Center for Sustainable Communities - Atlanta

10/10/2026

REMINDER!! Today Is the Day!!

Help Improve Our Resilience to Flooding and Sea Level Rise! Let's Catch the King Tide!

Come Be A Community Scientist! Be A Mapper!

Portsmouth Lets Gather At Hoffler Creek

A Just Science Community Event!

Read more below why so important to our city and region.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1FJrTW1qoU/

Come and be a community scientist with us this weekend..Catch the King Tide!

Let's Catch the King Tide!

Join us, along with scientists from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), to collect vital data to help map the King Tide on Oct. 10th.

King Tides are exceptional high tides caused by the moon's gravitational pull on our oceans. Mapping these helps scientists understand related impacts on coastal flooding, weather, and sea level rise (climate). This year, the King Tide will occur during Oct 9th-11th.

Although Catch the King Tide mapping has been ongoing for several years, gaps remain in the data scientists need to evaluate and predict sea level rise and flooding.

Come join us as we "meet and greet" our neighbors, elected officials, community leaders, and fellow "citizen scientists" to "Catch the King Tide"

It's about Just Science....

To learn more about how to prepare to participate as a mapper, see the link below

https://www.wetlandswatch.org/ctk-toolkit

See You There! Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve

Making a more Just, Equitable, Resilient, and Sustainable World for All.

From Oct. 9 through 11, citizen scientists can contribute to tidal-flood mapping by pinpointing where water is inundating land and roadways.

10/09/2026

Come Join Us! WERISE Weatherization Workshop @ Atlanta Climate Week!

A Retrofits for ALL Community Event

Saturday, October 17th, HBCU Green Fund Resilience Hub
Address: 601 Joseph E. Boone Blvd NW, Atlanta, GA 30314

WERISE Workshop: Learn Do-It-Yourself Ways to Reduce Energy Costs, Improve Energy Savings, and Weatherize Your Home, Retrofits for Your Home. Come Learn to Weatherize Your Home, And Homes in Your Community ( in conjunction with ReBuildATL )

​Event Sponsors, Supporters, Partners: HBCU Green Fund, Center for Sustainable Communities, National Technical Association, Draw Down Georgia, REBuildATL, Morehouse Medical School, Sustainability Solutions Group and Institute, Peoples Justice Council, Green The Church

Making A More Just, Sustainable, Equitable and Resilient World for All

10/09/2026

It's ATL Climate Week! Retrofits for All! Reducing Energy Costs..starts by Retrofitting and Weatherizing Your Home!

Join Us!... and be part of this historic inaugural event and special moment in time.

Turning Statewide Energy Policy Research into Action

Retrofits for ALL/WERISE Weatherization Workshop

According to Drawdown Georgia, buildings use electricity and natural gas for heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC), water heating, lighting, and powering appliances and electronic devices —and these energy hogs account for up to 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Retrofitting existing buildings and homes to make them more efficient has tremendous potential to accelerate our progress.

Come Join Us!

Learn about the Georgia Drawdown Solution Tracker (Retrofits), a statewide research initiative that identifies solutions and drivers to help communities take action on emissions-reduction, energy-saving, and cost-reducing retrofit measures.

Learn about initiatives underway to ensure all Georgians benefit from this research. (Retrofits for ALL)

Come Join Us! Reduce Energy Burden! Reduce Energy Costs!

Retrofits for ALL Morehouse Medical School Thursday, Oct. 10th 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM Calvin Smyre Room H236

See registration link below

https://luma.com/0pkxew4g

Presentation on historical findings on the root causes of Energy Burden in West Side Atlanta. Featured Speaker: Theodore Brown, MPH Candidate, Morehouse School of Medicine, School of Public Health

Presentation of findings on Drawdown Georgia and Retrofits for All, from the Statewide Review and Next Steps.

Panel Discussion: Retrofits for All; How Do All Residents Benefit; One Way: Audits for Affordability. Moderator: Cosco Jones; Jones Sustainability Solutions

Energy Affordability and Cost Reduction Marketplace- available products, educational materials, do-it-yourself solutions

Presentation: GAConnect Portal — an easy online way to identify available energy cost-saving measures in your area.

Meet Our SDG Future Fellows and Their Year-Long Project: Advancing Data-Driven Solutions for Home Repair and Energy Retrofits to Reduce Carbon Emissions and Enhance Energy Affordability

Advancing SDGs 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 17

Closing Reception

WERISE--Energy Cost Savings Education and Home Weatherization Workshop Cosco Jones, Jones Sustainability Group

Saturday, October 17th, HBCU Green Fund Resilience Hub
Address: 601 Joseph E. Boone Blvd NW, Atlanta, GA 30314

Noon to 2:30 PM (Lunch Provided) WERISE Workshop: Learn Do-It-Yourself Ways to Reduce Energy Costs, Improve Energy Savings, and Weatherize Your Home; Retrofit Your Home (In conjunction with ReBuildATL)

Come learn to weatherize your home and homes in your community

Event Sponsors, Supporters, Partners: HBCU Green Fund, Center for Sustainable Communities, National Technical Association, Draw Down Georgia, REBuildATL, Morehouse Medical School, Sustainability Solutions Group and Institute, Peoples Justice Council, Green The Church

10/04/2026

Creating STEM pathways into Sustainability, Environmental, Climate and Energy for the next generation at all levels; K12, Collegiate, Early Career Professional

Providing students the unique opportunity to design Local Solutions to Global Problems through robust series of programming, meaningful and thoughtful engagement that includes

SDG Futures Fellowship

Just Science Scholars, Fellows and Faculty

Atlanta Youth Climate Fund

Community Clean Air Corps

Smart Academy Center of Excellence

Example Highlighting the game changing experience of Naomi Wagner, recent Spelman grad in an article,

Local Solutions to Global Problems: The SDG Futures Fellowship Experience
Community & People Sustainability & Resilience

https://www.techsquareatl.com/tech-square-news/2026/9/30/local-solutions-to-global-problems-the-sdg-futures-fellowship-experience

Note: The Center for Sustainable Communities ( CSC) is a founding member of Regional Center for Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development - Greater Atlanta ( RCE Greater Atlanta)

What is the SDG Futures Fellowship and Why is it So Important

RCE Greater Atlanta is proud to announce the SDG Futures Fellowship, aimed at education about the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), leadership, and professional development! This is an eight-month fellowship program, beginning in September and ending in April, and is open to all college students from the 12 RCE Greater Atlanta-affiliated higher education institutions.

This is a great opportunity for students to learn more about sustainability challenges in and around Atlanta and around the world, and how communities can organize to tackle these issues.

The SDG Futures Fellows Program matches a team of interns with a community partner to collaborate on projects furthering the partner's impact on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Fellows commit to working with their community organization for approximately 5 hours per week throughout the duration of the fellowship.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) are at the core of the SDG Futures Fellowship. “We take a global to local impact approach,” said Anna Tinoco-Santiago, co-lead of the SDG Futures Fellowship Program and Community Engagement Manager at the Georgia Tech Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education (SCoRE) in the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems (BBISS), related to how the fellowship applies the global framework of the SDGs to make a local impact.

Note: The Center for Sustainable Communitites was a recent winner Global Sustainability Award SDG -11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

Note: Naomi Wagner was recognized based on her work to provide data driven solutions for both a Community Well Being Index and State Wide Energy Policy Data Analysis ( Retrofits for All) in conjunction with Draw Down Georgia Solution Tracker Project.

Local Solutions to Global Problems

Making a more Just, Sustainable, Equitable and Resilient World for All

Naomi Wagner shown in photo below

09/29/2026

It's Still About Justice! It's about building a more Just, Sustainable, Equitable, and Resilient World for All by Eliminating the Harmful Impacts of Data Centers On Our Communities. Come Join Us! Come March With Us! The Time is Now! Statewide Mobilization Effort! October 20th
Fact: Virginia has more data centers than any other state in the country

09/27/2026

Celebrating 100 Years of Black Excellence in STEM fields

Science, Technology Engineering, Mathematics

The National Technical Association turns 100 Years Old

A NYC Climate Week Special Celebration Event @ BIPOC Climate Justice Summit@ world recognized National Museum of History NYC

Garry Harris, A Two Term National President, Proudly Served to Lead the Country's Oldest and Most Influential Minority STEM Organization

100th Anniversary ; National Technical Association

Learn More NTA Celebration @100 below
https://youtu.be/k4PkoXet41U?is=3juMHP_o6fH0sUO9

Through STEM Education and Just Science...making a more Just, Sustainable, Equitable and Resilient World for All

09/23/2026

New York Climate Week...Its About Remembering the Origins and Sustaining the Environmental, Climate Justice movement

New York Climate Week is so special and significant in many ways...including honoring some of the legends and founders of the movement who made early sacrifices and to build principles that the movement still embraces and stands upon today. Thirty five years after the historic First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit in 1991 leaders gather to reflect on the evolution of the environmental justice movement through 2026.

Environmental justice leaders took of where we have been, examine the victories that transformed our national consciousness about environmental protection, and equity and draw upon the lessons emerging from set backs

Against today's political, social and environmental challenges, the conversation and dialogue centered on how we sustain the movement, build power across generations and chart a path forward that is grounded in the wisdom of our history, the lessons of our struggles and the promise of collective action.

Founders of the movement shown below, Susana Almanza, Charles Lee, Vernice Miller, Richard Moore, Peggy Shepard, Beverly Wright, Robert Bullard

What a special moment in time for the work we do!

Making a more Just, Sustainable, Equitable and Resilient World for All

09/14/2026

Continuing to make a more Just, Sustainable, Equitable and Resilient World for All through Sustainable Development.

WINNER: Global Sustainability Award

Advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals to make our cities and communities " inclusive, safe, and sustainable" ( SDG-11)

Winning Global Sustainability Award for advancing resilience and sustainability in our most underserved communities locally, and nationally.

WINNER: INDIVIDUAL CHANGEMAKER AWARD ( SDG 11)

The awards honor initiatives, schools, students, educators, startups, and NGOs aligned with the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Co-hosted by TiE Atlanta, the Architecture & Research Centers (ARC), and the Georgia Cleantech Innovation Hub, Kimberly Clark and the City of Atlanta Office of Sustainability

Core Focus Areas ( SDG-11)

Affordable Housing: Upgrading and ensuring safe, affordable housing and basic services for everyone.

Sustainable Transport: Expanding safe, accessible, and affordable public transit systems.

Urban Planning: Fostering inclusive, participatory, and sustainable management of human settlements.

Environmental Impact: Reducing the ecological footprint of cities by improving air quality and municipal waste management.

Health Impacts: Reducing health disparities in vulnerable and underserved communities.

Resilient Communitites: Building stronger communities to shocks and stressors including climate and severe weather impacts.

Public Spaces: Providing universal access to safe, inclusive, and green public spaces.

Heritage Protection: Safeguarding the world's cultural and natural heritage

We are humbled and honored by this international award and recognition...and will continue on our journey and purpose ..
...creating a more Just, Sustainable, Equitable and Resilient World for All

09/06/2026

In this Season of Creation .....Where we plant trees ...we plant hope...and vision as well

Helping the next generation at PPS to achieve academically

Park View Elementary Featured 13News Now

PORTSMOUTH IS MAKING ACADEMIC PROGRESS!

Park View Elementary is driving Portsmouth's academic turnaround
| 13newsnow.com
https://share.google/kGzYvYfkPYcP6TbTb

For the FIRST TIME since the COVID-19 school shutdowns, Portsmouth Public Schools achieved at least a 60% PASS RATE IN EVERY TESTED SUBJECT AREA!

That’s real, measurable progress — and Park View Elementary is helping lead the way.

We applaud students, teachers, staff, administrators, and families and partners who are proving what is possible when we stay focused on student achievement.

We will continue to assist in building on this momentum by raising expectations and creating greater opportunities for every child, and by remaining a great community partner.

In spring 2026 at the time, Virginia Wesleyan University ( now Batten University), Center for Sustainable Communities, and Virginia Department of Forestry partnered with Park View Elementary its faculty, students and administration to plant nearly thirty trees and shrubs on the school campus such that students could learn first hand nature, climate and heat island effect and numerous benefits of trees

THE RESULTS ARE SHOWING. THE MOMENTUM IS GROWING.
And we’re STILL KEEPING CHILDREN FIRST!

See 13NewNow full story below

Park View Elementary is driving Portsmouth's academic turnaround |
13newsnow.com https://share.google/kGzYvYfkPYcP6TbTb
Down P Town


Making a more Just, Equitable, Resilient and
Sustainable World for All

09/01/2026

Why Our Community Must Care About Climate!
September: National Preparedness Month.

The increasing frequency and devastating impacts of severe weather, especially on coastal communities, include extreme heat, heavy precipitation, storm surge, sea-level rise, significant and historic meteorological events such as hurricanes, and associated flooding.

Building a Weather-Ready Nation for All ...Our Communities Must Prepare

The 2026 theme for National Preparedness Month is "Americans Stand Ready," emphasizing personal resourcefulness and community responsibility.

Join Us In An Encore Presentation of On Point With Juandolyn Stokes

On Point Exclusive: Why Our Community Must Care About Climate Change

Juandolyn Stokes of On Point with Juandolyn Stokes has a forum discussion about climate change. The Climate Change forum consisted of Garry Harris, Dr. Raji Shankar Brown, Dr. Marshall Shepherd, Dr. Yomi Noiboi, Dr. Erie Sakawa, and Dr. Jario Garcia.

The panel shares with Stokes that September is National Preparedness Month. They also discuss how climate change causes more severe storms like Hurricane Ida, more serious floods, and impacts the ecosystem and atmosphere. The group advises that we must mitigate the impacts of climate change to become a more weather-ready nation for all. The Panel tells Stokes that environmental justice and Climate justice disproportionately affect communities of color.

Listen to the Full Episode Here!

https://www.audacy.com/waok/search?q=Climate

Core Action Steps Families and Communities Can Take to Prepare:

Know your risk: Learn what emergencies could happen where you live.

Make a plan: Create a family emergency communication and evacuation plan
Build a kit: Gather enough food, water, medicine, and supplies for a go-bag.

Get involved: Take a first aid class or connect with local community response groups.

Building a more Just, Sustainable, Equitable , And Resilient Work for All

Note: Through 14 episodes we reached nearly 5 million listeners