the Hogtown HomeGrown table during Union Street or Haile Plantation Farmers Markets.

Keep track of your eating May 1, 2008 - May 31, 2008 on the Keep Track Chart we created just for this challenge! Turn in your completed chart at the Community Celebration on May 31st to be eligible for prizes. Join with friends and family—take the challenge together.

Waste Alternatives staff will be on site with games and crafts for children and information about recycling, composting and other waste reduction activities that individuals can implement to reduce their environmental impact.

For more info about how to Embrace Zero Waste, contact the Alachua County Office of Waste Alternatives at 352-374-5213, or visit www.thewastewatcher.com.

Join us for a monthly series of informational films and discussion on the possibilities of a sustainable community. The films will focus on current environmental issues and knowledgable members of the local community will be on-hand to talk afterwards.

• March 26. Topic: Agribusiness. Film: King Corn.
• April 23. Topic: Green Transportation. Film: Who Killed the Electric Car?
• May 28. Topic: Sustainable building. Film: TBA.